Regulated professions: rules to check for your website and advertising

• Identify the profession, professional body and jurisdiction before choosing channels.
• Link each restriction to the website’s pages, visuals and tools.
• Document references, exclusions and approvals before publication.

The project begins by identifying the profession, the professional body with which the practitioner is registered and the jurisdiction concerned. We then study comparable websites and searches related to the services actually offered. A competitor’s website does not constitute permission: its advertisements, reviews or domain may not be appropriate for your situation.

Scoping links each choice to the relevant rules: page copy, SEO titles, stated specialisms, photographs, testimonials, campaigns and forms. We prepare the items requiring approval, identify the responsible person and retain the references used. A requirement to notify the professional body is not confused with prior authorisation.

The professional approves the content and completes the formalities for which they are responsible. If a local rule or promotional option has not been confirmed, we exclude that action from the operational scope until it is clarified. The design service does not constitute general legal certification; specific exclusions are written into the quote and applied to the website.

Lawyers

For a French lawyer, the RIN, Articles 10.2 to 10.5, permits advertising and personalised solicitation subject to conditions: truthful information, professional principles and identification of the firm and bar. Misleading, comparative or disparaging statements are excluded. A specialisation cannot be presented merely as a marketing claim.

The launch or substantial modification of the website is reported without delay to the bar council, together with its domain names. The domain must include the lawyer’s name or the firm’s name; a generic name referring to a legal subject is not an accepted SEO solution. Personalised solicitation excludes in-person approaches, telephone calls and text messages to mobile devices; it specifies how the cost is determined.

In practice, Gloria prepares accurate practice-area pages, verifiable contact details and restrained forms. Advertisements, republished reviews, external links and follow-up copy are reviewed by the lawyer. Keywords and testimonials cannot circumvent professional secrecy or communication rules.

Notaries

Notaries are subject to a different regime. Decree No. 2023-1297, Article 14, distinguishes prohibited advertising activity from personalised solicitation and online service offers, which are permitted subject to conditions of usefulness, truthfulness and restraint.

The professional regulations approved on 29 January 2024, Articles 14.2 to 14.4, expressly prohibit paid search. We therefore do not include a Google Ads campaign in an offer for a French notarial practice. The website must comply with the CSN charter and naming plan; its launch and certain changes are reported to the chamber. Personalised solicitation is limited to postal mail or email under the prescribed formalities.

The work focuses on useful information, access to procedures, readability and organic SEO, with content approved by the notarial practice. Names, reviews, visuals and calls to action are examined without promises of superiority, legal outcomes or territorial exclusivity. A public website must not expose confidential client files.

Lawyers

For lawyers subject to AVOCATS.BE, the Code of Ethics, Articles 4.11 and 5.3 to 5.7, governs objective, verifiable communication without comparison or disparagement. Personal advertising cannot identify clients or cases, or display results, success rates or case numbers. Solicitation is subject to specific conditions, particularly regarding contact and freedom of choice. Published information must remain accurate and up to date.

For the Orde van Vlaamse Balies, Articles 82 to 88 of the Codex establish a separate framework: non-misleading advertising, restrictions on unsolicited personalised offers relating to a case and clearly explained fees. Article 86 addresses cases and results subject to confidentiality and data protection; the AVOCATS.BE rule must not be substituted for it.

We therefore identify the bar before preparing SEO, advertisements or follow-ups. Reviews and cases presented on the website are examined with the lawyer; a French or Dutch-language template is not automatically transferred to another professional body.

Notaries

For Belgian notaries, Article 35 of the Code of Ethics requires information to be truthful, objective, relevant, verifiable and legally grounded, and communicated with restraint. Comparative, offensive, misleading or sensationalist communications that undermine professional principles are excluded. Article 19 notably prohibits paying a third party to obtain a case.

Gloria prepares a presentation of the practice, explanations of procedures and easy access to contact details. We have promotional channels, naming, reviews and any advertisements checked by the practice against its local rules. The French prohibition on paid search is not presented as a Belgian rule: the texts and their application must be examined in Belgium.

Lawyers

For the Luxembourg Bar, the internal regulations published by the Bar, Articles 6.2.1 to 6.2.6, permit personal advertising in compliance with professional rules. Information must be objective and verifiable. Identifying a client or case requires the client’s prior agreement under Article 6.2.4; this does not allow other confidentiality obligations to be ignored. The rules also cover the website, links and email.

