As event season ramps up, back in the legal marketing office AI overviews, legal directory referee responses and getting the most out of the effort involved in legal directory submissions has dominated the conversation.
In practicing what we preach, this article is repurposed from our monthly newsletter in which we try to balance our marketing insights and resources with the occasional piece of what we like to think is lightly witty content.
Before we get stuck in, there was a common thread throughout our newsletter. This month, the theme was gold. In future we might ask you to guess - (hooray) - but for now, it's back to legal marketing and directories:
Chambers and Legal 500 are contacting referees
While it feels like an age since the first Chambers UK deadline in November 2025, the research period for many Chambers categories is in full swing and the Legal 500 UK Bar referee outreach began on 4 May.
Since the deadline, we've been helping clients navigate the process of maximising their referee response rates. If you've submitted to one of the directories this year and haven't yet reached out to your referees, now is one of your last chances to do that.
Referee feedback carries significant weight with both Chambers and Legal 500 (some might say it's worth its weight in gold). What that they say matter and similarly, so does whether they respond at all.
Read our tips for maximising referee response rates →
Your legal directory submissions are a goldmine, so wheres the gold?
It's also a great time to consider how the effort that went into your directory submissions could support your firm's marketing throughout the year.
Law firms are often questioning the resources involved in the directory submission process. Some redirect their internal resources to focusing almost solely on directories until the deadline, while others outsource it to us.
Then like clockwork, after the deadline, submissions are left untouched and forgetting the golden rule of marketing: ROI.
The answer to getting the most out of directories before rankings are realised is to not treating them as standalone exercise, but instead as a springboard to refresh and inform broader marketing efforts.
Here are our favourite strategies to maximise your ROI →
Getting your law firm featured in AI Overviews
Looking further beyond the directories, more and more firms have questions about the impact of AI Overviews on their ability to attract clients.
Google’s AI Overviews and the results generated by ChatGPT, Gemini and other LLMs are already shaping how clients choose legal providers. Google’s May I/O update shows that the Search we all know, love and/or tolerate is moving towards longer, more detailed, AI-led searches, but how are law firms actually getting featured in AI overviews?
Our recent article explains what Google's May 2026 I/O update means for law firm SEO, content and client acquisition.
The key actions law firms are taking:
Direct Q&A - Tailoring website content to the queries clients are asking and AI systems are answering.
Credibility & Editorial - Getting mentioned in respected publications, legal commentary sites and industry platforms. This includes legal directories, awards and PR.
Omnipresence - Maintaining a presence across multiple platforms signals topical authority.
This is covered in further detail in our guide to how UK law firms can rank in AI searches →
#TheArchives: Yellow Pages Edition
With all the talk of AI, we decided to indulge in a little nostalgia - taking a look back in the SEO archives to a time when securing the golden top spot was as simple as naming your law firm: anything that began with 'A1'. It certainly reminds us that while marketing evolves, some things never change.
We're certain this was the original SEO, before Google existed and web-based search was just a figment of Larry Page and Sergey Brin’s imaginations.
Today, that strategy might raise eyebrows. Favouring shortcut tactics over long-term brand identity is also a sure way to make your marketing manager sweat.
Nonetheless, it’s a brilliant reminder that while marketing trends evolve, the hunger to stand out never fades.
We hope you come back next month and since you made it this far, we hope you'll join our mailing list to get the June 2026 update delivered straight to your inbox. We share one mailing each month, so you don't have to worry about us flooding your inbox.
About author
Rhia brings over 11 years of experience across legal marketing strategy, directories and communications. She is also an unofficial brand ambassador for reformer pilates.
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