Is a law firm website covered by the lawyer advertising rules?

In Florida it is, and the rule says so directly: the comment to rule 4-7.11 says websites are subject to the general lawyer advertising requirements and are treated the same as other advertising media. California's rule 7.1 governs all communications of any type about a lawyer's services. Other states set their own rules, so read your state's version or ask your state bar before you publish.

Can a law firm website list its case results?

Both states quoted here allow it with conditions. Florida's rule 4-7.13 allows references to past results only when they are objectively verifiable, and its comment requires the affected client's informed consent. California's comment to rule 7.1 warns against results presented so as to create an unjustified expectation, and says a disclaimer or qualifying language often avoids that problem.

Can a lawyer call themselves a specialist on the firm website?

In California, rule 7.4 allows the words certified specialist only when the lawyer is currently certified by the Board of Legal Specialization or another body the State Bar accredits, and the certifying organization is named. A lawyer may still say the practice specializes in, is limited to, or is concentrated in a field, as long as the statement is not misleading.

Can a law firm say it is the best firm in its city?

Florida's comment to rule 4-7.13 says the ban on comparisons that cannot be factually substantiated precludes saying a lawyer or firm is the best, or one of the best, in a field of law. A true and checkable comparison, such as being the largest firm in an area that practices only one field of law, is permissible if it is true.

Can I publish client reviews on my law firm website?

Florida's rule 4-7.13 sets six conditions for a testimonial: the person must be qualified to judge, describe their own experience, reflect what clients generally experience, write it without the lawyer drafting it, receive nothing of value for it, and appear with the disclaimer that the prospective client may not obtain the same or similar results. Check your own state's rules as well.

Should each lawyer in a firm have a Google Business Profile?

Google's guidelines treat lawyers as individual practitioners, so a lawyer who meets clients and can be reached at the office during stated hours may have one, named with the lawyer's name only when several lawyers share the office. The firm keeps its own profile for the location. One lawyer should not create several profiles for different areas of law.

Can a law firm create pages for towns where it has no office?

Florida's comment to rule 4-7.12 says an advertisement cannot state or imply an office where the lawyer has no bona fide office, though it may truthfully say the lawyer is available by appointment there. A page for a nearby town should say in its first sentence where clients are actually met, and should answer a real local question that the other pages do not.

May a law firm use a competitor's name as a search advertising keyword?

Florida's comment to rule 4-7.13 calls it impermissible when the competitor's name triggers an advertisement that does not clearly show it comes from a different firm. It adds that the advertisement is not misleading if its first text is the name of the advertising lawyer or firm. Rules differ between states, so check your own before you buy such keywords.

Should a law firm use the Attorney or the LegalService schema type?

Use LegalService. Schema.org marks the Attorney type as deprecated and says LegalService is more inclusive and less ambiguous. Place it on the page that describes the firm, with values that match the visible page and the Business Profile. Google's list of supported features has no feature for law firms alone, so the labels feed the general Local business feature.

Can a law firm website say that the firm speaks Spanish?

California's comment to rule 7.1 says a lawyer may not state or imply the ability to provide legal services in another language unless the lawyer can actually do so, or the communication names the job title of the person who speaks that language. So name who speaks Spanish, and whether it is a lawyer or a member of staff, on the page itself.

How does a law firm become the answer on Google and AI assistants without breaking the advertising rules?

Which questions people ask before they call a lawyer, which answer places matter for a firm, what each page and profile must name, and what two states' rules, California's and Florida's, say about websites, past results, reviews and the words a lawyer may use.

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A law firm becomes the answer by giving each practice area its own page that answers, in its first lines and in plain words, the questions people ask before they call, and by keeping a Business Profile for each lawyer who meets clients, all within the advertising rules of each state where the firm practices. Those rules apply to the website itself: Florida's rules say websites are treated the same as other advertising media, and California's rules call a communication misleading when it guarantees a result or leads a reader to expect the result an earlier client obtained.

Which questions do people ask before they call a lawyer?

A person who needs a lawyer is often worried, and the first questions they type or speak are practical ones. How long will this take? Do I even need a lawyer? What does a first meeting cost? Does this firm handle cases like mine, in my county, in my language? Behind each question there is a decision about whom to call, and a firm whose page answers it plainly gives that person a reason to call.

Licheo wrote the questions in the table below on 17 October 2026 as an illustration, with no search figures. They show the types of question a law firm's site has to answer, and the place where each answer belongs. A process question needs a page that explains the steps; a cost question needs a fees page in text; a check on the firm needs facts that a reader can verify.

