Ohio rules
Can an Ohio law firm quote a settlement in a testimonial, bid on a rival's name, or make claims it can't verify?
Ohio files nothing, but Rule 7.1 bans nonverifiable claims, Board opinions rule out settlement figures in testimonials and rival-name keywords, and letters within 30 days of an accident carry a set rights notice.
By Santiago Alvarez, Founder, Ad Hoc Digital
Last updated
The short answer
If you read one part of this page, read this.
Ohio lawyer advertising is governed by Rules 7.1 to 7.5 of the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct, adopted by the Supreme Court of Ohio. Nothing is filed or pre-approved. Rule 7.1 goes one word past truthfulness: a lawyer may not use a "false, misleading, or nonverifiable communication", so praise nobody can check is out.
The Board of Professional Conduct's advisory opinions fill in the details. Opinion 2016-08 says a testimonial that states a settlement or verdict amount is "inherently misleading even if a disclaimer is used". Opinion 2017-1 says "no fee unless we win" needs a costs disclaimer if you'll recover expenses. Opinion 2021-04 says you may not buy another lawyer's name as a search keyword.
Letters, emails and recorded messages to people known to need help carry "ADVERTISING MATERIAL" or "ADVERTISEMENT ONLY", and anything sent within 30 days of an injury accident includes the Court's "Understanding Your Rights" notice (Rule 7.3(e)). 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
Ohio keeps five advertising rules, 7.1 to 7.5, under the Supreme Court of Ohio.
The Supreme Court's current rules PDF is marked "as amended effective January 1, 2026". The newest change inside Rules 7.1 to 7.5 is the April 15, 2024 amendment to Rule 7.4 and its Comment [3].
| Rule | What it covers | Marketing effect |
|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | No false, misleading or nonverifiable communication about a lawyer or the lawyer's services | Claims of skill or reputation that can't be checked are banned, including in testimonials |
| 7.2 | Advertising media, payments for recommendations, required name and address, no ads for cases you'll refer out | Every ad names a responsible lawyer or firm and an office address |
| 7.3 | Solicitation: live contact, targeted letters and emails, served defendants, the 30-day rights notice | Labels on targeted messages and a set insert after injury accidents |
| 7.4 | Fields of practice and specialist claims (amended effective April 15, 2024) | "Specialist" only with a certification and the certifier's name |
| 7.5 | Firm names and letterheads (amended effective June 17, 2020) | Firm names can't mislead; multi-state firms show who isn't licensed in Ohio |
Rules 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 were last amended effective April 1, 2015. The Court's note under Rule 7.1 says the old Code's testimonial ban was dropped but its ban on unverifiable claims was kept. How the national model text reads is in our ABA Model Rules guide.
Filing and review
Ohio has no filing, no fee and no pre-approval; questions go to the Board of Professional Conduct.
No rule asks a lawyer to submit an ad. The Board answers questions instead; its opinions are nonbinding and don't reflect "the opinion of the Supreme Court of Ohio".
Check the Board's index first
The Advisory Opinion Master Index sorts opinions by subject, with an "Advertising and Solicitation" heading whose topics include testimonials, fees and settlement amounts.
Confirm the opinion is current
The Status List marks older opinions "Withdrawn", "Modified" or "Not Current"; Opinion 2016-08 withdrew two earlier ones.
Call for informal guidance
The Board says a legal staff member is usually available by phone to discuss ethics questions.
Write to the Director for an opinion
A written request on a prospective or hypothetical question goes to a committee under the Board's Standards for Issuing Advisory Opinions.
Ohio's Rule 7.2 has no record keeping clause. A firm still has to show what an ad said if a grievance arrives, so we keep a dated copy of every version we run. The Pennsylvania guide covers a neighbouring state that removed its record rule in 2024.
What every ad must include
An Ohio ad names a responsible lawyer or firm with an office address, and fee lines say who pays costs.
Rule 7.2(c) sets the one item every ad carries. Rule 7.1 and the Board's opinions decide what else a line needs.
- Name and address (7.2(c)): any advertising communication "shall include the name and office address of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content."
