History of the TLD

.lawyer is a generic top‑level domain created as part of ICANN’s New gTLD Program to provide a clear online identity for legal professionals, law firms, and legal services. It became available to the public in 2014 and has since been used by individuals and organisations in the legal sector to signal professional focus in online addresses.

Main Use and Industry Position

.lawyer is intended for lawyers, law firms, and legal service providers to establish an online presence that immediately conveys legal expertise. It is positioned as a descriptive alternative to general domains like .com, enabling specialised branding in the legal industry.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared with legacy extensions such as .com and .net, .lawyer provides immediate professional context that can aid marketing and brand recognition for legal professionals. Unlike highly restricted legal TLDs like .law, .lawyer generally does not impose strict eligibility requirements, making it more broadly accessible while still signalling a legal focus.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Clearly indicates a legal profession or service in the domain name
  

• Enhances brand recognition for lawyers and legal firms
  

• Widely available without strict restrictions
  

Cons

• Less familiar to general audiences compared to legacy domains
  

• Potentially higher registration cost than common extensions
  

• Does not inherently verify professional credentials
  
  

Registration Criteria

Registration of a .lawyer domain is generally on a first‑come, first‑served basis without stringent eligibility requirements, though some registrars may request legal credentials if the domain is used for legal services.

Summary

.lawyer is a professional gTLD tailored to the legal industry that offers lawyers and legal organisations a targeted domain option. It balances accessibility with profession‑oriented branding, making it a widely used extension for legal web presences.