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Bill White, the publisher of Law & Politics and SuperLawyers and a Minnesota lawyer, was understandably happy about the ruling in New Jersey making it safe to be a SuperLawyer again. Here is his press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 18, 2008
Statement of Bill White
Publisher
Super Lawyers and Law & Politics
In response to yesterday’s ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court vacating Opinion 39 on the question of attorney advertising, Bill White, publisher of Super Lawyers and Law & Politics, released the following statement:
“The Court’s ruling is a significant victory for consumers looking for valuable information about lawyers, for attorneys wanting to exercise their constitutional right to commercial free speech and for the First Amendment and the press’ right to publish editorial opinion regarding lawyers.
“We believe Opinion 39 was seriously flawed in that it misstated our selection process, ignored a long line of U.S. Supreme Court precedent upholding the rights of lawyers to advertise and in fact, failed to address the First Amendment at all. We are truly delighted that Court has vindicated our positions. Lawyers have a constitutional right to truthfully advertise bona fide honors and awards and publications such as Super Lawyers can – and should – be a much-needed resource to both consumers and attorneys.
“We’re also pleased that the Court explicitly cleared away any ambiguity regarding the appropriateness of participating in the Super Lawyers process and of promoting an attorney’s inclusion in our publication.
“It’s clear that the Court found the Special Master’s report, issued in July, to be very persuasive. In that report, Judge Fall called our selection process ‘very sophisticated, comprehensive and complex.’ Similarly, Judge Fall noted with favor our system of checks and balances, our database and system safeguards and the various steps we take in assessing the qualifications and good standing of the lawyers on our list.
“Going forward, we hope to be a resource to the New Jersey Advisory Committee on Attorney Advertising, the Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics and the Professional Responsibility Rules Committee to which this issue has been remanded for reconsideration.
About Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers is a listing of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
Super Lawyers is published as a special supplement in leading newspapers and city and regional magazines across the country. Super Lawyers magazine, featuring articles about attorneys named to the Super Lawyers list, is distributed to all attorneys in the state or region, the lead corporate counsel of Russell 3000 companies and the ABA-approved law school libraries.
Polling, research and selection are performed by Law & Politics. Law & Politics has been publishing legal magazines since 1990 and Super Lawyers since 1991.
For further information:
Jon Austin
(612) 839-5172
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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