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Navigating Lawyer Advertising Rules in Illinois: A Practical Overview

Navigating Lawyer Advertising Rules in Illinois: A Practical Overview

By Attorney Allegra Abramson

As legal marketing continues to evolve to suit the needs of lawyers and clients in the digital age, attorneys must remain mindful of their professional obligations under the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct. While online platforms offer tremendous growth opportunities, they can also present unique ethical concerns that mandate careful attention. For Illinois practitioners, compliance with Rules 7.1-7.5 is essential for any advertising or solicitation strategy. Read along to view our top tips for protecting yourself and your clients when it comes to advertising your services online.

Rules to Remember: The Basics

Illinois lawyers looking to expand online presence through digital marketing should closely review the Illinois Rules for Professional Conduct dictating Information about Legal Services—Rules 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 Illinois has adopted these crucial ABA rules, with some state-specific modifications, to govern advertising and solicitation in the state, which protects both you and your clients.

  • Rule 7.1 stipulates that communications must not be false or misleading. This includes both express misrepresentations and omissions that could lead to misunderstandings. It’s essential to choose your words carefully and consider whether there’s any risk that your audience could misinterpret your statements. According to the Rules, an attorney’s communication is false or misleading if it has a misrepresentation of fact or law that is material, or the communication is provided outside of the necessary context.
  • Rule 7.2 allows advertising but prohibits giving anything of value in exchange for recommendations. (This rule contains specific exceptions.)
  • Rule 7.3 addresses the direct solicitation of clients, which is particularly important for maintaining proper emailing, text messaging, and direct messaging practices. Lawyers may not, by in-person, live telephone, or real-time electronic contact, solicit professional employment from a prospective client when a significant motive for the lawyer’s doing so is the lawyer’s pecuniary gain. Keep this in mind when directly communicating with clients via direct messaging or using targeted ads—ensure that anything said to a prospective client is fully compliant with Rule 7.3.
  • Rule 7.4 states that an attorney may list their practice areas online, but may not use the terms “certified,” “expert,” specialist,” or other similar terms to describe their qualifications. These terms may only be used if they can be demonstrated to be truthful, verifiable, and not misleading, and the website must explicitly state that the Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialists in the practice of law. Be especially cautious when using terms that imply you are an expert in a particular area.
  • Rule 7.5 dictates the requirements for firm names and letterheads. For example, a firm’s name is prohibited from implying a partnership exists if there is not one in actuality. Firm names are not allowed to mislead the public and may not contain the name of a partner who withdraws from the firm to work elsewhere.

Other Key Considerations when Designing Your Attorney Website

Practitioners must be conscientious when using superlatives like “top-rated” or “the best,” unless these claims can be objectively verified. Similarly, client testimonials, which are common and effective in online attorney marketing, must not create unjustified expectations or imply guaranteed outcomes.

Any statements regarding past successes should include explicit disclaimers to avoid misleading potential clients into believing that a prior win guarantees them any result. When posting previous case results online, attorneys must ask whether a reasonable person could be misled into believing the same results could be achieved for a prospective client’s similar legal matters. Tread lightly here—the words you choose matter!

To mitigate risk, attorney online marketing should include disclaimers. On your website, post a disclaimer on each page that clearly states the following:

  • The information included on the website is for general purposes only and should not be interpreted to guarantee any result will occur in a client’s specific legal situation;
  • Information on the website does not constitute legal advice;
  • The communications on the website do not create any attorney-client relationship;
  • The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law, and no such certificate, award, or recognition is a requirement for practicing law in Illinois.

If you’re not sure where to start with crafting your disclaimer, online attorney marketing experts like us can assist you. Don’t skip this step—it’s a requirement for responsible attorney marketing.

For any attorney seeking to grow their practice and reputation, digital marketing is a powerful tool; however, it’s essential to pay due diligence to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct when crafting an online strategy. Reviewing Rules 7.1-7.5 should be the first step any attorney online marketer takes when refreshing their website or enhancing their digital presence. Remember that these Rules exist to clarify safe boundaries for advertising your services, and recall that professional legal marketers can assist you if you need extra help ensuring compliance with these critical standards.

