Social media marketing for law firms: what to post, who approves it and the rules

Social media marketing for law firms is not like marketing a restaurant. A post rarely makes someone hire a lawyer on the spot. It reassures the person who heard your name and looked you up before calling: the profiles are current and the firm explains things clearly.

The risk sits on the other side. Florida applies its lawyer advertising rules to "social networking, and video sharing media" (Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, chapter 4, rule 4-7.11), so a careless post, review reply or direct message can break a rule.

This guide to social media for law firms covers what to post, the rules and a sign-off process. The rules quoted are Florida's, where Raileon is based, and the ABA Model Rules. Each state adopts its own version, so check your own state's rules too. To have the posting done for you, see Raileon Social.

Which platforms should a law firm use?

Pick by who hires you:

• LinkedIn for business clients, in-house counsel and referral sources.
• Facebook and Instagram for consumer practices such as family law, immigration and personal injury.
• YouTube Shorts and TikTok for short explainers, if a lawyer at the firm is comfortable on camera.
• Google Business Profile for people searching for a lawyer nearby. Your posts there sit next to your reviews.

Two or three platforms kept current are better than six that went quiet. Our guide to social media management for small business covers how often to post on each.

What should a law firm post?

Posts that help someone understand their situation, without promising an outcome:

• Explainers. What happens at a first consultation, the steps in a type of case, what to bring. Florida's comment to rule 4-7.13 says general statements describing a law or area of law are not promises of results.
• Process. "How we prepare a client for a deposition" describes the legal process, which the same comment treats as generally permissible.
• People. Short introductions to your lawyers, using facts rule 4-7.16 lists as presumptively valid: bar admissions and dates, years of practice, languages, practice areas and a photo of the lawyer against a plain background.
• Firm news. A new office, a new lawyer, a community event you sponsor.

For captions, the comment names aspirational words that are generally fine: "goal," "strive," "dedicated," "mission" and "philosophy."

What do the advertising rules say about social posts?

These posts need a second look before they go out:

Post	What Florida's rules say
"We won" posts and verdict numbers	Past results only if objectively verifiable (4-7.13(b)(2)), and only with the client's informed consent, even if the result is public record (comment)
Client praise you reshare	A testimonial can't be written by the lawyer or given for something of value, and needs a disclaimer that the reader may not get the same or similar results (4-7.13(b)(9))
"Expert", "specialist", "the best"	Only with an objectively verifiable basis or certification (4-7.13(b)(3), 4-7.14(a)(5) and (6))
Giveaways: "like and share to win"	No economic incentive to hire the lawyer or to review the lawyer's advertising (4-7.15(d))
Videos with actors or re-enactments	Usually need a clear disclaimer (4-7.13(b)(5) to (7))
Posts in Spanish or Creole	Required statements appear in every language used (4-7.12(c))
Paid social ads	The firm's or a responsible lawyer's name, plus the city, town or county of a bona fide office (4-7.12(a))

The ABA puts it in one line: a lawyer "shall not make a false or misleading communication about the lawyer or the lawyer's services" (ABA Model Rule 7.1). Its comment adds that a truthful report of results can still mislead.

Reviews: asking, buying and answering

The FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials went into effect on October 21, 2024 (FTC Q&A). Under 16 CFR Part 465, a business may not:

• write, buy or post fake reviews or testimonials (465.2);
• pay for reviews that express a particular sentiment (465.4);
• publish reviews by its own officers or managers without disclosing the relationship (465.5);
• use unfounded legal threats or intimidation to get a review taken down (465.7);
• buy fake followers, likes or views (465.8).

Ask every client the same way. The FTC's staff answers say asking only happy customers is not specifically banned by the rule, but "could violate the FTC Act."

Answering a bad review needs the most care. Florida's rule 4-1.6(a) says a lawyer "must not reveal information relating to a client's representation" without informed consent, except as the rule allows, and ABA Model Rule 1.6(a) says much the same. A reply that confirms the reviewer was a client, or argues the facts, can cross that line. A short, polite reply that offers a phone call is the careful default.

Comments and direct messages

ABA Model Rule 7.3 defines solicitation as a communication "directed to a specific person the lawyer knows or reasonably should know needs legal services in a particular matter," and bans soliciting by live person-to-person contact for gain (ABA Model Rule 7.3). Its comment says live contact does not include "chat rooms, text messages or other written communications that recipients may easily disregard."

