Annotations to Chapter 4 – Marketing of Legal Services

Law Firm Names

Ethics Advisory: Law Firm Names (EA-2025-01, Published: August 18, 2025)

Marketing Activities

Ethics Advisory: Marketing Activities (EA-2025-05, Published: August 18, 2025)

Annotations to rule 4.2-5 Content and format of marketing activities

It is misleading for lawyers with a Juris Doctor degree (J.D.) to use the title”‘Dr.” in front of their names.
EC March 2015, item 6

It is acceptable for a lawyer to own and use a domain name that, if used as the name of a law firm would be improper, but as a domain name is only used to advertise the firm by providing a link to the proper name of the firm.  [PCH]
EC April 2011, item 4 


[BC Code] refers to an annotation that was created during the time the BC Code was in effect (from January 1, 2013) and is not based on or does not refer to a provision of theProfessional Conduct Handbook.

[PCH] refers to an annotation to the former Professional Conduct Handbook, which was in effect from May 1, 1993 to December 31, 2012. Lawyers should consider the possible differences between the Handbook and the BC Code when determining the extent to which an annotation is still relevant.

EC refers to Ethics Committee minutes. For example, the reference "EC March 2005, item 6" refers to item 6 of the Ethics Committee minutes in March 2005.

DD refers to Discipline Digest. For example, the reference "DD 04-05" refers to discipline digest number five in 2004.

DCD refers to Discipline Case Digest. For example, the reference "DCD 01-27" refers to discipline case number 27 in 2001. (Note that in 2007 Discipline Case Digests were phased out and became Discipline Digests.)

LSBC refers to Law Society hearing reports. For example, the reference "2003 LSBC 20" refers to hearing report number 20 in 2003.

For more information on the annotated BC Code, see the Introduction to the Code of Professional Conduct for BC.