What Belgian Lawyers and Notaries Can (and Can't) Say on Their Website

Short answer: yes, both lawyers and notaries in Belgium can have a professional website and be found online — but each profession answers to a different regulator with different norms. Lawyers follow their bar association's advertising guidelines (Ordre des barreaux / OBFG in Wallonia-Brussels, OVB in Flanders). Notaries follow Fednot's rules, shaped by the fact that a notary holds a public office, not a private practice. Treating the two the same on a website is a common mistake.

Why this matters before you publish anything

Most generic web agencies write the same marketing copy for every client — bold claims, "best in the region," aggressive calls to action. That style sits fine for a restaurant or an e-commerce store. For a legal professional, it can actively work against you: bar associations and Fednot both expect communication that stays accurate, dignified, and informative rather than sales-driven, and getting this wrong can create friction with your own professional body.

Lawyers: what generally applies

Across most bar association frameworks, including Belgium's, the recurring principles are that advertising must be truthful, not misleading, and respectful of professional dignity and client confidentiality. In practice, that shapes a website toward: clear statements of specialization and experience, no fabricated urgency or comparison claims against named competitors, and care around anything that could be read as soliciting a specific ongoing case. The exact wording of current rules sits with your bar association (OBFG or OVB) — this article is general orientation, not legal advice.

Notaries: what generally applies

A notary is appointed to a public office, not simply licensed to practice — that distinction is the reason notarial communication is typically more restrained than a standard business website. Fednot's framework leans toward informing the public about the notary's role and the acts they handle, rather than competing on marketing language. A notary's site usually reads more like a formal, informative resource than a sales page — and that's appropriate, not a design limitation. Confirm current specifics directly with Fednot.

What this means practically for your site

• Lead with credentials, specializations, and the specific matters you handle — not superlatives
• Avoid direct comparisons with other named firms or notary offices
• Keep case references general unless you have explicit client consent
• For notaries specifically: frame the site around informing the public about your statutory role, not persuading them to "choose" you the way a business would
• When in doubt, ask your bar association or Fednot before publishing — not after

This is exactly the kind of detail we build around from the start rather than bolting on after the fact — see how that shapes the website and branding we build for lawyers and notaries.