Picture a family law firm in Hackensack that pastes a client’s praise onto its homepage: “The best divorce lawyer in Bergen County. He got me everything I wanted!” No name sits under the quote, and no disclaimer sits near it. It looks like great social proof. Yet under the marketing rules for NJ attorneys, that one banner creates three separate problems.
What follows is general information, not legal advice. For the bigger picture, see our overview of how local SEO, content and reviews work together for law firms.
Who Writes the Marketing Rules for Attorneys in New Jersey
The New Jersey Supreme Court sets the standards in Rules of Professional Conduct 7.1 through 7.5. Its Committee on Attorney Advertising enforces them and issues opinions on how they apply. The core rule, RPC 7.1, bars false or misleading communications about you or your services.
“Misleading” reaches further than most firms expect. A true statement can still break the rule if it leaves out a key fact or creates an unjustified expectation about results. Comparing yourself with other lawyers is also off limits unless you meet specific conditions. At heart, the marketing rules for NJ attorneys ask one question about every claim: could it mislead someone choosing a lawyer?
These rules follow your firm everywhere it speaks to the public, from your website and Google Business Profile to social posts, ads and email signatures. A LinkedIn post about a recent win faces the same standards as a billboard. New Jersey doesn’t review ads before they run, so problems usually surface when someone files a grievance.
Testimonials and Reviews Under Opinion 49
On September 30, 2025, the Committee issued Opinion 49 on client endorsements and testimonials. You can still use testimonials. However, each one has to meet a few conditions:
- Name the person. A full name, a last name, a first name or initials all work. Keep the client’s contact details on file, because the Committee can ask for them.
- Add the results disclaimer. When a testimonial mentions past performance, include “Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.” Make it conspicuous: in print, use the same font size and color as the quote. In a video, show it long enough to read or say it clearly.
- Drop comparative words. You can’t quote a client calling you “the best,” “the top” or “the only” choice. Words like “responsive,” “patient” and “obtained a favorable result” are fine.
- Label dramatizations. If an actor portrays a real client, say so.
- Never pay for praise. RPC 7.3(d) bars paying for endorsements or testimonials.
So the Hackensack banner fails three tests: no name, a superlative and a result with no disclaimer. Opinion 49 also urges caution with exact dollar amounts, so skip them unless you can give the full context.
Posting Google reviews on your website
A review on Google is the client’s own speech. Once you copy it onto your site or into an ad, though, the safe approach is to treat it as your testimonial. Show the reviewer’s name or initials, and add the disclaimer when the review mentions outcomes. If a review calls you “the best,” pick a different one rather than editing the client’s words.
Asking for reviews the right way
Asking is fine, but how you ask is where firms slip. Google’s content policy for Maps bans incentives for reviews, and it bans asking only the clients you expect to be happy. A gift card for a review also runs into the ban on paying for endorsements.
Instead, send every client the same short thank-you and review link when a matter closes. Word it so someone leaving a divorce or criminal case can easily decline. Our reputation management service sets up this kind of consistent request process.
Answering a negative review
Confidentiality doesn’t pause for a one-star review. RPC 1.6 still bars you from revealing information about a representation without consent. In March 2025, the Supreme Court declined to carve out an exception for replies to negative online reviews. Sometimes the wisest reply is none at all. If you do respond, keep it generic: “Our professional duties prevent us from discussing any matter here. Please call our office.” Never confirm the reviewer was a client or argue the facts in public.
Award and Badge Rules for NJ Attorneys
Badges from Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers or Martindale-Hubbell look great in a footer. They also draw plenty of grievances. In a 2021 notice to the bar on comparative awards, the Committee explained what these references need.
First, the issuing organization must have looked closely at the lawyer’s qualifications. Popularity votes, paid awards and rewards for joining an organization rarely pass that test. Then every reference, even a badge in an email signature, needs three things close by:
- A description of the selection method, or a link to one.
- The name of the organization that gave the award, which is often not the name of the award or the magazine that ran the list.
- The statement “No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.”
Wording matters as well. You can say you were included on the Super Lawyers list, but you can’t call yourself a “Super Lawyer.” A disclaimer buried at the bottom of the page or set in tiny print doesn’t count either. So check your website, letterhead and email signatures together.
Four More Places Marketing Rules Trip Up Attorneys
Specialist language. RPC 7.4 lets you say which fields you practice in. However, you can’t claim a specialist certification unless it comes from the Supreme Court of New Jersey or an ABA-approved organization, and you name the certifying body. Without one, “focuses on” is safer than “specializes in.”
Case results. RPC 7.1 bars messages likely to create unjustified expectations about results. A headline verdict with no context implies a new client can expect the same. Instead, describe the type of matter and what drove the outcome, then add a results disclaimer nearby.
Fee claims. The same rule limits fee statements to a short list, such as your consultation fee, a fixed or contingent fee for a clearly described service, or hourly rates with a note that the total depends on the hours. “Free initial consultation” fits. “Lowest fees in Morris County” doesn’t.
Targeted outreach. RPC 7.3 tightly limits unsolicited contact about a specific event, such as a crash. Mailed letters generally need “ADVERTISEMENT” at the top and on the envelope, plus notices the rule spells out. Direct contact within 30 days of a mass disaster about compensation is off limits. Following up with people who contacted you first is different, and our guide to smarter intake and faster follow-up for law firms covers that side.
Keep Records and Check Before You Publish
RPC 7.2(b) requires you to keep a copy of each advertisement for three years after it runs, along with a record of when and where you used it. For your website, the rule goes further. You must back up everything on it, including all new content, at least monthly and keep those backups for three years. Record keeping is the least glamorous of the marketing rules NJ attorneys follow, yet it’s the one you’ll lean on if a grievance arrives.
Save each ad, social post and email campaign in a shared folder labeled by date and channel. Schedule the monthly site backup, and save new pages the day they go live. Also keep each client’s written permission to use their testimonial. Then run this check before anything goes live:
- Is every claim true, and could you prove it today?
- Does each testimonial name the client and avoid superlatives?
- Would anything about past results need the disclaimer?
- Have you placed the three required details beside each award?
- Where does “specialist” appear, and what certification backs it?
- Did you save a dated copy?
Questions Attorneys Ask About the Marketing Rules
Do NJ attorneys need approval before marketing goes live?
No. New Jersey doesn’t pre-screen attorney ads. If a specific piece worries you, though, you can ask the Committee on Attorney Advertising for guidance.
Can an agency or AI tool carry the compliance burden?
Either can draft copy and flag problems, but neither takes the duty off your plate. Under RPC 5.3, you must make reasonable efforts to ensure that nonlawyers you retain act in ways compatible with your professional obligations.
Market Your Firm With Confidence
None of the marketing rules for NJ attorneys stop you from growing a practice. They simply ask you to be accurate, give context and keep your receipts.
Samaroo Solutions is based in northern New Jersey and works with firms across the state, from Morris and Essex to Monmouth and Mercer. We aren’t lawyers, so the final compliance call stays with you. What we bring is review programs, websites and content built with these rules in mind. If you’d like a second set of eyes on your firm’s marketing, get in touch with our team.