- Costs on contingent fee ads (Opinion 2017-1): "no fee without recovery" wording is misleading if the firm will recover advanced costs whatever the outcome. The Board's sample fix is "contingent fee clients are responsible for the costs and expenses of litigation".
- Fee words to avoid (7.1, comment [4]): describing rates as "cut-rate", "lowest", "giveaway", "below cost", "discount" or "special" is treated as misleading.
- Cases you'll refer out (7.2(d)): a firm may not seek work on a matter it doesn't intend to handle actively but plans to send to other counsel.
- Licensing (7.5(b)): a firm with offices in more than one jurisdiction that lists its lawyers shows the limits on those not licensed in Ohio.
- Firm names (7.5(a) and (d)): no name that misleads about who practices there, and no suggestion of a partnership unless there is one.
Opinion 2017-1 traces the costs rule to Zauderer, an Ohio discipline case over a no-fee ad that left out costs, where the United States Supreme Court upheld the reprimand in 1985. Our ad copy rules guide shows how to fit a costs line into short formats.
Results, testimonials and reviews
Ohio allows testimonials, bars dollar figures in them, and makes firms police reviews they control.
Opinion 2016-08, still marked current on the Board's Status List, applies Rule 7.1 to client testimonials in ads, on websites and in social media.
| Content | Ohio's position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Satisfaction quotes | Allowed; the Board's examples are "I was pleased with the representation I received" and "The lawyer listened to my concerns" | Opinion 2016-08 |
| Quotes praising skill or record | Not allowed because they can't be verified, such as "My lawyer never settles a case he knows he can win" | Rule 7.1; Opinion 2016-08 |
| General favorable outcomes | Allowed with a clear disclaimer, such as "Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case" | Rule 7.1, comment [3]; Opinion 2016-08 |
| Settlement or verdict amounts in a testimonial | "Inherently misleading", and a disclaimer doesn't cure it | Opinion 2016-08 |
| Paying a client for a testimonial | Not allowed; it's giving value for a recommendation | Rule 7.2(b); Opinion 2016-08 |
| An actor playing a client | Needs an appropriate disclaimer | Opinion 2016-08 |
| Reviews on pages the firm controls | Monitor them, and remove false, misleading or nonverifiable ones | Opinion 2016-08 |
The opinion also asks for the client's written, informed consent before any testimonial runs. Our testimonials guide compares other states, and our guide to asking for reviews covers requests to clients.
Specialist and certified
An Ohio lawyer may say "specialist" only if certified, and the ad has to name the certifier.
Rule 7.4(e), in the text amended effective April 15, 2024, bars stating or implying specialization "unless the lawyer has been certified as a specialist and the communication clearly identifies the name of the certifying organization."
- Practice areas (7.4(a)): a lawyer may say they practice, don't practice, limit their practice to or concentrate in particular fields.
- Set titles (7.4(b) to (d)): "Patent Attorney" for lawyers admitted before the Patent and Trademark Office, "Trademarks" or "Trademark Attorney" for trademark work, and "Proctor in Admiralty" for admiralty work.
- Certification (7.4(e)): comment [3] says the certifier's name must appear so readers can look up the organization granting it.
- The Court's own program: Gov.Bar R. XIV was repealed effective May 1, 2026 and now reads "[Reserved]", as does its Appendix VI on fields of law for specialization, and the Commissions page lists no specialist commission.
So "specializing in DUI" with no certification behind it is out, while "concentrating in" fits 7.4(a).
Direct contact and paying for leads
Ohio bans live solicitation, labels targeted letters, and requires a rights notice for 30 days after an accident.
Rule 7.3 has no waiting period. A letter may go out with a label, a note on how the lawyer found the person, and, early on, a notice the Court wrote.
- Live contact (7.3(a))
No in-person, live telephone or real-time electronic solicitation when pecuniary gain is a significant motive, unless the person is a lawyer or has a family, close personal or prior professional relationship with the lawyer.
- Never, in any form (7.3(b))
None to someone who asked not to be contacted, none with coercion, duress or harassment, and none to a person unable to judge reasonably.
