What the SRA Actually Requires From Your Website — and What It Doesn't

Three main SRA regulatory instruments govern how solicitors present themselves online. Understanding which rules apply to specific website elements prevents inadvertent breaches while building SEO visibility.

SRA Standards and Regulations

The overarching framework establishes that solicitors must act with honesty and integrity in all communications, including digital marketing. This isn't abstract — it means every page on your website, every meta description, and every Google Business Profile post must be accurate and substantiated.

SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors

Paragraph 8.9 states you must not advertise your services in a way that is inaccurate or misleading. This applies to:

• Service descriptions and practice area pages
• Claims about expertise, experience, or results
• Testimonials and case outcomes
• Price comparisons with competitors

SRA Transparency Rules

Effective from December 2018 and updated periodically, these rules require specific price and service information for designated work types. The rules apply regardless of whether you actively market these services — if you offer them, disclosure is mandatory.

This is educational content about SRA regulations, not legal advice. Verify current rules with the SRA directly or seek guidance from your compliance officer.

The SRA Transparency Rules specify exactly what pricing and service information must appear on your website for certain practice areas. These requirements create both obligations and SEO opportunities.

Covered Practice Areas (as of 2024)

Mandatory transparency disclosures apply to:

• Residential conveyancing — buying and selling freehold/leasehold property
• Probate — uncontested applications for grant of probate
• Immigration — specified immigration applications
• Motoring offences — summary-only offences
• Employment tribunals — specified claims for employees

What Must Be Published

For each covered area, you must publish: total cost or average/range of costs, basis of charges, likely disbursements, whether VAT is included, information about likely timescales, and key stages of the matter. You must also state qualifications and experience of staff handling the work.

SEO Opportunities Within Compliance

These mandatory disclosures create content depth. A conveyancing page with genuine pricing information, clear process stages, and realistic timescales provides exactly the specific, useful content that ranks well. The transparency requirement aligns with what users want — and what Google rewards.

Structure your transparency disclosures using clear headings and tables. This serves both compliance and featured snippet eligibility for searches like 'how much does conveyancing cost in [location].'

The SRA Code of Conduct's prohibition on misleading advertising shapes every aspect of law firm SEO — from title tags to schema markup. Here's how the rules apply in practice.

Claims Requiring Substantiation

Any superlative or comparative claim needs evidence:

• 'Leading' or 'top' — requires recognition from a credible third party (Legal 500, Chambers, etc.)
• 'Specialist' or 'expert' — must reflect genuine concentration and competence in that area
• 'Cheapest' or 'best value' — requires current, documented price comparisons
• Success rates or outcomes — must be accurate, representative, and not cherry-picked

Testimonials and Reviews

Client testimonials are permitted, but they must be genuine and not misleading about what future clients can expect. Aggregated review scores from Google, Trustpilot, or Reviews.io are generally acceptable when accurately reported.

What's problematic: publishing only positive reviews while suppressing negative ones, or using testimonials that imply designed to outcomes in matters where results vary significantly.

Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

These are advertising. A title tag claiming 'Best Divorce Lawyers in Manchester' needs substantiation. A meta description stating '98% success rate' needs documented evidence. Many firms run these risks unknowingly — audit your existing tags before expanding SEO efforts.

These scenarios illustrate where SEO ambition collides with regulatory reality. Each represents patterns we've observed across legal marketing audits.

Scenario 1: The Unsubstantiated Expertise Claim

A firm's homepage states 'leading employment law specialists' because it sounds authoritative. No directory rankings support this. The SRA could view this as misleading — and competitors have reported similar claims.

Compliant alternative: 'Employment law solicitors with 15 years' experience advising businesses in [region]' — specific, factual, verifiable.

Scenario 2: The Selective Testimonial

A personal injury page features five testimonials praising excellent outcomes. The firm has received 40 reviews on Google, including several mentioning slow communication. Publishing only positive testimonials while negative ones exist elsewhere could be viewed as misleading.

Compliant approach: Link to your full Google review profile. If using selected testimonials, ensure they represent the range of client experience.

Scenario 3: The Hidden Fees

A conveyancing page lists a headline price for transparency compliance but buries additional fees and disbursements. This likely breaches both SRA Transparency Rules and CMA guidance on drip pricing.

Compliant approach: Total cost prominently displayed, with clear breakdown of all components.

Scenario 4: The Outdated Schema

Schema markup lists a solicitor no longer with the firm, or states qualifications that have changed. Search engines may surface this incorrect information in rich results.

Regular audit requirement: Review schema markup quarterly, especially attorney structured data.

Use this checklist when auditing your current website or briefing SEO content. Each item connects SRA requirements to practical implementation.

Mandatory Display Items

• SRA ID number displayed (typically in footer)
• 'Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority' statement
• Complaints handling procedure — either full details or link to separate page
• Professional indemnity insurance confirmation (check current SRA guidance for specifics)

Transparency Rules Compliance

• Pricing information for all covered practice areas you offer
• Clear cost breakdowns including VAT and disbursements
• Realistic timescale estimates with caveats for complexity variations
• Staff qualifications and experience for transparency work types

Content and Claims Audit

• All superlative claims ('leading', 'best', 'top') have documented substantiation
• Success rate statistics are accurate, current, and representative
• Testimonials are genuine and not misleading about typical outcomes
• Practice area descriptions accurately reflect current competencies

Technical SEO Compliance

• Schema markup contains accurate, current information
• Google Business Profile matches website regulatory information
• Directory listings use consistent SRA numbers and firm details
• Meta descriptions avoid unsubstantiated claims

Recommend: conduct this audit quarterly and before any major SEO campaign expansion.

Compliance isn't a constraint on effective SEO — it's a framework for building sustainable authority. Here's how to create competitive advantage while staying within regulatory boundaries.

Depth Over Hype

SRA rules effectively prohibit thin, claim-heavy content. This aligns with what Google rewards. Instead of a page claiming you're 'leading employment lawyers', create comprehensive content explaining employment tribunal processes, timelines, and costs. The depth demonstrates expertise more effectively than any superlative.

Transparency as Differentiation

Many firms treat transparency disclosures as grudging compliance boxes. Firms that embrace transparency — publishing clear pricing, realistic timescales, and honest outcome expectations — build trust that converts. Transparency pages with genuine useful information attract links and citations.

Substantiated Credentials

Legal directory rankings, Law Society accreditations, and verified client review scores provide compliant authority signals. Structure your 'About' and team pages around verifiable credentials rather than adjectives.

Local Authority Through Accuracy

Local SEO for solicitors depends on NAP consistency — name, address, phone. SRA compliance adds another consistency layer: SRA number, regulatory statements, and accurate practice area descriptions across all local citations. This consistency signals legitimacy to both search engines and regulators.

For a complete approach that integrates these compliance requirements with ranking strategy, see our guide to SRA-compliant SEO for solicitors.