A business owner just found out their partner violated a non-compete clause. They need a lawyer, fast.
Ten years ago, they'd call a friend for a referral. Five years ago, they'd Google "business litigation attorney near me" and pick from the top results. Today, they open ChatGPT and type: "I need a good business litigation lawyer in Denver. Who should I call?"
ChatGPT gives them two or three names with brief explanations of each firm's strengths. One of those firms gets a call within the hour from a highly motivated, high-value client.
If your firm isn't in that answer, you've lost a client you never knew was looking for you.
Legal clients are changing how they find lawyers
The legal profession has always been referral-heavy. Clients trust their accountant's recommendation or their friend's lawyer more than any advertisement. That hasn't changed.
What's changed is where people go when they don't have a referral. The "I need a lawyer but don't know anyone" moment used to send people to Google. Increasingly, it sends them to AI.
"Best divorce lawyer in [city]." "Recommended attorney for startup equity issues." "Who handles commercial real estate disputes in [area]?" These prompts are happening thousands of times daily across every practice area and jurisdiction.
AI recommendations carry a weight similar to referrals. The person didn't see your billboard or your Google Ad. They asked a trusted tool for a name, and it gave them yours. That's a warm introduction, not a cold lead.
For legal services, where trust is everything, that distinction matters enormously.
Why your firm is probably not getting recommended
Your firm has a website. It lists practice areas, partner bios, maybe some blog posts. It's professional, polished, and looks like every other law firm website in your city.
That's the problem. AI can't recommend you if it can't distinguish you from the dozens of other firms with nearly identical online presences.
"Full-service law firm providing business, real estate, and estate planning services" tells AI nothing about when to specifically recommend you. It's a description that matches hundreds of firms. When someone asks for a recommendation, AI needs a reason to choose your name. Generic positioning doesn't provide one.
The firms getting AI recommendations have done something most lawyers resist: they've gotten specific about who they serve and made their expertise visible in ways AI can actually use.
The prompts that bring legal clients
Legal queries to AI tend to follow patterns. Understanding these patterns helps you build visibility for the ones that matter most to your practice.
Practice area + location: "Best immigration lawyer in Houston." "Top estate planning attorney in [city]." These are the bread-and-butter prompts for local legal services.
Situation-specific: "I'm being sued by a former business partner, what kind of lawyer do I need?" "My landlord is illegally withholding my security deposit, who can help?" These are people with urgent, specific problems.
Industry-specific: "Lawyer who specializes in SaaS contracts." "Attorney experienced with restaurant franchise agreements." These are high-value queries from clients who want specialized expertise.
Comparative: "Best alternative to [large firm] for small business legal work." These are clients who've done some research and are actively comparing options.
The common thread: specificity. The more specific the prompt, the more AI needs a clear match. The firms that win these prompts have made their specialty unmistakable.
What drives AI visibility for law firms
Practice area content that shows depth, not just breadth.
Most law firm websites have a page for each practice area with a paragraph or two of overview text. That's a menu, not a demonstration of expertise.
The firm that publishes a detailed guide on "What to Expect in a Texas Divorce: Timeline, Costs, and Common Mistakes" demonstrates family law expertise in a way that a one-paragraph practice area description never could.
AI recommends firms that have demonstrable knowledge. A blog post walking through the steps of forming an LLC, with real considerations and nuances, signals expertise far more than "We handle business formation" on a services page.
You don't need to give away legal advice. You need to give AI enough evidence that you actually know your area of law deeply.
Client reviews and testimonials that reference specifics.
"Great lawyer" doesn't help AI understand your strengths. "David handled our commercial lease dispute and got us a settlement that exceeded our expectations. His knowledge of commercial real estate law in Colorado was the difference." That tells AI exactly when to recommend you.
Google reviews, Avvo ratings, Martindale-Hubbell, and your own website testimonials all feed into AI's understanding of your reputation. Encourage satisfied clients to mention their case type, your practice area, and what specifically you did well.
Thought leadership that AI can reference.
Published articles in legal journals. Quoted in news stories about legal developments. Speaking at CLEs or industry events that get covered online. Contributing to bar association publications.
Lawyers often do these things already for professional development. The added benefit is that each of these external mentions gives AI another data point that says "this lawyer is a recognized expert in [area]."
Specialization signals everywhere.
Your website, your Google Business profile, your Avvo page, your LinkedIn, your bar association listing. Every profile should tell the same story about what you specialize in. Inconsistency confuses AI.
If your website says "personal injury" but your LinkedIn headline says "trial attorney helping clients get justice," AI isn't sure what to recommend you for. Align your positioning across every platform.
Building AI visibility for your firm
Pick your winnable prompts. You're not going to outrank a 200-attorney firm for "best corporate lawyer in New York." But "best attorney for SaaS startup equity agreements in Brooklyn"? That's specific enough to own.
Create substantive content for your specialty. Not the thin, keyword-stuffed blog posts your marketing agency produces. Real content that demonstrates knowledge. Guides, FAQs with genuine depth, case study overviews (properly anonymized), and analysis of legal developments in your area.
Build your review and validation presence. Make it easy for satisfied clients to leave detailed reviews. Seek speaking and writing opportunities. Get quoted by local journalists covering legal topics.
Maintain consistency across platforms. Audit your web presence. Every profile should reinforce the same positioning and specialty.
Track your visibility. Sign up for Mentionable. Enter your firm's website. See which prompts in your practice area and jurisdiction mention you, and which ones are sending potential clients to competitors.
Reputation has always mattered in law. Now it's digital.
The fundamentals haven't changed. Legal clients want someone they trust, someone who knows their stuff, someone recommended by a source they believe.
What's changed is the source doing the recommending. AI is the new referral network, and it operates on the information available to it. If your expertise is visible, documented, and validated by third parties, AI recommends you. If it's locked away in your head and your clients' memories, AI has nothing to work with.
You've spent years building expertise. Make sure AI knows about it. Start tracking your visibility today with Mentionable, and find out whether the right clients are being sent your way.