For a second time, Frank Azar’s law firm is accusing a company of using Google ads to trick dozens of would-be Azar clients into hiring a competing personal injury lawyer.
On Friday, Azar & Associates sued Lawsuit Support Now, a California call center that refers clients to lawyers, and its executives for trademark infringement and false advertising. The lawsuit comes seven months before jurors in Pueblo hear a similar Azar case.
Founded in 1987, Azar & Associates was an early adopter of the sort of self-promotion that is now commonplace among personal injury law firms. As a result, the firm’s founder is wealthy, well-known throughout this state and fiercely protective of his advertising edge.
“Every year, Azar spends millions of dollars on advertising for the promotion of his legal services,” according to Friday’s federal lawsuit, which calls Azar “a brand name.”
“Simply put, everyone knows of Frank Azar and his Azar firm,” the lawsuit explained.
Lawsuit Support Now has profited from that ubiquity, Azar alleges, by purchasing Google keyword ads that are geotargeted to Colorado. Search for “Frank Azar” here and a top result is LSN’s website, which then passes clients on to Azar’s competitors, Azar said.
“Potential clients that are specifically seeking Mr. Azar are deceived into discussing their case with a stranger with which they are not familiar,” claimed last week’s lawsuit.
This has cost Azar & Associates “dozens, if not hundreds, of potential clients,” it estimates. It also forces that law firm to bid higher for keyword ads to ensure that its own website remains the top result on Google when Coloradans search for Azar, according to the lawsuit.
Frank Azar started Azar & Associates in 1987. (Courtesy of Frank Azar)
Brad Miller, the owner of Lawsuit Support Now, said Monday that he learned about the Azar lawsuit Friday from a third party and has never been contacted by Azar or his lawyers. Miller shared with BusinessDen an email that he has sent to Azar’s attorneys.
“The filing was surprising as this was the first time I’m hearing of any concerns from your client. Did anyone ever reach out?” he wrote in the email, which he said hasn’t been answered.
“We have a lot of respect for your client’s firm,” Miller went on to say about Azar, “and have no interest in an adversarial relationship.” He wrote that his company is “well versed on the legalities around Google ads and keyword bidding” and has done nothing wrong.
“That said, as a professional courtesy, we are willing to cease bidding on all Franklin D. Azar related terms on all platforms,” the email explained. “If for any reason you do not feel like this matter is resolved to your satisfaction, please reach out at your earliest convenience.”
Azar & Associates, whose trademarks include “Strong Arm” and “I’ll Get You As Much As I Can As Fast As I Can,” is seeking a court order prohibiting Lawsuit Support Now from buying Google keyword ads for its trademarks. It also wants an accounting “to determine defendants’ profits resulting from their activities” and an order “that such profits be paid over to Azar.”
Azar & Associates is represented by Tamir Goldstein, Michael Kosma and Morgan Steele from the Denver office of Sherman & Howard, who didn’t answer a request for comment.
In 2022, Azar & Associates sued an Alabama law firm for allegedly buying Google keywords for Azar’s trademarks. A 10-day trial in that case is scheduled to start Jan. 21, 2025.