The Solicitors Advertising Regulations 2019 (S.I No. 229 of 2019) repeal and replace the Solicitors (Advertising) Regulations 2002 (S.I No. 518 of 2002) and have a commencement date of 1 June 2019.

Solicitors are assured that any advertisement that was fully compliant with the Solicitors (Advertising) Regulations 2002 will also be compliant with the Solicitors Advertising Regulations 2019, with no further action necessary.

The new Regulations continue to prohibit advertisements that are likely to bring the profession into disrepute or are in bad taste. The regulations also retain restrictions specific to the advertising of legal services in respect of personal injury claims.

• View the Solicitors (Advertising) Regulations 2019
• Download 2019 Guidelines to the Solicitors Advertising Regulations

The updated Regulations will remain in force until they are replaced by regulations to be made by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority pursuant to Section 218 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. The Authority has indicated that it will assume responsibility for the regulation of solicitors’ advertising in the first quarter of 2020.

Eamonn Maguire is the Law Society’s advertising regulations executive and is available to answer any queries in respect of the Solicitors Advertising Regulations 2019. Please direct all queries to e.maguire@lawsociety.ie or contact 01 872 4800.

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This article originally appeared in the May 2019 Member eZine. For more information, and to subscribe, see eNewsletters.