The directories ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google’s AI cite when people look for a personal injury lawyer, with priority, cost, and a checklist you can work through.
Optimize My Firm | Based on our 100-city AI study, October 2026.
When someone asks ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, or Google’s AI to find a personal injury lawyer, the answer is built from a short list of sources. In our 100-city AI study, we collected 17,398 AI answers across five engines and tracked every source they cited.
This checklist turns that data into a to-do list. It shows which directories matter, how much each one costs, and which AI engines cite it.
Before you start: directories are the second layer, not the first. In our study, law firm websites were the most-cited source on every AI engine. Ranking organically made a firm about 11 times more likely to be named, and Google review count tracked closely with AI visibility. Start with your website and your Google reviews, then work through this list.
The engine percentages show the share of “find a lawyer” answers that cited each directory. Those are searches like “best personal injury lawyer in [city],” “top rated personal injury attorneys in [city],” and “personal injury lawyer near me.” Only engines at 10% or higher are listed. Tick the boxes as you go; your progress is saved in your browser.
| Done | Priority | Directory | Which AI engines cite it | Cost | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Must have | Google Business Profile | AI Overviews ChatGPT AI Mode | Free | Claim and verify the profile, set personal injury as the primary category, and build Google reviews steadily. Firms in the Google Maps top 3 were named by AI 94% of the time. | |
| Must have | Super Lawyers | Perplexity Gemini AI Mode ChatGPT AI Overviews | Free if selected (peer selection, can't be bought). Premium profile is paid; price not published. | If an attorney is selected, claim the free profile and complete it. If not, work toward peer nominations. This is the most consistently cited directory in the study. | |
| Must have | Avvo | ChatGPT Perplexity Gemini | Free to claim. Paid upgrade (ProVantage) reported at $49–$100+/mo; price not published. | Claim every attorney's profile, finish every field, and collect Avvo client reviews. This is ChatGPT's top source on "find a lawyer" searches, and it barely appears in Google's AI. | |
| Must have | Justia | Gemini AI Mode ChatGPT Perplexity AI Overviews | Free profile. Connect Pro $19.99/mo or $199.80/yr. Premium placements quoted privately. | Claim the free attorney and firm profiles. Add practice areas, a bio, office locations, and a website link. This is Gemini's top source. | |
| Must have | Expertise.com | ChatGPT Perplexity | Free (editorial selection). Firms in the legal category can request a review. | Request a review, then keep the listing current in the free Provider Portal. This is ChatGPT's second-most-cited platform on "find a lawyer" searches. | |
| High | FindLaw | Perplexity | Free basic listing. Premium profile reported from about $158/mo. | Claim the firm and attorney profiles through FindLaw's Profile Update portal. Matters mostly for Perplexity. | |
| High | Martindale-Hubbell | Perplexity | Free basic profile. Paid packages quoted privately. | Claim the free profile and pursue a peer review rating. Matters mostly for Perplexity. | |
| High | Best Lawyers | Perplexity Gemini | Free if selected (peer review, can't be bought). Marketing add-ons optional. | Encourage peer nominations, and keep the profile current if an attorney is selected. | |
| High | Lawyers.com | Perplexity | Free basic listing. Paid upgrades through the Martindale-Avvo network. | Claim the free listing and match the name, address, and phone (NAP) to the Google Business Profile. | |
| High | LawInfo | Perplexity | Paid listing (part of the FindLaw network). | Consider it only if Perplexity visibility is a priority and the budget allows. Bundles with FindLaw are available. | |
| High | Yelp | ChatGPT AI Mode AI Overviews | Free listing. Ads are optional. | Claim the listing and keep the information accurate. No need to push for Yelp reviews: in the study, Yelp reviews didn't predict who gets recommended once Google reviews were counted. | |
| Supporting | Best Law Firms | Perplexity Gemini | Selection-based (tied to Best Lawyers recognition). | Comes with Best Lawyers recognition. Keep the firm profile complete if the firm is ranked. | |
| Supporting | Thumbtack | AI Mode | Free profile. Pay per lead (estimated $10–$150). | Optional. A basic profile helps Google AI Mode, and paying for leads is a separate decision. | |
| Supporting | State bar profile | ChatGPT (all searches) | Included with bar membership | Make sure the bar record shows the current firm name, address, and website. ChatGPT cites government, bar, and court sites in 31% of its answers, mostly on question-style searches. |
Each AI engine has its own favorite sources. Avvo shows up in 87% of ChatGPT’s “find a lawyer” answers but in almost none of Google’s. If one engine matters most to you, use this table to pick your directories.
| Directory | ChatGPT | Gemini | Google AI Mode | Google AI Overviews | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Lawyers | 38% | 84% | 65% | 22% | 97% |
| Justia | 20% | 88% | 37% | 13% | 15% |
| Avvo | 87% | 19% | 3% | 1% | 74% |
| Google Business Profile / Maps | 40% | 0% | 33% | 46% | 0% |
| Expertise.com | 72% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 26% |
| FindLaw | 0% | 3% | 0% | 1% | 57% |
| Martindale-Hubbell | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 54% |
| Best Lawyers | 2% | 14% | 2% | 3% | 43% |
| Lawyers.com | 4% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 34% |
| LawInfo | 0% | 4% | 0% | 0% | 33% |
| Yelp | 27% | 0% | 13% | 11% | 0% |
| Best Law Firms | 0% | 16% | 4% | 5% | 24% |
| Thumbtack | 0% | 2% | 15% | 2% | 4% |
Share of “find a lawyer” answers citing each directory. Source: Optimize My Firm AI study, October 2026.
Most of these directories are free to claim. Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, and Expertise.com can’t be bought, because they select attorneys through peer review or editorial research. Their paid add-ons (premium profiles, badges, ads) are optional.
Most paid upgrades aren’t publicly priced, so the costs above are either published prices or what other attorneys report paying. Before you pay for any upgrade, make sure the free profile is complete and accurate. Then decide based on which AI engines matter most in your market.
A few non-directory sources also show up. Google AI Overviews cited YouTube in about 10% of all answers and Reddit in about 8%. ChatGPT cites state government, bar, and court sites heavily on question-style searches. Helpful videos and clear content that links to official sources both count toward AI visibility.
We’ll check which AI engines name your firm, which directories they cite in your city, and what to fix first.