Letterheads

88 N.J.L.J. 171
March 18, 1965

OPINION 72

Letterheads

An attorney asks whether special counsel for a political subdivision of the State, such as the Public Housing Authority, can have printed on his attorney-at-law letterheads, "Special Counsel for Public Housing Authority of the State of New Jersey."
This Committee's Opinion 60, 87 N.J.L.J. 769 (1964), parts 2 and 3, dealt with inquiries as to whether the name of counsel for
eleemosynary institutions or for certain civic organizations, serving without compensation, may be listed on the letterheads of such institutions or organizations provided that other officers are
also named thereon. Even in those instances the opinion stated that the inclusion of the attorney's address and/or telephone number would clearly be in violation of Canons of Professional Ethics, Canon 27, proscribing advertising by members of the bar.
We concluded our Opinion 60 as follows:
The test is whether the information as to who is counsel for the organization is clearly and primarily in its interest and has not the effect of unduly advertising the attorney. Drinker, Legal Ethics 262 (1953).
 
It is clear the designation as suggested in the instant query would be improper as violative of the canon.