Legal Marketplaces a Lawyer Should Join in 2023
Online lawyer directories are an excellent resource connecting you with new clients. In addition to matching you with potential clients, lawyer directories also help you gain online visibility and authority by showcasing your experience, track record, and client reviews. Top lawyer directories can also build a sound marketing strategy for your business. This includes website development, search engine optimization, and other marketing activities.
What are legal marketplaces? How can you attract new leads in today’s environment? Which legal marketplace should a lawyer consider in 2023? With so many choices, understanding which online lawyer directory is the best for you can be challenging. Read on to discover the best lawyer directories and how to get started.
What Are Lawyer Marketplaces?
A legal marketplace, or a lawyer directory, is a web platform that lists attorneys and law firms to connect legal professionals with potential clients in a few clicks. The ultimate goal is to create a perfect match between clients and lawyers who can help them solve their legal issues.
Innovative lawyer marketplaces have become much more advanced than just a Yellow Pages listing for legal professionals. The best directories now include detailed law firm profiles, certifications, employees’ backgrounds, reviews, case studies, secure payment systems, and more. They make it easy for potential clients to look for and find a “perfect match” with a local lawyer and ensure that the legal services are reliable.
One-third of clients looking for legal services online use a legal marketplace. People value the context provided on these websites and consider them trustworthy. Also, customers can find lawyers on legal marketplaces easily and may already have some favorite platforms bookmarked in their browsers. The best lawyer marketplaces are also always SEO-optimized. They have high traffic and rank well on Google. Potential clients are more likely to click on the directory page shown first in their search results.
As an attorney, it can be easy to get overwhelmed when considering which online lawyer directories to use. However, choosing the best lawyer directories in the U.S. can:
- Help you build your brand and online presence;
- Boost SEO and rankings;
- Improve your local search results;
- Generate backlinks for your website;
- Build trust with potential clients by showcasing reviews
- Generate high-quality leads;
For all these reasons and more, consider investing the time, effort, and financial resources to get your information listed in several reputable lawyer directories that can help you grow your business and authority.
List of the Best Online Legal Services of 2023
When you know what legal marketing is and how you can benefit from being listed in a lawyer directory, you will need to decide which legal marketplace to consider. See the top legal marketplaces a lawyer should consider joining in 2023.
Lawrina Match
If you want your potential clients to knock on your door, Lawrina Match can help. It is a trusted and user-friendly lawyer directory bringing together attorneys and individuals seeking legal representation. With an extensive database and easy search options, potential clients can use this lawyer directory to find attorneys based on their location, practice area, and specialization.
Lawrina Match is one of the fastest-growing legal marketplaces in the U.S., from land management to family law. This platform brings multiple legal marketing opportunities to all legal professionals. This is, therefore, an excellent lawyer marketplace to attract more leads and improve your online presence.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S. working in a wide range of practice areas.
Benefits:
- Clearly outlined lawyer’s profile;
- Only qualified leads, double-checked by Lawrina;
- 24/7 customer support team helping manage attorney-client communication;
- Requests in a wide range of practice areas;
- Dashboard with analytics, such as your search appearances by practice area and client requests;
- Smart lawyer ranking system;
- Additional pie charts.
Loio, Lawrina’s AI-powered software for lawyers, can be a valuable resource for crafting and editing legal documents and agreements. The database, with its comprehensive resource of ready-to-use clauses, ensures legal compliance and helps you save time and effort. Other ways in which Lawrina’s legal-tech ecosystem can help lawyers succeed:
- Creating webinars with top-rated legal-tech specialists and lawyers.
- Keeping up to date and communicating with other lawyers and potential clients via the blog or social media, such as Linkedin.
- Developing AI-powered software to handle repetitive and time-consuming work allows you to focus on the more enjoyable tasks of your law practice.
