Free compliance check
Attorney Advertising Rules by State: Compliance Validator | CaseLedge
Check your law firm marketing against state bar advertising rules and flag compliance gaps before they trigger discipline.
State bar advertising rules vary dramatically. What passes muster in Texas may trigger a grievance in Florida, and California's disclosure requirements differ sharply from New York's solicitation ban windows. Missing a single filing deadline or omitting a required disclaimer can result in discipline, fines, or forced retraction.
This validator walks through the core advertising and solicitation rules for the state you select, covering Rule 7.1 through 7.5 equivalents, mandatory disclaimers, testimonial restrictions, specialization claims, and filing or retention obligations. Answer each item honestly to see which rules your marketing currently meets.
Use it before launching a new website, running paid ads, sending targeted mail, or claiming a practice area specialty. This is an educational tool and does not substitute for review by ethics counsel in your jurisdiction.
Why use itBuilt for the way law firms actually work
Jurisdiction-specific rules
Covers California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania advertising and solicitation requirements individually.
Required vs recommended flags
Distinguishes mandatory disciplinary rules from best-practice items so you can prioritize fixes accurately.
Covers filing and retention
Includes Florida Bar filing, New York record retention, and Texas Advertising Review Committee submission requirements.
Testimonial and results guidance
Flags common problem areas like past results disclaimers, testimonial disclosures, and specialist certification claims.
Instant results
See your compliance score and remaining required rules the moment you finish the checklist.
Free and no signup
Use the full validator with no account, no email capture, and no usage limits.
ProcessHow it works
- 01 Select your state
Choose the jurisdiction where your firm advertises so the validator loads the correct rule set.
- 02 Answer each rule item
Mark whether your current advertising and intake practices comply with each listed rule for that state.
- 03 Review your compliance score
See how many required rules you meet and which items still need remediation before your next campaign.
- 04 Fix gaps and re-run
Address flagged issues with counsel or your marketing team, then re-run the check to confirm compliance.
CoverageWhat's included
- Rule 7.1 truthfulness and misleading communication checks
- Solicitation restrictions including post-incident waiting periods
- Mandatory disclaimers for past results and testimonials
- Filing and record retention requirements by state
- Specialist and board certification claim requirements
- Trade name and responsible lawyer identification rules
- Contingent fee advertising disclosure obligations
ContextWhy this matters
Attorney advertising discipline is one of the most common sources of bar grievances outside of trust accounting. The ABA Model Rules provide a baseline through Rules 7.1 to 7.5, but every state has modified them, and several states including Florida, New York, and Texas require pre-use or contemporaneous filing of advertisements with the bar.
The consequences of noncompliance are real. Florida issues public reprimands for unfiled advertisements. New York's 30-day anti-solicitation window in personal injury cases has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in Florida Bar v. Went For It, and violating it can result in suspension. California's 2018 rules overhaul tightened testimonial and specialist claim requirements, and firms still running pre-2018 landing pages are frequently out of date.
A structured jurisdiction check reduces the risk that a website refresh, paid ad launch, or intake letter creates a discipline problem. It also gives marketing vendors and non-lawyer staff a concrete checklist to work against rather than vague instructions to 'stay ethical.'
Q&AFrequently asked
- Each state bar adopts its own version of ABA Model Rules 7.1 through 7.5, which govern truthfulness in communications, solicitation, firm names, and specialization claims. States like Florida, New York, and Texas add filing, retention, and disclaimer requirements beyond the Model Rules.
- Yes. The validator is completely free, requires no signup, and has no usage limits. It is provided as an educational resource by CaseLedge.
- Solo practitioners, small firm managing partners, law firm marketing directors, and ethics counsel reviewing website copy, direct mail, paid search ads, or intake letters should run through the checklist before launch.
- The bar rules are authoritative but long and cross-referenced. This tool distills the operative advertising requirements into yes or no checkpoints so you can quickly identify gaps, then go back to the rule text for the specifics.
- The current version covers California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. These jurisdictions represent the majority of US legal advertising spend and include the strictest filing regimes.
- No. This validator is an educational compliance aid. Before launching a campaign or making structural changes to your marketing, have your website copy and solicitation materials reviewed by ethics counsel licensed in your state.
- Run it before launching a new website, before a paid ad campaign, when opening in a new state, when adding a practice area page, and at least annually to catch rule updates.
- The most frequent problems are missing 'Attorney Advertising' labels in New York, unfiled advertisements in Florida and Texas, unsupported 'best' or 'expert' claims, missing past results disclaimers, and improper testimonial usage.