Our preparation distinguishes the factual presentation of the firm, its practice areas and proposed campaigns. A testimonial published elsewhere is not automatically reused on the website. The professional checks references, reviews, domain names, advertising copy and solicitation arrangements before implementation.

The Diekirch Bar has its own framework: the Luxembourg Bar’s regulations must not be presented as a single set of rules applying to every lawyer in the country. The bar of registration and any additional rules are identified at the start of the project.

Notaries

The Luxembourg Chamber of Notaries describes the notary’s status as a public officer, impartiality, independence and professional secrecy. The Ministry of Justice presents the framework governing practice and the Chamber’s responsibilities.

This general information is insufficient to establish permission for advertising, paid search or collecting reviews. For a Luxembourg practice, we ask the notary to confirm the professional requirements applicable to the website, domain and proposed channels. We prepare factual content, contact details and document-related journeys within that framework, without importing French or Belgian rules.

The specific regulatory articles governing notarial communication were not confirmed in a sufficiently precise public official source during this review. The lack of an accessible text is not taken to permit promotional campaigns or to justify automatic claims of compliance with professional ethics.

Lawyers

For lawyers, Article 12(d) of the LLCA permits advertising based on objective information and serving the public interest. Article 13 protects professional secrecy. Checks therefore cover page content, SEO titles, advertisements and information exposed through forms. LLCA, Articles 12(d) and 13 — version consulted as of 1 July 2025.

The Federal Supreme Court specifies that restraint also concerns the form and methods of advertising. A campaign is therefore not permissible merely because each statement is factually accurate. ATF 139 II 173, official summary.

For Gloria, this means presenting verifiable practice areas, qualifications and contact details; excluding promises of victory; and obtaining the lawyer’s approval for targeting, advertisements and any use of reviews. A brief initial form then directs the visitor towards a confidential conversation, without using case details as advertising-event data.

Notaries

The canton and the professional’s exact status must be identified before proposing a website or campaign. Geneva illustrates why a uniform ‘Swiss notary’ offer would be inappropriate: Article 6 of the Notaries Act prohibits client solicitation and advertising activities, except certain customary announcements, notably when establishing a practice, relocating or entering a partnership. Article 7 imposes professional secrecy. Geneva, LNot, Articles 6 and 7 — latest amendments displayed as of 1 June 2025.

We therefore do not transfer a standard package of promotions, testimonials and Google Ads to a Geneva practice. Informational content, proposed SEO and contact arrangements are examined against the cantonal framework and guidance from the competent authority. No general permission for SEO is inferred solely from the fact that it is unpaid.

The scoping record retains the legal reference, approved elements and any required authorisations. Other cantons require their own checks: Geneva’s rules are not presented as a national rule for Swiss notaries.

Lawyers

The Code of Ethics governs misleading representations, commercial pressure and stated expertise (Articles 8 to 10). In particular, Article 145 prohibits using or permitting an endorsement testimonial in advertising. Advertised fees must specify services, disbursements and taxes; specific rules concern fixed fees, maintaining fees for 90 days and retaining advertisements for 12 months (Articles 146 to 149). Lawyers’ Code — accessible version displayed as of 1 December 2025.

The Bar also asks lawyers not to solicit testimonials on social media or a professional page and to act diligently to remove any that appear. Official reminder from the Bar dated 2 April 2024.

The consequence for Gloria: no automated review collection or recommendation carousel for these firms. SEO pages and advertisements use useful explanations and supportable facts, without guaranteed outcomes. We retain advertisement versions and have the firm approve prices and their scope. Initial contact requests avoid collecting a detailed case file from the outset.

Notaries

Articles 68 and 69 of the Notaries’ Code prohibit misleading or incomplete advertising and require claimed qualities to be substantiated. Article 70 prohibits advertising testimonials, with a limited exception for certain awards and distinctions that have honoured the profession. This exception does not allow customer reviews to become routine promotional evidence. Notaries’ Code, Articles 68 to 70.

For fees, Article 71 notably requires an understandable scope, details of disbursements and taxes, and maintenance of the quoted fees for at least 60 days after the last authorised publication. Article 72 prevents giving price greater prominence than the service. Informational content must explain its limitations, and professional secrecy remains protected (Articles 67 and 35 to 40). Official text, accessible version displayed as of 1 January 2026.

Gloria therefore adapts pages, advertisements and forms with the notary: no promotion centred solely on a discount, no automatic reuse of reviews and no transmission of succession details to an advertising tool. Approvals are documented before publication.

Lawyers

There is no single advertising rule for all Canadian lawyers: professional regulators operate at provincial and territorial level. Federation of Law Societies of Canada.