- Targeted letters and emails (7.3(c))
Say how the lawyer learned of the person and their legal need, give no predetermined view of the case's merits, and put "ADVERTISING MATERIAL" or "ADVERTISEMENT ONLY" in the text, on the envelope, and at the start and end of recorded or electronic messages.
- Civil defendants (7.3(d))
Before writing to someone named as a defendant, check the court docket to confirm they've been served. Bankruptcy solicitations of debtors are exempt.
- The 30-day notice (7.3(e))
A solicitation sent within 30 days of an accident or disaster that could bring an injury or wrongful death claim includes the full "Understanding Your Rights" text printed in the rule, with its statement that the Court "neither promotes nor prohibits" such solicitations.
- Paid solicitors (R.C. 1349.05)
A person paid to solicit work on behalf of another may not contact a crime victim, or a crash witness who wasn't a party, until 30 days after the crash or crime. With a party to a motor vehicle crash, that person may never make contact in person and, starting 24 hours after the crash, may phone no more than once in 48 hours and email, text and mail once each.
- Paying for leads (7.2(b) and comment [5A])
Paying for ads is allowed, and so is paying for leads if the generator doesn't recommend the lawyer, the payment fits Rules 1.5 and 5.4, and its messages meet Rule 7.1. Comment [5] bars reciprocal referral agreements.
Under comment [5A], a lead generator is off limits if it implies it recommends the lawyer, refers for free, or analyzed the person's problem. Our paying for leads guide compares other states. Chapter 4705 of the Revised Code, on the practice of law, has no solicitation section, but R.C. 1349.05 limits anyone paid to solicit work for another, which can reach a caller or vendor paid to sign up clients for a firm. Compare Kentucky, where a statute adds a criminal 30-day ban.
Channel by channel
How Ohio's rules apply to search ads, Local Services Ads, social media and AI search content.
Rule 7.2(a) covers "written, recorded, or electronic communication", and comment [1] to Rule 7.3 says public ads and websites typically aren't solicitation.
| Channel | What the rule means there | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Google search ads | No competitor names as keywords; a name and office address in the ad or its assets; costs wording beside any "no fee" line | Opinion 2021-04; 7.2(c); Opinion 2017-1 |
| Local Services Ads | Google says you're charged for each valid lead, so the lead generator test in comment [5A] applies, along with 7.1 for the profile | 7.2(b), comment [5A] |
| Facebook and Instagram ads | Client videos stick to satisfaction or general outcomes with a disclaimer; no settlement figures; actors disclosed | 7.1; Opinion 2016-08 |
| Social media posts | A reply offering services to a stranger in a live chat can be real-time contact; reviews on pages you run get monitored | 7.3(a); Opinion 2016-08 |
| Website and AI search content | Pages, FAQs and bios that AI search tools may quote can't make nonverifiable claims, and specialist wording needs a named certifier | 7.1; 7.4(e) |
Opinion 2021-04 calls buying a rival's name conduct "designed to deceive" under Rule 8.4(c). Our North Carolina guide covers an ethics opinion there that reaches the same answer. How the two Google programs charge is in our Local Services Ads vs Google Ads guide.
What we check
Our Ohio review starts with the keyword list and every quote a client gave you.
When we review an Ohio firm's ads, we check the account's keywords for competitor names before we read a word of copy, because Opinion 2021-04 treats the purchase itself as the problem.
Clear competitor names
Rival firm and lawyer names come out of the keyword list and go in as negatives.
Test every claim for proof
"Proven" or "trusted by thousands" stays only if the firm can verify it.
Strip dollar figures from testimonials
Quotes keep the satisfaction and lose the amount; outcome quotes get a same-size disclaimer.
Fix the fee line
"No fee unless we win" either gets the costs sentence or comes out, depending on whether the firm recovers expenses from clients.
Check names, addresses and titles
A responsible lawyer or firm and an office address in every format, and no "specialist" without a named certifier.
One case study, $82,000 in Revenue From Just One Case, is from an injury firm; the amount is the firm's result, not an ad claim. Our Google Ads service builds campaigns inside rules like Ohio's. For that practice, see our personal injury marketing page. Firms near the border can compare West Virginia's rules.
