Short answer: New York attorney advertising is governed by the Rules of Professional Conduct at 22 NYCRR Part 1200, principally Rules 7.1 through 7.5. New York is the most prescriptive of the major states: rather than relying on a general prohibition on misleading communications, Rule 7.1 sets out an explicit list of restrictions. The requirement most often missed on New York law firm websites is the Attorney Advertising label on the home page. This guide sets out the New York attorney advertising rules that apply to a law firm website, and where firms most often fall short.
Most states regulate lawyer advertising through broad principles and leave application to judgement. New York does something different. It enumerates. That makes compliance more mechanical and, in one sense, easier — but it also means a New York website can fail on a specific labelling or retention requirement while being entirely honest and well intentioned.
The Attorney Advertising label
New York requires certain advertisements to be labelled “Attorney Advertising”, and in the context of a website this is generally applied to the home page. It is a small piece of text, it is trivially easy to add, and it is absent from a surprising proportion of New York firm websites — usually because the site was built from a national template that had no reason to include it.
If you take one action after reading this, check whether that label appears on your home page. Confirm the precise wording and placement against the current text of Rule 7.1, as both have been the subject of amendment.
Retention obligations
New York requires copies of advertisements to be retained, and website content falls within scope. This creates an odd practical problem that firms rarely plan for: a website is not a fixed artefact. It changes when you add a practice area, revise a biography, or let a plugin update a layout.
Satisfying a retention obligation for something continuously edited means capturing periodic snapshots rather than assuming the live site is the record. A dated PDF or archive capture of key pages, taken on a schedule, is the workable approach. Retention periods vary by advertisement type and have changed, so confirm the applicable period rather than adopting a number from a blog post.
What Rule 7.1 explicitly restricts
New York’s enumerated approach covers ground that other states leave to general principle. The list includes restrictions on portraying a judge, using a fictitious law firm name or implying a firm structure that does not exist, and presenting paid endorsements without disclosing that they were paid.
The paid endorsement point has grown more relevant as firms use influencer content and sponsored placements. An endorsement that reads as organic but was compensated is precisely the pattern the rule addresses, and the fact that it appears on a social platform rather than your own domain does not remove it from scope.
Testimonials and past results
Permitted, with more constraints than most states. New York addresses testimonials from clients in pending matters specifically, and disclaimers are generally expected where a testimonial or a past result could create an expectation about what you will achieve. As elsewhere, a curated selection of quotes is easier to defend than a live review feed you cannot pre-approve.
New York compared with Florida, Texas and California
| New York | Florida | Texas | California | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governing rules | 22 NYCRR Part 1200, Rules 7.1–7.5 | Rules 4-7.11–4-7.25 | Disciplinary Rules, Part VII | RPC 7.1–7.5 |
| Regulatory style | Enumerated list | Detailed and strict | Rule-based with exemptions | Principle-based |
| Pre-filing required | No | Yes, for many ad types | Yes, with exemptions | No |
| Advertising label required | Yes | No general equivalent | No general equivalent | No general equivalent |
| Retention obligation | Yes, explicit | Applies to filed ads | Applies to filed ads | Limited |
The two requirements genuinely distinctive to New York are the advertising label and the explicit retention duty. Neither exists in the same form in Florida, Texas or California, which is why national website templates so reliably omit both.
If you practise in more than one of these states
Build to Florida’s content standard, then add New York’s two mechanical requirements on top: the home page label and a retention routine. That combination will satisfy all four states without maintaining separate sites.
New York attorney advertising rules: frequently asked questions
Does my New York law firm website have to say Attorney Advertising?
New York requires certain lawyer advertisements to carry the label Attorney Advertising, and for a website this is generally understood to mean the home page. This is one of the most concrete and most commonly missed requirements in the state. Confirm the current wording and placement in Rule 7.1.
Which rules govern attorney advertising in New York?
The New York Rules of Professional Conduct, codified at 22 NYCRR Part 1200. Advertising and solicitation are dealt with principally in Rules 7.1 through 7.5.
Does New York require me to keep copies of my website?
New York imposes retention obligations on copies of advertisements, including website content. Retention periods differ by advertisement type and have changed over time, so check the current rule rather than relying on a figure from an article.
Can I use client testimonials on a New York law firm website?
Testimonials are permitted but New York is more prescriptive than most states. There are restrictions concerning testimonials from clients in pending matters, and disclaimers are generally required where a testimonial or past result could create an expectation about outcomes.
What does New York specifically prohibit in attorney advertising?
Rule 7.1 contains an unusually explicit list, including restrictions on portraying a judge, using a fictitious law firm name, and paid endorsements presented without disclosure. Review the full rule text rather than working from a summary.
New York attorney advertising rules: the short version
If you take one thing from this guide, take this: the New York attorney advertising rules apply to every page a prospective client can reach, including campaign landing pages built outside your main website. That is usually where the gaps are.
Official source: the New York State Bar Association.
Legal Web Agency is a marketing agency, not a law firm, and nothing here is legal advice. Retention periods, label wording and filing details change, and specific figures are deliberately not quoted. Confirm current requirements with the New York State Bar Association, the applicable Appellate Division, or your ethics counsel.
Related reading: Florida, California and Texas website advertising rules, plus Attorney Advertising Rules by State. We design estate planning and business law websites nationwide.
