Lawyer advertising in Spain: what the Code of Conduct allows and what it does not

A lawyer can advertise their services on their website, on Google and on social media: the Code of Professional Conduct (Código Deontológico) expressly allows it (art. 6.1). They cannot promise results, reveal anything covered by professional secrecy, cite clients without written authorisation or approach disaster victims before 45 days have passed. Below you will find each limit with examples and a table to check your website piece by piece.

5 layers of rules govern a lawyer’s advertising

A law firm’s advertising is governed by 5 layers of rules. The first 3 are specific to the profession. The rest apply to any business.

1. The Code of Professional Conduct of the Spanish Legal Profession (Código Deontológico de la Abogacía Española), approved on 6 March 2019 by the plenary of the General Council of the Spanish Legal Profession (Consejo General de la Abogacía Española). It has been in force since 8 May 2019. Its article 6 regulates advertising and article 7, client solicitation.
2. The General Statute of the Spanish Legal Profession (Estatuto General de la Abogacía Española, Royal Decree 135/2021). Its articles 19 and 20 set out almost the same limits, and articles 124 and 125 penalise breaches.
3. The statutes of your Bar Association (Colegio de la Abogacía). The Castellón Bar Association (ICACS) deals with advertising in its article 26, which follows the General Statute almost word for word. The Valencia Bar Association (ICAV) does so in its article 38, which requires written authorisation for any reference, direct or indirect, to clients.
4. Advertising and consumer laws: the General Advertising Law (Ley General de Publicidad), the Unfair Competition Law (Ley de Competencia Desleal) and the Consumer Protection Law (Ley General para la Defensa de los Consumidores y Usuarios).
5. The LSSI (Information Society Services Law), which sets what details any professional website must show.

The starting point is freedom. Law 17/2009 guarantees freedom of commercial communications in the regulated professions and prohibits banning them completely (art. 24). The limits have to be justified and proportionate.

Breaking those limits is costly. The General Statute classifies advertising that breaches its article 20 as a serious infringement (art. 125.b). It is punished with a fine of €1,001 to €10,000 or suspension of more than 15 days and up to 1 year (art. 127.2). Offering services to disaster victims is a very serious infringement (art. 124.n). And a competitor who is harmed can sue you for unfair competition (arts. 32 and 33 of the Unfair Competition Law).

What your website and your ads must always include

Some details are not optional.

• The Bar Association you belong to, in all advertising (art. 6.3 of the Code). The rule does not distinguish between formats. The cautious approach is to include it in short ads and in the bio of your profiles as well.
• Your identification on the website: your name, the name of your professional company (sociedad profesional) if you have one, the Bar Association and your membership number (art. 21.3.a of the Code).
• The LSSI details: among others, tax ID (NIF), qualification, Bar Association, membership number and the professional rules that apply to you, with a way to consult them (art. 10.1 LSSI). A link to the Code and the Statute in the legal notice settles this point. We cover the rest of the legal notice in legal notice, privacy and cookies.
• If you give prices, whether they include taxes (art. 10.1.f LSSI). For consumers, the full final price or, if it cannot be set, the basis for calculating it (art. 20.1.c of the Consumer Protection Law).
• The advertising label on all paid content. The Code prohibits covert advertising (art. 6.9).

What the Code prohibits, with website and social media examples

Article 6.3 of the Code lists what advertising cannot involve. Article 7.3 adds unfair solicitation practices. These are the cases that most affect a law firm’s website.

Promising results

You cannot promise results that do not depend solely on you (art. 6.3.d of the Code; art. 20.2.d of the Statute). “Guaranteed result” or “get your money back for sure” are out. In May 2026, the General Council warned against messages such as “cancel your debts with the Second Chance Law and wipe out 100% of them” (Abogacía Española).

What you can promise is what depends on you. A response time or a written quote before starting are legitimate commitments, if you keep them.

Revealing anything protected by professional secrecy

Advertising cannot reveal, directly or indirectly, facts or information covered by secrecy (art. 6.3.a of the Code; art. 20.2.a of the Statute). The key word is “indirectly”. A case without a name but with a town, a date and an amount can identify your client just as well as their name.

Here the two rules do not say the same thing. The Statute releases you from secrecy in matters that concern only your client, if they expressly authorise you (art. 22.6). The Code says the client’s consent does not excuse secrecy (art. 5.10). The cautious approach is to anonymise properly even if you have authorisation, and never to include details of the opposing party.

Organic Law 1/1982 (Ley Orgánica 1/1982) also treats revealing private information learnt through professional activity as an unlawful intrusion (art. 7.4).

