If you’ve searched your law firm’s name lately. Or checked rankings for common legal questions. Then you’ve probably seen it.
- Google’s AI Overviews showing up at the top of the page.
- Answers appearing before anyone clicks a website.
- And a growing fear that traditional SEO might not matter anymore.
It used to be a game of BLUE LINKS and getting to #1 in the search engines. But now that has changed.
So the question a lot of law firms are asking in 2026 is simple:
Are we wasting money on SEO, or does it still work?
According to legal SEO veteran Jared DeValk, the short answer is no. SEO isn’t dead. But what it produces has changed.
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SEO Didn’t Change. What It Produces Did.
One of the biggest mistakes Jared sees right now is people assuming AI has rewritten the rules of search.
It hasn’t.
At its core, SEO is still about the same fundamentals it’s always been about:
trust, authority, and credibility.
Whether the decision-maker is Google’s algorithm or a large language model generating an AI answer, the signals being used are largely the same:
- Backlinks
- Brand mentions
- Content depth
- Reviews
- Social proof
AI tools don’t invent information out of thin air. They rely on search engines like Google and Bing, and the broader web to decide who is trustworthy enough to cite or mention.
In other words, AI is standing on top of SEO, not replacing it.
Where Law Firms Are Actually Losing Traffic
That said, something has changed—and law firms are feeling it.
The biggest loss right now is happening around informational searches.
Questions like:
- “What happens after a DUI?”
- “What are the penalties for domestic assault in Arkansas?”
- “How does divorce work in this state?”
These are exactly the kinds of searches AI Overviews can answer instantly.
From the consumer’s perspective, that’s a win. Most people don’t want to visit a law firm website just to get a basic answer. They want clarity, fast.
And AI is giving it to them.
The result?
Fewer clicks for informational content—even when impressions stay high.
This isn’t just affecting organic SEO. Jared points out that even paid ads are losing leverage here, because AI is answering questions before users ever see the ads.
Interestingly, this also means Google is cannibalizing some of its own ad revenue, which suggests this shift isn’t accidental or temporary.
Why This Isn’t as Bad as It Feels
Losing traffic sounds bad. But Jared’s point is more nuanced.
People who are only looking for information often aren’t ready to hire a lawyer anyway. In the past, law firms spent time answering basic questions on free consultations or through long articles that never converted.
Now, those people are educating themselves first.
By the time someone is ready to hire an attorney, they move into a very different kind of search.
And that’s where things haven’t changed much at all.
Bottom-of-Funnel Searches Are Still Chugging Along
Searches like:
- “DUI attorney Nashville”
- “Personal injury lawyer near me”
- “Family lawyer [city]”
These are money searches.
And according to Jared, you generally won’t see AI Overviews dominating these results.
Instead, you’ll see:
- Local Services Ads
- PPC ads
- The map pack
- Traditional organic listings
Why? Because Google is very good at monetizing these searches—and users still need to take action. They can’t hire a lawyer inside an AI answer.
This means law firms are not losing traction where it actually counts.
Why Content Still Matters (Even If People Don’t Click)
Here’s the part many firms miss.
Even if someone never clicks your article, your content still matters.
Why?
Because when AI tools decide which firms to mention—or which names feel familiar when someone is ready to hire, they’re pulling from the same authority signals SEO has always built.
If your firm consistently:
- Publishes clear, helpful content
- Demonstrates expertise
- Shows up across the web with consistent branding
Then when a prospect finishes their research and searches for an attorney, your name is more likely to surface. Both in AI-influenced results and traditional search.
Content’s role has shifted from “traffic generator” to trust builder.
The Real Shift Law Firms Need to Grasp
The biggest change in 2026 isn’t technical. It’s behavioral.
People don’t need to call a law firm just to ask basic questions anymore. And honestly, many attorneys are glad those calls are disappearing.
What matters now is:
- Being visible when someone needs representation
- Being trusted when AI summarizes the landscape
- Being remembered when the decision is finally made
SEO still does that job.
It just does it earlier in the process and quieter in the background.
Where Do We Go From Here?
AI Overviews didn’t kill law firm SEO.
They stripped away low-intent traffic and exposed what SEO was actually good at all along:
building authority, trust, and long-term visibility.
The firms that stay focused on fundamentals—rather than chasing shortcuts or panicking over AI—are the ones positioned to win in 2026 and beyond.
This topic and the inspiration for this article came up during this AI for Law Firms podcast episode with Jared DeValk from Nashville Digital.