Legal marketing
Lawyer advertising
rules by state.
Every state applies the same base rule: advertising must not be false, misleading, deceptive or offensive, and only accredited specialists can call themselves accredited specialists (rule 36). On top of that, NSW and Queensland have banned claim farming (SA has passed a ban too), Queensland and WA restrict personal injury advertising, and 'no win, no fee' carries extra conditions. Some state rules couldn't be confirmed from an official source, and this page says where.
Written by Dan Picken, a marketer who checks the sources. Last checked 2 November 2026.The rules
by state.
A summary for marketing, checked 2 November 2026. Where a rule couldn't be confirmed from an official source, it says so.
| State | Personal injury advertising | Other points |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | No specific ban under the Uniform Law (since July 2015) | Claim farming banned (2025): no cold approaches or paid referrals for many injury claims |
| QLD | Restricted on any website other than your own, so treat paid search and social media as restricted | 'No win, no fee' for personal injury on your own website only. Claim farming banned (2022) |
| VIC | No specific rule found (not confirmed) | Rule 36 and the Uniform Law apply |
| WA | Restricted under the Civil Liability Act 2002 (WA), s 17, with exceptions such as your own website | 'No compensation = no legal fees' found misleading in a 2006 case |
| SA | General ads allowed | Claim farming Act passed in 2025, start date not confirmed. Accredited specialist scheme covers family, tax and immigration |
| TAS | Not confirmed | Rule 36 applies |
| ACT | Not confirmed | Rule 36 applies |
| NT | Not confirmed | Check with the Law Society NT |
'Specialist'
and expertise.
Only a solicitor accredited by the professional association can advertise as an accredited specialist, and no lawyer can give a false or misleading impression of specialist expertise. Using 'specialist' without accreditation is a risk you'd need to back up. Schemes differ by state: South Australia's covers family, tax and immigration law.
Describing real experience is fine. The trick is to be specific rather than to borrow the word.
Expertise wording
How to say you're good
without saying 'specialist'.
Pick who the claim is about and whether they're accredited. You'll get wording that describes real experience without implying accreditation that isn't there.
Use
Avoid
Testimonials and
past results.
No state was found with a testimonial-specific rule, though Queensland and WA limit what personal injury ads can say. Elsewhere, testimonials fall under rule 36 and Australian Consumer Law: they must be genuine and not misleading. Past results need records behind them.
'No win,
no fee'.
It can be used in some matters, with care. It's not available for criminal or family law matters under the Uniform Law, and in Queensland a bare version is likely misleading unless the firm covers disbursements and the other side's costs. There's a builder for the wording on Google Ads for lawyers.
Where the
rules reach.
The rules follow the message, not the medium. Queensland's personal injury limits apply on any website other than your own, which takes in paid search and social media, and rule 36 applies to anything a firm publishes to attract work: the website, Google profile, directories, social posts, sponsored content and email.
In practice, check the places nobody looks at often: old directory listings, a Google profile description written years ago, and social posts from before a rule changed. They're still advertising.
What I see most often
What I see
most often.
- 1
Specialist expertise in everything
A firm that lists eight practice areas and claims specialist expertise in all of them.
- 2
Accreditation implied by design
Badges and seals that look official but aren't an accreditation.
- 3
Results with no context
'$1.2 million won for our client' with nothing on how typical that is.
The honest bit. This is a marketing summary, not legal advice, and I'm not a lawyer. Your law society's ethics team is the place to check anything borderline, and several state rules here couldn't be confirmed.
Questions
people ask.
Can lawyers advertise in Australia?
Yes, if the advertising isn't false, misleading, deceptive or offensive. Some states restrict personal injury advertising further.
Can a lawyer call themselves a specialist?
Only accredited specialists can use 'accredited specialist', under rule 36. Using 'specialist' without accreditation risks a misleading impression, so describe experience in specific, true terms.
Can personal injury lawyers advertise in NSW?
Yes. NSW dropped its specific personal injury advertising ban in 2015, but its 2025 claim farming law bans cold approaches and paid referrals for many injury claims.
Can lawyers use client testimonials?
Yes, if they're genuine and not misleading. They fall under rule 36 and consumer law.
Related
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