Rocket Lawyer
This online legal marketplace helps people seeking legal advice find it quickly like a rocket, as the name implies. Rocket Lawyer provides multiple ways to swiftly access attorneys via phone, email, or online chat. This lawyer marketplace connects clients with attorneys working in different practice areas, including business law, family law, wills and estate planning law, personal injury law, employment law, etc.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S. working in a wide range of practice areas.
Benefits:
- The team connects with you when there are new leads;
- The system helps you ensure that a potential client is your perfect match, i.e. a qualified lead;
- You will be listed on the main page for potential clients to find you.
UpCounsel
UpCounsel is a free lawyer directory listing that offers businesses a wide range of legal services. This legal marketplace is used by top brands that need to solve complex legal matters by hiring super lawyers. Potential clients seek on-demand attorneys for projects like business formation and compliance, employment management, and human capital issues. This lawyer marketplace allows clients and attorneys to collaborate on documents seamlessly and transact business securely.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S. primarily working with business requests.
Benefits:
- Collaboration through the UpCounsel platform;
- Time-tracking phone calls made as part of hourly contracts;
- Secured payments immediately once the client approves the invoice;
- The ability to choose clients and projects based on interest.
Lawyer.com
Lawyer.com is an international legal marketplace that includes law firms from the U.K. and 20 other countries. For over ten years, Lawyer.com has been providing individual and business entities with a legal matchmaking service. Like other lawyer marketplaces, it features a list of trustworthy lawyers so potential clients can find a match by location or area of expertise.
For members, lawyer.com stands out among other lawyer directories and offers various advantages, including a profile showcasing your qualifications, experience, badges, and client reviews. The platform also offers phone and email support. One feature that sets lawyer.com apart from some other lawyer directories is that professionals can connect you with potential clients. The website has no free listings; premium membership is $199 per month.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms working with personal and family legal issues (requests for some business needs are also available).
Benefits:
- Location-based search feature;
- The support team answers all calls and follows up with PNCs so the lawyer won’t miss any calls;
- Collects overdue payments for the lawyer;
- Possible priority placement on the lawyer marketplace.
LegalMatch
LegalMatch is another legal marketplace that connects potential clients with lawyers close to their area. This lawyer marketplace is one of the best choices for those seeking local legal counsel. LegalMatch has been on the market for 20 years, and more than five million cases have been posted on the website.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms looking for local clients.
Benefits:
- Free access to an attorney membership;
- Lots of legal requests;
- Cases are easy to review right from a mobile device in real-time.
Super Lawyers
While Super Lawyers is one of the top lawyer directories in the U.S., it functions primarily as a lawyer rating service. Super Lawyers uses a patented selection process to identify lawyers who have achieved a high level of professional excellence and broader recognition.
One of the key differentiators of Super Lawyers from other lawyer directories is its exclusive and selective nature. Only a limited number of attorneys in each region or state are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers each year. To have a chance of being listed as a Super Lawyer, you must first get nominated and then selected. Basic listing as a Super Lawyer is free. The fees for premium listings and advertising services vary.
Being selected as a Super Lawyer elevates an attorney’s professional reputation among peers and potential clients. Premium profiles and advertising on the platform can come at a significant cost.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S. working in a wide range of practice areas.
Benefits:
- The list is widely circulated and highly respected;
- Being a part of it can significantly increase a lawyer’s visibility amongst potential clients;
- Achieving a Super Lawyers rating can serve as a major marketing advantage.
LawTally
LawTally is a newer player among online lawyer directories in the U.S. The platform currently holds the listings of almost 60,000 lawyers’ profiles and allows individuals looking for legal help to search for an attorney by practice area and geographic location. Lawtally also offers exciting features, such as being able to request consultations directly from the platform.
LawTally lawyer directories allow you to create a comprehensive profile that includes your background, education, experience, areas of expertise, and client reviews. Plans for lawyers start at $10 per month for a standard profile. Lawyer profiles are streamlined yet detailed, offering attorneys an excellent opportunity to showcase their successes. As a relatively new and smaller lawyer directory, traffic to the platform and engagement is limited.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S working in a wide range of practice areas.
