My partner and I's firm has practiced for 30 years, and ChatGPT recommends newer firms when potential clients search for attorneys in our area
I’m a managing partner at a mid-sized litigation firm, and for years, my partner and I have built our reputation the traditional way by doing good work, earning trust, and growing through referrals.
Recently, during an intake, a client mentioned she had searched for attorneys in our practice area on ChatGPT before ultimately coming to us through a colleague’s recommendation. She told us we didn’t appear in her results and she was right I checked myself across a few different queries. What surprised me was not just our absence, but who did show up. Several newer firms (some are only three or four years into practice) were consistently mentioned ahead of us. These are firms I’m familiar with, and while capable, they don’t have the same depth of track record.
Historically, business development in legal practice has been grounded in relationships, credibility, and word-of-mouth. That model has served us well. As of late I have noticed that part of the client discovery process is now mediated by AI, which raises a different set of questions, ones I don’t think the profession has fully grappled with yet.