**Q: How do I make sure my marketing wording follows my state bar’s advertising rules?**
⚠️ Before you start: gather the pages and listings where the firm describes itself — the home page, the About page, and the short description that shows under the firm’s name in Google. (No website backup is needed to review wording.)
What this fixes:
Most states have rules about what a law firm may say in its advertising. Words like “top rated,” “best,” or “#1” are exactly what those rules look at closely. This needs a lawyer’s eye, not a webmaster’s — so it’s routed to the firm’s counsel.
Steps:
1. Have a firm attorney (or the compliance person) read the site’s marketing wording — especially “best,” “top rated,” “#1,” or claims of being better than others.
2. Confirm the firm’s name and main office are clearly identified, as the rules require.
3. Confirm the “this is not legal advice” and “no attorney-client relationship” notes are present and on the right pages.
4. Change or remove any wording the attorney flags.
5. Keep a short dated note of what was reviewed, in case it’s ever questioned.
How to check it worked:
A firm attorney has read the advertising wording and signed off, and any flagged claims have been changed or removed.
Tools you may need:
– Your state bar’s advertising/marketing rules (in South Carolina, the SC Bar’s advertising rules). SEO Doctor can point you to the right ones.
– The firm’s existing disclaimers, to confirm placement.
Common mistakes to avoid:
– Treating this as a webmaster task — it’s a legal review, and the attorney signs off.
– Assuming another state’s rules apply; use the rules of the state(s) where you actually practice.
When to call SEO Doctor:
– You want the specific claims on your site flagged and listed before your attorney reviews them.
Note: This is general guidance, not legal advice — a licensed attorney makes the final call.