Arkansas-based attorney Jody Shackelford filed a lawsuit on July 17 against the national personal injury law firm Morgan & Morgan, alleging that the firm’s "extensive advertising campaigns" violate state and federal rules and give the firm an unfair advantage over its competitors.
According to Shackelford, Morgan & Morgan has violated both Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules and state laws pertaining to the broadcasting of false, misleading, unfair, and deceptive advertising through its "extensive advertising campaigns." He said Morgan & Morgan has "misled" plaintiffs, harming other law firms by drawing in clients who believe Morgan & Morgan offers "superior" services. Shackelford also stated that Morgan & Morgan has gained "an unfair advantage by violating advertising rules that Plaintiff adheres to."
Morgan & Morgan spent the most money out of any law firm on legal services advertisements in Georgia in 2023, according to a report from the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA). The firm spent an estimated $24,413,237, resulting in approximately 351,519 ads.
ATRA President Sherman "Tiger" Joyce said the large number of legal advertisements in Georgia underscores the state’s need for tort reform. "This tidal wave of legal services ads blanketing Georgia is further evidence of the state’s struggling legal climate and need for tort reform," Joyce said in a statement. He added that this advertising arms race is both a symptom and a cause of the state’s troubled civil justice system, fueling more litigation and lining the pockets of trial lawyers.
According to the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia (IIAG), massive advertising campaigns from trial lawyers are contributing to rising car insurance costs. These ad campaigns can fuel "frivolous" lawsuits, which drive up the cost of risk for businesses, forcing them to raise their prices for consumers, and also make insurance more expensive for policyholders. The IIAG stated that if the state enacted tort reform measures to address "lawsuit abuse," Georgia’s gross product could increase by almost $12 billion.
Morgan & Morgan has offices throughout Georgia, including in Atlanta, Macon, and Savannah. According to the firm’s website, Morgan & Morgan specializes in personal injury cases such as car accidents and medical malpractice.