MovieChat Forums > Green Acres (1965) Discussion > Ethics and Lawyers

Ethics and Lawyers

posted 18 years ago by gsharkey
13 replies | jump to latest

I thought this was very ironic and it really happened. It concerned The episode where Oliver opened a law office with a young partner, whose name I do not remember. To drum up business, Lisa places an ad in The Hooterville World Guardian, advertising things like buy one, get one free divorces. Oliver tells her that lawyers are not allowed to advertise because it is not ethical. Anyway, seconds later, the show goes to commercial, and lo and behold, its a shyster lawyer talking abou slip and falls, and dog bites. I got a good laugh out of that..

I'd like ten thousand marbles please. Flounder

[–] spike71 18 years ago

I watch tv during my lunch hour and if I had a dime for each law firm commercial, my lunch would be paid for. That is funny.

[–] Alek_Hidell 18 years ago

Back when that show was made, it WAS illegal for lawyers (also doctors, medicine manufacturers, hard liquor, etc) to advertise on television. Ironically, shortly before this, it was legal for cigarette companies to advertise.

Yet another reason to wish for the "good old days" to come back.

------------------
I'm just a patsy!

[–] ancatdoh 17 years ago

"Back when that show was made, it WAS illegal for lawyers (also doctors, medicine manufacturers, hard liquor, etc) to advertise on television. Ironically, shortly before this, it was legal for cigarette companies to advertise."

I don't think it was ever "illegal" for lawyers or doctors to advertise on TV per FCC rules, but in those days it just wasn't done because the members of those professions considered it "unethical," which is about right and wrong, not whether the law says you can't and will suffer penalties if you do.

It was tacky then, and it's tacky now.

I was involved in traffic accident some years ago, and for 2 years my mailbox was jammed with direct mail solicitaions from personal injury lawyers who got my address from the accident report--too lazy to even chase the ambulance.

Oleevah wouldn't do that!

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ancatdoh 17 years ago

"No, not only was it unethical but it WAS illegal for lawyers to advertise. You would have been taken before the ethics board and repremanded, but a subsequent infraction would have resulted in a bisbarment hearing. It had nothing to do with the FCC."

You're talking about state bar association rules, not the law.

Lawyers govern themselves re ethical standards and they changed their own rules about advertising. When I got all those direct mail ads, it was against my state bar associations own rules and the lawyers that did it knew it, but they did it anyway. They've since changed the rules and now they all do it.

There was never a "law" in my state that prohibited lawyers from direct mail solocitation using public information from accident reports that made it "illegal."

"Illegal" to advertise would mean any lawyer who did advertise could be prosecuted and charged with a crime, and sentenced or fined upon conviction before a court of law.

Being disbarred means you're being kicked out of the profession by your peers and can't practice law any more--that's not the same as being charged with crime, being found guilty and being penalized.

[–] miaangel345 16 years ago

WOW!
How ironic!

I think it's good for them to advertise, otherwise how would average people know how to contact a tort lawyer is he/she has been injured and felt something was done wrong to them and would like to sue?

Some of the ads are tacky but that goes for most commercials out now to be quite honest.

All you need is love!

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] JR541 16 years ago

"I tried calling those lawyers but my coffin wasn't equipped with a phone."

But apparently it has internet access.

He's taking the knife out of the Cheese!
Do you think he wants some cheese?

[–] leader-7 9 years ago

It was de facto illegal for lawyer to advertise; and for doctors too. In those days, pharmaceutical companies didn't advertise directly to the consumer either.

However, it was legal to advertise booze and cigarettes. not now.

[–] Metal_Madnesss 12 years ago

Then I will contradict everything you say.

[–] dogluver1970 11 years ago

Interesting thread re lawyers and ethics (and as others have posted, I don't believe it was ever 'illegal' to advertise, as the bar association, indeed, sets its own rules.

True story: my Dad is a retired tax attorney; however, as a kid, I had no friggin clue what he actually DID, because he never went to court like the lawyers I 'knew' on tv, lol. Anyway, he worked for (and eventually became a partner in) a fairly prestigious firm in NYC. But since they didn't have a TV advertisement, I thought that they couldn't hold a candle to the shysters that I saw in ads, lol!! (I think he set me straight some time during my teenage years :)

[–] dbrockskk1 9 years ago

there was nothing legal or illegal about it. It had nothing to do with legality.

suzycreamcheese RIP Heath Ledger 1979-2008

[–] trollomatic 9 years ago

All the characters from Hooterville always thought that Oliver was disbarred.