Few questions divide law firms like this one. A strong result is the most persuasive thing a firm can point to, and it is also the thing the ethics rules watch most closely. The honest answer is that case results can earn their place on a website, but only when they are accurate, in context and cleared by someone who knows your state's rules.
Why firms publish case results
A visitor researching a problem wants to know whether anyone like them has been helped. A concrete result answers that more directly than a paragraph about dedication. Legal marketing vendors make this case at length; one, LawLytics, argues that results are influential for prospects who are researching their problem and the firm. That is a vendor's view, and worth reading as one.
What the ethics rules say
Advertising rules apply to a firm's website like any other communication about a lawyer's services. The ABA's Model Rule 7.1 bars false or misleading statements, and its commentary notes that a truthful statement can still mislead if it leads a reasonable person to expect the same result for themselves.
States apply that idea differently. North Carolina's Formal Ethics Opinion 2009 FEO 16 allows a section of verdicts and settlements if the information is accurate and carries an appropriate disclaimer. Maryland's version, in the Maryland Attorneys' Rules of Professional Conduct, bars communications likely to create an unjustified expectation about results, and its commentary addresses advertising of past results specifically. Read your own state's rule and commentary, and ask your bar's ethics counsel if anything is unclear. We build websites; we do not give legal advice.
What makes a published result useful
Set the rules aside and the strongest results pages share a few habits:
- Context over numbers. A figure alone says little. Say what the dispute was, what the other side argued and what made the matter difficult.
- The client at the centre. The story is about the person's problem, with no confidential detail and with their permission where it is needed.
- Honest scale. A modest outcome handled well can be more credible than a headline award.
- Accuracy you can defend. Every number should match the file, and the page should say plainly when a result is not typical.
How a good page is built
Each result should sit under a practice area page, so a visitor reading about, say, estate disputes sees related outcomes there instead of a separate wall of numbers. Add the disclaimer your state expects in plain text near the results, not in a footer. Date each entry. Keep the language calm: no "dominant", no "best".
| Safer | Riskier |
|---|---|
| A few results with a paragraph of context each | A long list of bare dollar figures |
| Typical outcomes, labelled as such | Only the largest result the firm ever won |
| A visible, plain-language disclaimer | A disclaimer buried in the footer |
| Partner sign-off on every entry | Results added by whoever updates the site |
When to leave them off
A firm in a practice area where outcomes depend heavily on facts, or one that cannot easily describe results without breaching confidentiality, may do better without them. Clear practice pages, real attorney bios and an easy first step carry a site a long way. We cover that in What do the best law firm websites have in common?
What good help looks like
A studio that builds law firm websites should treat this as a question for your partners, not a design flourish. Expect it to ask who approves each page, to build the results section so entries are easy to edit, date or remove, and to leave the legal wording to you. Our Signature Site starts from $12,500 and every project ends in a fixed-price proposal; see our pricing. If calls are part of your intake, read AI receptionist for law firms: what it should and shouldn't do.
Common questions
Do case results need a disclaimer?
Many state bars expect one, usually a plain note that every case is different and past results do not predict future ones. The wording and whether it is required depend on your state's rules, so confirm yours before publishing.
Can a law firm leave case results off its website?
Yes. Nothing requires them, and a firm that cannot present results accurately and in context is better off with clear practice pages and attorney bios instead.
How many case results should a firm show?
A few well-explained ones beat a long list of bare figures. Choose results that are typical enough to be fair, and explain the circumstances behind each.
