Advertising rules
What are the advertising rules for lawyers in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK?
One comparison of the rules that change law firm marketing in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK, with short answers and a guide for each jurisdiction.
By Santiago Alvarez, Founder, Ad Hoc Digital
Last updated
The short answer
If you read one part of this page, read this.
Lawyers may advertise in every jurisdiction we cover, and the core rule is the same everywhere: nothing false or misleading. The differences are in the details, and they decide real campaigns: whether ads are filed with the bar (Florida, Texas, Nevada), how long you wait before contacting an accident victim (Florida 30 days, Texas the 31st day under criminal law), who may call themselves a specialist (strict in Canada, Illinois and Australia), and whether you can pay for referrals (banned for personal injury in England and Wales).
The rules that apply are usually those of the place you're licensed and the place your ads reach. A US firm answers to its state bar, a Canadian lawyer to the provincial law society, an Australian practitioner to the conduct rules and state laws, and a solicitor in England and Wales to the SRA, with the ASA's advertising code as a second layer.
This page compares them and links to a guide for each. This is a plain summary for marketing planning, not legal advice. Check the current rule with your bar or law society. We work with law firms across the US and Canada, and also in Australia and the UK.
What's the same everywhere
Four principles hold in every jurisdiction we cover.
Whatever the rule numbers, every regulator here asks the same four things of lawyer marketing. The differences are layered over them.
- Nothing false or misleading
ABA Model Rule 7.1, Florida's 4-7.13, Ontario's "demonstrably true, accurate and verifiable" test in 4.2-1, ASCR rule 36.1 in Australia and the SRA's paragraph 8.8 all start here. True statements can still mislead if they leave out what a reader needs.
- Results need context
The ABA comment warns that true results can create unjustified expectations. Ontario requires a set past-results disclaimer with dollar amounts, Nevada requires its own, and California presumes money results misleading in electronic ads.
- No paying for recommendations
Paying for advertising is allowed everywhere. Paying someone to recommend or refer you is limited everywhere, from ABA Rule 7.2(b) to Ontario's referral fee cap and the UK's ban on personal injury referral fees.
- No pressure on vulnerable people
ABA Rule 7.3 bans live solicitation for money; Ontario and Alberta bar taking advantage of someone who has suffered a traumatic experience and hasn't recovered; the SRA bans unsolicited approaches to the public outright.
Comparison: filing and contact
Filing and contact rules vary widely, and they change launch dates and intake.
Most jurisdictions don't review ads in advance. Three US states make firms file them, and waiting periods after an accident range from none to a criminal statute.
| Jurisdiction | Regulator and main rule | Ads filed? | Contact after an accident |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABA Model Rules | Template for US states; Rules 7.1 to 7.3 | No | Live solicitation banned; no waiting period |
| Florida | The Florida Bar; Rules 4-7.11 to 4-7.22 | Yes, 20 days before first use; $250, $750 late | No injury-related written contact for 30 days (4-7.18(b)) |
| Texas | State Bar of Texas; Part VII of the Disciplinary Rules | Yes, within 10 days after first use; $100 | Crime before the 31st day, including social media DMs (Penal Code 38.12) |
| New York | Appellate Division; Rules 7.1 to 7.3 since June 1, 2026 | No | Plaintiff-side wait removed; Rule 4.5 still limits defense-side contact |
| California | State Bar rules plus Business and Professions Code 6157 to 6159.2 | No; keep copies 1 year | Runners and cappers unlawful (B&P 6152) |
| Nevada | State Bar of Nevada; Rules 7.1 to 7.5 | Yes, within 15 days; $100 per ad | See our Nevada guide |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct 7.1 to 7.5 | No | See our Pennsylvania guide |
| Illinois | Supreme Court of Illinois; Rules 7.1 to 7.4 | No | See our Illinois guide |
| Ontario | Law Society of Ontario; Rules 4.1 to 4.3 | No | No exploiting someone traumatized who hasn't recovered (4.1-2(c)) |
| British Columbia | Law Society of BC; Code chapter 4 | No | No marketing that exploits vulnerability (4.2-5 commentary) |
| Alberta | Law Society of Alberta; Code of Conduct 2026_V1 | No | Same traumatic-experience rule as Ontario (4.1-2(c)) |
| Australia | ASCR rule 36, adopted state by state | No | State laws vary; Queensland limits personal injury ads |
| Queensland | Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002 | No | Personal injury ads limited to name, contact details and practice area (s 66) |
| England and Wales | SRA Code paragraphs 8.6 to 8.11, plus the ASA's CAP Code | No | No unsolicited approaches to the public (8.9) |
Comparison: what ads may claim
Results, specialist wording and paying for leads are where copy most often has to change.
