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Law firm marketing in 2027: 7 things to focus on

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By Ellie Phillips, Marketing Executive at Conscious Solutions

The way people find and choose a law firm has changed significantly over the last few years.

Of course, your firm may still get direct enquiries over the phone, prompted by word-of-mouth referrals and, although this was once the standard process, this is set to change significantly.

Many prospective clients now ask an AI tool first (whether directly through agents like ChatGPT or indirectly through AI overviews on search engines), then check reviews and forums, before drawing up a shortlist of who to approach. All of this happens before they even get to your website.

As as a fellow marketer, I know that your to-do list is endless, so I wanted to spotlight the main aspects to focus on in 2027 so your law firm is not only getting found online, but that the overall experience lands you the right kind of leads.

 


1. Be visible where AI looks (and not just on Google)

According to Which?, 51% of UK adults now use AI search tools to look for products, services and advice, and JUSTICE found that one in six people with a recent legal problem had asked an AI chatbot for help. In 2027, being named in those answers matters just as much as ranking.

Here’s how to rank better in AI search:

  • Run an AI check every quarter: Ask Google and AI tools a real client question, such as "Who are the best family solicitors in [town]?", and note who is named and where the answer came from. This will help you see what your clients see and keep track of your progress.
  • Keep your details identical everywhere: Your name, address, phone number and services should match across your website, Google Business Profile, SRA listing, directories and LinkedIn. Consistency is key for ranking authority.
  • Treat your Google Business Profile as a live channel, with up-to-date services, photos, regular posts and review replies.


2. Make reviews a year-round job

AI tools build their answers from across the web. When Blind Justice UK asked ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini to name top conveyancing solicitors in Doncaster, the chatbots drew on Google listings and review sites. AI tools can only work with the information they find and much of that comes from your reviews and listings. If yours are sparse, out of date or inconsistent, AI will fill the gaps from elsewhere.

Here’s how to boost your review process:

  • Build review requests into your strategy, so every completed matter triggers a request on Google or a legal review platform.
  • Ask for details: A review that mentions the service and the fee earner tells future clients far more than five stars alone.
  • Reply thoughtfully to positive and negative reviews alike, without discussing client matters.


3. Treat your website as the crucial decision point

Your website is no longer necessarily the first stop in your client journey, but it is often the most significant. Visitors are now arriving with a shortlist and a decision to make. Fewer visits but higher intent means every interaction counts.

  • Check your Core Web Vitals in PageSpeed Insights or Search Console, and crop and compress images before uploading.
  • Make the next step obvious with a call to action visible as visitors scroll and use short forms that ask only for the information needed from clients.
  • Show your trust signals: reviews, accreditations, up-to-date SRA details, complaints procedure, accessibility statement and author bylines.


4. Write for people, not for other lawyers

Most people contact a law firm when they are anxious or short on time. They need reassurance, quick answers and confidence that they are in safe hands. The copy on your website and in all external communications is crucial for portraying your firm as understanding of your clients’ needs.

Here’s how to champion your content:

  • Use the client's language. "We help with financial arrangements after separation" works better than "We advise in relation to ancillary relief".
  • Make pages easy to scan, with short paragraphs, regular headings and strong colour contrast.
  • Choose calm imagery that shows how clients could feel once you are helping them, rather than images of distress.
  • Be open about costs wherever you can: A clear indication of fees removes one of the biggest worries before someone gets in touch.


5. Put your people front and centre

AI has flooded the market with generic content so real experience and named experts are what set a firm apart. Google's own guidance asks whether it is clear who created a piece of content and whether there are links that lead to more information about that person's background.

Here’s how I recommend you put your people first:

  • Upgrade staff profiles to boost credibility: Explain who each person helps, their experience and accreditations. Make sure that this is in their own voice, and that their profile links to articles they’ve written and relevant services. Make sure your profiles answer this key client question: "Why is this the right person for my problem?"
  • Add a named author to every article on your website and link it to their profile.
  • Capture expertise concisely: Whether that’s through a 20-minute interview, a quick reaction to a ruling or a voice note after a notable matter. Edelman and LinkedIn found that 73% of B2B decision-makers see thought leadership as a more trustworthy way to judge an organisation's capabilities than its marketing materials.


6. Get more from what you already own

Most firms already hold case studies, client questions, internal data and reviews. 2027 is the year to put them to work rather than starting from a blank page.

Make the most out of your pre-existing content by:

  • Refreshing before you write anything new: Update the law, facts and examples first, then change the date, starting with posts whose traffic has slipped.
  • Telling case studies as stories, covering the context, challenge, what you did and what changed, using client quotes only where appropriate and with consent.
  • Repurpose rather than restart: One strong case study can become a LinkedIn post, a newsletter feature, a service page FAQ, a short video and evidence for awards and tenders.


7. Use AI with guardrails and measure what matters

AI can make good content quicker to produce, but it cannot replace your experience or your judgement.

Here’s how to use AI appropriately within your firm:

  • Use structured prompts so fee earners produce consistent drafts, but make sure to anonymise all information first, use approved tools and have a fee earner check every fact.
  • Measure visibility, not just rankings. Track branded searches, visits from AI tools in your analytics, reviews and enquiries each month.
  • Check everything! AI is far from foolproof. Make sure that everything produced by AI gets reviewed and edited by someone in the team who can appropriately validate the output.


Where to start in January

You do not need to tackle the above seven points all at once. Pick three for the first month and see how you go i.e. run the AI check, upgrade one key fee earner's profile and ask your most recent clients for reviews.

Start small and begin boosting your law firm’s marketing so that the right clients can reach you in 2027.

Every review, profile, listing and mention adds up to a firm that clients can find, recognise and trust wherever they look.

 


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