# Which legal directories does AI cite?

> When an AI assistant names a personal injury lawyer, it usually points to a legal directory as its evidence. We counted which ones, then read each directory's own rules: what is free, what is earned, what is paid, and which AI crawlers each one lets in.

Updated October 7, 2026 · AI Syndicate team · https://www.aisyndicate.com/blog/which-legal-directories-does-ai-cite/

**Quick answer:** In our October 2026 study of 12 AI assistants, **Justia** was the most-cited site for personal injury lawyers (5.9% of the trade's citations), followed by **Super Lawyers** and **Avvo**. Justia and Avvo profiles are free to claim. Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers are earned through peer review and can't be bought. None of these directories blocks the AI search crawlers.

**Our take:** For a law firm, an unclaimed directory profile is a reference letter written by a stranger. AI assistants cite Justia, Avvo and Super Lawyers more often than most firms' own sites when they name an injury lawyer. Avvo builds a profile for lawyers it can find, claimed or not. Claiming it costs nothing and decides what the engine reads about you.

## What are the key facts about legal directories and AI?

| Fact | Detail | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal injury lawyers | Justia is most cited (5.9%), then Super Lawyers and Avvo | AI Syndicate study, October 2026 |
| Criminal defense lawyers | Justia (6.9%), then Avvo and Super Lawyers | AI Syndicate study, October 2026 |
| Business litigation lawyers | Super Lawyers (8.7%), then Best Lawyers and Avvo | AI Syndicate study, October 2026 |
| Speeding ticket lawyers | Avvo (10.4%), then Justia and FindLaw | AI Syndicate study, October 2026 |
| Justia | "There is no fee to be listed and have a complete profile" | Justia |
| Avvo | Builds profiles for licensed attorneys it can locate; no 1–10 rating until the profile is claimed | Avvo |
| Super Lawyers | "Five percent of the total lawyers in the state are selected"; lawyers can't nominate themselves | Super Lawyers |
| Best Lawyers | "based entirely on peer review"; lawyers are "neither required nor permitted to pay" | Best Lawyers |
| AI search crawlers | None of the directories we checked blocks `OAI-SearchBot`, `Claude-SearchBot` or `PerplexityBot` in robots.txt | Each site's robots.txt, 2026-10-07 |
| Paying for recommendations | Lawyers may pay for advertising, but not for someone "recommending the lawyer's services" | ABA Model Rule 7.2 |

## Which directories did AI cite most for lawyers?

Justia, Super Lawyers and Avvo, in that order, for personal injury lawyers. In October 2026 we asked 12 AI assistants three fixed questions in 600 local markets, including four kinds of lawyer in 30 metros across Florida, California, New York and Texas, and recorded every site they cited. [AI Syndicate](/research/ai-local-report-october-2026/)

**Most-cited site for each type of lawyer**

_Share of that trade's citations, 30 metros, October 2026. Ranked firms' own websites are left out._

| Type of lawyer | Top site's share | Top site |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Speeding ticket lawyers | 10.4% | Avvo |
| Business litigation lawyers | 8.7% | Super Lawyers |
| Criminal defense lawyers | 6.9% | Justia |
| Personal injury lawyers | 5.9% | Justia |

Three things stand out:

- **The legal directories carry across the whole study.** Avvo (1.3%) and Justia (1.2%) were among the ten most-cited sites of all 37,355 citations, alongside general sites such as Yelp and the Better Business Bureau.
- **The leader is small.** Even the top site took under 6% of injury lawyer citations. The rest spread over many directories, review sites, local news and firm pages, so no single profile decides the answer.
- **Each kind of law has its own leader.** Peer-selected lists such as Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers led for business litigation; Avvo led for speeding tickets. A firm should check which sites the engines cite for its own practice area and city.

For the rest of the injury firm playbook, see [how personal injury lawyers get recommended by AI](/blog/how-personal-injury-lawyers-get-recommended-by-ai/).

## Which legal directory profiles are free?

Justia, Avvo and FindLaw's basic listing cost nothing. Each sells paid upgrades on top.

