Texas lawyer advertising rules for law firm websites
A guide for law firms in Houston.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; check the current rules and sources linked below for your situation.
A Texas law firm's website is advertising. Since July 2021 the filing rules are lighter than they were, but the homepage and the required disclosures still need attention.
Your website is an advertisement
Under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, a website that describes a lawyer or firm and the services offered is an advertisement in the public media. The advertising rules apply to it.
What has to be filed
The amendments effective July 1, 2021 narrowed the filing requirement. A firm's homepage must be filed with the State Bar's Advertising Review Committee unless its content falls under an exemption. Most other website content, including material that is primarily informational or educational, is exempt from filing.
Lawyers can also ask the committee to review material in advance, at least 30 days before it is published.
Disclosures to include
- The name of a lawyer responsible for the content
- That lawyer's primary practice location
- Accurate statements about results, fees, and specialization, following the rules on misleading communications
Practical steps for a website rebuild
- Keep a dated copy of the homepage each time it changes, and file it when required.
- Put the responsible lawyer and location in the site footer so they appear on every page.
- Review practice area pages, chat scripts, and ad landing pages with the same care as the homepage.
- Keep blog and guide content educational, which is generally exempt from filing.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to file every page of our website?
Under the rules effective since July 2021, generally only the homepage must be filed, unless an exemption applies. Confirm against the current rules for your situation.
Do blog posts need to be filed?
Content that is primarily informational or educational is generally exempt from filing, but it must still not be false or misleading.
Sources
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