James Quirk reported Tuesday in The Bergen Record that attorneys may soon be allowed to advertise their “Super Lawyer” status. Those attorneys who were honored with the prestigious title have challenged the advertising ban. Retired Appellate Division Judge Robert Fall issued a recommendation for the state after researching the issue. His recommendation, to ease the advertising ban and make the ranking methodology transparent to the public, will be important in the court’s review of its previous ruling. 

The ban, known as Opinion 39, was issued by the court to prevent attorneys from misleading clients with unreasonable expectations. Attorney advertising laws in New Jersey are very strict compared to their New York neighbors. 

Fall states in his report, “It is evident that the Twenty-First Century consumer is more sophisticated than ever and actively seeks information prior to making purchase choices, including the selection of legal representation.”