**Justia.** "Any attorney licensed in the United States can have a free profile in the Justia Lawyer Directory," and "There is no fee to be listed and have a complete profile." A profile is claimed from its own page, verified by email, phone or photo. [Justia](https://lawyers.justia.com/faq) Justia also sells "premium marketing solutions, including websites, premium directory placements." [Justia](https://company.justia.com/)

**Avvo.** Avvo creates "profiles for licensed attorneys that we can locate" at no cost, whether or not they sign up. The Avvo Rating is "a 1–10 score" made by "an automated algorithm" from experience, education, "Peer endorsements from other attorneys," and "Disciplinary history and ethical sanctions." Avvo says "Lawyers cannot pay for a better rating," and "We don't provide a numerical rating for an attorney until they have claimed their profile." [Avvo](https://www.avvo.com/support/articles/1009448-understanding-the-avvo-ratin.html) Claiming is done by searching your name and verifying through LinkedIn, Facebook, email or phone. [Avvo](https://www.avvo.com/support/articles/913935-how-do-i-claim-my-profile.html)

**FindLaw.** "With a basic (free) listing, you can update information such as your name, address, phone" and practice area; fuller profiles are sold. [FindLaw](https://profileupdate.findlaw.com/help/frequently-asked-questions/)

**Who owns what.** Avvo "joined Internet Brands as part of the Martindale‑Avvo network" in 2018, and FindLaw was acquired by Internet Brands in 2024, joining Martindale-Hubbell and Avvo. [Avvo](https://www.avvo.com/about_avvo), [FindLaw](https://www.findlaw.com/company/company-history/findlaw-corporate-information-press-company-background.html) Justia is an independent company in Mountain View, California. [Justia](https://company.justia.com/) So one company runs several of the profiles an engine may read; keep them consistent with each other.

## Can a lawyer pay to get on Super Lawyers or Best Lawyers?

No. Both are peer-reviewed lists, and both say inclusion can't be bought.

**Super Lawyers.** "Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators." "Lawyers cannot nominate themselves." "Five percent of the total lawyers in the state are selected," and "the top 2.5 percent are named to the Rising Stars list." [Super Lawyers](https://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection-process/)

**Best Lawyers.** "Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review," and "Lawyers can be nominated by anyone, including themselves." [Best Lawyers](https://www.bestlawyers.com/methodology) Best Lawyers says lawyers are "neither required nor permitted to pay for inclusion." [Best Lawyers](https://www.bestlawyers.com/article/integrity-of-best-lawyers-voting-process/5041)

**Martindale-Hubbell.** The AV Preeminent rating comes from "a secure online peer review survey" in which a lawyer's ethical standards and legal ability are "assessed by their peers." [Martindale-Hubbell](https://www.martindale.com/ratings-and-reviews/)

**Expertise.com** works differently. It screens firms using "public databases and customer referrals," licensing checks, review data and mystery-shopper calls, and "Once a provider has passed our review & selection process, they may choose to advertise on the page." [Expertise.com](https://www.expertise.com/about/our-selection-process) Its city pages for injury lawyers say featured lawyers pay an advertising cost. [Expertise.com](https://www.expertise.com/legal/personal-injury-lawyers/california/los-angeles)

> **What this means in plain words:** the earned lists reward the reputation you build with other lawyers. You can't buy them, but you can make sure the lawyers who know your work know you're eligible.

## Do legal directories let AI crawlers in?

They let the AI search crawlers in. Several block OpenAI's training crawler. We read each site's robots.txt on October 7, 2026.

| Directory | What its robots.txt says about AI crawlers |
| --- | --- |
| Justia | Allows everything; the lawyer directory blocks only claim and captcha paths |
| Avvo | Blocks `GPTBot`; names no other AI crawler |
| Super Lawyers | Explicitly allows `PerplexityBot`; blocks no AI crawler |
| FindLaw | Names no AI crawler |
| Martindale-Hubbell | Blocks `GPTBot` |
| Lawyers.com | Blocks `GPTBot` and `GoogleOther` |
| Expertise.com | Blocks `GPTBot` and `ClaudeBot` |
| Best Lawyers | Explicitly allows `OAI-SearchBot`, `ChatGPT-User`, `PerplexityBot` and `ClaudeBot` |

**Why the difference matters.** `GPTBot` is OpenAI's training crawler. The crawler behind ChatGPT search is `OAI-SearchBot`, and "Sites that are opted out of OAI-SearchBot will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers." [OpenAI](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots) Anthropic lists `ClaudeBot` for training and `Claude-SearchBot` for search results. [Anthropic](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8896518-does-anthropic-crawl-data-from-the-web-and-how-can-site-owners-block-the-crawler) None of these directories blocks the search crawlers, which fits how often the engines cite them.

One limit on this table: robots.txt is only the published rule. Some of these sites challenged our ordinary page fetches at the network level, and we did not test how they treat each AI company's own crawler.

