• July 29, 2002

The Yellow Pages Integrated Media Association today marked the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's lawyer advertising ruling, which led to an advertising segment that has become one of the largest in the $13.6 billion U.S. Yellow Pages industry. Most lawyers in the U.S. utilize Yellow Pages advertising today, and the attorney-lawyer heading is now among the most-referenced Yellow Pages heading. This is in stark contrast to a few decades ago, when lawyer advertising was uncommon and strongly discouraged by bar associations across the country.

"It's important to mark the 25th anniversary of Bates v. State Bar of Arizona, because the ruling's impact on the advertising industry in general, and particularly the Yellow Pages, has been so significant," stated John A. Greco, Jr., president and CEO of the Yellow Pages I.M.A. "The Supreme Court's decision effectively created a new Yellow Pages heading and contributed to enormous growth in Yellow Pages advertising by lawyers around the country. Because of the Bates decision, the Yellow Pages is now the dominant medium for advertising legal services."