Tiger Joyce, president of the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), has raised concerns about the impact of aggressive personal injury lawyer advertising on consumer health and safety. He said that profits are being prioritized over these concerns in a press release issued on March 5.
“Trial lawyers are flooding the airwaves and digital spaces with aggressive ads, some of which prioritize their profits over the health and safety of consumers,” said Joyce. “These over-the-top ads from personal injury attorneys with catchy jingles and toll-free numbers can pose a serious danger.”
According to the press release, trial lawyers spent an estimated $2.5 billion on nearly 27 million legal services ads in 2024. This expenditure surpasses the $1.1 billion spent on pizza advertising, indicating a significant increase in legal marketing efforts. Radio advertisements saw a rise of over 261% since 2017, while outdoor ad spending reached $541.6 million, marking a 260% increase. Morgan & Morgan emerged as the top spender with an expenditure of $218 million, representing 8% of all legal ads nationwide.
In early 2025, Nevadans for Fair Recovery, a group backed by Uber, initiated a substantial ad campaign across Nevada after the state Supreme Court blocked its ballot initiative to cap attorneys’ fees at 20%. Despite the court’s ruling that the proposal was misleading, Uber redirected its $5 million investment towards billboards and digital ads criticizing “lawsuit abuse.” The Las Vegas Review Journal reported that this effort aims to limit access to justice for individuals while safeguarding corporate interests, particularly as Uber faces numerous assault claims. However, the proposal was eventually tabled.
The Nevada Current reported that in 2024, trial lawyers allocated over $44.8 million to legal services and class action lawsuit advertisements in Las Vegas alone. This placed the city 10th nationwide for spending and 8th for ad volume. According to ATRA, this investment supported nearly 548,000 ads across TV, radio, and digital platforms.
Joyce is noted by ATRA as a graduate of Princeton University and Catholic University Law School. He previously served as legislative assistant to Senator John C. Danforth before becoming minority counsel to the Senate Commerce Committee and has held his current position since August 1994.
