Massachusetts rules
What do Massachusetts's three ad rules say about lead generators, specialist claims and runners?
Massachusetts runs on three short rules with long comments. No filing, no label, but a written test for paying lead generators and a statute on runners.
By Santiago Alvarez, Founder, Ad Hoc Digital
Last updated
The short answer
If you read one part of this page, read this.
Massachusetts lawyer advertising is governed by Rules 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 of the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct, which the Supreme Judicial Court publishes as SJC Rule 3:07. All three took effect October 1, 2022. Nothing is filed, no "advertising" label is required, and no copy-keeping period is set. Every communication must name at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content (Rule 7.2(d)).
The detail sits in the comments. Comment [5] to Rule 7.2 lets a firm pay for leads only if the lead generator doesn't recommend the lawyer, imply the referral is free, or claim it analyzed the person's legal problem. A certification claim must name the certifier, and an unapproved one must be described in the rule's set words as "a private organization" (Rule 7.2(c)(2)).
Rule 7.3 bans live person-to-person solicitation for money, and General Laws chapter 221, section 43 separately bars using runners to sign up damages claims. 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.
Which rules apply
Massachusetts regulates lawyer marketing through Rules 7.1 to 7.3, plus statutes on runners and claim solicitation.
The SJC's Rule 3:07 page lists only Rules 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 under "Information about legal services". Each of the three pages carries the same history line: adopted July 13, 2022, effective October 1, 2022.
| Rule | What it covers | Marketing effect |
|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | No false or misleading communication about a lawyer's services; comments on results, comparisons and firm names | Results and comparisons need context; trade names, web addresses and social handles must not mislead |
| 7.2(a), (b) | Any media allowed; no paying for recommendations, with five exceptions | Ad costs, nonprofit referral services and nominal thank-you gifts are fine; lead buying is tested by comment [5] |
| 7.2(c) | Specialist and certification claims | "Specialist" if true; "certified" needs a named certifier and, if unapproved, a set statement |
| 7.2(d) | Responsible name | Every communication names a lawyer or firm responsible for it |
| 7.3 | Solicitation | No live person-to-person pitches for a fee to strangers; written outreach allowed within limits |
| G.L. c. 221, ss. 41, 43, 44, 44A | Non-lawyer solicitation of claims; runners; disqualification; hospital staff | Criminal penalties for non-lawyers who solicit damages claims; a lawyer using a runner can be removed from the case |
Rule 3:07 as a whole was last amended March 20, 2025, effective June 1, 2025. The index doesn't say which rules that order changed, and the pages for Rules 7.1 to 7.3 show only the 2022 date. The SJC's rule changes page, last updated September 14, 2026, lists no pending change to Rule 3:07. Our ABA Model Rules guide covers the national model text, and our state-by-state rules list shows where the neighbours differ.
Filing or review
Massachusetts has no filing, no pre-approval and no required label, so the file you keep is your own.
None of Rules 7.1 to 7.3 asks a lawyer to submit an ad, pay a fee or mark an ad as advertising. The duty is to get the content right before it runs.
Name who answers for it
Rule 7.2(d) requires the name of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for the content of any communication made under the rule. Pick the responsible lawyer before launch, not after a complaint.
Test each claim against comment [2]
A true statement still misleads if it leads a reader to a conclusion "for which there is no reasonable factual foundation". Note the foundation for each claim.
Keep your own archive
No Massachusetts rule we read sets a retention period, but a dated copy of what ran and where is the evidence you'll want if Bar Counsel asks.
The absence of a filing step changes how we plan launches. A Massachusetts search campaign can go live the day the copy is approved inside the firm. For comparison, our Connecticut guide covers a neighbour where ads are filed with a state committee, and our Rhode Island guide covers the other side of the border.
What every ad must include
One required line, a responsible name, and comments that decide how names and offices read.
Rule 7.2(d) is the only content requirement in the text. Comments [5] to [8] to Rule 7.1 decide how the firm presents its name, its lawyers and its offices.
- Responsible name (7.2(d)): "the name of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content." A display URL alone isn't a name; put the firm name in the ad text or the sponsor line.
- Trade names (7.1, comment [5]): allowed if not misleading. A geographic trade name such as the comment's "Springfield Legal Clinic" may need a statement that it isn't a public legal aid organization.
- Lawyers licensed elsewhere (7.1, comment [6]): a multi-state firm may use one name everywhere, but must show the jurisdictional limits of lawyers not licensed where the office is.
- Fees (7.2, comment [1]): prices for specific services and payment and credit arrangements may be advertised, subject to the misleading test in Rule 7.1.
Short formats still need room for the name line. Our ad copy rules guide shows how a name line fits into headlines and sponsor fields.
Results, testimonials and endorsements
Results and comparisons are allowed with context; paid endorsements run into Rule 7.2(b).