Maximizing Your Law Firm’s Google Business Profile

Maximizing Your Law Firm’s Google Business Profile

By Jerome Hutchinson

You don’t need to rank #1 on Google to win more clients, but you do need to show up where it counts. For law firms, this typically means appearing in the local map pack and having a well-optimized Google Business Profile.
Think of it this way: if someone searches “car accident lawyer near me,” your Google Business Profile is often the first thing they’ll see. Not your website. Not your credentials. Just your listing—and whether it feels trustworthy or not.
Maximizing your Google Business Profile isn’t just about filling in a few blanks. It’s about helping potential clients feel confident enough to contact you, especially when they’re stressed, hurt, or unsure about whom to trust.
This page walks you through how to optimize your law firm’s Google Business Profile step by step, flagging the problems that keep you from showing up and explaining how to fix them without needing a tech degree.
Ready to fix what’s holding your firm back? Let’s get into it.

Why Your Google Business Profile Might Be Costing You Clients Without You Realizing It

Many lawyers claim their Google Business Profile and then forget about it. However, that small box on the right side of the search results can either attract your clients or drive them away.
If your hours are wrong, your location is outdated, or there are no photos or reviews, most people won’t even bother clicking through to your website. They’ll move on to the next firm that looks more active, credible, and available.
A messy or neglected listing doesn’t just confuse people; it also reflects poorly on the property. It conveys something, fair or not, to them about how your firm operates.
What makes this worse is that Google’s local search algorithm considers how complete and up-to-date your listing is. Even if you’re the best lawyer in town, an incomplete profile could drown you in the search results.

What makes this worse is that Google’s local search algorithm considers how complete and up-to-date your listing is. Even if you’re the best lawyer in town, an incomplete profile could drown you in the search results.

The First Step: Fix What’s Missing or Misleading

Take your time and review your Google My Business (GMB) listing carefully. Make sure that everything is correct. Take your time and avoid rushing through the process. When checking, ask yourself: Is your law firm’s name spelled the same everywhere? Do your hours reflect vacations, holidays, or weekend availability? Do you have and use an away message? Do clients have a way to contact you in case of an emergency? Are you listed at the right address? Is your phone number correct? Is voice mail set up correctly?
Inconsistencies like these confuse both people and Google’s algorithm. If your Google Business Profile says one thing and your website says another, you might slip out of the map pack entirely.

Start by logging into your profile at google.com/business. Take your time and carefully review:

  • Business name
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Website (including all contact details)
  • Practice areas (categories)
  • Office hours
  • Type of services your firm covers
  • Photos

Make sure they’re accurate, current, and match the information listed elsewhere online. If you haven’t claimed your law firm’s profile yet, do it here: Claim your Google Business Profile.

It only takes a few minutes to fix these gaps, but it’s the foundation for everything that comes next.

Next Step: Turn Your Profile into a Lead Generator

Here’s a no-fluff checklist to help your law firm’s Google Business Profile work smarter—and bring in more qualified leads:

· Choose a precise primary category (e.g., Personal Injury Attorney instead of Lawyer)

· Use real photos of yourself, your office, employees, and contractors. Also, include pictures of staff at events, especially ones involving the community. Additionally, you can include images of attorneys with clients, influencers, or well-known individuals (with written permission, of course).

· List your email address, business hours, local and toll-free phone numbers, and mailing address.

· Happy clients lead to a better reputation, increased revenue, and more referrals. Always ask existing clients for reviews (and respond to all of them). Even if a client is disgruntled, it’s important to acknowledge their dissatisfaction while publicly attempting to fix the issue.

· Post regular case updates or highlights, FAQs, or other pertinent information using Google Posts.

· Use one profile per physical office and follow Google’s rules for multi-attorney setups.

· Monitor performance with Insights and adjust your marketing strategies on how people find and interact with your listing.

· Fix any conflicting or outdated information that appears on your website or and directories.

· Avoid keyword stuffing or using fake locations—this could lead to Google suspending your profile.

· Schedule 10 minutes a week to update or review your listing.

Want Help Making Your Google Business Profile Start Work Like It Should?

Your Google Business Profile is a tool that can bring real clients through your door. However, it only works if it’s set up correctly, kept fresh, and speaks directly to the people seeking legal help right now.
Maximizing your Google Business Profile is one of the fastest, easiest ways to grow your firm without spending more on ads or chasing leads that go nowhere.
If you’re not receiving the calls you expected or are unsure where to begin, please KPC Marketing today. We’ll take a look at your law firm’s Google Business Profile and show you exactly what’s helping, what’s hurting, and what to fix.