N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 22 § 1200.7.4

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 50, December 11, 2024

Section 1200.7.4 - Identification of practice and specialty

(a) A lawyer or law firm may publicly identify one or more areas of law in which the lawyer or the law firm practices, or may state that the practice of the lawyer or law firm is limited to one or more areas of law, provided that the lawyer or law firm shall not state that the lawyer or law firm is a specialist or specializes in a particular field of law, except as provided in Rule 7.4(c).

(b) A lawyer admitted to engage in patent practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office may use the designation "Patent Attorney" or a substantially similar designation.

(c) A lawyer may state that the lawyer has been recognized or certified as a specialist only as follows:

(1) A lawyer who is certified as a specialist in a particular area of law or law practice by a private organization approved for that purpose by the American Bar Association may state the fact of certification if, in conjunction therewith, the certifying organization is identified and the following statement is prominently made: "This certification is not granted by any governmental authority."

(2) A lawyer who is certified as a specialist in a particular area of law or law practice by the authority having jurisdiction over specialization under the laws of another state or territory may state the fact of certification if, in conjunction therewith, the certifying state or territory is identified and the following statement is prominently made: "This certification is not granted by any governmental authority within the State of New York."

(3) A statement is prominently made if:

(i) when written, it is clearly legible and capable of being read by the average person, and is at least two font sizes larger than the largest text used to state the fact of certification; and

(ii) when spoken, it is intelligible to the average person, and is at a cadence no faster, and a level of audibility no lower, than the cadence and level of audibility used to state the fact of certification.

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 22 § 1200.7.4