Advertising a guaranteed result in a case is likely a violation of which rule?

• A. Model Rule 1.7 (conflicts of interest)
• B. Model Rule 7.1 (truthfulness in advertising)
• C. Model Rule 5.4 (fee sharing)
• D. Model Rule 3.3 (candor to the tribunal)

Answer: (B)

Advertising a guaranteed result targets the honesty of how a lawyer presents their services. The rule on truthfulness in advertising forbids statements that are false or misleading about a lawyer’s services, and promising a guaranteed outcome is inherently misleading because legal results depend on many uncontrollable factors. Since outcomes can’t be guaranteed, such a claim misleads prospective clients and violates this rule. The other listed rules address different issues—conflicts of interest, fee sharing, and candor to the tribunal—not the honesty of advertising about results—so they don’t fit as closely.