Massachusetts has no testimonial rule of its own. Comment [3] to Rule 7.1 and comment [2] to Rule 7.2 do the work.
| Content | Massachusetts's rule | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Verdicts and settlements | Truthful reports may mislead if they suggest the same result for others "without reference to the specific factual and legal circumstances" of each case | 7.1, comment [3] |
| Claims and comparisons | An unsubstantiated claim about services or fees, or comparison with other firms, stated so specifically that a reader assumes it can be proved, may mislead | 7.1, comment [3] |
| Disclaimers | "An appropriate disclaimer or qualifying language" may preclude a finding that a statement misleads; none is mandatory | 7.1, comment [3] |
| Paid endorsements | A communication that "endorses or vouches for" a lawyer is a recommendation, and paying for one is barred outside the 7.2(b) exceptions | 7.2(b); 7.2, comment [2] |
| Thank-you gifts | Only a nominal token, never promised in advance or tied to future referrals | 7.2(b)(5); 7.2, comment [4] |
A client's unpaid review describing how the firm handled the matter fits these rules; a review bought with a gift card does not, because it is a paid recommendation. Our testimonials guide compares other states, and our guide to asking for reviews covers how to ask without paying for praise.
Specialist and certified
"Specialist" is allowed when true; a certification claim needs the certifier named, and sometimes a set sentence.
Rule 7.2(c) lets lawyers say they concentrate in, specialize in or have expertise in an area if it isn't misleading. Comment [9] adds that a self-described specialist will be held to a specialist's standard of performance.
- Approved or ABA-accredited certifier (7.2(c)(1)): the lawyer may say "certified" if the certifying organization is clearly identified in the communication.
- Any other certifier (7.2(c)(2)): the communication names the organization and states that it is "a private organization, whose standards for certification are not regulated by a state authority or the American Bar Association."
- Patent and admiralty (7.2, comment [10]): communications about practice before the Patent and Trademark Office or in admiralty aren't prohibited by the rule.
The private-organization sentence won't fit a search headline, so for an unapproved certifier we keep "certified" on the lawyer's profile page.
Direct contact, waiting periods and paying for leads
Massachusetts bans live pitches to strangers, sets no fixed waiting period, and tests lead buying in a comment.
Rule 7.3 governs solicitation. Comment [5] to Rule 7.2 governs lead generators. General Laws chapter 221 adds statutes on runners and on non-lawyers who solicit claims.
- Live solicitation (7.3(b))
No live person-to-person solicitation when pecuniary gain is a significant motive, except to lawyers, family, close or prior relations, and organizations or businesses about their own activities. Comment [2] says texts and other easily ignored written messages aren't live contact.
- Limits on any solicitation (7.3(c))
Even a letter or email is barred if the person said they don't want to be contacted, if it involves coercion, duress or harassment, or, for a fee, if the lawyer should know the person can't exercise reasonable judgment. Comment [6] gives the example of someone "undergoing active medical treatment for traumatic injury", and the rules set no fixed number of days.
- Lead generators (7.2, comment [5])
A firm may pay for leads if the generator doesn't recommend the lawyer, any payment fits Rules 1.5(e) and 5.4, and its marketing is truthful. The firm must not pay one that implies it is recommending the lawyer, is referring without payment, or has analyzed the person's legal problem to choose the lawyer.
- Runners (G.L. c. 221, ss. 43, 44 and 44A)
No lawyer may use a runner to solicit a person to hire the lawyer to present a damages claim, or pay anyone for steering such a client. A lawyer who does may not appear in that action, and the court may disqualify the lawyer and deny costs. Section 44A bars hospital staff from contacting a lawyer to help the lawyer solicit a patient's damages claim.
- Non-lawyers soliciting claims (c. 221, s. 41)
A non-lawyer who solicits control of a damages claim, or the right to defend an accused person, faces up to $100 or six months in prison for a first offence.
Comment [1] to Rule 7.3 also says ads to the general public, such as an Internet banner or a website, aren't solicitation, nor is a response "automatically generated in response to electronic searches". Our paying for leads guide compares how other states treat lead platforms.
Channel by channel
How Massachusetts's three rules apply to search ads, Local Services Ads, social and AI search content.
Rule 7.2(a) says a lawyer may communicate "through any media", and comment [3] lists Internet-based advertisements and domain names among the costs a firm may pay. No rule we read names a platform.
| Channel | What the rule means there | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Google search ads | The firm name in the ad text; no "certified" in a headline unless the certifier fits in the same ad | 7.2(c), 7.2(d) |
| Local Services Ads | We treat it as a paid ad placement, as long as nothing in the listing implies the platform recommends the lawyer or picked the lawyer after reviewing the person's problem | 7.2(b)(1); 7.2, comments [3] and [5] |
| Facebook and Instagram ads | Results in video need their factual context; an influencer paid to vouch for the firm is a paid recommendation | 7.1, comment [3]; 7.2, comment [2] |
| Social media posts | The username itself is a professional designation; replies to strangers in comments are written, not live, contact | 7.1, comment [5]; 7.3, comment [2] |
| Website and AI search content | Pages, FAQs and bios that AI search tools may quote are communications under Rule 7.1; specialist pages carry any certifier statement | 7.1, comment [1]; 7.2(c) |
How each Google product charges is in our Local Services Ads vs Google Ads guide, and our social media rules guide covers posts across states.