Questions people ask before they call a lawyer, and where the answer belongs: written by Licheo on 17 October 2026 as an illustration, with no search counts.
Question a client might ask	Type of question	Where the answer belongs
how long does probate take in my county	Process	The probate page, with the steps and the court involved in the first paragraph
do I need a lawyer for a small claims case	Process	A page for that question, with a direct yes or no and the reasons
what to do after a car accident that was not my fault	Urgent	The personal injury page, first steps in a short list
family lawyer free consultation	Check on the firm	The fees page and the Business Profile, saying what the first meeting costs
immigration lawyer who speaks Spanish	Check on the firm	The team page, naming the lawyer who works in Spanish
how much does a simple will cost	Cost	The estate planning page, with the fee or the range and what changes it
is this lawyer licensed in Florida	Check on the firm	The team page: name, state of admission and bar number where the state publishes one

Which answer places matter most for a law firm?

For a law firm, answer engine optimization (AEO) has one aim: when someone asks Google, Bing or an assistant a legal question, the answer they read should come from your page. A law firm meets four answer places. The Google Business Profile (the free listing in Google Maps and Search) answers the check questions: where is the office, when is it open, which lawyer works there. The featured snippet (the boxed result in which Google shows the answer text first) and People Also Ask (the list of related questions that open to a short answer from a web page) quote pages that explain a process in clear steps. And AI assistants and Google's AI features summarize the same pages for people who ask in full sentences.

What is different for a law firm is that every one of those answers is also an advertisement in the eyes of the rules. A page that explains how probate works informs the reader, and it also invites them to hire the firm. Of course the rules allow helpful pages, and they ask that every statement on them be true, complete and free of promises. The sections below quote two states' rules, because the rules for lawyers are set state by state. Florida's own rules, for example, speak of an advertisement that complies with the rules governing lawyer advertising in that jurisdiction.

Do the lawyer advertising rules cover a firm's website?

Yes, in both states quoted here. Rule 4-7.11 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, in the edition dated 1 October 2026, says the advertising rules apply to all forms of communication in any print or electronic forum, including websites, social networking and video sharing media. Its comment is direct: Websites are subject to the general lawyer advertising requirements in this subchapter and are treated the same as other advertising media. Florida asks lawyers to file most advertisements with The Florida Bar at least 20 days before first use, but rule 4-7.20 lists information contained on the lawyer's Internet website(s) among the items exempt from that filing.

California's Rules of Professional Conduct, chapter 7, effective 1 November 2018, start from the same idea. Rule 7.1 governs all communications of any type whatsoever about the lawyer or the lawyer's services. The comment to rule 7.3 draws a useful line for search: a communication is no solicitation when it is directed to the general public, such as through a website, or when it is automatically generated in response to Internet searches. So a page found through Google falls under rule 7.1, while rule 7.3 deals with in-person, live telephone or real-time electronic contact.

Other states write their own versions, and this page names only the two whose rules we opened in full. Before you publish, read your own state's rules or ask your state bar.

Can a law firm page show past results and client reviews?

It can, with conditions that both states spell out. California's comment to rule 7.1 says that a truthful report of a lawyer's achievements, or a testimonial, may be misleading if presented so as to lead a reasonable person to form an unjustified expectation that the same results could be obtained for other clients in similar matters. It adds that an appropriate disclaimer or qualifying language often avoids creating unjustified expectations.

Florida's rule 4-7.13 is more detailed. References to past results are allowed only when the information is objectively verifiable, and the comment adds that a lawyer who wishes to advertise information about past results must have the affected client's informed consent, even when the facts are in the public record. A testimonial fails the rule when the person cannot judge the matter, when it describes someone else's experience, when it does not represent what clients of that lawyer generally experience, when the lawyer wrote it, when the person received something of value for it, or when it lacks the disclaimer that the prospective client may not obtain the same or similar results.

For answers, this shapes how a results section should read. Let's say a page answers the question "has this firm handled cases like mine?" The answer that follows both states' wording gives verifiable facts with the client's consent, the circumstances that made the result possible, and the disclaimer next to it in the same size of text.

Which words should a lawyer's page avoid, and which are allowed?

The words on an answer-first page need extra care, because Google or an assistant may quote one sentence alone. The table below collects the phrases that the two states' rules and comments address by name. It restates the rule text for information only. A phrase that one state allows may be limited in another, so check yours with your state bar.

