Categories to consider
- Personal injury attorney (primary, use your practice area)
- Law firm
- Lawyer
- Family law attorney
- Criminal justice attorney
- Estate planning attorney
- Bankruptcy attorney
- Immigration attorney
- Employment attorney
Attributes
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Wheelchair-accessible parking
- Small business
- Latino-owned
- Women-owned
Typical services
- Free initial consultation
- Car accident claims
- Divorce and custody
- Wills and trusts
- Chapter 7 bankruptcy
- Criminal defense
- Visa and green card applications
- Workplace discrimination claims
The virtual office trap
Firms that want to appear in every nearby city are often tempted to rent virtual offices or day-use suites to do it. Google’s guidelines are direct: a virtual office isn’t eligible for a Business Profile. An office in a co-working space counts only if it keeps clear signage, receives clients during business hours and is staffed by your team during those hours. P.O. boxes and remote mailboxes don’t qualify either. Profiles that break these rules can be suspended.
The honest path to more cities is a real, staffed office in each. Each staffed office can have its own firm profile.
Firm and attorney profiles
Attorneys are named in Google’s guidelines as practitioners. Each one who serves clients publicly and can be reached at the office during stated hours can have a profile. Where several attorneys share an office, the firm has its own profile and each attorney’s profile uses only the attorney’s name. A solo attorney practicing under a firm brand uses one shared profile named “Firm: Attorney Name”. Paralegals and assistants should not have profiles, and one attorney should not have separate profiles for personal injury, workers’ comp and so on.
Category by practice area
Google prefers the specific category. A firm that only handles divorces and custody is a Family law attorney first, not a general Law firm. For an attorney’s own profile, pick the practice area they’re known for. Lawyer and Law firm work as broader secondaries. Add more practice-area categories only for areas the firm takes on regularly; list narrower matters as services.
Name rules
Use the firm name as it appears on the door and letterhead. Google bans location details and taglines in names, so “Smith Law: Best Car Accident Lawyer Dallas” will be rejected or edited.
Confidentiality when clients review the firm
A client review can touch confidential matters. Keep replies short and generic. Never confirm representation, outcomes, fees or facts of a case. If a reviewer threatens action, stop replying and handle it offline with appropriate counsel. Whether a reply could breach confidentiality rules is a question for your bar’s ethics guidance, so when in doubt, post nothing beyond a thank-you and an invitation to call the office.
If it doesn't work
- A profile at a shared executive suite was suspended: virtual offices aren't eligible. Only staffed offices with signage that receive clients qualify.
- An attorney has a separate profile for each practice area: Google allows one per practitioner. Remove the extras.
- A firm name edit with city keywords was rejected: names can't include location details. Use the name on your letterhead and door.
- A reply was flagged: replies are checked against content policy and can take up to 30 days to review.
Questions owners ask
Can our firm keep profiles in cities where we only meet clients by appointment in rented rooms?
Google says virtual offices aren't eligible. A co-working or shared space only qualifies with clear signage, customers received during business hours and your team on site in those hours. Rooms booked by the hour usually fail that test.
Can lawyers advertise with Local Services Ads?
Lawyers are on Google's Local Services Ads list in the US, along with many practice areas. Each attorney needs a state bar license check, every listed category needs owner identity verification, and professional liability insurance is required where local law applies.
How should I reply when a former client reviews us?
Don't confirm the person was a client or discuss the matter. Thank them for the feedback and invite them to contact the office directly. Professional conduct rules on confidentiality may apply, and that question belongs with your bar's ethics guidance, not a help page.
Sources
- Guidelines for representing your business on Google (support.google.com)
- Business screening and verification requirements (support.google.com)
- Manage customer reviews (support.google.com)
Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.