The ABA baseline
Under the Model Rules, certification is the line. Comment [9] to Rule 7.2 says a lawyer is generally permitted to say the lawyer "concentrates in" or "specializes in" a field based on experience, training, or education, but those statements remain subject to Rule 7.1's ban on false or misleading communications. Claiming certification is different: under Rule 7.2(c), the certifying organization must be approved by an appropriate state authority or accredited by the ABA, and its name must appear in the communication.
Where states differ
North Carolina is stricter. Its Rule 7.2(c) says a lawyer shall not state that the lawyer specializes or is a specialist unless certified by the State Bar, an organization it accredits, or an ABA-accredited organization it endorses, and the certifying body must be clearly identified. Comment [8] lets a lawyer indicate a "concentration," an "interest," or a "limitation." The North Carolina guide walks through the full rule.
Florida uses an objective test. The Florida Bar's advertising handbook explains that under Rule 4-7.14(a)(4), a lawyer may claim specialization or expertise only if the lawyer can objectively verify it through education, training, experience, or substantial involvement in the area, and may not claim to be "certified" unless Board Certified. A firm may make the claim only if at least one of its lawyers meets that standard, with a disclaimer if not all do. More in the Florida guide.
Why AI search raises the stakes
An assistant may lift one sentence from your page and show it with nothing around it. A line such as "our board certified specialists" that reads fine beside a certification badge can read as a bare claim once quoted alone. Safer drafting puts the certifying body in the same sentence as the claim, or uses wording your state allows, such as "practice limited to." The same logic applies to drafts produced by software; see how advertising rules treat AI-generated content.
Go deeper
Start from the AI search hub for law firms and open the guide for each state where your attorneys are licensed.
Keep reading
Sources
- ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.2
- ABA Model Rules 7.1 to 7.3 and comments as amended August 2018 (clean text in the ABA report, copy hosted by the Connecticut Bar Association)
- North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.2
- The Florida Bar, Handbook on Lawyer Advertising and Solicitation (2025 edition)