Google Business Profile for Lawyers: The Rules That Keep You Listed

For most law firms, the Google Business Profile is the first thing a client sees: it is what shows on Google Maps and in the map box at the top of “lawyer near me” searches. It is also where law firms get suspended more often than almost any other kind of business, usually over the same few mistakes. This guide covers how a firm, and the lawyers in it, should set a profile up so it ranks and stays live.

Firm listing, lawyer listing, or both

Google allows a profile for the firm and, separately, for individual lawyers who meet clients in person. Its guidelines treat lawyers as “individual practitioners”, the same as doctors and dentists.

• A firm with several lawyers can have one profile for the firm, plus one for each lawyer who is public-facing at that office.
• A solo lawyer who is the only public-facing lawyer at the office should have one profile, not two. Google’s guidelines say to name it in the format “Firm Name: Lawyer Name”.
• A lawyer who leaves the firm should have their profile marked as moved or closed, not left pointing at the old office.

Two profiles for one solo practice at one address is the classic duplicate. Google tends to merge or suspend them.

The name must be the real name

The profile name should be the firm’s real name, as it appears on the office sign, letterhead and website. “Smith Law” is fine. “Smith Law – Best Car Accident Lawyer Houston” is keyword stuffing and is against the guidelines. It can win for a few weeks and then gets the listing suspended, often after a competitor reports it.

Offices: the biggest source of suspensions

A Business Profile needs a real location where you meet clients in person during your stated hours. That causes three common problems for lawyers:

• Virtual offices are not eligible. A mail-forwarding address or a “virtual office” package will not support a profile. See what happens when a virtual office profile is suspended.
• Shared and coworking offices can qualify if you are really there and staffed during your hours, with signage. A meeting room you book twice a month does not.
• Satellite offices that are only used by appointment are risky. If clients cannot walk in during the hours you list, do not list those hours.

Categories and services

Pick the most specific primary category Google offers for your main practice area, such as “Personal injury attorney”, “Family law attorney”, “Criminal justice attorney” or “Immigration attorney”, rather than the general “Lawyer”. Add other areas as additional categories only if you really take that work. Then fill in services with a short, factual description of each type of matter.

Reviews

Reviews are one of the strongest signals in the map results, and law firms often have few because clients feel awkward reviewing a lawyer. Asking is allowed. Paying, offering a discount or asking only happy clients is not, under Google’s rules, and many bar rules have their own limits too. We cover how to do it properly in how law firms can get more Google reviews.

Descriptions and posts: mind the bar rules

Write the description like a plain statement of fact: what you do, where, and for whom. Avoid “best”, “top” and “guaranteed results”. Most US state bars restrict misleading or unverifiable claims about a lawyer’s services, and in India the Bar Council’s Rule 36 restricts advertising by advocates much further. A factual profile is safer and, in our experience, ranks just as well.

If the profile is already suspended

Do not create a new profile; that usually makes things worse. Fix the cause first, then appeal. Our free guide, Google Business Profile suspended: what to do first, walks through it, and our reinstatement service handles the appeal for you.

Where this fits

The profile is one part of local search for a law firm, alongside practice-area pages, reviews and citations. For the full picture, see our law firm marketing guide, or law firm SEO if you want it done for you. For a real example, read our law firm case study.