California lawyer advertising rules: the complete guide

California regulates lawyer advertising in two layers. The State Bar’s Rules 7.1 to 7.5 govern a lawyer’s conduct, and a statute in the Business and Professions Code, from section 6157 to section 6159.2, adds specific content rules and, since 2026, private lawsuits. This guide walks through both, section by section, and tells a firm what to do. It is the pillar for our California series; the rest is linked at the end, and the California state page holds the short version.

What rules govern lawyer advertising in California?

The Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 7.1 to 7.5, are the State Bar’s conduct rules. The statute says nothing in the article limits enforcement of any other law or Bar rule (§6159.2(a)). So a firm must satisfy both layers at once: the Bar’s rules decide discipline, and the statute decides content and consumer lawsuits.

Which of your marketing counts as an “advertisement”?

The statute defines “electronic medium” this way: “Electronic medium” means television, radio, or computer networks. Search ads, social ads and, in our reading, a firm’s own web pages sit on computer networks. The statute also says “lawyer” includes any agent of the lawyer, law firm, or law corporation doing business in the state. Whether an agency is an agent is a question for your counsel.

What do Rules 7.1 to 7.5 require?

Rule 7.1 also allows the Bar’s Board of Trustees to adopt standards: The Board of Trustees may formulate and adopt standards as to communications that will be presumed to violate rule 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4 or 7.5. We could not find a current list of adopted standards on the State Bar’s rules pages when we checked. Ask your counsel whether any standard, such as the older testimonial disclaimer, still applies.

What does the statute add to every ad?

Section 6157.2 has two parts. First, a list of things an ad may not contain. Second, a list of things every ad must show. The prohibited list includes A guarantee or warranty of success regarding the outcome of a legal matter and statements or symbols about immediate cash or quick settlements. The required list is the firm or lawyer name and Disclosure of the city, town, or county of at least one bona fide office location or the address of record listed with the State Bar. Our SB 37 note covers the SB 37 details; SB 37 and law firm marketing in California covers what to change.

What is presumed misleading in online ads?

For electronic media, the message as a whole may not be false, misleading, or deceptive, and the message as a whole must be factually substantiated (§6158). Section 6158.1 then sets three presumptions, each of which a firm can try to rebut: A message as to the ultimate result of a specific case or cases presented out of context; The depiction of an event through methods such as the use of displays of injuries, accident scenes; and A reference to money or monetary recovery includes, but is not limited to, a specific dollar amount. Our firm default is to keep all three out of California ads.

Can a California firm use testimonials, results or dramatizations?

Yes, with care. On testimonials, Rule 7.1 comment 4 warns that a testimonial about or endorsement of the lawyer, may be misleading if it creates an unjustified expectation of the same result. On dramatizations, an actor or dramatization is allowed only with disclosure of the impersonation or dramatization in the advertisement. Spokespeople need disclosure of the spokesperson’s title. A portrayed result in electronic media also needs a disclosure: the advertisement must state that the result portrayed in the advertisement was dependent on the facts of that case.

What a firm should do: no actors posing as clients without an on-screen disclosure; no results in ads unless counsel has cleared the exact facts and wording; and show the reviewer’s real name only with their permission.

What about “no fee unless you win”?

California does not ban it. Rule 7.1 comment 3 says a “no fee without recovery” claim is misleading unless the communication also expressly discloses whether or not the client will be liable for costs. The statute is parallel: a contingency statement must advise whether a client will be held responsible for any costs advanced by the licensee when no recovery is obtained. Write the cost sentence into the ad itself, not only the landing page.

How do California’s specialist rules work?

Rule 7.4(a) allows the title only when the name of the certifying organization is clearly identified in the communication. The State Bar’s own program certifies specialists, and the Bar publishes a “Find a Certified Specialist” search. Separately, a lawyer may also communicate that his or her practice specializes in, is limited to, or is concentrated in a particular field of law. So “focused on immigration” is fine if true; “certified specialist” is not unless you are. Never use “specialist” or “expert” loosely in headlines.

Are referral services, runners and cappers allowed?

Almost never. A referral service must be certified by the State Bar of California (§6155(a)(1)). The statute carves out joint advertising, which needs each participating attorney or law firm to have executed a joint advertising agreement. Running or capping is unlawful: it is unlawful to act as a runner or capper for any attorneys (§6152). Since 2026, any person may bring a civil action for a violation of section 6155 (§6156.5). What a firm should do: put in writing that no vendor routes, sells or shares leads between firms.

What about paying a marketing agency?

Rule 7.2(b) bars paying for recommendations, but comment 3 says the rule permits a lawyer to compensate employees, agents, and vendors who are engaged to provide marketing or client-development services. The line to watch is the vendor who is paid per client signed or who refers a client to you in return for value. Read the contract; our agency guide lists the questions.

What must a firm keep, and what happens after a complaint?

A true and correct copy of an ad must be kept for one year by whoever pays for it (§6159.1). After a complaint is served, the advertiser has nine days to voluntarily withdraw the ad. The Bar then has 21 days after delivery of the ad to decide whether substantial evidence of a violation exists. If it finds substantial evidence, an electronic ad must be withdrawn within 72 hours. Consumer suits under §6157.2(c) then carry statutory damages of a minimum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) up to a maximum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per each unique advertisement. Courts also report violators: the court shall report the name and professional license number of any person found in violation to the licensing agency (§6159).

What does this mean for your firm?

To see where the cases are, our open data counts the filings in every California county court by case type: California court filings by county.

• Write a one-page ad policy that names who approves ads, what is banned (guarantees, money, injury scenes, unlabelled actors) and what every ad must carry.
• Keep a log of every ad version, the approving lawyer and its run dates, for at least a year.
• Plan for a served complaint before one arrives: who receives it, who pauses ads, who decides on withdrawal.

For your practice area, read California personal injury law firm marketing, law firm SEO in California, Google Ads and Local Services Ads for California law firms or marketing a California immigration or family law firm in Spanish.

Get my free review and we will check your California ads, website and Google profile against these rules.

Marketing information, not legal advice. California’s rules change, and the State Bar and the courts decide how they apply. Ask your own counsel before you rely on this page. Last reviewed by our rules reviewer.