Opinion 26-95

May 7, 2026

Facts/Issue:    The inquiring judge will be given an award at a bar association’s upcoming fund-raiser.  May the judge’s name, likeness, and judicial title be used to advertise the event?  The advertisements include social media ads which may also contain the names and logos of commercial sponsors the bar association has found for its fund-raiser.

Discussion:     Section 100.4(C)(3)(b)(ii) provides that a judge “may not be a speaker or the guest of honor at an organization's fund-raising events, but the judge may attend such events.  Nothing in this subparagraph shall prohibit a judge from being a speaker or guest of honor at a court employee organization, bar association or law school function or from accepting at another organization's fund-raising event an unadvertised award ancillary to such event.”

                      Here, the sponsoring entity is a bar association, i.e. one of the three categories designated for special treatment under the rule.  A judge may be an announced speaker, guest of honor, or award recipient at a bar association’s fund-raiser, and thus the judge’s name, title, and likeness may be featured in social media promotions and traditional advertisements for the event, assuming they do not create an appearance that the judge is personally soliciting funds.  We see no reason for a different result merely because a bar association’s advertisements for its fund-raiser may appear on social media and may also politely acknowledge various commercial sponsors.

Conclusion:     A judge may be an announced speaker, guest of honor, or award recipient at a bar association’s fund-raiser, and therefore may permit the bar association to use the judge’s name, likeness, and/or title on advertisements for the event.

Authorities:  Opinions 18-91; 10-49; 01-39