For most states, attorney websites are considered advertisements and subject to regulation. Each state’s bar rules have specific provisions, governing legal website advertising and marketing for attorneys and law firms. This is commonly referred to as the Code of Conduct and Advertising for Attorneys.
The state bar rules for advertising your practice demands compliance. Regardless of whether or not your marketing is outsourced or not, the responsibility falls on you, as the attorney.
For this reason, every attorney should read his or her state’s bar rules, as they do vary from state to state. And, then select a marketing team carefully.
ABA Model Rules 7.1 and 7.2
In most states, ABA Model Rules 7.1 and 7.2 lay the foundation for advertising rules. In general, these rules prohibit an attorney from making false statements, misleading advertisements or paying for recommendations of any kind.
Another general rule is that each site requires at least one attorney to provide a name and contact details as the responsible party for the site’s content. Most attorneys choose to do so in the footer of their site.
ABA Rules by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Common Bar Rule Violations
One of the most common violations involve testimonials and case results to legal sites. These rules vary across state lines, so it’s important to ensure you are following the rules specific to your state.
If you’re interested in finding a digital advertising agency that specializes in legal industry marketing, contact our parent company, Digital Logic. We offer free proposals, audits and consultations to discuss implementing a better online marketing strategy.