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 Handbook on Lawyer Advertising and Solicitation is an annual publication by the Standing Committee on Advertising. This handy reference gives general information on lawyer advertising, how to file advertisements with The Florida Bar, current rules regarding advertising and sample ads for reference. The handbook has been updated to include the most recent amendments to the lawyer advertising rules, including changes to Rule 4-7.6 on computer accessed communications (effective January 1, 2010) and changes to other lawyer advertising rules from the 2008 Master Rules filing (effective February 1, 2010). The quick reference checklists have been updated to include these amendments as well. To obtain the full handbook, please download both the handbook and the examples of complying and noncomplying ads.
Link to attorney advertising rule Chapter 4-7 Rules Regulating The Florida Bar.
Attorney advertising filing requirements
How to file attorney advertisements
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 Lawyer and Law Firm Websites
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
Quick Reference Checklist - Websites
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)
Website Regulation History
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.