At a Glance

• Public communications cannot be false, fraudulent, misleading or deceptive.
• Keep each advertisement or communication for two years after its last dissemination, with when-and-where records.
• Certain branded media advertisements must identify a responsible lawyer and contact information, with a narrow space-limitation alternative.
• Michigan’s Rule 7.3 does not prescribe an “Advertising Material” label.
• MCL 750.410b generally restricts targeted service solicitations to known motor-vehicle injury victims and immediate family for 30 days, subject to statutory exceptions.
• Other solicitation statutes and their constitutional limits require campaign-specific legal review.

Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 7.1–7.5; MCL 750.410b

Read source: Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct · MCL 750.410b

Who Regulates

The Michigan Supreme Court adopts the professional-conduct rules. Under MCR 9.108(A), the Attorney Grievance Commission is the Supreme Court’s prosecution arm. Under MCR 9.110(A), the Attorney Discipline Board is its adjudicative arm. The grievance administrator investigates alleged misconduct and prosecutes authorized complaints under MCR 9.109(B). State Bar ethics resources are useful interpretive materials, but are not court approval of an advertisement. MCR 9.108–9.110; court-issued rules.

Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct

Read source: Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct

What Counts as Advertising

Rule 7.1 addresses any form of public communication by or for a lawyer or affiliated practice. Its comment applies the rule to all communications about legal services. Rule 7.2 permits advertising subject to the other rules.

Websites, videos, paid search, directory entries and promotional social posts need the same review as print or broadcast material. Targeted messages additionally require analysis under Rule 7.3 and applicable statutes. A vendor’s involvement does not turn a solicitation into general advertising. Rules 7.1–7.3.

Rules 7.1, 7.2, 7.3

Read source: Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct

Required Disclosures

Rule 7.2(d) applies when media advertising promotes services under the heading of a phone number, web address, icon or trade name. It requires the name and contact information of at least one lawyer responsible for the content. Put that identification in the advertisement itself. Only where space limitations make that impractical may it instead appear prominently on the firm’s homepage and any other website used for advertising.

This is not the same as a universal name-and-office-address requirement. Rule 7.3 does not add a mandatory “Advertising Material” legend. Rule 7.1 also regulates former judicial titles: ordinarily use “retired” or “former” before the title, and do not use a title after removal or termination for misconduct. Rules 7.1 and 7.2(d).

Rules 7.1, 7.2(d), 7.3

Read source: Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct

Filing, Review & Recordkeeping

Rule 7.2(b) requires a copy or recording of an advertisement or communication for two years after its last dissemination, plus a record of when and where it was used. The last-use trigger matters for continuing campaigns and reused videos.

Rules 7.1–7.5 do not prescribe general filing or preapproval. Keep archived versions and dissemination records even when a post is later edited or an account closes. The recordkeeping duty is a rule requirement; a vendor’s promise to retain material should be verified against it. Rule 7.2(b) and comment.

Rules 7.1, 7.2(b), 7.5

Read source: Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct

Results, Testimonials & Comparisons

Rule 7.1 prohibits unjustified expectations and comparisons that cannot be factually substantiated. Its comment is particularly cautious: it says the unjustified-expectation prohibition would ordinarily preclude advertisements about damage awards, favorable-verdict records and client endorsements, because they can imply similar results without the specific facts and law.

Do not flatten that language into either an absolute testimonial ban or an unconditional permission with a generic disclaimer. Review the actual claim and presentation, plus Rule 7.2(c)’s payment restrictions and Rule 1.6’s protection of client confidences and secrets. Rules 1.6, 7.1 and 7.2.

Rules 1.6, 7.1, 7.2(c)

Read source: Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct

Specialization & Certification

Michigan Rule 7.4 is short: it permits communicating that a lawyer does or does not practice in particular fields. Its comment permits indicating a limited practice. It does not reproduce the ABA model rule’s certification framework or create a separate certification safe harbor.

A specialization or certification representation still must be accurate and comply with Rule 7.1. Do not imply court approval, a credential not held or superiority that cannot be substantiated. Rules 7.1 and 7.4.

Rules 7.1, 7.4

Read source: Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct

Firm, Trade & Domain Names

Rule 7.5 permits nonmisleading trade names but prohibits implications of government or public or charitable legal-service affiliation. Multijurisdictional office listings must indicate limitations on lawyers not licensed where the office is located.

Public-office holders cannot be presented as active firm members during substantial periods without active, regular practice. Lawyers may suggest a partnership or other organization only when it exists. Shared offices alone do not justify a combined name implying partnership. Apply the same truthfulness analysis to domains and campaign brands, and the identification requirement in Rule 7.2(d) where relevant. Rules 7.2(d), 7.5.

Rules 7.2(d), 7.5

Read source: Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct

Solicitation & Direct Contact

Rule 7.3(a) restricts solicitation when a significant motive for doing so is the lawyer’s pecuniary gain and the lawyer has no family or prior professional relationship with the prospective client. Its definition expressly excludes general circulars to people not known to need the services in a particular matter and truthful, nondeceptive letters of the kind addressed in Shapero. Rule 7.3(b) still prohibits disregarding an opt-out or using coercion, duress or harassment.

The statutes need separate treatment. MCL 750.410b prohibits intentional direct service solicitation to a person known to have sustained motor-vehicle personal injury, or an immediate family member, until 30 days have expired. It covers verbal, written and electronic offers for remuneration, and defines injury to include mental injury and wrongful death. Exceptions cover requested contact and certain insurer claim-adjustment contacts, with an attorney-referral limitation.

MCL 750.410 addresses solicitation of accident-related personal-injury claims and paid transfers of patient identity or treatment information without the required written permission. Its official annotation flags constitutional limiting-construction issues. MCL 600.919 addresses the validity of compensation agreements resulting from solicitation. Do not interpret these texts without the applicable decisions or assume Rule 7.3 alone clears a campaign. MCL 750.410b; MCL 750.410; MCL 600.919.

Rule 7.3(b); MCL 750.410b; MCL 750.410; MCL 600.919

Read source: MCL 750.410b · 750.410 · 600.919

Channel-Specific Notes

Rule 7.2(c) permits reasonable advertising costs, charges of qualifying nonprofit referral or legal-service organizations satisfying Rule 6.3(b), and a Rule 1.17 practice purchase. Its commentary otherwise prohibits payment for channeling professional work, while referring to the lawyer fee-division rule.

A paid lead service therefore needs analysis of how it recommends, contacts and routes people, not merely its per-lead price. Injury leads also require the statutory review above. Archive digital advertising and verify that branded media advertisements identify a responsible lawyer in the required place. Rule 7.2.

Rules 1.17, 6.3(b), 7.2

Read source: Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct

Recent Changes & Scope

Checked November 11, 2026. The court’s compilation states it incorporates orders effective January 1, 2026. The three statutes above are linked to the Legislature’s text. Reconciliation of later court orders and proposals, and the current constitutional and judicial application of the solicitation statutes, remain issues requiring further legal review. The annotation to MCL 750.410 identifies Woll v. Attorney General; it does not establish the present application of every statute listed here. No blanket solicitation clearance is given.

MCL 750.410

Read source: MCL 750.410b · 750.410

Official Sources

Read the official rules alongside other applicable law and obtain campaign-specific advice.

1. Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct. Binding court rules and explanatory comments.Official source · Checked November 12, 2026
2. Michigan Court Rules, chapter 9. Binding disciplinary-system provisions, especially MCR 9.108–9.110.Official source · Checked November 12, 2026
3. MCL 750.410b, 750.410, and 600.919. Statutory overlays.Official source · Checked November 12, 2026