Common mistakes
Where firms go wrong.
Ohio mistakes we look for in accounts firms bring to us.
Bidding on a competitor's name
Opinion 2021-04 treats a rival's name as a keyword as deceptive conduct under Rule 8.4(c).
A settlement figure in a client video
Opinion 2016-08 calls dollar amounts in testimonials inherently misleading under Rule 7.1, with or without a disclaimer.
Praise nobody can check
Rule 7.1 bans nonverifiable claims, so "the toughest DUI lawyer in Toledo" fails from anyone's mouth.
"No fee unless we win" with no costs line
Opinion 2017-1 requires a disclaimer about repaying costs and expenses when the firm will recover them from clients.
Accident letters without the notice
Rule 7.3(e) requires the "Understanding Your Rights" text in any solicitation sent within 30 days of an accident that could bring an injury claim.
Real results
What this looked like for real firms.
Published injury, DUI and real estate 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 Ohio lawyers have to file their ads?
No. Rules 7.1 to 7.5 have no filing, review or fee. A lawyer can call the Board's staff or ask in writing for a nonbinding advisory opinion.
Can an Ohio lawyer advertise past settlements and verdicts?
Not inside a client testimonial: Opinion 2016-08 says those amounts are inherently misleading even with a disclaimer. Results the firm states itself can mislead without each case's facts and law, comment [3] to Rule 7.1 warns; a disclaimer may help.
Can Ohio lawyers use client reviews and testimonials?
Yes, if real, verifiable and not misleading. Opinion 2016-08 allows satisfaction quotes, wants a disclaimer for general outcomes, bans paying for them, and asks firms to remove false, misleading or nonverifiable reviews on pages they control.
Can I bid on another firm's name in Google Ads in Ohio?
No. Opinion 2021-04, listed as current, says a lawyer or firm may not purchase another lawyer's or firm's name for competitive keyword advertising, citing Rules 8.4(a), 8.4(c) and 8.4(h).
Can I contact accident victims in Ohio?
Not in person, by live phone or in a real-time chat (Rule 7.3(a)). A labeled letter or email may go out, and within 30 days of the accident it must include the "Understanding Your Rights" notice (Rule 7.3(e)). Anyone paid to solicit for the firm also follows R.C. 1349.05: no in-person contact with a crash party, and limited calls, emails, texts and letters from 24 hours on.
Can an Ohio lawyer say "certified specialist"?
Only if the lawyer has been certified as a specialist and the communication clearly names the certifying organization (Rule 7.4(e)). Saying the lawyer concentrates in or limits practice to a field is allowed under Rule 7.4(a).
How does Ohio compare with Michigan, Indiana and other states?
Our Michigan guide and Indiana guide cover two neighbours, and our state-by-state list shows every jurisdiction's filing rule.
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. We didn't open the order behind the April 15, 2024 change to Rule 7.4, so we describe only the current text. Platforms and rules change, so check the current version before you act on any of it. This is marketing guidance, not legal advice.
- Supreme Court of Ohio, Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 7.1 to 7.6 (as amended effective January 1, 2026)
- Supreme Court of Ohio, Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio (Gov.Bar R. XIV repealed effective May 1, 2026; Gov.Bar R. XVI referral services)
- Supreme Court of Ohio, Supreme Court Commissions
- Supreme Court of Ohio, Proposed Rule Amendments
- Ohio Board of Professional Conduct, Advisory Opinions
- Ohio Board of Professional Conduct, Advisory Opinion Master Index
- Ohio Board of Professional Conduct, Advisory Opinion Status List
- Ohio Board of Professional Conduct, Opinion 2016-08: Client Testimonials in Lawyer Advertising and Online Services
- Ohio Board of Professional Conduct, Opinion 2017-1: Advertisement of Contingent Fee Arrangements
- Ohio Board of Professional Conduct, Opinion 2021-04: Competitive Keyword Online Advertising
- Ohio Revised Code, Chapter 4705: Attorneys
- Ohio Revised Code 1349.05 (contact by health care practitioners and paid solicitors after a crash or crime)
- Google Local Services Help, How leads work
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.