Law firms should spend a lot of time thinking about how many Google reviews they have and what their average star rating looks like.
Those things definitely matter.
But – there is another factor that is becoming increasingly important:
How recent are your reviews?
A law firm may have 100, 200, or even 500 reviews, but if the newest ones are several months old, prospective clients may start wondering whether those reviews still reflect the experience of working with the firm today.
That is why review recency matters both on your Google Business Profile and on your website.
People Are Reading Reviews Before Contacting a Law Firm
Reviews play a major role in how consumers evaluate local businesses.
BrightLocal’s 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 97% of consumers use reviews to help make purchase decisions, and Google remains the most commonly used platform for local reviews.
For law firms, that means your Google Business Profile is often part of the decision-making process before someone ever calls your office.
A prospective client may search for a divorce attorney, estate planning lawyer, or probate attorney, compare several firms, read reviews, and then visit a website before deciding whom to contact.
That makes your reviews part of your marketing funnel.
Recent Reviews Carry More Weight, Especially for Law Firms
One of the most important findings in BrightLocal’s 2026 research is that 74% of consumers care about reviews written within the last three months.
Even more notably, 44% say a review posted within the last month is an important positive factor when evaluating a business.
This is important because older reviews answer a different question than recent ones.
An older review may prove that your firm provided excellent service at some point in the past.
A recent review tells a prospective client:
People are still hiring this firm, and they are still having a good experience.
That makes ongoing review generation much more valuable than simply building a large review count and then letting it sit.
Consistency Across Reviews Builds Trust
Prospects are also looking for patterns.
BrightLocal found that 56% of consumers consider consistent sentiment across multiple reviews an important factor.
For a law firm, that may mean multiple clients independently mentioning things like:
- strong communication,
- responsiveness,
- compassion,
- professionalism,
- clear explanations,
- or feeling supported during a difficult situation.
One positive review is helpful.
Several recent reviews repeating the same strengths are much more convincing.
They help a prospective client understand what working with your firm may actually feel like.
Your Website Should Reflect Your Current Reputation
This is where many law firms miss an opportunity.
A firm may have excellent recent Google reviews, but its website still has a Testimonials page filled with static quotes such as:
“They were wonderful.”
– Former Client
or:
“Highly recommend.”
– J.S.
There may be no date, no source, and no way for a visitor to know when the testimonial was written.
That matters because 54% of consumers visit a business’s website after reading positive reviews.
In other words, someone may first see your reputation on Google and then visit your website for additional reassurance.
Your website should reinforce what they just saw.
Displaying recent Google reviews on your website can help by showing:
- the review text,
- the star rating,
- the reviewer name as displayed on Google,
- and the review date.
That gives prospects more current and recognizable social proof than a page filled entirely with undated testimonials.
Reviews Matter Even More on Paid Landing Pages
If your law firm is running Google Ads, this becomes especially important.
You are paying to send prospective clients to a specific page.
That page should do everything possible to help build trust.
If a visitor lands on a page explaining your experience, practice areas, credentials, and services but sees little or no recent client feedback, you may be leaving out one of the strongest credibility signals you already have.
Even a small section featuring several recent strong reviews can help reinforce that real clients are currently hiring your firm and having positive experiences.
Keep Asking for Reviews for Your Firm
The best way to keep your reviews current is to make review requests part of your normal client process.
Google allows businesses to ask customers for honest reviews and provides review links and QR codes to make the process easier. (support.google.com)
The key is consistency.
Do not depend on someone at the office remembering to ask every once in a while.
Build a repeatable process so review requests happen regularly.
And always ask for an honest review, not specifically a five-star review.
Reviews - The Bottom Line
Your total number of reviews still matters.
Your average rating still matters.
But in 2026, recency matters too.
Prospective clients want evidence that people are still hiring your firm and still having positive experiences.
That means law firms should focus on three things:
Keep earning new reviews.
Keep your Google Business Profile active.
Make sure your website reflects the current reputation you have already built.
If your firm has strong Google reviews but your website is still showing old, static testimonials – or no reviews at all – that is worth fixing.
At Integrity First Technology Solutions, we help small law firms improve how their websites, Google presence, reviews, and digital marketing work together to turn more online visitors into potential clients.
Check out our free review service that can help you get more clients by showcasing recent reviews!