The 26 AI Queries Your Law Firm Must Answer (And How to Check Them)
AI assistants do not run one search when someone asks for an attorney. They fan the question out into around 26 checks across identity, location, matter type, trust and practicalities. This guide lists all 26 and shows you how to test your own firm against them in about an hour.
When a prospect types "I need a divorce attorney in Sandton, my ex has taken the kids" into ChatGPT, the assistant does not look for that sentence. It breaks the request into smaller questions and answers each one from data it already trusts: your Google Business Profile, your listings, your reviews and your website content.
That process is the query fan-out. Firms that appear in AI recommendations are simply the firms that answer every level of it. Practice Matrix™ — the pages that make Google and AI recommend your firm by name — exists because the deepest level of the fan-out can only be answered with real content about a real matter in a real place.
Group 1 — Identity: does your firm exist to an AI?
These queries test whether an AI system can identify your practice at all. If your name, location and practice areas are inconsistent across the web, you fail here and nothing else matters.
- Who are the attorneys in [city]?
- Is [firm name] a real law firm?
- What does [firm name] specialise in?
- Where is [firm name] located?
- What are [firm name] contact details?
Group 2 — Place: does your firm belong to a location?
Geo queries test whether your address data, verified directory listings and location pages agree. Conflicting details make AI systems hedge, and hedging means they name a competitor instead.
- Attorneys near me
- Law firms in [suburb]
- Best law firm in [city]
- Attorney close to [landmark or court]
- Attorneys that serve [region]
- Attorney open now near me
Group 3 — Matter: does your firm handle this exact problem?
Intent queries are where most firms disappear. The AI is matching the caller's actual problem against real content. Generic practice-area pages do not survive this level.
- Who handles [matter] in [suburb]?
- Which attorney should I call about [problem]?
- Best [practice area] attorney for [specific situation]
- Attorney for a contested [matter]
- Do I need a lawyer for [situation]?
- Which firm handles [matter] on contingency?
Group 4 — Trust: would an AI risk recommending you?
AI assistants are cautious about recommending professionals. Review volume, recency, ratings and how you reply to criticism all feed into whether your firm makes the shortlist.
- Is [firm name] any good?
- Reviews for [firm name]
- Most trusted law firm in [city]
- Top 3 [practice area] firms in [city]
- Which attorneys have the best reviews in [city]?
Group 5 — Practicalities: can a client actually use you?
The last group is logistics. Fees, languages, consultation availability and hours are all things AI answers directly — and it can only answer them if your firm publishes them.
- How much does a [matter] cost in South Africa?
- Which attorneys offer a free first consultation?
- [practice area] attorney that speaks [language]
- Can I consult an attorney online in [city]?
Testing Your Firm Against the 26 Queries
Run each query in four places
Ask the same question in ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Google Search (watch for the AI Overview) and Google Maps Ask Maps. The answers differ, and so do the gaps.
Record whether your firm is named
Named, mentioned in passing, or absent. Write it down per query per platform. This is your baseline and it takes about an hour.
Note who is named instead
The firms appearing repeatedly are the ones whose profile, listings and content already match. They are your real competitive set, not the firms you assume they are.
Trace each miss to a cause
Identity misses point to inconsistent listings. Place misses point to missing location pages or address conflicts. Matter misses point to missing content. Trust misses point to reviews.
Fix the cause, then re-run in six weeks
AI systems refresh their underlying data on a lag. Changes made now usually show up in answers four to eight weeks later, so re-run the same 26 queries and compare.
We'll Run All 26 Queries for You
Your free 42-point visibility audit includes the full AI fan-out check across ChatGPT, Gemini, AI Overviews and Ask Maps — and shows you which firms are being named instead.