In a renewed legal confrontation, Morgan & Morgan, the self-proclaimed largest injury law firm in the United States, has initiated a lawsuit against the Morgan Law Group (MLG) over alleged violations of a previous settlement agreement concerning Google search advertising practices. The case, filed on September 20, 2024, in Orlando, Florida, highlights the ongoing tensions in the competitive legal advertising landscape.
The dispute centers on MLG's alleged use of Google advertising terms that display their name prominently in search results for "morgan and morgan." This practice, according to the lawsuit, breaches a settlement reached between the two firms in October 2020. Morgan & Morgan contends that MLG's actions constitute misleading and deceptive advertising designed to misappropriate their current and potential clients.
This legal battle is not the first of its kind for Morgan & Morgan. The firm previously sued MLG in 2017 over similar advertising practices, leading to the 2020 settlement. The current lawsuit alleges that MLG has violated the terms of this agreement, which prohibits the use of specific advertising words and keywords on Google and other search engines.
"Regrettably, this is not the first time that the MLG defendants have engaged in misleading and deceptive advertising practices designed to misappropriate current and potential clients of Morgan & Morgan."
The case underscores the significant role of online advertising in the legal industry. Morgan & Morgan's substantial investment in advertising, with nearly $240 million spent on TV ads and $40.3 million on digital ads in 2023, demonstrates the high stakes involved in client acquisition for law firms.
This lawsuit follows a similar case filed by Morgan & Morgan in August 2023 against a New Jersey marketing company. That case, which was dismissed in July 2024, alleged deceptive "click to call" advertisements that misdirected potential clients to the marketing firm instead of Morgan & Morgan.
The legal services market, expected to reach $1.1 trillion globally by 2025, has seen a significant shift towards online advertising. Since the first online advertisement appeared in 1994, the landscape has evolved dramatically. The average cost per click for legal keywords on Google Ads is around $6.75, reflecting the competitive nature of online legal advertising.
Florida, home to both Morgan & Morgan and MLG, boasts over 106,000 active lawyers as of 2024, contributing to the intense competition for clients. The legal industry's reliance on digital marketing has grown substantially, with the average US law firm now spending about 2% of its revenue on marketing efforts.
In this latest lawsuit, Morgan & Morgan is seeking unspecified damages and invoking a fee-shifting provision from the settlement agreement. The case, filed in the Circuit Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit In and For Orange County, Florida, is being represented by Damien Prosser of Morgan & Morgan.
As the legal battle unfolds, it serves as a reminder of the complex interplay between technology, advertising, and the law. With the first lawsuit over keyword advertising dating back to 2004, this case represents the ongoing evolution of legal disputes in the digital age.