The Perils of Legal Marketing

Jody Shackleford Lawyer

Legal Advertising Dispute Concludes Abruptly

Arkansas personal injury attorney Jody Shackelford (pictured) has voluntarily dismissed his lawsuit against national plaintiffs’ law firm Morgan & Morgan, a firm that is well known for its aggressive and expensive legal advertising campaigns.

According to a Reuters report, the firm spent the firm spent nearly $240 million in TV ads in 2023, and $40.3 million in digital ads that year, based on a February 2024 blog post from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform that cited data from advertisement analytics firms Tunnl and Sensor Tower.

The case, which alleged unfair and deceptive advertising practices, came to an unexpected close in Arkansas federal court.

Case Dismissal and Conflicting Statements

Shackelford filed a notice of voluntary dismissal, citing an undisclosed agreement with Morgan & Morgan.

However, Steven Quattlebaum, representing Morgan & Morgan, refuted claims of a settlement. Quattlebaum stated that the plaintiff dismissed the case when faced with a hearing on a motion to dismiss and potential sanctions for filing a frivolous lawsuit.

Original Allegations

The lawsuit, filed in July, accused Morgan & Morgan of running advertisements with “dramatizations”, using client testimonials in violation of professional conduct rules, engaging in false advertising under federal law and causing harm to Shackelford’s practice through unfair competition

    Legal Implications

    The case’s dismissal raises questions about the boundaries of legal advertising and the potential for litigation between competing law firms. It also highlighted the challenges in proving harm from advertising practices within the legal industry where aggressive and often ‘edgy’ marketing has pushed the boundaries of legal ethics.


    Meta’s Massive Payout to Trump: Is This the End of Social Media Censorship?

    Trump Win

    Trump’s Big Win Against Meta

    Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook and Instagram, has agreed to pay President Trump $25 million to settle his 2021 lawsuit, which Trump filed against Meta and other tech companies, claimed he had been unfairly censored on their platforms.

    The settlement marks a significant concession from Meta and is a clear win for Trump. It’s a far cry from the days when Trump was criticizing social media platforms for censoring him. Now he’s cozying up to tech titans like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO.

    Zuckerberg has been making waves with his support for Trump and his efforts to reshape Meta for the new administration.

    The settlement with Trump isn’t an isolated incident. It follows a similar $15 million settlement between ABC News and Trump in December. As tech companies and media outlets navigate the changing political world it’s clear that the relationship between Big Tech and politics is evolving rapidly in the new Trump era.

    Zuckerberg has implemented sweeping policy changes that allow for more diverse types of speech across Meta’s apps, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. In a move that’s raised some eyebrows, Zuckerberg has also eliminated diversity and inclusion initiatives across the company.

    During a recent investor call, Zuckerberg didn’t hold back in his praise for the Trump administration. He lauded their support for American tech companies and their defense of “our values”. “This is going to be a big year for redefining our relationships with governments”, he said.

    While the settlement is grabbing headlines, Meta’s financial performance is also worth noting. The company reported a impressive 21 percent jump in revenue and a 49 percent increase in profit for the fourth quarter. The gains were largely driven by advancements in Meta’s AI-powered systems for ad targeting and content recommendation.

    However, it’s not all smooth sailing. Meta’s revenue forecast for the current quarter came in lower than expected, raising some questions among investors. This is particularly noteworthy given Meta’s plans to significantly increase its spending on data centers and other infrastructure this year.

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