Solutions for Colorado Lawyers to Comply with Bar Rules for Internet Websites

At Internet LAVA, we know the first step before you begin any internet marketing campaign is understanding all of the bar rules and regulations that apply to lawyer advertising in the State of Colorado, including communications on an internet website, social media or other internet marketing platforms. Our internet marketing and website design company focuses exclusively on internet marketing for attorneys.

Although the rules in Colorado are restrictive, a lawyer can stay in full compliance while still having an extremely effective internet marketing campaign. Although other companies take shortcuts, those shortcuts provide very little, if any, advantage in the quest to dominate the search engines.

Colorado Bar Rules for Attorney Advertising

Attorneys that take a ethical approach to marketing by following the letter and spirit of each rule tend to have websites that perform better in the long run because other websites feel more comfortable "linking" to that attorney's website. Taking the most ethical approach also involves having the best content to answer the general questions that your potential clients. By providing the best content that appeals to your ideal clients when they being their search for an attorney, you can set yourself apart from the competition.

We strive to provide our clients will practical suggestions to help them come into compliance and stay in compliance with each of the bar rules applicable to attorneys in Colorado. It is important to understand not only the rules enacted by the Colorado Bar Association, but also the trends emerging in other jurisdictions. As the bar rules in Colorado for attorney advertising are changed and interpreted, we strive to help our clients learn more about how the changes might impact their internet marketing campaign.

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Colorado Attorney Website Resources and Bar Rule Information

Colorado Bar Association Website- This link is to the Colorado Bar Association's website and provides helpful bar-related information and resources.

Colorado Supreme Court - Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel Commonly Referenced Rules

Denver Bar Association - Stay in touch with the Denver Bar Association on Twitter @DenverBarAssoc.

Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct - Read the rules in conjunction with the comments sections.

Colorado Revised Statutes - The official version of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure.

Colorado Supreme Court Library and other public reference libraries containing the official version of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure.

Colorado Personal Injury Internet Marketing - Learn more about website design and on-line advertising for personal injury attorneys in Colorado. The most effective websites provide general information while presenting a professional image focused on the qualifications of the attorney.

Colorado Medical Malpractice Website Design - See our free information about marketing a medical malpratice practice through an effective internet website and on-line marketing strategy.

Colorado Criminal Defense Website Design - Find out more about how criminal defense attorneys in Colorado can market their practice for DUI / DUID defense, domestic violence, drug trafficking, white collar crime, and medical marijuana / cannabis / dispensaries defense.

For more information visit the Colorado Criminal Defense Attorney Bar, which provides information from the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Association related to to criminal defense. The Criminal Defense Bar for the State of Colorado is a dynamic association of the best attorneys, paralegals and professionals who defend men and women accused of crimes. Founded in 1979, the CCDB currently has more than 1000 members with ten (10) chapters across the State of Colorado providing the best defense training program and professional networking services.

Colorado DUI / DUID Website Design - Find out how DUI and DUID defense attorneys in Colorado can market their practice with a professional website design and internet marketing strategy focused on providing general information about breath test, blood test, and refusal to submit to chemical testing cases for a particular jurisdiction in Denver, Boulder, Westminster, Aurora, Lovemand, Thornton, Highlands Ranch, Lakewood, Arvada, Pueblo, Longmont, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs or Aspen, Colorado.

Colorado Marijuana Attorney Website Design - Learn more about why criminal defense attorneys miss a great opportunity to target their ideal clients by classifying marijuana / cannabis / pot / weed crimes under a general "drug crimes" page. As medical marijuana in Colorado becomes legal, dispensary defense becomes more important.

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Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct Related to Internet Websites

Colorado Rule of Professional Conduct 7.1. deals with "Communications Concerning A Lawyer's Services" and provides in part:

(a) A lawyer shall not make a false or misleading communication about the lawyer or the lawyer's services. A communication is false or misleading if it:

(1) contains a material misrepresentation of fact or law, or omits a fact necessary to make the statement considered as a whole not materially misleading;

(2) compares the lawyer’s services with other lawyers’ services, unless the comparison can be factually substantiated; or

(3) is likely to create an unjustified expectation about results the lawyer can achieve;

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Words to Avoid in the Colorado Attorney's Website

Many of the rules follow the ABA model rules, however important differences exist. Regarding statements about the attorney fees charged by the law firm, the Colorado Bar Associations' comments state that the following words are likely to be misdleanding if those statements cannot be factually substantiated:

• cut-rate,
• lowest, and
• cheap.

As a pratical matter, an attorney should never market their practice using any of these key words. Instead of competing on price, the attorney should compete on providing a better, more professional service to their ideal clients. A great website design and marketing strategy provides a great return on investment while providing the attorney with the ability to focus on a particular niche area of the law.

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Self-Laudatory Statements Making a Comparison with Other Law Firms or Attorneys

The comments sections to the Colorado Rule of Professional Conduct 7.1. states that certain statements that characterize the attorney's skills or abilities could be misleading when those characterizations can not be factually substantiated.

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Past Case Results

The comments to the rule also discuss statements about "past case results." Adding disclaimers are important because such statements about "past case results" should not imply that the attorney will be able to obtain such results in the future.

For criminal defense attorneys and personal injury attorneys the past case results page is often the first place that potential clients look after finding the website. Your potential clients are interested in finding verifiable facts concerning the types of cases that you have taken in the past and the verifiable results that you have obtained in those cases. Like never before, the internet allows your potential clients to do an incredible amount of research on an attorney from the comfort of their own home or work computer.

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Avoid Annoying Facts About Your Law Firm

Often the rules governing attorney websites followed by the Colorado Bar Association do little more than point out communications that could be considered "tacky" or in "poor taste." For instance,"[s]tatements that a law firm has a vast number of years of experience, by aggregating the experience of all members of the firm, provide little meaningful information to prospective clients and have the potential to be misleading." Although attorneys love to discuss how many "combined years of experience" their attorneys have, that information does little to convince a potential client to pick up the phone.

In fact, such statements make the law firm appear to be "old" and "out of touch." A better approach involves providing the potential clients with general information about the issue that matter most to their case.

At Internet LAVA, we help the attorney provide relevant and verifiable information to potential clients who are rarely impressed with handpicked testimonials. Your ideal potential clients want to see that your law firm is focused on solving their particular legal problem in their particular jurisdiction. The website should provide pages that answer the specific questions of your ideal clients for many specific topics related to your ideal practice areas.

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Internet LAVA, LLC | Colorado Attorney Website and Advertising Bar Rules

For more information on how lawyer advertising, marketing and bar rules impact your internet marketing strategy in Colorado, contact Internet LAVA at 1-800-292-LAVA. Our focus on each state's specific bar rules regarding website marketing and advertisements helps attorneys maintain a professional image and stay in full compliance with the bar rules governing internet marketing in their jurisdiction.