In Ontario, Rule 4.2-1 requires communications to be verifiable, accurate and not misleading. Its commentary notably addresses unjustified expectations, certain claims of superiority and emotional testimonials. Lawyer status must be identified (4.2-1.1), promoting ‘second opinion’ services is prohibited (4.2-1.2), and prices must specify their scope and additional charges (4.2-2). Law Society of Ontario, Chapter 4.

For Gloria, local pages and campaigns are therefore linked to a province actually served, with titles, awards, reviews and services verified. An approach valid in Ontario does not automatically become valid elsewhere. In British Columbia, Rule 4.2-5 also prohibits unjustified expectations; the designation ‘specialist’ is governed by 4.3-1. British Columbia Code, Chapter 4. The firm approves wording and contact tracking before publication.

Notaries

The term ‘notary public’ must not automatically be equated with a Quebec notary. In Ontario, there are appointments for lawyers or paralegals and other appointments, potentially subject to restrictions. Professionals licensed by the LSO remain subject to their rules of conduct. The website must reflect the powers and limits of the actual appointment. Government of Ontario — information for notaries public.

In British Columbia, rules published by the Society of Notaries Public allow the advertising of locations and practice areas, prohibit misleading representations, require members to be identified on relevant materials and prohibit rewards or payments intended to induce a third party to recommend their services (7.11 to 7.18). Society Rules, July 2025 edition.

We therefore apply neither a national advertising prohibition nor a general permission. Advertisements, reviews, paid partnerships and forms are examined according to the province, status and permitted services. The versions of the rules and professional approvals are retained. Information submitted through a form is not automatically used to build advertising audiences.

The same work applies to other regulated activities. The examples below concern France: their rules are not transferred unchanged to another country.

Accountancy

For a French firm, Article 152 of Decree No. 2012-432 governs promotion and solicitation: useful information, restraint, professional secrecy, and no misleading information or comparative content. We present services, working arrangements and verifiable qualifications; campaigns, testimonials and forms are approved with the firm. A promise of a tax outcome or a commercial comparison does not become permissible because it appears in an advertisement or SEO page.

See the website project for this profession →

Architecture

In France, Article 10 bis of the Architects’ Code of Ethics, in its version effective from 1 July 2026, permits advertising in compliance with applicable law. This does not remove the obligation to describe titles, the practice’s role and completed work accurately. For the website and campaigns, we have project credits, photographic rights, relevant permissions and the distinction between completed projects, proposals and illustrations checked. Demonstration visuals are never presented as a real portfolio.

See the website project for this profession →

Estate agency

For a French agency, advertisements and the website require information specific to property. The DGCCRF explains the display requirements: an easily accessible schedule of maximum fees including VAT, allocation of who pays them, and mandatory listing information, including energy performance. We provide the necessary fields and links, then check the quality of data from the industry software with the agency. Automatically importing listings does not guarantee that every listing contains all required disclosures.

See the website project for this profession →

A team photograph, an appointment diagram or an example procedure can help visitors without exposing a case file. We distinguish actual members of the organisation, authorised work examples and illustrations. A review accessible on a platform is not automatically a testimonial that can be reused in professional advertising.

The public form collects the information needed for initial contact. Identity documents, succession documents, details of a dispute or client data are directed to the channel designated by the organisation. Free-text entries and documents are not copied into advertising tools. If a private area is selected, access and role checks use several accounts, including scenarios in which access should be denied.

Website acceptance includes a review of content, links, professional disclosures and processing covered by the scope. The handover file retains references, versions and approvals. Changes to rules, teams, specialisms or channels may require a new review; ongoing regulatory monitoring must be agreed separately.

Documentary references checked on 12 October 2026. Editions of accessible sources are indicated in the links where dated. Cantonal and provincial examples do not cover every jurisdiction or profession.

Can the same website target several countries?

Yes, subject to checking the territories actually served, rights to practise and rules applicable to each communication. A translation or currency change is not enough. Content and channels are reviewed according to the professional situation.

Can you reuse reviews visible on Google?

Not automatically. Reusing a review on a website or in an advertisement must be examined against professional rules, confidentiality and the rights concerned. In Quebec, specific prohibitions on advertising testimonials apply to lawyers and notaries.

Who approves disclosures and formalities with the professional body?

The professional supplies and approves their practice information and completes the formalities for which they are responsible. Gloria prepares the agreed pages and technical elements, retains useful references and applies approved choices within the project’s scope.