## What do the bar rules say about directory listings and awards?

Paying for a listing is advertising, which is allowed. Paying someone to recommend you is not. ABA Model Rule 7.2(b) says a lawyer "shall not compensate, give or promise anything of value to a person for recommending the lawyer's services," with exceptions that include "the reasonable costs of advertisements." Its comments count "on-line directory listings" as advertising, and say a lawyer "must not pay a lead generator that states, implies, or creates a reasonable impression that it is recommending the lawyer." [ABA](https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_7_2_advertising/), [ABA comments](https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_7_2_advertising/comment_on_rule_7_2/)

**"Specialist" is a regulated word.** Rule 7.2(c): a lawyer "shall not state or imply that a lawyer is certified as a specialist in a particular field of law" unless the certifying body is approved or ABA-accredited and is named. [ABA](https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_7_2_advertising/)

**Advertising an award has rules too.** New Jersey is a clear example. Its RPC 7.1(a)(3), amended in 2009, treats a comparison as misleading unless the comparing organization is named, the basis can be substantiated, and the ad carries the disclaimer "No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey." [NJ Courts](https://www.njcourts.gov/sites/default/files/notices/2009/11/n091104g.pdf) A 2021 notice naming Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers and AV Preeminent says a lawyer may say they were included on a list, but "must not describe the lawyer as being a Super Lawyer." [NJ Courts](https://njcourts.gov/sites/default/files/notices/2021/05/n210510a.pdf)

The Model Rules are a template; your state's version is the one that binds you. For chatbots and AI-written ads, see [the bar rules for AI marketing at injury firms](/blog/ai-marketing-ethics-for-personal-injury-firms/).

## How should an injury firm set up its directory profiles for AI?

This is our advice, built on the sourced facts above.

1. **See which directories AI cites for you.** Ask four or five engines for "best personal injury lawyer in [city]" and list every directory they link to.
2. **Claim the free profiles first.** Justia, Avvo and FindLaw's basic listing cost nothing; claiming Avvo also turns on its rating.
3. **Copy one set of facts everywhere.** The same firm name, address, phone, practice areas and bar admissions as your website and Business Profile.
4. **Fill in the practice details.** Injury types you handle, cities you serve, languages, years in practice. A blank profile gives an engine nothing to quote.
5. **Link the profiles from your site.** Add them to `sameAs` in your `LegalService` and `Person` markup.
6. **Earn the peer lists.** Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers can't be bought; they come from other lawyers' views of your work.
7. **Advertise awards within your state's rules.** Name the organization, keep the basis on file, and add any disclaimer your state requires.
8. **Re-check every quarter.** Update the profiles when a lawyer joins or leaves, or the firm moves.

## What is the legal directory checklist for AI?

| Check | Done when | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cited directories known | You have a list of the directories AI links to for your practice area and city | Our advice |
| Justia | Every lawyer's free profile is claimed and complete | Justia |
| Avvo | Every lawyer's profile is claimed, so a rating shows | Avvo |
| FindLaw | The basic listing has the right name, address, phone and practice area | FindLaw |
| Facts match | Name, address and phone match your website and Business Profile everywhere | Our advice |
| Markup links | `sameAs` points to each directory profile | Schema.org |
| Awards advertised correctly | The organization is named, the basis is on file, and required disclaimers are shown | ABA Model Rule 7.1; your state bar |
| No "specialist" claim | Used only with an approved, named certifying body | ABA Model Rule 7.2(c) |
| No paid recommendations | Paid listings are advertising, not a third party "recommending" you | ABA Model Rule 7.2(b) |

## How do I see which directories AI uses for my firm?

Ask the questions a client asks, in your city, and read the links: "Best personal injury lawyer in [city]", "Car accident lawyer near [neighborhood]" and "Is [your firm name] a good law firm?" Write down every directory cited and whether your firm appears on it.

Our [Prompt Simulator](/prompt-simulator/) asks one question across 12 AI engines at once and lists the sources each one cites. The current AI ranking for injury lawyers in each city we track is in [AI Local](/ai-local/best/personal-injury-lawyers/).

