Opinion ID: 1245971
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Solicitation of Professional Employment

Text: Bushman was engaged in an unusual number of civic, professional and community activities. He was not only a director of the local airport district, but served upon numerous professional committees. So extensive are these activities that six full pages of his brief are devoted to mere enumeration. (6) Rule 2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct prohibits a member of the State Bar from soliciting professional employment by advertisement or otherwise. Among the activities specifically proscribed are Using a newspaper ... to advertise the name of the lawyer or his law firm or the fact that he is a member of the State Bar or the bar of any jurisdiction (subd. a(2)), or announcing the change in the location of the law office or changes in personnel by publication in newspapers (subd. b). By negative implication, the rule also prohibits an attorney from holding himself out as rendering a specialized legal service by advertisement in the media (subd. b). [4] Essentially, Bushman was found by the board to have prepared and disseminated to the news media in Santa Barbara County in 1967 and 1968, news releases containing laudatory statements about his ability and personal accomplishments as an attorney, particularly in the fields of international, aviation and tax law. So far as the board was able to establish, only one statement of this nature was published. This was an article in the Central Coasts Shopping Guide on November 21, 1968, which announced Bushman's appointment to a committee of the American Bar Association. It contained a picture of Bushman and the statement, Bushman is recognized as a specialist in International, Aviation and Tax Law. The 26 member Committee has one other member from California. The language of the article is identical to one of the news releases which the board found had been furnished by Bushman to the media. The findings also stated that Bushman admitted that the information appearing in the publication could only have come from him. The board concluded that Bushman had, by the preparation and dissemination of these releases, wilfully solicited professional employment, and that he intended to bring to the attention of prospective and current clients his claimed accomplishments and achievements, for the purpose of soliciting professional employment. Bushman denies preparing or disseminating the news releases in issue, or of soliciting the publication of the article in the Central Coasts Shopping Guide. [5] Several of the releases alleged to have been disseminated by Bushman follow the pattern of the published article described above. They announce some activity in which he participated, such as his appointment to a professional committee or attendance at some aviation or legal conference or seminar. Two of the releases announce that the firm has moved its offices, [6] one a change in the firm's telephone number, [7] and two others announce the association of attorneys with the firm, in which an unnamed spokesman for the firm is quoted as having said, We are happy we have been able to attract to our community a man of [the associate's] caliber. [8] Several of the releases describe Bushman in laudatory terms, stating that he is a well known aviation lawyer, or a recognized ... specialist in International and Aviation and Tax Law, a noted authority on legal economics, and a specialist in international tax law and an authority on treaties. [9] Each of the releases contains a heading, News Release, and each specifies that it is For Release on Arrival. Soma Bushman testified that Bushman had a practice of submitting news releases to the media and that he customarily sent them in a plain envelope with no return address. The publisher of the Santa Maria Times told the committee that, while he could not say that each of the releases in evidence had originated with Bushman, this is the type of news releases which has been received from him. Bushman denies writing or disseminating the news releases, and he claims that there was no convincing proof to the contrary. An examination of the record demonstrates, however, that his testimony, as set forth in the footnote, was so equivocal and contradictory that the only reasonable inference to be drawn therefrom supports the board's determination. [10] Bushman next asserts that even if the board's finding that the news releases originated with him is upheld, nevertheless he cannot be charged with violating rule 2 because there was no clear and convincing proof that he acted wilfully, with the intent to solicit employment. It is evident that the contents of many of the releases violated specific proscriptions contained in rule 2, such as the prohibition against announcement in a newspaper that the law office had moved or that attorneys had associated with the law firm. (7) It is difficult to avoid the conclusion from an inspection of the releases that Bushman would seize on almost any activity as a pretext for a press release announcing not only his participation therein, but also identifying himself as an attorney, sometimes in laudatory terms, and frequently as a specialist in a particular field of law. These releases were sent to a newspaper in plain envelopes. Under these circumstances, the board's conclusion that Bushman is guilty of a wilful violation of rule 2 is warranted. Finally, Bushman asserts that his suspension violates his right to free speech because during the times in question he was an outspoken and controversial public figure, and he was entitled to defend attacks made by others against him in the public press. He contends that an attorney who participates in public activities will inevitably be identified with his profession, and that such identification can only reflect favorably upon the legal profession. (Citing the dissenting opinion in Millsberg v. State Bar (1971) 6 Cal.3d 65, 75-76 [98 Cal. Rptr. 223, 490 P.2d 543].) (8) We agree with Bushman that those press releases in which he replied to attacks upon him by others are protected under the First Amendment. (9) We are also of the view that the mere announcement by an attorney of his participation in public activity does not constitute a violation of rule 2. However, Bushman did not confine his conduct to announcements of this type. His references to himself in laudatory terms and as a specialist in various fields of law violated both the spirit and letter of rule 2. In addition, he violated various specific prohibitions of the rule. We agree with the board's assertion that, under these circumstances, the only reasonable conclusion is that Bushman conceived and executed a plan to publicize himself as a member of the bar and of lauding his legal expertise, and that he was therefore guilty of soliciting professional employment in wilful violation of rule 2. Bushman does not claim that the discipline imposed was too severe if the board's findings are upheld. A suspension for one year appears reasonable under the circumstances. [11] It is ordered that petitioner be suspended from the practice of law for a period of one year. It is further ordered that within 30 days after the effective date of this order petitioner shall perform the acts specified in rule 955, subdivision (a), California Rules of Court, and that within 60 days after the effective date of this order petitioner shall file with the clerk of this court, the affidavit provided for in subdivision (c) of the foregoing rule. This order is effective 30 days after the filing of this opinion. Clark, J., did not participate therein. Petitioner's application for a rehearing was denied July 17, 1974.