IN RE: PATTY ANN LUEKEN

ARKANSAS BAR ID #89161

CPC DOCKET No. 2001-019

The formal charges of misconduct upon which this Order arose from information brought to the Committee's attention. Patty Ann Lueken, an Arkansas attorney, practicing law in Little Rock, Arkansas, placed an advertisement on an internet website, www.luekenlaw.com, which stated, "Patty Lueken Is A Successful Trial Attorney in Little Rock, and the ONLY board certified family law specialist in the state of Arkansas!"; and on another section of the website "1998- Certification in Family Law (only Board Certified Family Law Specialist in the state of Arkansas)." The Arkansas Supreme Court has not approved a plan of specialization in the area of Family Law. Ms. Lueken admitted that she maintained an internet website which contained references to being a board certified family law specialist as recognized by the Nation Board of Trial Advocacy. Ms. Lueken amended her website information to remove all references to the word "specialist." Ms. Lueken invoked in her response the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, and Article II, §6 of the Arkansas Constitution.

Upon consideration of the formal complaint, the response thereto, and the Arkansas Model Rules of Professional Conduct, the Committee on Professional Conduct finds:

1. That the conduct found to be in violation of the Arkansas Model Rules of Professional Conduct was not protected by either the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution or by Article II, §6 of the Arkansas Constitution.

2. That Ms. Leuken's conduct violated Model Rule 7.4(c) when she placed an advertisement on her website, www.luekenlaw.com, implying that she was a board certified specialist under the Arkansas Plan of Specialization approved by the Arkansas Supreme Court. Model Rule 7.4(c) prohibits a lawyer from stating or implying that the lawyer is a specialist, except a lawyer who has been recognized as a specialist under the Arkansas Plan of Specialization approved by the Arkansas Supreme Court may communicate the fact during the period that he or she is a "Board Recognized Specialist" under the plan.

WHEREFORE, it is the decision and order of the Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct that PATTY ANN LUEKEN, Arkansas Bar ID #72038, be and hereby is, CAUTIONED for her conduct in this matter.

ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT COMMITTEE

ON PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

By: ______________________________________

Bart Virden

Chairman

Date:_____________________________________