So if I had to guess, this is probably exactly what the bar regulators had in mind back in the days before Bates v. Arizona, when they could still prohibit advertisements that “demean the profession” – and even disbar those who ran such ads.
But this is actually a GREAT ad. It definitely succeeds in mission #1 of outbound marketing, which is to catch the viewer’s attention. And while the marketing message is shocking, it sends a highly-effective message about attorney Larry Archie’s commitment to client advocacy.
There’s also nothing deceptive about this ad. Although it communicates that Archie will fight aggressively for his clients, regardless of whether they “did it,” the ad doesn’t promise or even imply a particular result.
Finally, as any first year law student knows, the statement is also a completely accurate representation of the law. People who “did it” escape being found guilty via excellent advocacy, poor work by the prosecution, exclusion of evidence, and a host of other reasons. They also sometimes escape a guilty verdict even when they’ve been found to have “done it,” on the basis of defenses such as insanity, necessity, or self-defense.
Dignified? Hell no.
Effective? You bet.
Legal? Absolutely.