What State Bars and the ABA Actually Require on Your Law Firm Website

The most fundamental disclaimer on any law firm website addresses the attorney-client relationship. Without it, prospective clients may incorrectly believe that browsing your site or sending an email creates representation—a dangerous misunderstanding for both parties.

Standard disclaimer elements include:

• Statement that website information is for general purposes only and does not constitute legal advice
• Clarification that no attorney-client relationship exists until a formal engagement agreement is signed
• Notice that contacting the firm does not create representation
• Confidentiality warnings about information submitted through the website

Most bars require this disclaimer to be conspicuous and accessible—typically in the footer of every page, on the contact page, and near any intake forms. Some jurisdictions specify font size minimums or require the disclaimer to appear before users can submit information.

Contact form best practice: Include checkbox acknowledgment language such as: "I understand that submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship and that information I provide may not be treated as confidential until an engagement agreement is signed."

This is educational content for general guidance. Verify current requirements with your state bar—rules vary significantly by jurisdiction and change periodically.

Client testimonials and case results are powerful marketing tools—and one of the most regulated areas of attorney advertising. ABA Model Rule 7.1 prohibits communications that are false or misleading, and testimonials without proper context often cross that line.

What triggers disclosure requirements:

• Client testimonials or reviews featured on your website
• Case results, verdict amounts, or settlement figures
• Before/after scenarios or outcome descriptions
• Awards or rankings that imply superiority

Required disclosure elements typically include:

• Statement that past results do not guarantee future outcomes
• Clarification that each case depends on its specific facts and circumstances
• For monetary results: context about fees, case duration, or whether the result was typical

Some states go further. Florida requires specific disclaimer language when advertising past results. New York mandates that testimonials be accompanied by a disclaimer that "prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome." California has extensive rules about dramatizations and reenactments in any video content.

SEO consideration: Disclaimer text can be included in structured data markup for review schema, helping search engines understand the context while maintaining compliance. Don't hide disclaimers in ways that make them functionally invisible to users.

Law firms face a particular irony: they advise clients on ADA compliance while operating websites that fail basic accessibility standards. This creates both ethical concerns and genuine litigation risk.

Federal courts have increasingly ruled that websites constitute "places of public accommodation" under Title III of the ADA. Law firms—as professional service providers—fall squarely within this interpretation. In our experience, most law firm websites we audit have accessibility gaps that could expose them to demand letters or lawsuits.

WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance basics:

• Alt text for all images, including attorney headshots and infographics
• Keyboard navigation that allows users to access all content without a mouse
• Color contrast ratios meeting minimum thresholds for readability
• Form labels properly associated with input fields for screen reader compatibility
• Video captions for any multimedia content

Common violations we see on law firm sites: PDFs without text alternatives, chatbot widgets that aren't keyboard-accessible, contact forms without proper ARIA labels, and image-based phone numbers that screen readers can't parse.

Beyond legal risk, accessibility improvements often benefit SEO. Alt text helps image search visibility. Proper heading structure aids content understanding. Keyboard navigation correlates with cleaner code that search engines parse more easily.

Privacy policy requirements have expanded significantly, and law firms collecting intake information face stricter obligations than many realize. The patchwork of state laws means compliance depends on where your clients are located—not just where your firm operates.

California (CCPA/CPRA): If you collect information from California residents and meet revenue or data thresholds, you need specific disclosures about data categories collected, purposes, third-party sharing, and consumer rights. Many law firms with national practices trigger these requirements.

Virginia (VCDPA) and Colorado (CPA): Similar but not identical requirements, with different threshold triggers and consumer rights frameworks.

What your privacy policy should address:

• What information you collect through forms, chat, and analytics
• How you use and store that information
• Third parties who receive data (CRM systems, email platforms, analytics tools)
• User rights regarding access, deletion, and opt-out
• Cookie usage and tracking disclosures

Attorney-specific considerations: Address how potential client information is handled before an engagement agreement exists. Clarify that intake form submissions may not be protected by attorney-client privilege until representation is formally established.

Cookie consent banners have become standard, but implementation matters. Blanket "we use cookies" notices don't satisfy GDPR requirements if you have EU visitors, and increasingly don't meet US state standards either.

While ABA Model Rules provide a baseline, individual state bars often impose additional or different requirements. Running SEO campaigns or publishing content without checking your specific jurisdiction's rules creates unnecessary risk.

States with notably strict or unique requirements:

Florida: Requires specific disclaimer language ("The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision...") on most advertising. Mandatory filing of certain advertisements with the bar. Restrictions on targeted direct mail following accidents.

New York: Advertisements must be labeled as "Attorney Advertising." Specific rules about trade names and firm names. Restrictions on dramatizations.

Texas: Extensive rules about solicitation, including restrictions on targeted communications to accident victims within 30 days.

California: Detailed requirements about disclosing whether depicted scenarios involve actors. Rules about claims of specialization or certification.

How this affects SEO content:

• Practice area pages describing case types may constitute advertising requiring disclaimers
• Blog posts about recent verdicts may trigger disclosure requirements
• Location pages targeting specific markets must comply with both your home state and the target jurisdiction
• Attorney bios claiming expertise may need certification disclaimers

Multi-state firms face the most complex compliance picture. Content that's compliant in one jurisdiction may violate rules in another state where you're licensed.

Verify current requirements with each state bar where you practice. Rules change, and opinions from ethics hotlines can clarify ambiguous situations.

Compliance and effective SEO aren't mutually exclusive—but they require intentional planning. The goal is creating content that ranks, converts, and keeps you out of disciplinary proceedings.

Content development framework:

• Before writing: Check state bar rules for your practice areas and target jurisdictions
• During writing: Avoid superlatives, unverifiable claims, and guarantees about outcomes
• Before publishing: Add appropriate disclaimers and disclosures in compliant placements
• After publishing: Periodically audit content against rule changes

Disclaimers that don't kill conversion: Strategic placement matters. Footer disclaimers handle general compliance. Inline disclosures near testimonials address specific requirements. Neither needs to dominate the page or interrupt user experience when implemented thoughtfully.

Schema markup considerations: LegalService schema, attorney profile markup, and review schema should include relevant disclaimer properties where applicable. This helps search engines understand context while maintaining compliance.

Technical SEO with compliance in mind: Ensure disclaimers are crawlable text (not images), that privacy policy pages aren't blocked by robots.txt, and that accessibility improvements are maintained through site updates and redesigns.

For firms serious about both visibility and compliance, working with SEO providers who understand bar advertising rules eliminates the common pattern of building rankings on content that creates ethics exposure. Compliance-first SEO for law firms treats bar rules as requirements, not afterthoughts.