Citing clients without their written authorisation

You cannot mention a client without their written authorisation (art. 6.3.e of the Code). This affects testimonials with names, company logos in a “they trust us” block and photos with clients. The Statute only speaks of authorisation, but the Code and the Valencia Bar Association’s statutes require it in writing. Always ask for it in writing.

If the testimonial uses a person’s name, voice or image, you need their express consent (arts. 2.2 and 7.6 of Organic Law 1/1982). Without it, using them in advertising is an unlawful intrusion. The Abogacía Española blog recommends setting out in the authorisation how long and in which cases you will use it, and reminding the client that they can withdraw it (Abogacía Española, 2019).

Inciting litigation

Advertising cannot incite litigation or conflict, whether in general or in a specific case (art. 6.3.b of the Code). Explaining what rights someone has and what deadlines are running is information. “Sue your employer today” or “don’t let them get away with it” push people towards conflict.

Targeting victims of disasters or recent accidents

You cannot offer your services to victims of disasters affecting many people while they are not free to choose (art. 6.3.c of the Code; art. 20.2.c of the Statute). And in no case before 45 days have passed. Nor to victims of recent accidents who are not fully free to choose. The exception is when the victim expressly asks you. It is the only advertising infringement the Statute classifies as very serious (art. 124.n). The rule originates in the Statute of Victims of Crime (Estatuto de la víctima del delito, art. 8).

In the Valencian Community there is a precedent close to home. After the DANA floods, the General Council’s Professional Conduct Committee analysed social media ads offering free advice to those affected (Communication 213/2024). They came with the firm’s logo or image. It concluded that they could breach the rule even though the advice was free. It recommended joining the services organised by the Bar Associations.

Using your Bar Association’s crest

You cannot use bar association or institutional emblems, or others that could cause confusion because of their similarity (art. 6.3.f of the Code; art. 20.2.f of the Statute). Putting the ICACS or ICAV crest in your website footer is exactly what it prohibits. The correct option is text: “ICACS member no. 0000”. The Code allows symbols approved to distinguish professional status, if your Bar Association has any.

Covert advertising and unfair solicitation

If you pay for content, it must state in a visible place that it is advertising (art. 6.9 of the Code). This applies to a paid feature in a local newspaper or to a collaboration with a content creator. The Unfair Competition Law treats it as a misleading practice (art. 26.1) and the LSSI requires commercial communications to be identifiable (art. 20.1).

Articles 7.3 and 18 of the Code add rules that directly affect marketing:

• You are responsible for advertising a third party does on your behalf, unless proven otherwise (art. 7.3.c). If your agency or a platform publishes something improper, the professional conduct problem is yours.
• You cannot offer services that seem free and are not (art. 7.3.d). “Free first consultation” is fine if it really is free.
• You cannot pay commissions for clients a third party sends you, unless you inform the client (art. 18 of the Code). Doing so in breach of the rules of professional conduct is a serious infringement (art. 125.o of the Statute).

Calling yourself a specialist without backing

You can advertise a specialisation if it is backed by academic or professional qualifications, officially approved specialisation courses or long professional practice (art. 6.4 of the Code; art. 20.3 of the Statute). The Organic Law on the Right of Defence (Ley Orgánica del Derecho de Defensa) tasks the General Council with developing procedures to accredit specialised training (art. 23). Whether or not you use that route, keep the documents that support the word “specialist”.

What is no longer prohibited, even though some blogs still say so

Some guides on lawyer advertising that appear on Google still copy the 2002 Code of Professional Conduct, repealed in 2019. That text prohibited 2 things the current one no longer mentions. And there is a third myth that does not even come from there.

• Talking about cases you have handled and your successes. The 2002 Code prohibited referring to the firm’s matters and to its successes or results (art. 7.2.d). The 2019 Code no longer mentions it: it requires written authorisation to cite clients and respect for secrecy. You can say you have spent years handling Second Chance Law cases, if it is true.
• Comparing yourself with other lawyers. The 2002 Code prohibited it, along with unfounded self-praise (art. 7.2.f). Today the Unfair Competition Law applies: comparison is lawful if it is objective and verifiable (art. 10) and does not denigrate (art. 9). The Statute penalises disparaging another lawyer (art. 125.a.iii).
• The fees myth. Some guides say you cannot talk about prices in your advertising. No rule in force prevents you. Fees are freely agreed (art. 26 of the Statute; art. 14.1 of the Code). And Bar Associations are prohibited from setting guideline fee scales (art. 14 of the Professional Associations Law).

Just because something is not expressly prohibited does not mean it falls outside the rules. Everything you publish has to be objective, truthful and dignified (art. 6.2 of the Code).

