Josh Hammer, host of The Josh Hammer Show, has criticized what he describes as a “billboard lawyer” culture, which he claims is negatively impacting Americans. He praised Florida’s legal reforms as a more effective approach compared to states like Colorado. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
“For far too long, predatory litigation and ‘billboard lawyer’ culture have harmed Americans’ real quality of life,” said Hammer. “Florida has chosen a different tort reform course—and in this, as in other ways, our state has led by example.”
Colorado’s civil-justice environment has become increasingly contentious as lawmakers have moved forward with numerous bills aimed at expanding private rights of action by 2025. Critics argue that this environment benefits high-volume “billboard attorney” models and encourages speculative filings. The American Tort Reform Association has labeled Colorado a “Lawsuit Inferno” for the second consecutive year, citing increased litigation risks for families and small businesses across the state.
Legal-services advertising, often linked to the intake practices of “billboard lawyers,” surged to an estimated $2.5 billion across 26.9 million ads in 2024. This increase includes significant gains in TV, radio, and outdoor placements since 2017. Analysts associate this saturation marketing with higher claim recruitment and lawsuit volumes, which in turn add defense and settlement costs that impact consumer premiums and prices.
Florida’s reform package, centered around HB 837 (2023), introduced stricter rules regarding attorney fees, evidence standards for medical expenses, and negligence provisions. Following these reforms, Florida regulators instructed auto insurance carriers to account for prospective loss-cost reductions; major insurers reported expected decreases in litigated claim counts and severity, prompting several carriers to seek rate reductions. Industry analyses indicate a significant moderation in average rate increases extending into 2025.
Hammer is known as a conservative commentator, attorney, and host of The Josh Hammer Show—a podcast produced by Newsweek and syndicated as a radio program. He also serves as senior editor-at-large at Newsweek and is a nationally syndicated columnist through Creators Syndicate. Hammer frequently appears on talk radio and cable news programs where he discusses legal issues and policy matters from a conservative viewpoint.
The Josh Hammer Show provides commentary and interviews on law, politics, and culture from a conservative perspective. It airs on talk stations nationwide and is available on major podcast platforms, offering analysis of national issues alongside state-level policy models such as Florida’s tort reforms.
