What are the advertising rules for attorneys in South Africa?
The Legal Practice Council's code of conduct treats a firm's website and social media as publicity. It must not misrepresent the service, must not claim superiority over other practitioners and must not name a client without written consent, and the practitioner stays responsible even if someone else builds the site.
By Horn Dev. Background, not legal advice. Last checked 24 Oct 2026. How we check our pages.
What applies, and where it comes from.
Every point quotes its source and shows when we last checked it. If a source has changed, the source wins, and we want to know.
What counts as publicity
Paragraph 7.1.1 defines publicity as any direct or indirect reference to a practitioner or firm in any medium, including electronic and social media. That covers websites and profiles.
The source says: Paragraph 7.1.1 of the Legal Practice Council Code of Conduct defines publicity to include any direct or indirect reference to a legal practitioner or firm, published by written, pictorial or oral means in any medium, including electronic and social media.
Source: Legal Practice Council: Code of Conduct for all Legal Practitioners, Candidate Legal Practitioners and Juristic Entities (Government Gazette 42364, 29 March 2019) · checked 24 Oct 2026
No misrepresenting, no comparing
Publicity must not misrepresent the nature of the service, and must not disparage, compare or claim to be superior to another practitioner's service.
The source says: Paragraphs 7.2.3 and 7.2.5 require that publicity does not misrepresent the nature of the service offered and does not misrepresent, disparage, compare, criticise the quality of or claim to be superior to the service provided by any other legal practitioner.
Source: Legal Practice Council Code of Conduct, paragraph 7.2 · checked 24 Oct 2026
Naming clients
A client may not be named in publicity unless the client gave prior written consent, or the advertisement relates solely to the sale or letting of the client's property.
The source says: Paragraph 7.2.6 prohibits referring to a client by name in any publicity or advertisement unless prior written consent of the client has been obtained or the advertisement relates solely to the sale or letting of a client's property.
Source: Legal Practice Council Code of Conduct, paragraph 7.2.6 · checked 24 Oct 2026
Claiming a specialisation
Practitioners may advertise specialist services on the basis of specialised qualifications or experience, but the Council can require good cause or order the claim to stop if it is not justified.
The source says: Paragraph 8.1 allows practitioners to advertise or hold themselves out as specialists on the basis of specialised qualifications or experience, and provides that the Council may require good cause to be shown and may order them to cease if the claim is not justified.
Source: Legal Practice Council Code of Conduct, paragraph 8.1 · checked 24 Oct 2026
Responsibility stays with the practitioner
The responsibilities in paragraph 7.2 cannot be delegated, and non-compliant publicity must be rectified or withdrawn promptly.
The source says: Paragraph 7.3 states that a legal practitioner's responsibilities under paragraph 7.2 cannot be delegated, and requires prompt steps to have non-compliant publicity rectified or withdrawn.
Source: Legal Practice Council Code of Conduct, paragraph 7.3 · checked 24 Oct 2026
What to put in front of customers.
- Practice areas described as the work you do, not as a ranking
- Attorney names and admission details you can substantiate
- Office address and contact details
- We suggest a note that sending an enquiry does not create an attorney-client relationship
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Asked most often.
Can an attorney use client testimonials?
A client may not be named in publicity without prior written consent. If you want testimonials, obtain consent in writing first and keep the record. Check the current code before you publish.
Can a law firm say it is the best in its field?
The code does not allow publicity that claims to be superior to another practitioner's service, whether or not that practitioner is named. Describe the work you do and the experience you hold instead.
Does a Google listing or Facebook page count as advertising?
Paragraph 7.1.1 defines publicity to include any reference to a practitioner or firm in any medium, including electronic and social media, so a listing or profile is covered as well as a website.
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