Yes, no and with care: what can go on your law firm’s website

This is the table to check your website, your ads and your profiles piece by piece. The abbreviations come from the Spanish names: CDAE is the Code of Professional Conduct and EGAE, the General Statute. LCD is the Unfair Competition Law; LGDCU, the Consumer Protection Law; and LO 1/1982, the law on the right to one’s own image.

Google reviews: asking for them is fine, buying or filtering them is not

Reviews carry weight in Google Maps. Google explains that the number of reviews and positive ratings improve a business’s local ranking (Business Profile Help). That is why they are part of any local SEO strategy for a law firm.

Asking for them is allowed. Google prohibits offering incentives in return, discouraging negative reviews and asking only satisfied clients (Google Maps policy). The Unfair Competition Law also prohibits publishing or commissioning fake reviews (art. 27.8).

Replying is where a lawyer takes the most risk. Discussing the facts or confirming that the person was your client can reveal protected information (art. 5 of the Code). Even if the client has told their story, their consent does not excuse your secrecy (art. 5.10). A safe reply thanks them for their opinion, explains that professional secrecy prevents you from discussing matters in public and offers a private channel. You will find a template message for asking for reviews in the Google Business Profile audit for a law firm.

If you show reviews on your own website, the Consumer Protection Law requires you to state whether you guarantee that they come from real clients (art. 20.4). It must also say how you process them. Law 10/2025 on customer service (Ley 10/2025, de servicios de atención a la clientela) amended that article with effect from 28 December 2025. It now adds that reviews must refer to services used in the previous 30 days. The rule does not clarify how this applies to a matter that lasts months. The cautious approach is to ask for the review when the matter is closed and to explain on the website how you choose and verify the ones you show.

How to tell a case without breaking secrecy

A well-told case explains the problem and the approach taken, not the client. Follow these 5 steps:

1. Describe a typical situation, not a case file. “Self-employed person with debts to the Tax Agency after closing their business” works. “Juan, a plumber from Vila-real” does not.
2. Remove everything that identifies anyone: name, small town, dates, exact amounts and any details of the opposing party.
3. Explain what options there were and which one was chosen. The result, if it appears, goes in as a past fact and never as a promise.
4. If the matter is recognisable, ask for written authorisation with its scope and duration. Even so, remember that the Code does not let consent excuse secrecy.
5. Review published cases from time to time and remove any that a client asks you to take down.

Social media and Google Ads: the same rules

A LinkedIn post presenting your services is advertising. The General Advertising Law covers any communication made in the course of a professional activity to promote the hiring of services (art. 2). And the Code points out that using technology does not exempt you from the rules of professional conduct (art. 21.1).

On social media, 3 points concentrate the risk:

• The Bar Association in your bio, because every promotional post is advertising (art. 6.3 of the Code).
• The label on paid collaborations with creators or media outlets (art. 6.9 of the Code; art. 26.1 LCD).
• Your own matters told as anecdotes. A video about “a client who came in yesterday” can breach secrecy even if you give no names.

In Google Ads, the ad text follows the same rules as the website: no promises and the Bar Association identified. Firms that handle debt matters face an extra trap. If the ad offers to negotiate a debt write-down or a payment plan with creditors, Google treats it as a debt negotiation service. In Spain it only allows this for those registered as insolvency mediators (mediador concursal) with the Ministry of Justice, with prior verification (Google Ads policy). The policy does not expressly mention the court discharge of debts under the Second Chance Law. Check how you word the ad before launching it.

If you use AI to write posts or articles, what you publish is still your responsibility. The General Council’s Circular 3/2026 says so for professional documents. The cautious approach is to apply the same review to your advertising.

What to do on Monday

1. Go to your website footer. Check your Bar Association, membership number, NIF and the link to the Code and the Statute. If the Bar Association crest is there, remove it.
2. Search your website and your ads for the words “guaranteed”, “100%”, “for sure”, “the best” and “success”. Rewrite every sentence that promises a result.
3. Review cases, testimonials and client logos. If you do not have written authorisation, anonymise or remove them.
4. Read your last 20 replies to reviews. Edit the ones that mention anything about the matter.
5. Ask your agency in writing to apply this table. You are responsible for what it publishes (art. 7.3.c of the Code).
6. If you are unsure about a specific piece, ask your Bar Association before publishing it.

If you are going to rebuild your website, check this table before commissioning the web design for your firm, not after. The page structure and a block-by-block template for a practice area page are in what a law firm’s website should include. On our page for law firms we explain how we approach a website that wins clients within these rules.