Facebook ads for lawyers, written for the bar rules

What do the ABA rules say about Facebook ads?

The ABA Model Rules are a template: each state adopts its own version, so read your state bar’s text before you launch. Three rules matter for social ads.

• Rule 7.1. A lawyer shall not make a false or misleading communication about the lawyer or the lawyer’s services, including by leaving out a fact the reader needs to avoid being misled.
• Rule 7.2(a) and (d). You may advertise through any media, and every communication must include the name and contact information of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content.
• Rule 7.2(c). No “specialist” claim unless an organization approved by your state, or accredited by the ABA, certified you, and the ad names that organization.
• Rule 7.3. No live person-to-person solicitation for pecuniary gain, with a few exceptions. The ABA comment adds that a communication directed to the general public, such as an internet banner ad, is not a solicitation, and neither is a response to a request for information.

Which ad lines does Meta reject for law firms?

Meta’s policy on personal attributes forbids ads that assert or imply a reader’s criminal record, health, financial status or other personal traits. Meta gives its own examples: “Are you a convicted felon?” is rejected, “Services to clean up any previous offences” is accepted. The fix is the same for every practice area: name the service, not the reader’s situation.

The same habit covers the bar rules. A line that names the firm and the responsible lawyer answers Rule 7.2(d) before anyone asks, and a claim you can prove keeps you clear of Rule 7.1.

What can a legal lead form ask?

Lead ads with an instant form let people contact you without leaving Facebook or Instagram. Meta prefills the name, email and phone number when people have already shared them, you add at least one question, and the form must link to your privacy policy.

Some questions are banned outright, and four of them hit legal practices directly:

• criminal or arrest history, which rules out “Have you been arrested?” for a defense firm;
• health information, including current or past physical or mental ailments and medical treatments, which rules out asking about an injury;
• insurance information, such as the insurer’s name, plan details or a policy number;
• financial information, including income, debt status and bankruptcy status.

Ask for the type of case as a multiple choice, the city, and the best time to call back. If your bar expects a notice, Meta lets you add a custom disclaimer to the form, next to your privacy policy.

Which campaign setup fits a law firm?

Give each practice area its own campaign, so every ad, form and budget speaks to one kind of case. Meta offers three instant form types: more volume, higher intent and rich creative.

Before you set a budget, run your numbers through the Facebook ads cost calculator. Adwize can launch the campaign from one sentence, paused until you approve, then flag every morning the ads whose cost per lead drifts, so you check the copy against your state’s rules before anything goes live.