These three columns decide most rewrites we make when a firm's ads move from one jurisdiction to another.
| Jurisdiction | Results and testimonials | "Specialist" wording | Paying for leads or referrals |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABA Model Rules | May mislead without context; a disclaimer may help | Allowed if true; "certified" needs a named, approved certifier | Lead generators allowed if they don't recommend you |
| Florida | Objectively verifiable; strict testimonial conditions | Certified, or objectively verifiable | Vendors are "qualifying providers" with their own duties (4-7.22) |
| Texas | If a verdict was reduced, state what the client received | Certification only through the Texas Board of Legal Specialization | No paying non-lawyers for referrals, except advertising costs and qualifying referral services |
| New York | No mandatory disclaimer since June 2026 | Allowed if true; "certified" needs a named certifier | No paying for recommendations (7.2(a)) |
| California | Money results presumed misleading in electronic ads; disclosure required | "Certified specialist" only through the State Bar's board or an accredited body | See our California guide |
| Nevada | Lead counsel only, plus a past-results disclaimer | See our Nevada guide | See our Nevada guide |
| Pennsylvania | Paid endorsements disclosed; no celebrity endorsements | Restricted except approved certification | Lead generators allowed on ABA-style terms |
| Illinois | General misleading test | "Specialist" and "expert" only to identify an award, with a set statement | Pay-per-lead allowed; no percentage-of-fee pricing |
| Ontario | Dollar results need the set disclaimer; no emotional testimonials | Only Law Society certified specialists | Lawyer referral fees capped; nothing to non-licensees |
| British Columbia | Every claim in a testimonial true and verifiable | Banned; "expertise" acceptable | See our BC and Alberta guide |
| Alberta | Demonstrably true | "Specialist" and "expert" improper without certification | Reasonable advertising costs allowed if pay isn't tied to a client matter |
| Australia | Not false, misleading or deceptive (ASCR 36.1) | "Accredited specialist" reserved (36.2) | Queensland bans paying for claim referrals (s 71); see our Australia guide for other states |
| England and Wales | CAP Code: evidence a testimonial is genuine | See our SRA guide | Personal injury referral fees banned (LASPO s 56) |
Short answers
The questions lawyers ask most, answered in a sentence or two each.
Each answer points to the guide that covers it in full, with the rule text and sources.
- Do I need a disclaimer on every ad?
Not in most places. New York dropped its "Attorney Advertising" label on June 1, 2026. Disclaimers are usually tied to specific claims: results, testimonials, fees, dramatizations. See New York.
- Do I have to file ads with the bar?
In Florida, Texas and Nevada, for many paid ads. See Florida, Texas and Nevada.
- Can I use client testimonials?
Usually, with conditions that change at every border. Our testimonials guide has the table, and asking for reviews covers requests.
- Can I pay for leads?
Mostly yes, if the vendor doesn't recommend you and isn't paid a share of your fee. See paying for leads and referrals and Illinois' 2025 platform rules.
- What can my Google and Meta ads say?
The bar rule and the platform policy both apply. Our ad copy guide has a table of risky phrases and safer versions, and social media rules covers posts and DMs.
Which rules apply
The rules of where you're licensed apply, and so do the rules of where your ads land.
Florida says so outright: its rules apply to any lawyer who advertises Florida services or aims ads at Florida residents, licensed there or not (Rule 4-7.11(b)).
So a Georgia firm whose lawyers are also licensed in Florida, running Meta ads into Florida, follows Florida's rules for those ads. Florida's comment adds that a Florida Bar member's ads in national media, for work in another state where the lawyer is admitted, fall outside its rules if they plainly say "cases not accepted in Florida".
In Canada, each province's law society governs its own licensees. In Australia, the Solicitors' Conduct Rules apply in each state and territory that adopted them, and personal injury advertising laws differ by state. In the UK, this page covers solicitors in England and Wales, regulated by the SRA.
Every rules guide
A guide for each jurisdiction and topic, all written from the regulators' own text.
Start with your jurisdiction, then the topic guides for the channel you're working on.
- United States: ABA Model Rules, Florida, Texas, New York, California, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
- Canada: Ontario, BC and Alberta, and how marketing a firm in Canada differs.
- Australia: the national rules, personal injury advertising in New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory, and how marketing a firm in Australia differs.
- UK: SRA marketing rules, SRA Transparency Rules, and how solicitors market in the UK.
- Across jurisdictions: ad copy for Google and Meta, paying for leads, testimonials, asking for reviews, replying to bad reviews and social media.
How we use these rules
We keep one rules table by jurisdiction, and every ad we write is checked against the client's row.
When we take on a firm, its jurisdiction decides what our copy can claim before anyone writes a word. These are the steps, and the ones a firm can run on its own marketing this week.
Find your row
List every place you're licensed and every place your ads reach. Each one is a row in the tables above.
Plan filing into launch dates
Florida needs 20 days before first use; Texas and Nevada need filing within 10 and 15 days after. We list each deadline next to the ads before the lawyer approves them.
Strip what fails everywhere
Superlatives, outcome promises and claims nobody could prove fail in every jurisdiction here. Our ad check rejects them automatically.
Hold what depends on the row
Results, ratings, awards, "specialist", "expert" and fee promises get a decision against the firm's row. If a row can't be confirmed from the regulator's text, the claim stays out.
Check every vendor
Ask lead vendors and agencies how they contact people. ABA Formal Opinion 501 makes the lawyer answerable for solicitation they knew about, and Florida, Illinois and the SRA put duties on the lawyer to check.
