What a law firm has to clear
Three sets of rules apply at once.
| Layer | Applies to | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| Google Ads policies | Search, Display, Performance Max | Honest identity, no clickbait, a working page |
| Local Services Ads screening | The "Google Verified" ads in search results | Owner identity, bar license for each lawyer, sometimes insurance |
| Your bar's advertising rules | Every ad, page and listing | No false or misleading claims, specialist titles, results, superlatives |
Google's policy list has no separate certification for law firms (Google Ads policy: List of ad policies), unlike online pharmacies or US health insurance (Google Ads policy: Healthcare and medicines). But Google puts the law on you:
"You're always responsible for ensuring that you comply with all applicable laws and regulations, in addition to Google's advertising policies, for all of the locations where your ads are showing." (Google Ads policy: List of ad policies)
Google Ads policies that catch legal ads
Misleading representation. Google's own example is a legal one:
"An affiliate marketer advertising legal services without disclosing that they do not provide legal services" (Google Ads policy: Misleading representation)
If a lead-generation site or referral service runs ads for you, the ads and page must say who actually provides the service.
Clickbait and fear. Google bans ads that "use negative life events such as death, accidents, illness, arrests or bankruptcy to induce fear, guilt or other strong negative emotions to pressure the viewer to take immediate action" (Google Ads policy: Clickbait ads). That covers the core of injury, criminal and bankruptcy practice. Say what you do and how to reach you; don't pressure.
Destination rules. A broken or slow intake page gets ads disapproved like anyone else's: see Google Ads disapproved.
Google Local Services Ads for lawyers
Local Services Ads (LSA) show prominently in Google Search, and you "only pay when a customer gets in touch from your ad" (Local Services Help: About Local Services). Before they run, Google screens the firm.
Google's US requirements for a personal injury lawyer, as listed today (Local Services Help: Business screening and verification requirements):
| Check | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Identity | Business owner identity verification |
| Business | Business check and business representative check (select users only) |
| Insurance | Professional liability insurance, "Where applicable by local law" |
| License | "State bar license checks for each personal injury lawyer in the firm" |
| Google Business Profile | Public and verified |
Bankruptcy, business, contract and other legal categories follow the same pattern, each with its own bar check (same page). Google says screening takes "3–4 weeks to complete after submitting your documents" on average (same page).
Firms that pass get "Google Verified", the single badge Google now uses for all advertisers (Local Services Help: About Google Verified badge).
The requirements page above is Google's US version. In Canada, check what your Local Services dashboard asks for at sign-up.
Bar rules for ads: United States
Each state adopts its own version of the ABA Model Rules, so check your state bar. The model text:
"A lawyer shall not make a false or misleading communication about the lawyer or the lawyer's services." (ABA Model Rule 7.1)
What Rule 7.2 means for Google Ads (ABA Model Rule 7.2):
| Rule | What it says | In your ads |
|---|---|---|
| 7.2(b)(1) | A lawyer may "pay the reasonable costs of advertisements" | Paying Google per click or per lead is advertising cost |
| 7.2(c) | No claim to be "certified as a specialist" unless certified by an approved body, named in the ad | "Board-certified" needs that body named. Plain "specialist" is generally allowed if true (Comment 9), but many states are stricter |
| 7.2(d) | Must include "the name and contact information of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content" | Firm name and contact in the ad or on the landing page |
Your state bar's site lists its version.
Bar rules for ads: Ontario and the rest of Canada
Each provincial law society sets its own rules. Ontario's:
"A lawyer may market legal services only if the marketing (a) is demonstrably true, accurate and verifiable" (Law Society of Ontario, Rule 4.2-1)
What Ontario's rules mean for ad copy (Law Society of Ontario, Chapter 4):
- Stating an amount recovered may breach the rule unless it comes with a statement that past results don't predict future results and outcomes vary (Commentary 2 to Rule 4.2-1).
- "Best", "super", "#1" count as awards or rankings and must be genuine and not misleading (Commentary 5).
- Every ad must say the provider is licensed as a lawyer (Rule 4.2-1.1).
- Marketing "second opinion services is prohibited" (Rule 4.2-1.2).
- "Specialist" only if certified by the Law Society (Rule 4.3-1).
In other provinces, read your law society's marketing chapter before writing ads.
Google Ads for personal injury lawyers
Injury ads hit every rule above at once: an accident is a "negative life event" under Google's clickbait policy, settlement figures trigger results rules, and "specialist" is the most tempting word (in Ontario it needs Law Society certification). Copy that stays clear: the practice area, the city, "free consultation" if true, the firm name, and a phone number answered by a person.
Injury leads also go to whoever answers first. If calls go to voicemail, more ad spend buys more missed cases: see personal injury intake.
To see what clicks cost in your city before you spend, use Google's Keyword Planner, which shows search volume, average cost and forecasts for your keywords (Google Ads Help: Keyword Planner).
Example
A family law firm
The firm's ad says "Certified divorce specialist in Dallas", but no lawyer holds a certification. Under Model Rule 7.2(c), a certification claim needs the certifying body named in the ad; the state's version decides. "Divorce and custody lawyers in Dallas" avoids the issue.
An injury firm in Toronto
The ad says "We won $2,000,000 for our client". Ontario's commentary asks for a statement that past results don't predict future ones. The firm adds it next to the figure on the landing page, and keeps the figure out of the short ad text.
A firm starting LSA
A three-lawyer firm signs up for LSA in March. Each lawyer's bar license is checked and the owner verifies identity. With the average 3–4 weeks of screening, ads could start in April.
Different for you?
- Your website itself needs to meet bar rules: law firm website advertising rules.
- You get injury calls but don't sign enough cases: personal injury intake.
- Your LSA profile is approved but not showing: Local Services Ads not showing.
- Your ads were disapproved: fixing the landing page.
- You want ads run inside these rules every day: Paid Ads.