If your law firm isn’t showing up on the first page of Google, you’re likely missing out on clients who are actively searching for legal help.
Link building is one of the most effective ways to improve your online visibility and bring in more qualified leads.
Here’s the truth: Even the best legal content won’t rank if search engines don’t see your site as credible. That’s where strategic link building comes in.
By earning links from trusted, high-authority websites like legal directories, news sites, or industry publications, you signal to Google that your site is trustworthy and relevant.
Your legal expertise is valuable, and when shared effectively, it attracts attention from journalists, bloggers, and professional sites that are always looking for reliable sources.
With the right approach, your firm can turn that expertise into a steady stream of backlinks and, more importantly, new clients.
What is link building for lawyers?
Link building for lawyers means getting other credible websites to link to your firm’s site. These backlinks help boost your visibility on search engines like Google, making it easier for potential clients to find you online.
The more trustworthy links your site earns, the more likely it is to rank well for important legal search terms like “personal injury lawyer in Miami” or “divorce attorney near me.”
But in the legal field, not all links are created equal.
Law firms must be careful about where those links come from, as quality, trust, and relevance are especially important in this niche.
Why Link quality, trust, and ethics matter
The legal industry relies heavily on trust and reputation. That means your link-building strategy needs to align with ethical guidelines and maintain your firm’s credibility.
Search engines also weigh certain factors more heavily for law firms.
- Authority of the site: A link from a site like The New York Times or Forbes carries more SEO value than one from a low-traffic blog.
- Content quality: Links from websites with well-written, original content are much more beneficial than those from poorly maintained sites.
💡 Pro Tip: Diversify your backlink sources. Mix guest posts, digital PR, and legal directories to maintain a natural and effective link profile.
Real example of link building for law firms
Shook and Stone, a personal injury law firm, is a strong example of how strategic link building can improve a law firm’s online presence.
Source Shook & Stone
Their backlink profile has grown to include over 6,200 quality backlinks from 510 referring domains, showing steady progress in acquiring links from authoritative and relevant sources.
This growth has contributed to a DR of 38, reflecting increased credibility in the eyes of search engines.
The firm now ranks for more than 6,200 organic keywords, which helps drive consistent traffic from search engines.
These improvements are the result of a focused approach to building links through valuable content, digital PR, and outreach to trusted legal and local publications.
For law firms, this case shows that link building isn’t just about SEO; it’s about increasing visibility among potential clients, building trust, and staying competitive in a crowded legal market.
Top link-building strategies for law firms
Here are strategies you can use to build high-quality backlinks to your law firm’s website.
These are tried-and-tested methods we’ve used to help legal firms improve their search rankings, attract more visitors, and generate steady inquiries.
1. Build link-worthy legal content and share it with the right people
One of the most reliable ways for law firms to earn high-quality backlinks is by publishing useful legal content and promoting it to websites that value trustworthy information.
This method works because lawyers have access to expert knowledge, and when it’s packaged well, it becomes a magnet for backlinks.
But just publishing isn’t enough. You also need to get it in front of journalists, bloggers, and editors who are looking for credible legal sources.
What type of legal content earns backlinks?
Law-related content performs well when it’s practical, easy to understand, and backed by real legal expertise. Here are some formats that consistently attract backlinks:
Legal guides for the public: Break down complex topics like personal injury claims, divorce procedures, or workers’ rights into easy-to-read guides.
Example: Kellum Law Firm’s “Personal Injury Claims: A Step-by-Step Guide” simplifies the legal process for clients, making it more accessible and providing valuable resources for potential clients seeking information.
Source Kellum Law Firm
Resource hubs: Create a collection of legal templates, checklists, or step-by-step instructions for common legal issues.
Example: Safety Culture’s “Legal Compliance Checklist” provides a practical, step-by-step guide for businesses to ensure they meet all necessary legal requirements.
Such resources are often shared across legal blogs and industry websites, helping businesses stay compliant while earning valuable backlinks.
Source Safety Culture
Legal FAQ pages: Answer frequently asked questions about key legal processes or recent legal changes. These pages often get cited in forums, articles, or local business websites.
Example: Latest Laws provides a comprehensive FAQ section on various legal topics, such as changes to family law or updates on personal injury claims.
This type of content frequently gets cited across legal blogs and news articles, generating quality backlinks.
Source Latest Laws
Legal statistics pages: Compile updated stats related to your legal practice area, like personal injury case trends or family court filing data.
Example: NCJRS (National Criminal Justice Reference Service) provides legal statistics on criminal justice trends, including arrest rates and case dispositions.
This data is frequently cited by researchers, journalists, and legal professionals, helping build backlinks to their site.
Source NCJRS
Original legal research or case commentary: Publish your insights or commentary on high-profile cases or new laws.
Example: The International Journal of Legal and Law Research (IJLLR) often publishes in-depth analysis and develops legal issues.
