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n8n workflow Intermediate Single-firm

Law Firm Marketing Compliance Automation (Guardrail Layer)

Generic automations ignore bar advertising and communication rules, which exposes the firm. This reusable guardrail wraps any client-facing automation with disclaimer insertion, opt-out handling, and an audit log. It is the ABA Opinion 512 differentiator, made reusable. Free n8n workflow, yours to keep.

20-minute setupDisclaimer + opt-out + audit logReusable across every workflow
Download it — no email needed

Import it into n8n

  1. Open the link above and copy the workflow JSON (on n8n.io, use the Copy button; on GitHub, use Raw).
  2. In n8n, open the workflows list, choose Import from URL or Clipboard, and paste it in.
  3. Open each node flagged with a warning and connect your own credentials — none of ours are in the file.
  4. Run it once manually before you activate it, and check the output is what you expect.

How it works

  1. Receives a compliance-check request from a parent n8n workflow via an Execute Sub-workflow trigger.
  2. Loads firm settings from n8n Variables, validates the required inputs (channel, recipient, message, template ID), and reads the Opt-Outs tab from Google Sheets.
  3. Checks whether the recipient phone number or email address is present in the opt-out list.
  4. If the recipient is opted out, logs the suppression to the Audit Log tab in Google Sheets and returns { approved: false, message_out: '' } to the caller.
  5. If the recipient is not opted out, appends the appropriate SMS or email opt-out disclaimer, logs the approved message to the Audit Log tab in Google Sheets, and returns { approved: true, message_out } to the caller.
  6. Separately, receives inbound SMS via a Twilio webhook, classifies the message as STOP/UNSTOP/other, and updates the Opt-Outs tab by adding the sender on STOP, removing the sender on UNSTOP, or doing nothing for unrelated replies.

Compliance: assisted draft, always reviewed

This drafts from the input you supply. It never sends or files anything, never invents facts you didn’t provide, and carries a hard-coded “Not legal advice — review before use” disclaimer on every output.

What’s inside

  • The guardrail sub-workflowImport one JSON file. Any client-facing automation calls it before a message goes out.
  • Disclaimer insertionRequired disclaimers are added automatically to outbound messages.
  • Opt-out handlingOpted-out contacts are suppressed before any send, and every opt-out is honored.
  • Audit logEvery attempt is logged with template, recipient, channel, and result, so you can prove compliance.

✓ Works great when

  • You run client-facing automations and want them bar-safe
  • You want one reusable layer instead of bolting rules onto each workflow
  • You want an audit trail that proves opt-outs were honored

✗ What breaks at scale

  • You want it enforced across a large multi-workflow stack
  • You need jurisdiction-specific rule sets maintained for you
  • You want compliance reporting for your malpractice carrier

Frequently asked

What platform does this run on?

It runs on n8n, a free open-source automation tool you host yourself. Import one workflow file and call it from your other automations. Nothing is locked to us.

What does the guardrail actually do?

Before any client-facing message sends, it inserts required disclaimers, checks the recipient against your opt-out list, and logs the attempt. If the contact opted out, the message is suppressed.

How does this help with ABA Opinion 512?

Opinion 512 is about competence and communication when using technology. This layer makes disclaimers, opt-outs, and an audit trail automatic across your automations, which is exactly the operational discipline the opinion points to. It is a tool, not legal advice.

Can you enforce it across all my workflows?

Yes. The free version is the reusable layer. Rolling it out across a full stack with maintained rules and reporting is a Done-for-You Build. Book a call to scope it.

Want the version built for your firm?

Done-for-You Build.

The free guardrail is the reusable compliance layer other templates call. When you want it enforced across a full stack, with maintained jurisdiction rules and carrier-ready reporting, that is a Done-for-You Build. We stand it up across your automations and document how everything calls it.

$5k-$15k typical range2-3 weeks typical timeline

What you get

  • Guardrail enforced across your entire automation stack
  • Jurisdiction-specific rule sets maintained for you
  • Compliance reporting ready for your malpractice carrier
  • Documented integration so every workflow inherits it
The 60-Day Build Guarantee. We agree on one success metric before we start, write it into the SOW, and build to hit it. If we miss, we keep working for free until we do. Or refund your project fee minus third-party costs. You keep everything we built.