The Friday Whine is a casual blog and contains three things: An ethics update, a legal profession update, and wine recommendation. If you see text in blue, it is a link to an article or information.
Ethics
You Find Your “Hurricane Claim Lawyer” Yet?
“Brian, are these email I’m getting about lawyers who handle hurricane claims, ethical?”
Possibly. Probably not. Here’s a five page checklist to determine whether e-mails from lawyers are compliant with the Rules.
But there will be no Bar investigations or discipline, because you want a hurricane claim lawyer, and if that lawyer gets you some money, you’ll be ok with the unethical behavior. That’s just the way the world works.
The Rules Regulating The Florida Bar prevent a lawyer from directly soliciting anyone for business unless they are a fellow lawyer, or have a prior professional relationship with the person being solicited, or are family. Random emails soliciting business are unethical unless they comply with the Rules, and I predict most didn’t.
But your insurance company is about to screw you over, so you’re probably not going to spend the time writing letters to the Bar.
Legal Profession
Besides Soliciting Business, What Can Lawyers Do Post-Irma?
Here’s a list of ten things. Pick one.
Most important thing to do is to remember that the trauma of this event affects everyone differently. Be a little patient, a little flexible, a little human. Maybe you got power last Tuesday and had your lawn cleaned up by Tuesday afternoon. Congratulations, you’re in the minority.
Wine
Hurricane Wine
Yes, I saw the meme on the internet during the hurricane – “remember, red wine doesn’t require refrigeration.” Remember that next time as you’re stocking up on beverages.
But now that we have refrigeration, and ice, and are enjoying the last few weeks of oppressive heat, let’s enjoy some white wine.
How about some Kung Fu Riesling for $12.29 at Total Wine? A nice sweet wine to take out your post-Irma anger.