With over 1.35 million lawyers to compete with, U.S. attorneys need to find new ways to stand-out and be remembered.
If you are one of these lawyers, you are probably wondering where and how to start.
Enter a timeless classic – your law firm business card.
A well-designed attorney business card will make you memorable to your clients, stand-out for first impressions, inspire confidence & promote your brand effectively.
You will want to reference your law firm branding guide-book you created for font choices, colors, logo, etc. but the design can still take many forms…. You did do your brand guidelines, right?
To make your life easier (no need for thanks, it’s part of our job description) we have compiled for you 25+ best practices, tips, design ideas, samples & templates that will land your business cards in your client’s wallets (and avoid their trash bins).
If you want to cut right to the chase and get a new business card, we recommend 99 Designs for the price and quality of look and feel.
Warning: If you don’t take this seriously – no one will take your brand seriously. And your cards will probably just be used as ninja star throwing practice.
So, without further ado and in no particular order … Here are:
The Best Law Firm Business Cards (w/ commentary)
1. Make Your Contact Information Easily Accessible
Don’t forget the most important element in a business card: your contact information.
Let your clients know where and how to reach you. Include your phone number, email address, office address & website.
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Listing your complete contact information also helps establish your credibility.
Clients will most likely take a look at your website, call you, and Google your reviews before contacting you.
If your business card is the first brand impression, your presence online will very likely be the second.
2. List your jurisdictions
Your business cards should reflect your jurisdiction(s), or the states only covered by your license.
This will help clients know if you are licensed to practice law in the area where they need help.
If you have an office in a specific state but cannot practice there, it may be worth noting on the back of your card.
3. Include your specialization
Information on your specialization will help filter inquiries to clients you are capable of servicing based on your practice – saving time for you & prospective clients.
Additionally, your specialization is your offer. There may be hundreds of lawyers in the area(s) you practice law, but not all of them serve the same types of cases.
Aside from that, a specialization under your name paints you as an expert of that practice. Clients will most likely choose you over other lawyers once they see that you are an expert in winning the case or situation they are in.
4. Distance yourself from overused motifs & legal symbols
It is okay to do away with the usual justice scale, gavel, or law book in designing your lawyer business card – in fact we recommend it.
Choose a logo relevant to your specialization and add a twist to it.
5. Apply your brand elements consistently
Make sure that the logo, color scheme, and fonts in your attorney business card is consistent with what you use in all of your marketing platforms.
Consistency will build brand awareness and familiarity over time.
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6. Make sure your text is readable
Workaround your brand elements to see what color, font size, and font style combination will work for a small material like a business card.
Keep clutter to a minimum – less is more (also there’s a back side)
7. Experiment with colors
It does not have to be always black and white. Look into your brand colors and see which ones will look good once printed.
8. Add a catchy tagline
Add a short tagline that will briefly describe your brand promise or what you can do for your clients.
9. Avoid superlatives
Including the words “best”, “top”, “world-class” in your lawyer business cards can land you in hot water.
Any claim you make about your law firm needs to be backed up by substantial proof/evidence or can be considered misleading, according to attorney advertising guidelines.
10. Opt for space
Oftentimes in all things design, less is more.
What not to do:
You don’t want to make your business cards to look like a promotional flyer for your law firm. Keep it professional and stick with the essentials only.
11. Make use of both sides
A business card is a valuable marketing asset at your disposal.
Maximize it by putting relevant information and branding elements on both sides.
12. Do more with your cardstock
You don’t have to stick with the traditional cardstock. There are specialty cardstocks available that will add texture to your cards.
If you want to exude credibility, you can choose a harder cardstock material and even have it silk-laminated.
13. Consider cut-outs to really make your design stand-out
Make your business card unique by trying the die-cut design.
For example, if the name of your law firm starts with the letter “M”, you can have your business card cut to an “M”-shape as well.
14. Explore using other materials
Don’t limit yourself to cardstocks, there are plenty of creative materials out there to choose from as well.
Material ideas for your law firm business cards:
- Plastic
- Stainless steel
- Acrylic
- Carbon fiber
- Meat
Okay so for the record we don’t recommend you use a meat business card, we just wanted to be thorough in presenting you with the options.
15. Try the minimalist design
Give your business cards a more personality and youth by using a minimalist design. Choose sleek and clean-looking fonts like Museo Sans, Quinta, Simplifica, Gidole, or Quicksand to complete the look.
16. Embed some tech
If your target clients are younger or are tech-oriented, you can embed a chip or include a QR code in your attorney business cards.
Once scanned, they will be led to a website or a page with more information about you and with an option to book an appointment.
17. Store your business cards in a hard case
Your business cards should always be neat and presentable. Store them in hard cases to avoid being crumpled or folded when inside your bags or pockets.
18. Add texture
Use suede, linen, or have an embossed detail to add some texture to your business card.
19. Include a call to action
Adding a call to action will differentiate your business cards from competitors. Only a few companies and professionals have this. It might also be the reason for a potential client to call you back for an appointment.
20. Make use of foil to add accent
Instead of sticking with the usual ink for printing, add foil accents to make your attorney business cards look more elegant. Use copper foil instead of gold foil to achieve a more premium yet softer overall look.
Some Rules to Remember When Crafting Your Law Firm’s Business Card Design
Adding a touch of creativity to your lawyer business cards will help you stand-out. It is important to keep in mind that there are regulations that govern advertising yourself and your law firm.
Here are some rules of conduct to remember as you design your attorney business cards:
21. Be truthful in what you offer or communicate.
The services and level of expertise advertised on your business cards should match your capabilities.
Do not label yourself as a specialist or an expert without making sure that you are certified to use these titles in the state or states you are operating in.
Some states even require disclaimers. For example, in Illinois, if your business card describes you as a certified specialist, your card needs to have a disclaimer stating that the certification is not required to practice law in the state.
22. Accurately indicate your name and your law firm.
To be safe, make sure that your attorney business cards reflect the complete name you used upon licensure. There are some states that accept nicknames and variations as long as it does not result to a misleading identity.
Be transparent also in indicating whether you are a solo practitioner or part of a law firm. You cannot just add “& Associates” after your last name if you do not actually work with other lawyers.
23. Declare if you do not have brick-and-mortar offices.
Usually, attorneys would just indicate their website on their business cards if they don’t have a physical office.
This can mislead some potential clients to think that you have an actual office location. This is why it is important that your business card should indicate that the office is available “by appointment only”.
24. Indicate your area of practice.
This is not just best practice in terms of design – Your business cards should reflect your jurisdiction, or the states only covered by your license to prevent misleading clients into thinking that you can practice in the area where you are advertising.
If you are not licensed to practice law in the same state that your firm is located, this must also be communicated on your business card.
25. Claims on your business card should have substantial proof.
If you indicate “Law Firm of Choice” or “Top Performing Lawyer” as tagline or website domain name, make sure that there is proof to back your claim.
These superlatives could violate the ethics rules that prohibit false or misleading communications.
Final Thoughts
Business cards help you make a good first impression to your potential clients. These are powerful marketing tools that you can carry every day.
In the process of designing your business card, make sure that you are mindful of rules covering your state and ethics that govern lawyers.
Remember that lawyers are always held to high ethical standards when it comes to their work and marketing.
Invest time in designing an attorney business card that is ethical, worth keeping, and is something that will make clients remember and contact you.
Not sure where to get business cards for your firm? We recommend you check out 99 Designs. They have a variety of affordable and premium packages that will guarantee a professional look for your firm.
