Dated October 24, 2026. New York has dropped the “Attorney Advertising” label. A joint order of the four Appellate Division departments, dated May 27, 2026, replaced Rule 7.1, deleted the old Rule 7.3 and moved the specialty rule into the new 7.1, all effective June 1, 2026 (order; court notice). New York had one of the heaviest rulebooks for lawyer ads. It now looks much like the ABA model. This note covers what went, what stayed, and what a firm can change. The state summary is on our New York page.
What’s gone
| Old requirement | Where it was | Status since June 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| “Attorney Advertising” on the website home page and first page of ads, and in email subject lines | Old Rule 7.1 | Gone |
| Lawyer pre-approval of each ad, copies kept three years | Old Rule 7.1 | Gone |
| A copy of the website at least every 90 days | Old Rule 7.1 | Gone |
| “Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome” with past results | Old Rule 7.1 | Gone |
| Principal office address and phone number in every ad | Old Rule 7.1 | Gone |
| Filing solicitations with the disciplinary committee, recipient lists kept | Old Rule 7.3 | Gone |
| No injury or wrongful-death solicitation before the 30th day | Old Rule 7.3 | Gone |
The order also deletes the definitions of “advertisement” and “computer-accessed communication” from Rule 1.0. The NYSBA’s summary confirms the 30-day ban on solicitation in personal injury and wrongful death matters was eliminated (NYSBA).
What still applies
- No false or misleading communications. “A lawyer shall not make a false or misleading communication about the lawyer or the lawyer’s services” (Rule 7.1(a)). This now carries most of the weight: results, comparisons and testimonials are judged under it.
- A responsible name and contact. Every communication includes “the name and contact information of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content” (7.1(d)). The NYSBA comment says that means a phone number or a physical office address.
- Certified specialist claims. Only with certification from an approved or ABA-accredited body, and with the certifier “clearly identified” (7.1(c)).
- No live solicitation. Live person-to-person contact for pay stays banned, with exceptions for other lawyers and people with a family, close personal or prior professional relationship (7.3(b)); the NYSBA comment says text messages aren’t live contact. No solicitation of someone who has said no, or by coercion, duress or harassment (7.3(c)).
- Firm names. Rule 7.5 on firm names, trade names and domain names is unchanged.
Outside these rules, federal law still bars unsolicited contact for 45 days after an air-carrier accident (49 U.S.C. §1136), and Judiciary Law §480 limits taking statements from injured people in hospitals within 15 days. Rule 4.5 still sets a waiting period for lawyers representing defendants.
What this means for search, email and your website
- Search ads gain room. No label and no office address means a 90-character description can carry the offer. Each ad still needs the responsible firm’s name and contact somewhere it can be seen: the landing page, the call extension or the business name on the ad.
- Email subject lines are yours again. “ATTORNEY ADVERTISING” no longer has to lead the subject of a newsletter or follow-up.
- The website footer can be cleaned up. The label and the principal-office line can come off; the firm’s name and a phone number or office address should stay.
- Results still need care. The required disclaimer is gone, but a result that misleads still breaks Rule 7.1(a), and the NYSBA comment says a fitting disclaimer can help. Keep context with every result.
What to check this week
| Check | Where | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| The label | Site header and footer, email templates | Kept or removed on purpose, not by accident |
| Name and contact | Search ads, landing pages, social bios | The responsible firm named, with a phone or office address |
| Results pages | Case results, verdict lists | Each result in context; disclaimer kept where counsel wants it |
| Archive | Agency change log | Dated copies kept anyway, by choice |
| Solicitations | Any letters or email to people who haven’t asked | Reviewed by counsel; live calls still off-limits |
What this means for your firm
- Less compliance overhead, the same risk. Fewer set phrases doesn’t mean fewer complaints. With one broad standard left, a dated archive of every ad version is the firm’s best evidence, even though no rule asks for it now.
- Other states still use labels. A firm advertising across state lines may still owe “Advertising Material” on solicitations elsewhere. Our lawyer advertising rules guide compares all 51 jurisdictions.
- Watch for follow-up. The NYSBA’s published comments aren’t adopted by the courts, and parts of other rules still point at the old Rule 7.3. If the courts issue corrections, we’ll add a dated update here.
Marketing information, not legal advice. Your firm’s lawyers answer to their Appellate Division department for every communication; confirm each rule with your own counsel.