How people actually find and vet a lawyer
59% of legal consumers seek a referral, but 57% will look independently regardless. Reviews are the single most influential factor Clio measured in who they hire.
Published September 2, 2026
The assumption a lot of firms make is that legal work runs almost entirely on referrals, so marketing spend beyond word of mouth is close to wasted. Clio's own research doesn't support that as cleanly as it sounds.
Referral and independent search happen together
59% of legal consumers say they seek a referral when looking for an attorney. But 57% say they'll also go looking on their own, whether or not they got one — and 17% specifically search online, with another 17% visiting a firm's website while comparing options.
Put plainly: a referral gets a firm's name onto a shortlist. It doesn't get them hired on its own. The person who was referred still checks — and what they find in that check is often what decides it.
What decides it, according to Clio's own data
Of every factor Clio measured for influence on a hiring decision, client reviews scored the highest. Not years in practice. Not firm size. Reviews — because a referral tells a prospective client someone they trust had a good experience, and a review is the closest thing a stranger can offer to the same evidence.
What a firm's site actually needs to do
- Answer the specific questions someone searching after a referral is actually asking: does this firm handle my type of case, what does it typically cost, how fast do they respond.
- Show reviews prominently — not buried, given they're the single highest-impact factor in Clio's own findings.
- Make contact effortless: a phone number that's answered (see what an unanswered call costs a firm), not just a contact form that goes into a queue.
None of this replaces referrals — it's what makes them convert. See how we build law firm sites.
Frequently asked questions
Both, and they're not mutually exclusive. Clio's research found 59% of legal consumers seek a referral, but 57% will also search independently regardless of whether they got one. A referral gets you a name to check; it doesn't skip the checking.
Reviews. Of every factor Clio tracked in what actually influences a hiring decision, client reviews scored the highest impact — ahead of firm size, years in practice, or how the website looks.
Yes — 17% of legal consumers in Clio's data specifically visit a firm's website while shopping, even after a referral. It's often the step that turns a name someone was given into someone they actually call.