Phrases a law firm page might use, and what the rule text says: State Bar of California Rules of Professional Conduct, chapter 7 (effective 1 November 2018), and Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, chapter 4 (edition of 1 October 2026), both read on 17 October 2026.
Phrase on the page	What the rule text says	Where
"We will win your case"	An express guarantee or warranty of the result of a particular representation is a false or misleading communication	California, rule 7.1, comment 2
"No fee unless we win"	Misleading unless the communication also expressly discloses whether or not the client will be liable for costs	California, rule 7.1, comment 3
"Certified specialist"	Only if currently certified by the Board of Legal Specialization or an accredited body, named in the communication	California, rule 7.4
"Our practice is limited to family law"	Allowed, subject to the rule against misleading communications	California, rule 7.4(b)
"The best" or "one of the best"	Precluded as a comparison that cannot be factually substantiated	Florida, rule 4-7.13, comment
"Our goal is the best possible result"	Aspirational words such as goal, strive, dedicated, mission and philosophy are generally permissible	Florida, rule 4-7.13, comment
"I will pursue an acquittal"	Words such as try, pursue, may, seek, might, could and designed to generally avoid promising a result	Florida, rule 4-7.13, comment
"Se habla español"	Only if the lawyer can provide services in that language, or the communication names the title of the person who speaks it	California, rule 7.1, comment 5

What must every page and profile name?

Both states ask that an advertisement say who stands behind it. California's rule 7.2(c) requires the name and address of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content. Florida's rule 4-7.12 requires the name of at least one lawyer or the law firm, and the city, town, or county of 1 or more bona fide office locations of the lawyer who will perform the services advertised.

Florida's comment then defines a bona fide office as a physical location where the lawyer reasonably expects to furnish legal services in a substantial way on a regular and continuing basis, and it adds: An advertisement cannot state or imply that a lawyer has offices in a location where the lawyer has no bona fide office. A firm may still say it is available by appointment or has a satellite office in a place, if the statement is true. This rule matters for local search pages. A firm that builds a page for every nearby town, written as if it had an office in each, risks a misleading statement under this rule; our guide to near me searches explains how Google itself treats pages made for many towns. A page for a town without an office should say so in its first sentence, for example "We meet clients from Kissimmee at our Orlando office or by video call."

Name of at least one responsible lawyer, or the firm, on every page.
The real office address or city, and only offices that meet the bona fide office test.
A statement when cases may be referred to another lawyer, which Florida's rule 4-7.12(b) requires.
Any required words in every language the page uses, as rule 4-7.12(c) asks.

How should a firm handle search terms, firm names and web addresses?

Florida's comment to rule 4-7.13 gives an example taken straight from search advertising. It calls impermissible the use of another lawyer or law firm name as an Internet search term that triggers the display of an advertisement that does not clearly indicate that the advertisement is for a different firm. The comment adds that such an advertisement would not be misleading if the first text displayed is the name of the advertising lawyer or law firm.

California's rule 7.5 covers names, and its comment says that the term other professional designation includes logos, letterheads, URLs (web addresses) and signature blocks. A web address is therefore held to the same test as a firm name: it may not mislead, and under rule 7.5(b) it may not imply a relationship with a government agency or with a public or charitable legal services organization. For answer engine optimization this means the domain, the page addresses and the business name on the profile should all be the firm's real name, or a trade name that meets the rule, and none of them should suggest a link to a court, a government office or a legal aid charity.

How should a law firm set up its Business Profiles?

Google's Business Profile guidelines list lawyers among individual practitioners and allow a degree or title such as JD or Esq. in the profile name. A lawyer who meets clients and can be reached at the verified office during stated hours may have a profile; one lawyer should not hold several profiles to cover each area of law. The firm keeps a profile for the office, and the profile of each lawyer at a shared office carries the lawyer's name alone.

If the firm advertises through Local Services Ads, Google's advertising program for local service businesses, its United States requirements list fifteen categories of lawyer, from bankruptcy to traffic. For each one they name a state bar license check for every lawyer of that category in the firm, business owner identity verification and professional liability insurance, which the page requires where applicable by local law. Those are the facts Google treats as proof, so they belong on the team page in text: each lawyer's full name, the states where they are admitted and the areas they practice.

Which structured data fits a law firm?

Structured data means labels added to the page code, hidden from the reader, that tell a search engine what each piece of the page is. Schema.org, the shared vocabulary for those labels, describes LegalService as a business that provides legally-oriented services, advice and representation, e.g. law firms. It also keeps an older type called Attorney, and its own page says: This type is deprecated - LegalService is more inclusive and less ambiguous. So a firm uses LegalService on the page that describes the firm, with the name, address, phone and hours exactly as the page and the Business Profile show them.