What we check
Our Massachusetts review starts with who pays whom, then the words.
When we review a Massachusetts firm's ads, we check the money first: every lead source, directory and referral arrangement against Rule 7.2(b) and comment [5], because that is where Massachusetts's comments are most specific.
List every paid source
Each directory, lead vendor and sponsorship is sorted into ad cost, nonprofit referral service, or lead generator, and the lead generators' own landing pages are read for any "we recommend" language.
Put the name in every ad
The firm or a responsible lawyer appears in the text of each search, social and display ad, not only on the landing page.
Strip or support each claim
Results get their facts beside them or come out; "more wins than any firm in Boston" comes out unless the firm can prove it.
Check certification wording
Each "certified" names the certifier, and unapproved certifiers carry the private-organization sentence on the page where the claim appears.
Write the outreach rules down
No live calls to strangers about a matter; follow-up texts and emails stop the moment someone asks, and nothing goes to a person in active treatment.
One case study, $82,000 in Revenue From Just One Case, comes from an injury practice, and the amount is the firm's result, not an ad claim. Our Google Ads service writes search copy within these rules. For that practice area, see our personal injury marketing page. A firm that also advertises in New York should read our New York guide, since that state rewrote its rules in 2026.
Common mistakes
Where firms go wrong.
Massachusetts mistakes we look for in accounts firms bring to us.
An ad with no firm or lawyer name
Rule 7.2(d) requires the name of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for the content of the communication.
A lead vendor that says it picked the lawyer
Comment [5] to Rule 7.2 bars paying a lead generator that implies it is recommending the lawyer or analyzed the person's legal problem.
"Certified" with no certifier
Rule 7.2(c) requires the certifying organization to be clearly identified, plus the private-organization statement if it isn't approved or ABA-accredited.
Gift cards for reviews or referrals
Rule 7.2(b)(5) allows only nominal gifts that aren't promised in advance; comment [4] says a gift tied to future referrals is prohibited.
Intake staff calling accident victims
Rule 7.3(b) bans live person-to-person solicitation for a fee, and G.L. c. 221, s. 43 bars soliciting damages claims through a runner.
Real results
What this looked like for real firms.
Published results from firms whose case studies don't name their 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.
Do Massachusetts lawyers have to file their ads?
No. Rules 7.1 to 7.3 contain no filing or review step and no fee. The rules require truthful content and a responsible lawyer or firm named in each communication.
Can a Massachusetts firm pay for leads?
Yes, within comment [5] to Rule 7.2. The lead generator must not recommend the lawyer, imply the referral is unpaid, or claim it analyzed the person's legal problem, and the payment must fit Rules 1.5(e) and 5.4.
Can a Massachusetts lawyer call themselves a specialist?
Yes, if it's true, under Rule 7.2(c). Saying "certified" needs a named certifier, and a certifier that isn't approved by a state authority or accredited by the ABA needs the rule's private-organization statement.
How soon can I contact an accident victim in Massachusetts?
The rules set no fixed number of days. Live person-to-person solicitation for a fee is banned at any time (Rule 7.3(b)), and written contact for a fee is barred when the person can't exercise reasonable judgment. The comment's example is someone in active treatment for a traumatic injury (7.3(c)(3), comment [6]).
Do Massachusetts rules cover a firm whose main office is in another state?
They can. Rule 8.5(a) covers lawyers not admitted here who offer services here. Under 8.5(b)(2), the rules where the principal office sits apply unless the conduct's predominant effect is elsewhere, and a lawyer who follows the rules of the place they reasonably believe that effect will occur isn't disciplined.
How does Massachusetts compare with nearby states?
It files nothing and keeps three rules. Our state-by-state list shows each state's filing rule, our Connecticut guide covers a state that files ads, and our Rhode Island guide covers the third southern New England state.
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. The Board of Bar Overseers and Office of Bar Counsel website couldn't be opened by any method on October 25, 2026, so this guide relies on the rule text and statutes only. Platforms and rules change, so check the current version before you act on any of it. This is marketing guidance, not legal advice.
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, SJC Rule 3:07, Rules of Professional Conduct (index and amendment history)
- Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.1: Communications concerning a lawyer's services (effective October 1, 2022)
- Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.2: Communications concerning a lawyer's services; specific rules (effective October 1, 2022)
- Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.3: Solicitation of clients (effective October 1, 2022)
- Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 8.5: Disciplinary authority; choice of law
- Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 221, section 41 (unauthorized practice of law; solicitation of business; penalty)
- Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 221, section 43 (claims for damages; solicitation prohibited)
- Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 221, section 44 (disqualification for violating section 43)
- Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 221, section 44A (hospital employees; communication with lawyers about personal injury cases)
- Massachusetts court system, Rule Changes and Invitations to Comment on Proposed Rules and Amendments
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.
More about SantiagoWant a second pair of eyes on this?
Book a free 30-minute call. Tell us how cases come in today, and we'll tell you straight what we'd change, and whether we can help.