Benefits:
- Lawyers can create detailed profiles and build credibility through client reviews;
- Service improves online visibility;
- Lawyers can target services to specific locations;
- LawTally s a networking platform for professional growth within the legal community.
Legal Shield
This legal marketplace connects potential clients with a trusted law firm in their state. LegalShield has been providing legal service plans to North American families for over 40 years. The list of legal advice questions includes hiring/firing issues, incorporation, joint ventures, cooperation with vendors, recovery services, zoning, compliance, etc.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S working in a wide range of practice areas.
Benefits:
- Zero revenue split or commission, totally free to join, and no marketing fee;
- Networking with other attorneys in the same lawyer marketplace;
- The possibility of attending legal events;
- Lots of weekly requests from potential clients.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom is a lawyer marketplace specializing in do-it-yourself legal resources, e.g. filings, drafting documents, and more. It emphasizes self-help legal forms for several practice areas –– wills, business needs, family matters, etc. If people need more help, the team connects them with lawyers in this legal marketplace. LegalZoom Attorney Network provides plans for attorneys nationwide to provide consumers with sound legal advice.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S. specializing in estate planning, family law, intellectual property, and business law.
Benefits:
- The possibility to work with both one-time services and ongoing legal consultations with potential customers;
- An easy way to get referrals;
- Video embedding on the profile page.
Avvo
Avvo.com is one of the most popular and best-known legal marketplaces. There is already an extensive lawyer directory and free online answers to potential clients’ legal questions.
In addition, Avvo has a proprietary rating system called the Avvo Rating, which evaluates attorneys based on their experience, client reviews, and professional conduct. Attorney profiles are free here, with paid options for advertising and lead generation services.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S. working in a wide range of practice areas.
Benefits:
- Free profiles and no marketing fees;
- Reviews and rankings that clients trust;
- Paid advertising and lead generation services;
- Q&A forum to demonstrate expertise and increase engagement;
- Great traffic for a lawyer marketplace.
Lawyers.com
Among lawyer directories, Lawyers.com has a long-standing reputation and provides comprehensive coverage of legal professionals across the U.S. and Canada. Users can easily search for lawyers based on their location and practice area. The pricing starts at several hundred dollars per month for listings.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S. working in a wide range of practice areas.
Benefits:
- Advanced marketing options and support for members;
- Reviews and rankings that clients trust;
- Paid advertising and lead generation services;
- Q&A forum to demonstrate expertise and increase engagement;
- Great traffic for a lawyer marketplace.
Nolo
Nolo is a player among lawyer directories, receiving millions of monthly website visitors. The platform provides a wealth of resources for lawyers wanting to grow their practice and help small businesses and individuals find legal help. The service has an annual fee for the basic profile and various enhanced paid subscription plans.
One advantage of using lawyer directories, such as Nolo, is the potential for enhancing your website’s search engine optimization. The platform also offers a marketing service to help you generate leads more efficiently and connect you directly with individuals seeking legal representation.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S. working in a wide range of practice areas.
Benefits:
- Strong calls to action, helping attorneys and law firms attract high-quality leads;
- Attention to your website’s search engine optimization.
Justia
Justia is another well-respected platform in the online lawyer directories space. It provides free and premium lawyer listings. However, Justia is perhaps best known for its free legal resources, including a vast case law database, statutes, regulations, and legal articles. This makes it the go-to platform for individuals seeking an understanding of the law, such as legal professionals, law students, and potential law firm clients.
Justia can also help you gain a strong online footprint by offering law firm websites, social media marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO) services. A solid option among lawyer directories, Justia also lets you get your name in front of potential clients when you answer legal questions on the platform. Basic attorney listing and membership are free. Paid membership starts at under $20 per month.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S. working in a wide range of practice areas.
Benefits:
- Free basic listing with paid membership $20 per month;
- Attention to your website’s search engine optimization.