Florida's rule 4-7.18 goes further on written messages sent to win someone's case. They can't concern a personal injury or wrongful death matter until 30 days after the accident, and they carry marking and disclosure requirements, including a statement of the lawyer's background, training and experience. The marking and disclosure requirements do not apply to messages sent at the person's request.

In practice:

• Never message someone because a post shows they need a lawyer.
• When someone messages first, answer and move to a phone call.
• If a commenter starts describing their case in public, thank them and take it offline.
• On LinkedIn, Florida's comment to rule 4-7.18 allows exchanging contact information and profiles on a platform built for businesses and professionals, if the lawyer starts no discussion of a specific legal matter.

Staff and paid endorsers

The FTC's Endorsement Guides say a connection the audience would not expect, such as employment or payment, must be disclosed clearly (16 CFR 255.5). Staff who praise the firm online should say they work there. Paying an influencer to praise the firm also runs into Florida's ban on testimonials given for something of value (4-7.13(b)(9)(E)).

Does a social post have to be filed with the Florida Bar?

Sometimes. Rule 4-7.19(a) requires each ad to be filed at least 20 days before first use, unless rule 4-7.20 exempts it. Exempt items include an ad with no illustrations and only the facts listed in rule 4-7.16, a brief charity or sponsorship announcement, and information on the firm's own website. A paid social ad with a photo does not fit the first exemption, so plan to file it unless another applies. For organic posts, when in doubt, ask the Bar for an advisory opinion.

Filed ads must be kept for 3 years after last use, with a record of when and where they ran (rule 4-7.19(j)). A dated archive of every post covers this.

Who runs social media for a law firm, and who signs off?

A simple process:

1. Draft a monthly calendar of planned posts.
2. The responsible lawyer checks it against the table above and approves it.
3. Posts go out on schedule, unchanged from what was approved.
4. Firm staff who know the solicitation and confidentiality rules answer comments and messages.
5. Every post is archived with its date and platform.

Keep the logins in the firm's name, with two-step sign-in on each account. Impersonation goes beyond social media: in our check of 519 South Florida law firms, 79% could have their email spoofed.

Who drafts and posts is up to you. Our social media management pricing guide compares the options and their costs.

What should a law firm measure?

Followers are the least useful number. Track:

• Profile actions: website clicks, calls and direction requests from your profiles.
• Source at intake: ask every new caller how they heard of the firm and record it in your case management system. A referral who checked your Instagram may name the friend first, so ask one follow-up question.
• Consultations and signed matters where social media appears as a source, even as a second touch.
• Reviews: count and average rating, month by month.

How Raileon Social works for a law firm

Raileon Social plans your posts, makes them from your photos or creates them for you, and posts them on schedule from a real phone. You approve the monthly calendar in your Raileon dashboard, and each post if you like. Nothing goes out until you say yes, which suits a firm where the responsible lawyer signs off. A short monthly report shows what went out, how many people saw it and your best post.

The plan's price is on the Raileon Social page. It does not include paid ads, answering messages and comments, or photo shoots. For a law firm, that split is right: replies are where the solicitation and confidentiality rules bite. For paid social, see PPC for law firms.

Raileon also builds custom intake systems, priced by scope after a free discovery call. Monthly care (hosting, monitoring, fixes and updates) starts from $1,999 a month.

FAQ

Is social media marketing worth it for law firms?

It is when the firm keeps it steady and measures it. Treat it as support for referrals and search, not a lead machine, and ask every new client how they found you.

Can lawyers share client reviews on social media?

Yes, within the rules. In Florida, a testimonial must reflect the client's actual experience, can't be written by the lawyer or paid for, and needs a disclaimer that others may not get the same or similar results. The FTC also bans fake reviews and paying for positive ones.

How should a law firm answer a negative review?

Briefly and without details. Confidentiality rules bar revealing information about a representation without the client's consent, so don't confirm the matter or argue the facts in public. Offer a phone call instead.

Do law firm social media posts need to be filed with the Florida Bar?

Some do. Florida ads must be filed 20 days before first use unless rule 4-7.20 exempts them, and the first exemption covers only ads with no illustrations and basic facts. When in doubt, ask the Bar for an advisory opinion.

See how your firm's profiles look

Book a free 20-minute call. We'll look at your profiles and tell you what to post, what to fix first and how a sign-off process could work at your firm.

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