Advertising Regulation & Information Index

The Supreme Court of Florida has issued a revised opinion amending the rules regulating lawyer advertisements over the Internet. Websites will be subject to the general advertising regulations set forth in Rule 4-7.2. Websites will remain exempt from the filing requirement under Rule 4-7.8. The jurisdictional disclosure requirement will no longer be required on the homepage, but will be required to appear on the website. Requirements for direct e-mail will be reinstated: a statement of qualifications will be required and a disclosure if a lawyer other than the one whose name appears in the advertisement will handle the matter will be required. Direct e-mail also will be required to begin the subject line with the statement "legal advertisement." The changes will be effective January 1, 2010. In Re: Amendments to Rules Regulating The Florida Bar - Rule 4-7.6, Computer Accessed Communications, 34 Fla. L. Weekly S627 (Fla. Nov. 19, 2009), Case No. SC08-1181.

The Standing Committee on Advertising has issued Proposed Advisory Opinion A-09-1. Pursuant to Rule 4(c) and (d) of The Florida Bar Procedures for Issuing Advisory Opinions on Advertising and Solicitation, comments from Florida Bar members are solicited on the proposed opinion. The committee will consider any comments received at a meeting location TBA. Comments must contain the proposed advisory opinion number and clearly state the issues for the committee to consider. A written argument may be included explaining why the Florida Bar member believes the committee's opinion is either correct or incorrect and may contain citations to relevant authorities. Comments should be submitted to Elizabeth Clark Tarbert, Ethics Counsel, The Florida Bar, 651 E. Jefferson Street, Tallahassee 32399-2300, and must be postmarked no later than August 14, 2009.

To assist Florida Bar members in filing their advertisements for review, staff of the Ethics and Advertising Department created cover sheets for your use that address many of the common omissions and questions in filing advertisements. You are not required to file the cover sheet with your advertisement. If you choose to use the cover sheet, we hope it will help expedite the review process. For information on which advertisements are required to be filed for review, please see Attorney Advertising Filing Requirements above. For your convenience, these forms are available in 2 formats: one you can print and fill out, the other you can fill in and save the completed form in your own system.

Cover sheet - Television and Radio Ads (Word / PDF)

Cover sheet - Print Ads (Word / PDF)

Cover sheet - Direct Mail Ads (Word / PDF)

Cover sheet - Internet Ads (Word / PDF)

Examples of complying and noncomplying ads

Bona Fide Offices

Guidelines for a Statement of Qualifications to be used in direct mail advertisements

Quick Reference Checklist - Television and Radio Ads

Quick Reference Checklist - Print Ads

Quick Reference Checklist - Direct Mail Ads

Quick Reference Checklist - Direct E-mail Ads

Quick Reference Checklist - Other Internet Ads

Florida Bar Procedures for Issuing Advisory Opinions Relating to Lawyer Advertising or Solicitation (Revised and adopted by the Board of Governors on May 24, 2002)

Rules Regulating The Florida Bar: Chapter 15. Review of Lawyer Advertisements and Solicitations

Link to Ethics Opinions on Advertising

Information on the Commercial Speech Doctrine

13.0 Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions in Advertising and Solicitation Rule Violations

Information about how to advertise in The Florida Bar News and The Florida Bar Journal.