Local business
What a law firm website needs (and what the ethics rules ban)
A law firm website needs a page for each practice area, the lawyers with their admissions and credentials, how fees work, and a simple way to get in touch. Under ABA Model Rule 7.1 everything on it must be truthful and not misleading, which includes past results that create unjustified expectations; Rule 7.2 limits who can be called a specialist and requires a responsible lawyer's name and contact details. Many states add their own labels and disclaimers, such as New York's "Attorney Advertising" and "Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome".
Contents
Key points
- ABA Model Rule 7.1 bans false or misleading communications, including truthful results presented so they create unjustified expectations.
- Under Rule 7.2, a lawyer can claim to be a certified specialist only if certified by an approved organisation, named in the claim.
- Every advertisement must name at least one lawyer or firm responsible for its content (Rule 7.2(d)).
- States differ: New York requires the label "Attorney Advertising" and a prior-results disclaimer; Ohio treats dollar amounts in testimonials as inherently misleading.
- ABA Formal Opinion 496 says a negative online review doesn't allow a lawyer to reveal client information in a reply.
People who need a lawyer usually search first: "divorce lawyer near me", "employment lawyer", "how much does a probate lawyer cost". A clear site with practice areas explained can be the first contact. Lawyer advertising has its own rules, though, stricter than most professions, and they vary by state. Below is what a law firm website should include and where the lines are.
Where the rules come from
Most states base their lawyer advertising rules on the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 7.1 to 7.3. In 2018 the ABA simplified them, folding the old firm-name rule into Rule 7.1, but states adopted the changes at different speeds and many kept extra requirements. A website counts as a communication about a lawyer's services, so the same rules apply to it as to any ad.
What the site should include
- A page for each practice area, explaining in plain words what the process involves, what documents are needed and how long it usually takes.
- Lawyer profiles: bar admissions, years in practice, practice areas, education, honours you can document.
- How fees work: hourly, flat fee or contingency, what a first consultation costs, and what affects the price.
- Location, hours and contact details, with a phone number that can be tapped on mobile.
- Articles that answer real client questions ("How is property divided in a divorce in Texas?"). They're what Google and AI assistants cite; how a page earns citations is in How to show up in ChatGPT and AI Overviews.
- The name and contact details of at least one responsible lawyer or firm, which Rule 7.2(d) requires of every advertisement.
What the Model Rules limit
| Rule | What it says | What to avoid on the site |
|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | No false or misleading communications | Results presented as typical, unverifiable superlatives ("the best DUI lawyer in Houston") |
| 7.1 (trade names) | Firm and domain names must not mislead | Names implying a public body or a firm that doesn't exist |
| 7.2(b) | No paying for recommendations, apart from ad costs and approved referral services | Paying people per referral |
| 7.2(c) | "Certified specialist" only with certification from an approved organisation, named | "Specialist in family law" without that certification |
| 7.2(d) | A responsible lawyer or firm named, with contact details | Anonymous landing pages |
| 7.3 | No live person-to-person solicitation for profit, with limited exceptions | Follow-up calls to people who filled in a form for something else |
Rule 7.1 is the one that matters most for websites. Its comments say a truthful statement can still mislead, for example a report of past results presented so a reasonable person expects the same outcome without regard to the facts of their own case.
Case results and testimonials
These are where states differ most:
- New York requires attorney advertising to be labelled "Attorney Advertising" and content with past results or testimonials to carry the disclaimer "Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome". Testimonials about a matter still pending need the client's informed written consent.
- Florida requires a disclaimer that a prospective client may not get similar results.
- Ohio's Board of Professional Conduct has said a testimonial stating a settlement or verdict amount is inherently misleading, and a disclaimer can't fix it.
If your firm practises in several states, the site has to satisfy the strictest of them, or show results and testimonials only where they're allowed.
Contact forms and prospective clients
A visitor who describes their situation in a contact form may become a prospective client under Rule 1.18, which brings duties of confidentiality and can create conflicts, for example if the person is on the other side of a matter you already handle. Keep the form short:
- Ask for name, contact details and the type of matter, not the facts of the case.
- Say clearly, next to the button, that submitting the form doesn't create an attorney-client relationship and that they shouldn't send confidential information yet.
- Send submissions to a mailbox only the people who run conflict checks can read.
Replying to online reviews
ABA Formal Opinion 496, from January 2021, says a negative online review on its own doesn't let a lawyer reveal client information in self-defence. The opinion suggests not replying at all, asking the platform to remove a post that breaks its rules, inviting the person to talk privately, or a reply along these lines:
Professional obligations prevent me from responding publicly. I'd welcome the chance to talk this through directly; please call our office.
How reviews work in general: How to get Google reviews.
Ads on Google and social media
Paid search and social ads are allowed and follow the same rules as the website: truthful, not misleading, with a responsible lawyer named, and labelled where your state requires it. Pay-per-lead services need care under Rule 7.2(b): paying for the advertising is fine, paying a person per recommendation isn't.
Checklist
- A page for each practice area, written for clients.
- Lawyer profiles with bar admissions written exactly.
- "Specialist" only with certification, naming the certifying body.
- No superlatives you can't prove, no guarantees.
- Results and testimonials with the disclaimers your state requires, and client consent.
- A responsible lawyer's name and contact details on every page.
- A short contact form with a no-relationship notice.
- Review replies that reveal nothing about the client.
The sites we build on our web design page have a page per service, a contact form that asks only for what's needed, and plain-language copy written for phones. For a law firm we write the copy with the rules above in mind, and you check it before launch.
Questions
Can a law firm post case results on its website?
Usually yes, if they're true and presented so they don't create unjustified expectations. Many states require a disclaimer such as "Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome", and some, like Ohio, restrict dollar figures in testimonials.
Can lawyers use client testimonials?
The ABA Model Rules don't ban them, but they must not be misleading. States differ: some require disclaimers, some require written consent, especially for pending matters. Check your state bar's rules before publishing.
Can I call myself a specialist on my website?
Only if you're certified as a specialist by an organisation approved by a state authority or accredited by the ABA, and you name that organisation, under Model Rule 7.2(c). Describing your practice areas is fine without certification.
Does a contact form create an attorney-client relationship?
It shouldn't, but a visitor who shares details may become a prospective client under Rule 1.18, which carries confidentiality and conflict duties. Ask only for name, contact details and the type of matter, and say clearly that submitting the form doesn't create a relationship.
How should a lawyer reply to a negative online review?
Without revealing any client information. ABA Formal Opinion 496 suggests not replying, asking the site to remove a post that breaks its rules, inviting the person to talk privately, or saying professional considerations prevent a public reply.
Sources
- Rule 7.1: Communication Concerning a Lawyer's Services, American Bar Association
- Rule 7.2: Communications Concerning a Lawyer's Services: Specific Rules, American Bar Association
- ABA Formal Opinion 496: Responding to Online Criticism, American Bar Association (via Colorado Bar Association)
- Lawyers must use caution when responding to negative online reviews, new ethics opinion says, ABA Journal
- Ohio Board of Professional Conduct Opinion 2016-8: client testimonials in advertising and online reviews, Ohio Board of Professional Conduct