Rules shape the copy, not the results. A Toronto real estate solo, writing under Ontario's rules, generated $10,875 in the first week on Google search ads, and a US DUI solo's Local Services Ads made $13,500 from $600 in ad spend. Our personal injury marketing page covers the practice where these rules bite hardest.
Common mistakes
Where firms go wrong.
The rules mistakes we see most when firms market across borders.
Using one template for every jurisdiction
"Aggressive" is a permitted trait in Florida and a possible breach in Ontario. A national template needs a row-by-row check.
Following an old guide
New York's label, Florida's fee and Illinois' platform rules all changed in 2025 or 2026. Check the date on what you're reading.
Forgetting where the ads land
Florida's rules follow ads aimed at Florida residents, wherever the lawyer is licensed.
Assuming a vendor's compliance is the vendor's problem
Opinion 501, Florida's qualifying provider rule and the SRA all put the duty back on the lawyer.
Saying "specialist" in Canada or Australia
Ontario and Alberta tie it to certification, BC bans it, and Australia reserves "accredited specialist".
Real results
What this looked like for real firms.
Results from firms in two countries, each marketed under its own rules: Ontario and a US state.
Identifying details are anonymized to protect our clients. Individual result, not a promise or prediction of any specific outcome for your firm.
FAQ
Questions lawyers ask us.
Straight answers to the questions that come up most.
Are lawyers allowed to advertise?
Yes, in every jurisdiction covered here. ABA Model Rule 7.2(a) lets lawyers communicate through any media, and Canadian, Australian and UK rules all regulate how lawyers market rather than whether they may.
Which states require lawyer ads to be filed?
Of the states we cover, Florida (20 days before first use, $250 per ad), Texas (within 10 days after first use, $100) and Nevada (within 15 days, $100 per ad). New York ended its filing of solicitations on June 1, 2026.
Can lawyers advertise case results?
Usually, with context. The ABA comment, Ontario's disclaimer, Nevada's past-results line and California's presumptions all aim at the same risk: implying others will get the same outcome. Short ads rarely have room, so we keep results on the landing page.
Can a lawyer call themselves a specialist?
It depends where. The ABA and New York allow it if true; Florida needs certification or objective proof; Texas and California limit certification claims to approved programs; Ontario and Alberta tie specialist claims to certification; BC bans the title; Illinois recognizes no certifications. Australia reserves "accredited specialist".
How long must a lawyer wait to contact an accident victim?
Florida bars injury-related written contact for 30 days; Texas makes contact before the 31st day a crime; New York removed its plaintiff-side wait in June 2026. In England and Wales, unsolicited approaches to the public are banned outright. Ads to the public aren't contact with a specific person.
Do the same rules apply to Google ads and social media?
Yes. Every jurisdiction here applies its rules to online marketing, and some add channel rules: Florida files boosted posts, and treats targeted social posts like direct mail. The platforms' own policies apply as well.
Can you keep our marketing within our rules?
We check every ad and page we write against the client's jurisdiction before the lawyer approves it. Schedule a consultation and we'll go through your current ads.
Where we do this
The services this guide touches.
What this looks like when we run it for a firm, with a demo for your practice on each page.
Sources
Where these facts come from.
Official pages we read when writing this page. Platforms and rules change, so check the current version before you act on any of it. This is marketing guidance, not legal advice.
- American Bar Association, Model Rule 7.1 and comment
- American Bar Association, Model Rule 7.2
- American Bar Association, Model Rule 7.3
- The Florida Bar, Handbook on Lawyer Advertising (December 2025)
- The Florida Bar, Cover sheet for still images (July 2026)
- Texas Center for Legal Ethics, Rule 7.04 Filing Requirements
- State Bar of Texas, Advertising Review
- Texas Legislature, Penal Code Chapter 38
- New York State Bar Association, The Amendments to the Advertising Rules
- California Legislative Information, Business and Professions Code, Article 9.5
- The State Bar of California, Chapter 7: Information About Legal Services
- State Bar of Nevada, Lawyer Advertising
- State Bar of Nevada, Lawyer Advertising Rules (April 2018)
- Pennsylvania Code, 204 Pa. Code Rule 7.2
- Illinois Courts, Rule 7.2: Advertising
- Illinois Courts, Rule 7.4: Communication of Fields of Practice and Specialization
- Law Society of Ontario, Rules of Professional Conduct, Chapter 3
- Law Society of Ontario, Rules of Professional Conduct, Chapter 4
- Law Society of British Columbia, Code of Professional Conduct, Chapter 4
- Law Society of British Columbia, Ethics Advisory: Marketing activities (EA-2025-05)
- Law Society of Alberta, Code of Conduct (2026_V1)
- Law Council of Australia, Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules 2026
- Queensland Legislation, Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002
- Solicitors Regulation Authority, Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs and RFLs
- Solicitors Regulation Authority, Unsolicited approaches (advertising) to members of the public
- legislation.gov.uk, Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, section 56
- Advertising Standards Authority, CAP Code section 3
Written by
Founder of Ad Hoc Digital. Leads strategy and works directly with every client firm on AI search, Local Services Ads, Google Ads and Meta ads.
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