Overview
- The Bar Council of Delhi directed all advocates to remove self-promotional content from Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn immediately under threat of proceedings under Section 35 of the Advocates Act.
- The directive cites Rule 36 of the Bar Council of India Rules, which prohibits lawyers from soliciting work or advertising their services in any form.
- The council warned it will pursue both direct and indirect advertising, including third-party testimonials and client reviews disguised as marketing.
- Some legal experts contend that the strict ban risks silencing legitimate public legal education and call for Rule 36 to be updated for modern communication channels.
- By contrast, bar associations in the United States and United Kingdom permit social media marketing with transparency requirements, highlighting India’s stricter stance.