Ethics Opinion

Opinion 65-25

FLORIDA BAR ETHICS OPINION
OPINION 65-25
April 30, 1965
Advisory ethics opinions are not binding.
A Florida law firm having active law offices in each of two cities in the state may use
stationery that lists all lawyers in the firm and shows the addresses and telephone numbers of
both offices. This is especially true where any of the firm’s lawyers are likely to be using either
office, as necessity or convenience indicates.
Note: Lawyer advertising rules are now in Rules Regulating The Florida Bar 4-7.11
through 4-7.22. See, Rule 4-7.16(a)(3)
Canon:

27

Chairman Smith stated the opinion of the committee:
A Florida law firm has heretofore maintained offices in Miami. A letterhead is used
which gives the name and address of the firm and sets forth the names of partners and associates
of the firm. Presently this firm also maintains West Palm Beach and, at the present time, the
address of the West Palm Beach office also is set forth on the upper right-hand corner of the
stationery used by the firm. Thus, the Miami address appears in the most prominent position in
the center of the letterhead and the West Palm Beach address appears elsewhere as indicated.
The firm now contemplates the use of stationery, prepared for use in West Palm Beach,
which would set forth in the center of the letterhead the West Palm Beach address. The address
of the Miami office would appear in the upper right-hand corner. In effect, there would be a
simple exchange of the addresses of the firm. In each instance, the names of all partners and
associates, whether practicing in Miami or West Palm Beach, would appear on the letterhead.
The question is whether use of stationery as indicated would be proper and, in particular,
to know whether there is any impropriety in listing on the stationery to be used in West Palm
Beach the names of all partners and associates of the firm.
It is the unanimous opinion of this Committee that there is no ethical impropriety in the
action contemplated and that the names of all partners and associates of the firm may be listed on
each letterhead particularly when, as is the case here, the personnel of the West Palm Beach
office may be varied from time to time and members of the Miami office may be working
temporarily in West Palm Beach.
One member of the Committee suggests it would be preferable to use a letterhead which
would state the name of the firm in the center of the page and the respective addresses of the
Miami and West Palm Beach offices on the upper right-hand corner. Provision could be made for
indicating on the stationery to which office a response should be addressed.