Google's list of supported features, updated on 16 October 2026, contains no feature made for law firms. The firm's labels feed the Local business feature, and Google's local business guide, updated on 8 September 2026, asks for the most specific sub-type possible, which for a firm is LegalService. Practice area pages carry their value for answers in the first sentence, which should answer the question in the heading and stay within the rules quoted above.

Part of a larger guide

This page is one part of AEO by industry. The other parts:

Questions people ask

Is a law firm website covered by the lawyer advertising rules?: In Florida it is, and the rule says so directly: the comment to rule 4-7.11 says websites are subject to the general lawyer advertising requirements and are treated the same as other advertising media. California's rule 7.1 governs all communications of any type about a lawyer's services. Other states set their own rules, so read your state's version or ask your state bar before you publish.
Can a law firm website list its case results?: Both states quoted here allow it with conditions. Florida's rule 4-7.13 allows references to past results only when they are objectively verifiable, and its comment requires the affected client's informed consent. California's comment to rule 7.1 warns against results presented so as to create an unjustified expectation, and says a disclaimer or qualifying language often avoids that problem.
Can a lawyer call themselves a specialist on the firm website?: In California, rule 7.4 allows the words certified specialist only when the lawyer is currently certified by the Board of Legal Specialization or another body the State Bar accredits, and the certifying organization is named. A lawyer may still say the practice specializes in, is limited to, or is concentrated in a field, as long as the statement is not misleading.
Can a law firm say it is the best firm in its city?: Florida's comment to rule 4-7.13 says the ban on comparisons that cannot be factually substantiated precludes saying a lawyer or firm is the best, or one of the best, in a field of law. A true and checkable comparison, such as being the largest firm in an area that practices only one field of law, is permissible if it is true.
Can I publish client reviews on my law firm website?: Florida's rule 4-7.13 sets six conditions for a testimonial: the person must be qualified to judge, describe their own experience, reflect what clients generally experience, write it without the lawyer drafting it, receive nothing of value for it, and appear with the disclaimer that the prospective client may not obtain the same or similar results. Check your own state's rules as well.
Should each lawyer in a firm have a Google Business Profile?: Google's guidelines treat lawyers as individual practitioners, so a lawyer who meets clients and can be reached at the office during stated hours may have one, named with the lawyer's name only when several lawyers share the office. The firm keeps its own profile for the location. One lawyer should not create several profiles for different areas of law.
Can a law firm create pages for towns where it has no office?: Florida's comment to rule 4-7.12 says an advertisement cannot state or imply an office where the lawyer has no bona fide office, though it may truthfully say the lawyer is available by appointment there. A page for a nearby town should say in its first sentence where clients are actually met, and should answer a real local question that the other pages do not.
May a law firm use a competitor's name as a search advertising keyword?: Florida's comment to rule 4-7.13 calls it impermissible when the competitor's name triggers an advertisement that does not clearly show it comes from a different firm. It adds that the advertisement is not misleading if its first text is the name of the advertising lawyer or firm. Rules differ between states, so check your own before you buy such keywords.
Should a law firm use the Attorney or the LegalService schema type?: Use LegalService. Schema.org marks the Attorney type as deprecated and says LegalService is more inclusive and less ambiguous. Place it on the page that describes the firm, with values that match the visible page and the Business Profile. Google's list of supported features has no feature for law firms alone, so the labels feed the general Local business feature.
Can a law firm website say that the firm speaks Spanish?: California's comment to rule 7.1 says a lawyer may not state or imply the ability to provide legal services in another language unless the lawyer can actually do so, or the communication names the job title of the person who speaks that language. So name who speaks Spanish, and whether it is a lawyer or a member of staff, on the page itself.

Sources

Rules of Professional Conduct, Chapter 7: Information About Legal Services (Rules 7.1 to 7.6), State Bar of California. Effective 1 November 2018, accessed 17 October 2026.
Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, Chapter 4: Rules of Professional Conduct, The Florida Bar. Edition of 1 October 2026, accessed 17 October 2026.
Guidelines for representing your business on Google, Google Business Profile Help. Accessed 17 October 2026.
Business screening and verification requirements, United States, Google Local Services Help. Accessed 17 October 2026.
LegalService, Schema.org. Accessed 17 October 2026.
Attorney, Schema.org. Accessed 17 October 2026.
Local business (LocalBusiness) structured data, Google Search Central. Updated 2026-09-08, accessed 17 October 2026.
Structured data markup that Google Search supports, Google Search Central. Updated 2026-10-16, accessed 17 October 2026.

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