As early as 1996, many state bar associations began issuing opinions on Internet ethics, often focusing on law firm Web sites. Most of the rules and opinions relating to online communications apply the advertising rules that already exist for print advertising. In August 2010, the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility released its Formal Opinion 10-457. The ABA addressed many of these same concerns, including: misleading information on web sites, creating undue expectations via the web site, and taking care not to create an inadvertent client-lawyer relationship via the web site in Formal Opinion 10-457.

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California Attorneys and Paralegals can earn one hour of Self-Study Legal Ethics MCLE credit by submitting this quiz after reading the ABA's Formal Opinion 10-457.

ABA Formal Ethics Opinion 10-457 Covering Attorneys' Use of Web Sites to Market Their Practices