The short answer
A law firm slogan is an advertisement, so California's rule against false or misleading claims applies to it as it does to a billboard.[1] A line that promises a result, hints at a past client's result or uses a specialty title you cannot back up can break that rule. Say what you do, for whom and where. A tagline counts as a slogan here.
This guide is for a managing attorney or office manager at a small California firm. You are writing a line for a site, an ad or a billboard. California is the worked example. Other states differ, so check your bar.
Does a slogan fall under the advertising rules?
Yes. Rule 7.1(a) says "A lawyer shall not make a false or misleading communication about the lawyer or the lawyer’s services."[1] A communication is also misleading if it "omits a fact necessary to make the communication considered as a whole not materially misleading."[1]
A slogan has one line, so it has no room to add the missing fact. That is why the words in it matter more than they do on a page. For the full set of rules on an ad, see our guide to personal injury lawyer advertising. This guide looks only at the words of the line.
What can a slogan not say?
Six kinds of claim cause trouble in a short line. The table gives each one in words, the rule behind it, and a safer way to say it.
| The claim, in words | Why it is a problem | A safer way to say it |
|---|---|---|
| A promise of a result | Rule 7.1, Comment 2: a communication that expressly promises the result of a representation "is a false or misleading communication under this rule."[1] Section 6157.2 also bars an ad from promising success in the outcome of a matter.[2] | Say what you handle and where. |
| A line that hints the next client will get a past client's result | Under Rule 7.1, Comment 4, a result can mislead if it leads to an "unjustified expectation that the same results could be obtained for other clients in similar matters."[1] | A one-line slogan has no room for that disclaimer, so leave results out of it. |
| A fee offer with no word on costs | Under Comment 3, a true statement can still mislead.[1] A "no fee without recovery" message is misleading unless it also says whether the client is liable for costs.[1] | Keep fees out of the line. Put the offer, with the costs fact, beside it on the page. |
| A specialty title | Rule 7.4(a) bars stating that you are "a certified specialist in a particular field of law, unless" an accredited body certifies you and is named.[1] | Under Rule 7.4(b) you may say your practice "specializes in, is limited to, or is concentrated" in a field, subject to Rule 7.1.[1] Name the field and the city instead. |
| An award or ranking line | Section 6157.2 allows a reference to an award only if two conditions are met.[2] | Keep the award on a page that names the organization. Leave the line out of the slogan. |
| Words about your skill, experience or record | Section 6157.2 bars "Misleading, deceptive, or false statements, words, or phrases regarding a lawyer’s or law firm’s skills, experience, or record."[2] | Use a fact such as years in practice or a language you speak, only if it is true and shown on your site. |
On results, Comment 4 adds that "An appropriate disclaimer or qualifying language often avoids creating unjustified expectations."[1]
On awards, section 6157.2 asks that "The recognition or award is not conferred by virtue of being a member of the organization." It also asks that "The organization does not charge or solicit a fee, cost, or payment for the recognition or award."[2]
The rules are on the State Bar's Chapter 7 page.[1] The code section is on the official legislature site.[2]
How do I build a slogan that passes the table?
Start from facts you can show. Three steps, in this order. This is a method you run yourself.
- List three facts you can showWho you help, where, and in what language or hours. Each one must already be on your site.
- Turn one into a short lineThen read every word against the table. Does it promise, rank, or hint at a result?
- Keep proof, then use it everywhereSave where each fact is shown and a dated copy of where the line runs. Use the same line on your site, in ads and on social profiles.
Step 3 is about consistency. Our guide to law firm branding covers the look that goes around the line.
What do good slogan examples look like?
They name a fact and stop. The table has lines we wrote for a made-up firm, Example Law, in Los Angeles. They are not real firms' slogans, and each is only as good as the fact behind it.
| Example we wrote | What the line shows | What we left out |
|---|---|---|
| "Los Angeles injury claims, explained in plain English." | The city, the practice area, and how the firm talks | Any result or ranking |
| "Immigration help in English and Spanish." | Two languages the firm's lawyers work in. If only a staff member speaks Spanish, Rule 7.1, Comment 5 says the line must also give that person's job title.[1] | Any claim about outcomes |
| "Divorce and custody cases in Los Angeles County." | Two case types and the area served | Any promise about how a case ends |
| "Wills and trusts for families in Glendale." | A practice area, who it is for, and a place | Fees, offers and results |
| "Evening and weekend appointments in Los Angeles." | Hours and a place | Skill, experience and awards |
The change to make: a line that promises a win becomes a line that says what the firm handles and where. The second line gives a reader something to check. The first only asks to be believed.
If you still need a firm name, our free law firm name generator builds names, not slogans. It also tells you to run a trademark search. The slogan is the line after the name.
Should I check that nobody else uses my line?
Yes. Before you print or publish a slogan, search for it in quotes on Google and in the federal trademark database at USPTO.gov. If another firm already uses it, pick a different line, even if the rules allow yours.
Then keep the slogan the same everywhere it appears: the site, your Google Business Profile, ads and letterhead. A line that changes from place to place is hard to remember.
When is this the wrong guide?
This guide gives you the rules and the method, not the writing. It is the wrong guide if you want:
- A slogan written
- A name chosen
- A brand designed
We do not write slogans or design identities. We design and build law firm websites on the firm's own domain, and each firm reviews its own material before it is published.
The same rules apply when the line appears in a post. Our guide to social media for lawyers has a checklist for that.
Questions people ask
What is a good slogan for a law firm?
One that states a plain fact you can show on your site today: who you help, where, or in what language. The table above lists the kinds of claim to keep out of a one-line slogan.
Can a slogan mention results or awards?
An award only if it meets both conditions in section 6157.2.[2] It is not conferred because you are a member. The organization does not charge or ask for a fee, cost or payment for it.[2] A past result can mislead under Rule 7.1, Comment 4, and a slogan has no room for a disclaimer, so we leave results out of the line.[1]
Is a tagline different from a slogan?
Not for the rules. Both are advertising, so the same California rules apply to either.[1]
Try this today: split your line into single claims
It takes ten minutes and needs no tool.
- Write your current slogan at the top of a page.
- Split it into single claims. "Trusted help, fast results" is two claims, not one.
- Read each claim against the table in this guide.
- For any claim you cannot show with a document or a page on your site, cut it.
What is left is the line you can defend. If nothing is left, go back to your three facts.
Sources
- State Bar of California, Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.1 and its comments, and Rule 7.4, calbar.ca.gov, Chapter 7. Checked October 29, 2026. Primary source.
- California Business and Professions Code section 6157.2, checked October 29, 2026. Text via california.public.law; official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.