SRA Compliance & Advertising Rules for Solicitors

A comprehensive guide to the Solicitors Regulation Authority's advertising and publicity requirements — helping UK law firms market their services effectively while staying fully compliant.

Understanding SRA Advertising Regulations

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) regulates how solicitors in England and Wales can advertise and market their services. While the SRA has moved away from prescriptive advertising rules towards a more principles-based approach, there are still clear boundaries that law firms must respect in all their marketing activities — including their website, social media, Google Ads, directory listings, and any other form of publicity.

The core principle underlying all SRA advertising requirements is that publicity must not be misleading. This simple standard has far-reaching implications for how you describe your services, present your credentials, use client testimonials, make claims about outcomes, and compare yourself to competitors. Getting it wrong can result in regulatory action, reputational damage, and in serious cases, disciplinary proceedings that threaten your practising certificate.

This guide explains the key advertising rules and principles that affect law firm marketing, with practical examples and common pitfalls to avoid. While this guide provides general guidance, we always recommend consulting the SRA's own guidance documents and seeking specific advice for any marketing activities you're unsure about.

Key SRA Advertising Principles

Publicity must not be misleading

All advertising, including website content, must be accurate and not misleading. This includes ensuring that any claims about your services, expertise, or outcomes are truthful and can be substantiated. Statements like 'we always win' or 'guaranteed results' are clearly misleading and would breach this principle.

You must be identifiable

All publicity must clearly identify your firm as the regulated entity responsible. Your website must display your SRA authorisation number and a link to the SRA website where clients can verify your status. For SRA-authorised firms, this is a mandatory website requirement, not optional.

No unsolicited approaches

You must not make unsolicited approaches to members of the public (cold calling, doorstep visits, or unsolicited direct mail) to advertise your services to individuals. There are limited exceptions for existing clients and business-to-business marketing, but the general prohibition on cold approaches to individuals is strict.

Price transparency

The SRA's Transparency Rules require certain types of firms to publish price and service information for specific legal services on their website. If your firm provides services covered by the Transparency Rules (conveyancing, immigration, probate, employment tribunals, certain motoring offences, and licensing), you must publish pricing information in a clear, accessible format.

Website Compliance Checklist

Your website is your most important marketing asset and is subject to specific SRA requirements. Ensure your website includes all of the following mandatory elements:

SRA authorisation number displayed prominently (typically in the footer)

Clickable link to your firm's record on the SRA website

Clear identification of your firm's legal structure (partnership, LLP, limited company, etc.)

Registered office address (if a company or LLP)

VAT registration number (if VAT registered)

Professional indemnity insurance details or a statement that you hold PII

Complaints procedure information, including the right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman

Price transparency information for applicable services (conveyancing, probate, immigration, employment tribunals, motoring offences, licensing)

Cookie consent mechanism compliant with PECR regulations

Common Advertising Pitfalls

These are the most common advertising compliance issues we see on law firm websites and in legal marketing campaigns. Avoid these pitfalls to stay on the right side of SRA regulations:

Claiming to be 'specialists' or 'experts' without appropriate qualifications, accreditations, or demonstrable experience to support the claim

Using superlatives like 'best,' 'leading,' or 'top-rated' without objective evidence — client review ratings can support 'highly rated' claims if genuine

Making guarantees about case outcomes — no solicitor can guarantee results, and implying otherwise is misleading

Using client testimonials without informed consent or presenting them in a misleading way — cherry-picking only positive reviews can be problematic

Failing to distinguish between legal advice and general information on your website — add appropriate disclaimers to blog posts and guides

Comparing your firm to named competitors in a way that could be misleading or disparaging

Using Google Ads that make claims you cannot substantiate or that omit important qualifying information

Publishing case results without client consent or in a way that could identify clients who wish to remain anonymous

Social Media Compliance

Social media posts are considered advertising under SRA rules and are subject to the same principles as your website and other marketing materials. This means your LinkedIn posts, Twitter/X updates, Facebook content, and any other social media activity must be accurate, not misleading, and compliant with all relevant advertising rules.

Be particularly careful with social media because the informal, conversational nature of these platforms can lead to inadvertent compliance breaches. Casual claims about case outcomes, off-the-cuff legal opinions, or comments about other firms can all create regulatory issues. Establish clear social media policies for all members of your firm and ensure everyone understands their obligations.

For more on using social media effectively within compliance boundaries, see our Social Media Marketing for Law Firms guide. Our content marketing services ensure all content we create for your firm is fully SRA-compliant.

Disclaimer

This guide provides general information about SRA advertising requirements and should not be treated as legal advice. The SRA's rules and guidance are updated periodically, and you should always check the current position on the SRA website. If you are unsure whether specific marketing activity complies with SRA requirements, we recommend seeking advice from your firm's COLP or an independent compliance adviser.