FindLaw
FindLaw, owned by Thomson Reuters, is a platform offering comprehensive lawyer directories, legal forms, a wealth of resources, and law firm marketing services. It also connects individuals seeking legal help with qualified attorneys and has a section where individuals can search for state and federal law cases and codes. The service has free basic listing, monthly fees for premium profiles, and marketing services.
In addition to having your profile listed with FindLaw lawyer directories, the platform can also provide you with tools to help grow your practice effectively, including website development, SEO, and online marketing solutions tailored to law firms.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S. working in a wide range of practice areas.
Benefits:
- Free basic listing with fees for premium profiles, and marketing services;
- Tools to help grow your practice effectively;
- Helps attorneys gain visibility and attract leads.
Martindale
Martindale-Hubbell is the giant among lawyer directories, with a rich history dating back to 1868. The parent company of Nolo, Avvo, and Lawyers.com, Martindale holds the largest share in the online lawyer directory market. Another feature that sets the platform apart is its peer-review ratings system, based on confidential evaluations from other attorneys. Standard profile is free; prices for other services vary.
With more than 15 million unique visitors monthly, Martindale is one of the best lawyer directories platforms to increase authority and visibility. Reviews from peers and previous clients can significantly enhance your profile and make you stand out from other lawyers in your practice area and location.
Best suited for: Solo practitioners and law firms across the U.S. working in a wide range of practice areas.
Benefits:
- Free standard profile listing with fees for additional services;
- Attorneys do not have to pay a fee to be peer-reviewed and listed in the lawyer directory;
- Helps attorneys gain visibility and attract leads.
How to Choose Relevant Law Firm Directories for Your Brand
Listing yourself or your law firm in lawyer directories is a valuable strategy to get your name in front of clients for relatively little cost and effort. The lawyer directories mentioned in this article are reputable and popular platforms allowing attorneys and law firms to grow their businesses. Moreover, most lawyer directories offer more than a simple directory listing, providing numerous additional features and services designed to connect you with potential clients.
However, which lawyer directories you choose will depend on your marketing strategy and what you want to achieve. Get clear on your goals, such as:
- Building a brand;
- Widening your reach and getting leads;
- Building credibility with client reviews and ratings;
- Showcasing your credentials and successes.
If you primarily want to build a brand, go with well-known lawyer directories that celebrate your wins and credentials, such as Super Lawyers. However, if your main objective is widening your reach and obtaining clients, consider using lawyer directories that directly connect you with individuals seeking legal advice, such as Lawrina Match or Nolo.
Remember that you don’t have to limit yourself to just one or two lawyer directories. Multiple lawyer directory listings can be an excellent marketing strategy, helping you grow your brand and connect with potential clients.
How to Claim Your Listing in Free Lawyer Directories
Claiming your listing in free lawyer directories is crucial in establishing your online presence and attracting potential clients. Follow these simple steps to claim your free listing:
- Research and identify free directories
Look for the best lawyer directories in the U.S. that are well-known, reputable, and receive significant traffic, such as Avvo, Lawyers.com, FindLaw, and Lawrina Match.
- Create an account
Create accounts with the lawyer directories of your choice. To create an account, you must typically provide your name, contact information, and professional details. To get the best traction from your profile and maximize benefits from services like Lawrina Match, you’ll want to include as much information as possible, such as a compelling “about” page, your social media handles, email address, office locations, and more. This can help you stand out and build trust with individuals seeking legal help.
- Search for your profile
Once you have created an account, search for your profile or law firm by entering your name, practice areas, or location. Your profile may already be listed in some directories. If so, you can claim it as your own. If not, proceed to the next step.
- Submit your information
Fill out the details to complete your profile, such as your name, practice areas, contact information, and website. Add a compelling description of your services. Here are some tips for writing an interesting “about” section in lawyer directories:
- Write conversational: use “I” and “we” instead of the third person to appeal to potential clients.
