RULE 7.4
      COMMUNICATION OF FIELDS OF PRACTICE AND SPECIALIZATION


  (a) A lawyer may communicate the fact that the lawyer does or does not
practice in particular fields of law.

  (b) A lawyer admitted to engage in patent practice before the United
States Patent and Trademark Office may use the designation "Patent
Attorney" or a substantially similar designation.

  (c) A lawyer engaged in Admiralty practice may use the designation
"Admiralty," "Proctor in Admiralty" or substantially similar designation.

  (d) A lawyer shall not state or imply that a lawyer is a specialist in
a particular field of law, except upon issuance of an identifying
certificate, award, or recognition by a group, organization, or
association, a lawyer may use the terms "certified", "specialist",
"expert", or any other similar term to describe his or her qualifications
as a lawyer or his or her qualifications in any subspecialty of the law.
If the terms are used to identify any certificate, award, or recognition
by any group, organization, or association, the reference must:

     (1) be truthful and verifiable and otherwise comply with Rule 7.1;

     (2) identify the certifying group, organization, or association; and

     (3) state that the Supreme Court of Washington does not recognize
certification of specialties in the practice of law and that the
certificate, award, or recognition is not a requirement to practice law
in the state of Washington.

Comment

  [1] [Washington revision] Paragraph (a) of this Rule permits a lawyer
to indicate areas of practice in communications about the lawyer's
services. If a lawyer practices only in certain fields, or will not
accept matters except in a specified field or fields, the lawyer is
permitted to so indicate.

  [2] Paragraph (b) recognizes the long-established policy of the Patent
and Trademark Office for the designation of lawyers practicing before the
Office. Paragraph (c) recognizes that designation of Admiralty practice
has a long historical tradition associated with maritime commerce and the
federal courts.

  [3] [Reserved.]

Additional Washington Comment (4)

  [4] Statements indicating that the lawyer is a "specialist," practices
a "specialty," "specializes in" particular fields, and the like, are
subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph (d). The provisions of
paragraph (d) were taken from former Washington RPC 7.4(b).


[Amended effective September 1, 2006.]