West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey filed an appeal today from a federal court's decision striking down a state statute that put restrictions and disclaimers on attorneys advertising for clients in prescription drug and medical device cases. CCL's Robert Peck, working with the Segal Law Firm's Scott Segal and Robin Jean Davis, won the decision in the federal district court for the Northern District of Virginia and will defend the appeal.

      The one-year-old statute never went into effect because of a successful motion to enjoin it. Among other things, it prohibited lawyers from describing a voluntary manufacturer recall of the product as a "recall." It also required attorneys to warn viewers to consult their own physicians before they stop taking any medication, even though that is medical advice, rather than a disclaimer relating to the offer of legal representation. The district court held that the statute violated the First Amendment.