Seven in ten prospective clients now ask an AI assistant before they ever call a lawyer. When someone types “who’s the best personal injury lawyer near me” into ChatGPT, the answer they get shapes who they hire. If your firm isn’t in that answer, your marketing budget is quietly signing clients for a competitor.
How to check
Open ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews and ask the exact questions your clients ask: “best DUI lawyer in [your city],” “do I have a case for [your practice area],” and “how much does a [matter] cost.” Note whether your firm appears, which competitors do, and what sources the AI cites.
Why firms get left out
AI engines cite pages that clearly and credibly answer real questions. Most law-firm sites are thin on substance, buried in legalese, or silent on fees. The firms that win are the ones whose content directly answers what clients ask — in plain language.
What to do next
Publish authoritative, ethics-compliant answers for each practice area and question, structure them so AI can lift them into answers, and make sure your site converts the visit into a booked consultation. That is exactly what Tely automates for law firms.