- Don’t use legal jargon; explain what you do in simple terms.
- List your credentials and successes to help you stand out from the competition.
- In addition to contact details, include your social media handles and make it clear how potential clients can contact you.
- Use storytelling and past successes in your “about” section.
- Verify Your Identity
Some lawyer directories may require you to verify your identity and any professional credentials. You may be asked to submit documents, such as your bar association membership or license. Follow the instructions to make your profile as complete as possible.
- Monitor and Update
Don’t just claim your directory listing. Regularly monitor and update your profile to keep it accurate, relevant, and current. Every so often, add new accomplishments, badges, publications, and client testimonials to strengthen your credibility.
Claiming your listing in free lawyer directories helps you establish a prominent online presence, attract clients, and enhance your professional reputation. Get started with attracting your perfect clients and sign up for a free profile with Lawrina today.
Remember that creating content and publishing it in the top lawyer directories can help you to stand out from the crowd and improve your credibility. For example, Lawrina allows you to contribute articles, legal guides, and interviews on its platform, which can help you expand your professional network and attract clients.
Conclusion
Lawyer directories are an excellent way to enhance your online presence and get you in front of potential clients. They can also help lawyers and law firms develop successful marketing strategies.
However, the online lawyer directory space can seem overwhelming, with so many free and paid options. Therefore, before selecting specific directories, consider taking some time to clarify your unique goals, whether branding, client acquisition, or others. Instead of concentrating on one directory, opt for multiple listings to maximize business opportunities.
FAQ
How can lawyers get new clients for free?
Attorneys can use various strategies to acquire leads without incurring costs. Here are some tips for generating more business:
- Referrals: Referrals from other attorneys, previous clients, and even friends and family can be an excellent way to acquire clients at no cost. Start by nurturing relationships with existing clients, colleagues in other law firms, and professionals in related fields. When you deliver exceptional service, your satisfied clients and professional connections will be eager to refer your services to those needing legal help and representation.
- Content marketing: Content marketing is a long-term strategy helping you acquire leads that become clients. You can be a trusted authority in your practice area by creating engaging and informative content such as blog posts, FAQ pages, and videos. Sharing search-engine-optimized (SEO) content through your website, social media channels, and legal forums generates organic traffic and establishes authority, ultimately leading to client inquiries.
- In-person networking: Participating in networking events and professional organizations can also be an excellent idea for attracting clients. By attending conferences and joining relevant associations, lawyers can establish connections and build genuine relationships with fellow professionals and potential clients.
- Utilizing top lawyer directories: One effective option for obtaining clients without incurring costs is to leverage the best lawyer directories in the U.S. By creating an optimized profile on lawyer directories, such as Lawrina, attorneys can increase their online visibility and attract potential clients searching for legal services. Many lawyer directories provide free listing options allowing attorneys to showcase their experience, track record, and client reviews, thus increasing their chances of prospective clients reaching out to them.
How do lawyer directories work?
Lawyer directories are online platforms allowing users to search for lawyers based on practice area and location. When an individual searches for legal help, the top lawyer directories match them with relevant attorneys’ profiles. Potential clients can then review your profile, browse client reviews, and contact you directly.
You could significantly increase your leads by having a profile on several lawyer directories. However, consider that many directories prioritize paid profiles. Therefore, researching and identifying your best options, paid and unpaid, can be crucial.
How do I get started with lawyer directories?
Knowing your next best steps with so many options of lawyer directories available can be overwhelming. Remember that Rome wasn’t built in one day, and you don’t have to sign up with all directories at once. Here are some tips on how to get started with lawyer directories:
- Research the best lawyer directories for your needs.
- Claim your presence on each of the major free legal directories.
- Familiarize yourself with legal directories before considering paid listings.
- Ensure your profile information is correct and updated.
- Utilize high-quality photographs or videos to enhance your profile.
- Encourage and collect reviews to build trust with potential clients.