These articles are widely referenced by other legal professionals, contributing to a solid backlink profile.
Don’t just wait, do outreach
Once your content is live, it’s time to proactively connect with websites that would genuinely benefit from linking to it. Think local news outlets, legal blogs, nonprofit organizations, and businesses in similar spaces.
Craft a short, thoughtful message that introduces your content, highlights the value it brings to their audience, and politely suggests a link. Keep it professional—no pushy pitches.
Don’t have time to do it yourself? We handle targeted outreach, connecting your content with the right publications to earn high-quality links that boost your visibility and authority.
Don’t have time to do it yourself? Get in touch
💡 Pro Tip: Use tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to find who’s linking to similar legal content and reach out with your resource. Just avoid offering payment for links, as this can hurt your site if Google flags it.
2. Guest post on reputable websites
Guest posting is an effective strategy for law firms to gain valuable backlinks from high-authority websites. By sharing their legal expertise, lawyers can offer unique insights on various legal issues while gaining exposure on respected platforms.
When a law firm guest posts, they write an article for another guest posting website and include a backlink to their site.
This strategy results in a quality backlink and helps enhance the firm’s authority within the industry, as its content is published on established blogs or websites.
According to Ahrefs, the average cost of publishing a paid guest post is around $77.80, though prices can vary significantly based on the site’s authority and reach.
For guest posting to be successful, it’s important to target websites that are relevant to your practice area and have strong domain authority.
Lawyers can contribute expert opinions on law-related blogs or legal publications, or they can write about topics relevant to industries where legal advice is often needed, such as real estate, healthcare, or finance.
Guest posting on general interest platforms can also work, as long as the topic is engaging and useful to the publication’s audience.
3. Provide a scholarship
Scholarship link building is a powerful, though costly, strategy that can result in valuable backlinks from authoritative .edu websites.
The process involves creating a dedicated page on your website to advertise a scholarship, then reaching out to local colleges and relevant publications to promote your offer.
Since scholarships benefit students, many institutions are eager to link to your site.
Before launching a scholarship, consider factors like the scholarship amount, potential backlinking opportunities from local universities, and the scholarship’s requirements.
Source shookandstone
It’s also important to plan how you’ll manage applications and how the scholarship could be used beyond link building, such as for marketing or recruitment.
The Shook & Stone scholarship is open to undergraduate and law students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The $1,000 scholarship award is intended for academic use, but will be awarded without restrictions.
The scholarship page has a DR of 38 and a URL Rating UR of 10. It has earned 49 live backlinks from 32 referring domains.
Over time, it has accumulated a total of 1.4K backlinks from 161 referring domains.
4. Community mentions for law firms
Community mentions are a simple and effective way for law firms to build backlinks. By reaching out to businesses, clients, or professionals you’ve worked with, you can ask them to link to your website.
These links are valuable as they come from trusted and relevant sources.
Here are some opportunities for law firms to request backlinks.
- Client testimonials: Offer a testimonial to a business you’ve worked with and ask them to link back to your website if they use your testimonial on their site.
- Client blog mentions: If a client writes a blog post mentioning your firm, ask them to include a link to your website.
- Collaborative content: If you collaborate with another firm or legal professional, suggest writing a joint article or blog post about your partnership, with links to each other’s websites.
- Event participation: If your firm attends a legal conference or seminar, ask the event’s website to link to your site when listing participants or sponsors.
- Sponsorships: If your firm sponsors a group, charity event, or sports team, request that they include a backlink to your website on their platform.
These strategies can help law firms build a strong backlink profile by using connections and activities you already have.
5. Using free directories for easy backlinks
Free online directories offer a valuable and easy way for law firms to build backlinks, especially for local SEO.
Many reputable legal directories accept firm listings at no cost, which can significantly boost your website’s visibility.
Here are some popular legal directories where law firms can list their practice:
A simple Google search will reveal many more options.
To narrow it down, try using the site: operator in your search. For example, searching site:.edu legal directory or site:.org law firm listings.
It helps you find pages from specific domains like universities or nonprofits that may offer listing opportunities.
These can be more region-specific and highly relevant for your local link-building efforts.
One effective way to discover link opportunities is by analyzing your competitors’ backlink profiles.
Although directories may not always offer powerful links, especially if they are “nofollow” (links that don’t pass authority), they still serve as valuable opportunities for visibility.
Nofollow links do not directly influence search rankings, but they can bring in referral traffic and potential clients.
Additionally, getting listed on these directories can also make your firm more discoverable by those in need of legal services.
Summing up
Link building for lawyers is more than just improving search rankings; it’s about building credibility, earning trust, and making it easier for potential clients to find your services.
Whether it’s through legal directories, guest contributions, or partnerships within your community, each quality backlink plays a role in strengthening your firm’s digital presence.
Start building quality links for your law firm. Reach out now.
