Attorney Regulation
Advocacy and Outreach
- April 17, 2008
Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Comment to the South Carolina Supreme Court Regarding Proposed Guidelines for Residential and Commercial Real Estate Closings (V080010)
- January 29, 2008
Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Comment to the Supreme Court of Hawaii Regarding Proposed Rules Governing the Practice of Law in Hawaii (V080004)
- August 14, 2007
FTC Approves Filing of Staff Comments with the Louisiana State Bar Association Regarding Attorney Advertising; FTC Approves Proposed Divestitures by Service Corp. International, et al.
Commission approval of comments to the Louisiana State Bar Association: The Commission has approved the filing of comments by the staff of the Federal Trade Commission’s Office of Policy Planning, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Bureau of Competition, and Bureau of Economics with the Louisiana State Bar Association concerning revisions to proposed rules on lawyer advertising and solicitation.
- May 17, 2007
Federal Trade Commission Staff Comment to Mr. Carl E. Testo, Counsel, Rules Committee of the Superior Court, Connecticut Superior Court, Regarding Proposed Section 2-44A of the Rules of the Superior Court entitled "Definition of the Practice of Law"
The FTC has approved the filing of comments by the staffs of the Office of Policy Planning, Bureau of Competition, and the Bureau of Economics, with the Rules Committee of the Connecticut Superior Court regarding the unauthorized practice of law (UPL) within the state.
- May 15, 2007
FTC Approves Filing of Staff Comments with the Indiana Supreme Court Regarding Attorney Advertising; FTC Receives Petition for Approval of Proposed Divestiture from SCI and Alderwoods Group
Commission approval of comments to the Indiana Supreme Court: The Commission has approved the filing of comments by the staff of the Office of Policy Planning, Bureau of Consumer Protection, and Bureau of Economics with the Indiana Supreme Court concerning attorney advertising and solicitation proposed by the Indiana State Bar Association.
- May 9, 2007
FTC Approves Filing of Amicus Brief with New Jersey Supreme Court
Commission approval of amicus brief filing: The Commission has approved the filing of an amicus brief with the New Jersey Supreme Court related to the issue of attorney advertising.
- April 24, 2007
FTC and Department of Justice Comments to the Honorable Helene E. Weinstein, Chair, Committee on Judiciary, New York State Assembly, Regarding New York Assembly Bill A01837, To Establish That Certain Services Related To Real Estate Transactions May Be Provided Only By Attorneys
The Commission has authorized the filing of comments, prepared jointly with the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division, with the New York State Assembly Committee on the Judiciary regarding proposed legislation to expand the scope of activities constituting the unauthorized practice of law.
- March 23, 2007
Commission Staff Submits Comments to Florida State Bar on Computer-Accessed Attorney Communications
The Commission has authorized the staffs of the Office of Policy Planning, Bureau of Economics, Bureau of Competition, and Bureau of Consumer Protection to submit joint comments to the Florida State Bar regarding proposed revisions to the Florida Rules of Professional Conduct pertaining to computer-accessed communications.
- March 16, 2007
FTC Staff Files Comments with Louisiana State Bar Association on Attorney Advertising; Commission Approves Final Consent Order in Matter of Kinder Morgan, Inc.
The Commission has authorized the staffs of the Office of Policy Planning, Bureau of Economics, Bureau of Consumer Protection, and Bureau of Competition to submit joint comments to the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) regarding proposed revisions to the rules of professional responsibility with respect to attorney advertising.
- September 15, 2006
Commission Approves Staff Comments on Attorney Advertising to New York Unified Court System; FTC Staff Issues Advisory Opinion Concerning the NPIA to St. John’s Health System
The Commission has approved comments by the staffs of the Office of Policy Planning, the Bureau of Consumer Protection, and the Bureau of Economics to the New York State Unified Court System regarding proposed amendments to its rules governing attorney advertising.
- May 31, 2006
FTC Staff Comment Before the Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas
Commission authorization of staff comments to the State Bar of Texas: The Commission has authorized the staffs of the Office of Policy Planning, Bureau of Competition, and Bureau of Economics to file a comment with the Professional Ethics Committee of the State Bar of Texas concerning online attorney matching services, which are designed to help consumers find attorneys who are able to handle their legal needs (V060017).
- June 27, 2006
FTC/DOJ File Joint Comments with NY State Assembly Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law - Assembly Bill A05596
The Commission has authorized the filing of comments, prepared jointly with the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) Antitrust Division, with the New York State Assembly Committee on the Judiciary regarding proposed legislation to expand the scope of activities constituting the unauthorized practice of law.
