Legal directories for law firms: which ones to claim first

Why directories still matter

Directories won’t replace your website or your Google Business Profile. But people look you up in more than one place before they call, and wrong details anywhere cost you trust.

They can help with Google Maps, too. Google says local ranking depends partly on prominence, which is “based on info like how many websites link to your business and how many reviews you have.”

Quality beats quantity. Google’s spam policies list “low-quality directory or bookmark site links” as link spam. It’s one of the SEO mistakes we see often.

Do this: skip the “we’ll submit you to 300 directories” offers. Keep a short list of real legal directories, and keep them complete.

The main directories, one by one

We only list what we could confirm on each company’s own site. Where prices aren’t published, pricing varies, so ask for it in writing.

• State Bar profile. Not a directory you join: it’s your licensee record, and clients can look you up there. The State Bar says to report changes within 30 days through My State Bar Profile.
• Avvo. A large lawyer directory with a Q&A forum. Avvo invites lawyers to “claim your free profile.” It gives a 1–10 rating and says the rating “cannot be bought.”
• Justia. A legal information site with a lawyer directory. The profile comes with a free Justia Connect membership. There is also a paid Pro tier, priced on Justia’s site.
• FindLaw. A consumer legal site and directory that also sells marketing to firms. We couldn’t confirm on its site whether a basic listing is free, so ask what’s included and what it costs.
• Super Lawyers. A rating list, not an open directory. It says 5 percent of lawyers in each state are selected, and quotes a court opinion that a lawyer can’t “buy one’s way onto the list.”
• Martindale-Hubbell. Known for peer review ratings, where other lawyers rate you; AV Preeminent is the top level. It also gives “Client Champion” awards based on client reviews. That page doesn’t list prices.
• Yelp. A general review site, not a legal one, but clients read it. Claim your page so you can fix details and reply to reviews.
• BBB. You don’t need to be accredited to have a BBB rating. Accreditation has a fee that depends on factors like business size. BBB says customer reviews don’t affect the rating.

Same name, address and phone everywhere

Google’s Business Profile guidelines say your name should match your real-world name, “as used consistently on your storefront, website, stationery.” Use the same idea everywhere your firm is listed.

In our experience, mismatches pile up fast: an old suite number on Avvo, a former partner’s name on Yelp, a tracking number on one site and the main line on another. Each one makes it harder for clients, and Google, to know which details are right.

Do this: write down one exact version of your firm name, address, phone and website. Copy and paste it into every profile. When you move, update the State Bar first, then Google, then every directory on your list.

Which ones to claim first

1. Your State Bar record. It’s required, and it’s free.
2. Your Google Business Profile. It matters more than any directory. See our Google Business Profile guide.
3. Avvo and Justia. Both offer free profiles. Add a photo, practice areas, languages and a short bio.
4. Yelp and BBB. Claim them so the details are right, even if you never pay.
5. Martindale-Hubbell and FindLaw. Check what’s free, and ask before you pay.
6. Super Lawyers, only if you’re selected.

Do this: set aside one afternoon, finish the free profiles, and save every login in one place your firm controls.

Reviews on directories

Clients read directory reviews, and what you post there counts. The State Bar’s Formal Opinion 2019-199 deals with directory profiles. A few points from it:

• Once you adopt a profile or use it to market your practice, the advertising rules apply to it.
• You must take “reasonable steps to correct any inaccuracies” in a profile you’ve adopted.
• Knowingly posting false reviews, or getting friends or family to post them, violates Rule 7.1.
• Replies to bad reviews should be restrained, and client confidentiality still applies.

Each site has its own rules, too. Yelp, for example, tells businesses: “Don’t ask customers… to review your business.” Check a site’s policy before you send review requests.

Do this: ask happy clients for honest reviews where the site allows it, and reply calmly, with no case details.

Be careful with paid “best lawyer” badges

Many firms get emails saying they’ve been named a “top lawyer,” followed by a fee for the plaque or the badge. Before you pay, or put it on your website, check the rules.

Rule 7.1 bars false or misleading communications. Its comments warn that “an unsubstantiated comparison” with other lawyers may be misleading. Formal Opinion 2019-199 is direct: “Attorneys should avoid using ratings issued for a price.” Ratings from a real organization are safer when they’re “based upon objective factors.”

Do this instead: before you show any award, ask who gives it, how winners are chosen, and whether anyone paid. If you’re unsure, check with an ethics counsel. Our California advertising rules checklist covers the rest.

Want help with this? See Google profile & reviews.

Written by Sevag Boghossian

Sevag is the founder of araRank and a web developer with 6 years in law firm marketing and SEO. He builds every site we make, from Los Angeles.

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