Joining the SMB-focused companies that publish thought leadership to support their go-to-market strategies, Scorpion has released the 2025 Law Firm Search Trends Report. Built around survey data (n=3000), it uncovers consumer sentiments and buying considerations for lawyers and legal services.
Among other things, the report looks at how different generations go through the process of finding a lawyer, and how consumers feel about lawyers who use AI in their practices. The point of all this is to signal to lawyers what today’s consumers expect, and therefore how they should position themselves.
And the takeaways? Among other key findings, robust presence and credibility in digital channels have more influence and impact than traditional referrals. The latter has been a longstanding driver of new business in legal services but is now being eclipsed by digital formats such as online reviews.
“In 2025, a referral may open the conversation, but it’s no longer the finish line,” Scorpion Chief Revenue Officer Jamie Adams told Localogy Insider. “People want to see proof for themselves: how you show up online, how quickly you respond, and what real clients are saying. A single slow response or weak online presence now has the power to erase the advantage that a referral once gave you.”
Human Touch
Going deeper into Scorpion’s findings, the rise in digital influence continues to grow, as noted. But traditional recommendations – such as personal recommendations and word of mouth – are still influential. Both methods are important in the current environment, so both should be leveraged.
Specifically, Scorpion’s report reveals that personal recommendations for lawyers are still pervasive. But, as Adams said, consumers don’t stop there. 74 percent of legal clients research law firms online after a personal recommendation has been made. This reflects a growing digital savvy among consumers.
If comparing these two sources of influence – online reviews and word of mouth – the former is now more influential. That happens to the tune of 57 percent of respondents who chose it as their top deciding factor. And more than half of the respondents won’t choose a firm with fewer than four stars.
The report also reveals affinities for digital communications. More than half of respondents won’t choose law firms that don’t offer online chat. 49 percent see a lack of social presence as a red flag, and 61 percent are receptive to lawyers using AI to improve their work, as long as there’s a human touch.
Need for Speed
Back to the need for speed, 72 percent of respondents won’t wait more than 24 hours for a callback. This reflects not only consumer affinities in a fast-based digital world (and in legal scenarios where they may need help fast), but also the increasingly competitive legal market where the fastest response wins.
Similarly, law firms need to cultivate the leads from the marketing they’re already doing. This means answering the phone and responding to referrals. After all that time and money for marketing, leads still go unaddressed, which was a key theme at this week’s Street Fight Live event (more on that soon).
Stepping back, this is all important to Scorpion because law is one of its tentpole verticals. Along with healthcare, autos, and home services, Scorpion has a vertical approach to its tech and SMB marketing services. This allows it to build a competitive edge and competency in these high-value categories.
This is a smart approach as it blends the benefits of verticalization – specialization, economies of scale, repeatable best practices, etc. – with large addressable markets. Vertical specialization can often mean narrow markets… but not if you choose the right verticals and capture enough market share in each.
Check out the full report here.