- March 1, 2006
FTC Staff Comment Before the New Jersey Supreme Court Concerning Attorney Advertising
Practice of Law (V060009)
- February 4, 2005
FTC and Department of Justice Comment Before the Kansas Bar Association Concerning Proposed Definition of the Practice of Law
Practice of Law (V050002)
- December 16, 2004
FTC and Department of Justice Comment to Task Force to Define the Practice of Law in Massachusetts Concerning Draft Proposed Definition
Practice of Law (V050002)
- October 6, 2004
FTC Staff and Department of Justice Antitrust Division Comment to the Honorable Paul Kujawski Concerning Proposed Massachusetts H.B. 180 to Authorize Non-Attorneys to Perform Certain Real Estate Settlement Services
Practice of Law (V040025)
- August 5, 2004
FTC: Ohio Court Should be Guided by Public Interest When Considering Definition of ‘Unauthorized Practice of Law’
The Federal Trade Commission this week filed a brief amicus curiae with the Supreme Court of Ohio in Cleveland Bar Ass’n v. CompManagement, Inc. (Case No.: UPL 02-04).
- May 25, 2004
Announced Actions for May 25, 2004
The Commission has authorized the filing of a joint amicus brief with the Department of Justice in McMahon v. Advanced Title Services Company of West Virginia, a case before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. The case concerns an opinion by the West Virginia State Bar Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee that would prohibit non-lawyers from performing various real estate settlement functions – including title searching, title reports, closings, and document deliveries.
- October 10, 2003
Comments of the Federal Trade Commission and the United States Department of Justice to the Indiana State Bar Associationon a Draft Proposed Amendment to Indiana Supreme Court Admissions & Discipline Rule 24 Regarding Unauthorized Practice of Law.
Comments On Draft Proposed Amendment To Indiana Supreme Court Admissions & Discipline Rule 24 Regarding Unauthorized Practice Of Law
- July 30, 2003
FTC and Department of Justice Amici Curiae Brief On Review of UPL Advisory Opinion No. 2003-2 Concerning the Unlicensed Practice of Law in Georgia (Supreme Court of Georgia) (Case No. S03U1451)
Practice of Law (V030007)
- March 28, 2003
FTC and Department of Justice Comment to the Honorable William J. Murphy et al. Concerning H. 5936 and H. 5639 to Require Lawyers to Represent Buyers in Real Estate Closings
Practice of Law (V020013)
- March 21, 2003
Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Urge Georgia Bar Committee to Refrain from Eliminating Nonlawyer Competition for Real Estate Closing-related Business
Proposed Opinion to Adversely Affect Prices and Services for Georgia Consumers
- December 23, 2002
Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Provide Comments on American Bar Association Proposed Model State Law Defining the Practice of Law
The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division on Friday released a joint letter urging the American Bar Association (ABA) to substantially narrow or reject a proposed model definition of the practice of law.
- October 3, 2002
FTC Staff Provides Alabama Supreme Court With Comments on Attorney Advertising Rules
Any Restrictions Should be Tailored to Prevent Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices
- September 30, 2002
FTC Staff Comment Before the Supreme Court of Alabama Concerning Attorney Advertising
Practice of Law (V020023)
- July 11, 2002
FTC and Department of Justice Comment to the North Carolina State Bar Concerning Proposed State Bar Opinions Concerning Non-Attorney Involvement in Real Estate Transactions
Proposal Would Likely Save Consumers Money (V020006)
- April 2, 2002
FTC and Department of Justice Comment to the Honorable John B. Harwood et al. Concerning Rhode Island H. 7462 to Restrict Non-Attorney Participation in Real Estate Closings
Proposed Bill Would Likely Cause Consumers to Pay More (V020013)
- December 19, 2001
FTC and Department of Justice Comment to the Ethics Committee, North Carolina State Bar, Concerning the Involvement of Non-Attorneys in Real Estate Closing and Refinancing Transactions
The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division today released a joint letter urging the North Carolina State Bar to reconsider two recently adopted Opinions that would prevent non-lawyers from competing with lawyers to perform real estate closings (V020006)
- September 20, 1996
The Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Comment Before the Virginia State Bar Concerning Proposed UPL Opinion #183 (Non-Lawyers Conducting Real Estate Closings)
Staff of the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice today submitted a joint comment to the Virginia State Bar urging against adoption of the Bar’s proposal to prevent non-lawyers and title company attorneys from handling closings of real estate transactions and refinancings
(V960015)
- March 27, 1991
FTC Staff Says Law Firm Diversification Can Benefit Consumers
Law firm diversification can offer consumers "one-stop shopping" for legal services, and can provide other significant benefits to consumers, the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Competition staff has said in comments to the American Bar Association ("ABA") on proposed amendments to the ABA's Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
