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The Illinois advertising rules, as they apply to your website.

Your website is advertising under the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct. Here is what that means in practice, page by page.

By Mark Jarvis, Settled Sites ยท Updated

In short.

Under the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, a law firm website is advertising. It must not be false or misleading (Rule 7.1), must name at least one responsible lawyer or firm with an office address (Rule 7.2), and may not call anyone a "specialist" or "expert" unless it names a real certification and says Illinois does not recognize specialties (Rule 7.4).

Rule 7.1: nothing false or misleading.

Rule 7.1 is short: a lawyer may not make a false or misleading communication about the lawyer or the lawyer's services. The comments do most of the work. A true statement can still mislead if it leaves out a fact that changes its meaning, or if it creates expectations the firm cannot meet.

On a website, that rules out the usual marketing reflexes: "the best divorce lawyer in Chicago", "top-rated", "we always win". Comparisons with other lawyers that cannot be proved are the classic example.

Case results.

Illinois does not ban case results. Comment [3] to Rule 7.1 says that reports of past results may mislead if presented so as to lead a reasonable person to an unjustified expectation that the same result could be had for other clients, and that a disclaimer or qualifying language may prevent that. In practice: put a clear disclaimer beside any results, show results the firm actually obtained, and do not present one large number as typical.

Reviews and testimonials.

Testimonials are allowed in Illinois with care. Three things to know:

  • Do not pay for them. Rule 7.2(b) bars giving anything of value for a recommendation, and that includes discounts for reviews.
  • No fake or insider reviews. The FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, 16 CFR Part 465, in force since October 2024, bans fake reviews, reviews by people who were not customers, and undisclosed reviews by staff or family.
  • Confidentiality. That someone was your client is confidential under Rule 1.6. Quote a client by name only with written consent. Initials and a town are a safer default.

And do not copy review text from Google or Yelp onto your site. Show your rating and a link instead, or quote clients who have agreed to it.

Rule 7.2: a responsible lawyer, by name and address.

Any advertisement must include the name and office address of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content. On a website, the footer is the natural place, on every page.

Rule 7.2 was amended effective July 1, 2025, to add rules for "intermediary connecting services", the directories and platforms that connect clients with lawyers. A web designer building your own site is not one of those, but it is worth knowing if you also pay for directory listings.

Rule 7.4: "specialist", "expert" and "certified".

Illinois still has Rule 7.4, which some states have dropped. A lawyer may not describe themselves as "certified", a "specialist" or an "expert" except when naming a specific certification, award or recognition that is truthful and verifiable, and then must state that the Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties and that the certificate is not a requirement to practice law in Illinois.

So "practice limited to estate planning" or "focuses on residential real estate" is the safe phrasing. "Estate planning expert" is not, unless the conditions above are met.

Contact forms.

A contact form is not covered by a single rule, but two things are standard practice: a short notice that sending a message does not create an attorney-client relationship, and a request not to send confidential information until the firm confirms it can help. If the firm will follow up by text, ask for consent in a separate, unticked checkbox.

Sources: Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct of 2010, Rules 1.5, 1.6, 7.1, 7.2 (as amended effective 07/01/2025), 7.3 and 7.4, illinoiscourts.gov; FTC, Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials, 16 CFR Part 465.

Settled Sites is a web design studio, not a law firm. This guide is general information about websites, not legal advice. Check the current rules and your own circumstances.