## FAQ

### Which legal directory does AI cite most?

For personal injury and criminal defense lawyers it was Justia in our October 2026 study of 12 AI assistants. Super Lawyers led for business litigation lawyers, and Avvo for speeding ticket lawyers. [AI Syndicate](/research/ai-local-report-october-2026/)

### Is a Justia lawyer profile free?

Yes. Justia says "There is no fee to be listed and have a complete profile in the Justia Lawyer Directory." It sells premium placements separately. [Justia](https://lawyers.justia.com/faq)

### Do I have an Avvo profile even if I never signed up?

Probably. Avvo creates profiles for licensed attorneys it can locate, at no cost. It doesn't show a numerical Avvo Rating until the lawyer claims the profile. [Avvo](https://www.avvo.com/support/articles/1009448-understanding-the-avvo-ratin.html)

### Can I pay to be on Super Lawyers?

No. Selection combines peer nominations, independent research and peer evaluation, and lawyers can't nominate themselves. Five percent of lawyers in each state are selected. [Super Lawyers](https://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection-process/)

### Does Avvo block ChatGPT?

Its robots.txt blocks `GPTBot`, OpenAI's training crawler, but not `OAI-SearchBot`, the crawler OpenAI uses for ChatGPT search answers. We read it on October 7, 2026. [Avvo robots.txt](https://www.avvo.com/robots.txt), [OpenAI](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots)

## Sources

1. [AI Changed Its #1 Local Pick in 52% of Markets (AI Local Report, October 2026)](https://www.aisyndicate.com/research/ai-local-report-october-2026/) — AI Syndicate. Read Oct 7, 2026.
2. [Justia Lawyer Directory FAQ](https://lawyers.justia.com/faq) — Justia. Read Oct 7, 2026.
3. [About Justia](https://company.justia.com/) — Justia. Read Oct 7, 2026.
4. [Understanding the Avvo Rating](https://www.avvo.com/support/articles/1009448-understanding-the-avvo-ratin.html) — Avvo. Read Oct 7, 2026.
5. [How do I claim my profile?](https://www.avvo.com/support/articles/913935-how-do-i-claim-my-profile.html) — Avvo. Read Oct 7, 2026.
6. [About Avvo](https://www.avvo.com/about_avvo) — Avvo. Read Oct 7, 2026.
7. [Selection Process](https://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection-process/) — Super Lawyers. Read Oct 7, 2026.
8. [Frequently Asked Questions](https://profileupdate.findlaw.com/help/frequently-asked-questions/) — FindLaw. Read Oct 7, 2026.
9. [FindLaw corporate information and company background](https://www.findlaw.com/company/company-history/findlaw-corporate-information-press-company-background.html) — FindLaw. Read Oct 7, 2026.
10. [Ratings and Reviews](https://www.martindale.com/ratings-and-reviews/) — Martindale-Hubbell. Read Oct 7, 2026.
11. [Methodology](https://www.bestlawyers.com/methodology) — Best Lawyers. Read Oct 7, 2026.
12. [The Integrity of the Best Lawyers Voting Process](https://www.bestlawyers.com/article/integrity-of-best-lawyers-voting-process/5041) — Best Lawyers. Read Oct 7, 2026.
13. [Our Selection Process](https://www.expertise.com/about/our-selection-process) — Expertise.com. Read Oct 7, 2026.
14. [Best Personal Injury Lawyers in Los Angeles](https://www.expertise.com/legal/personal-injury-lawyers/california/los-angeles) — Expertise.com. Read Oct 7, 2026.
15. [robots.txt](https://www.avvo.com/robots.txt) — Avvo. Read Oct 7, 2026.
16. [robots.txt](https://www.martindale.com/robots.txt) — Martindale-Hubbell. Read Oct 7, 2026.
17. [robots.txt](https://www.expertise.com/robots.txt) — Expertise.com. Read Oct 7, 2026.
18. [Overview of OpenAI Crawlers](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/bots) — OpenAI. Read Oct 7, 2026.
19. [Does Anthropic crawl data from the web, and how can site owners block the crawler?](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8896518-does-anthropic-crawl-data-from-the-web-and-how-can-site-owners-block-the-crawler) — Anthropic Help Center. Read Oct 7, 2026.
20. [Model Rule 7.2: Communications Concerning a Lawyer's Services: Specific Rules](https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_7_2_advertising/) — American Bar Association. Read Oct 7, 2026.
21. [Comment on Rule 7.2](https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_7_2_advertising/comment_on_rule_7_2/) — American Bar Association. Read Oct 7, 2026.
22. [Notice to the Bar: Amendments to RPC 7.1(a)(3) (November 2, 2009)](https://www.njcourts.gov/sites/default/files/notices/2009/11/n091104g.pdf) — New Jersey Courts. Read Oct 7, 2026.
23. [Committee on Attorney Advertising, Notice to the Bar (May 5, 2021)](https://njcourts.gov/sites/default/files/notices/2021/05/n210510a.pdf) — New Jersey Courts. Read Oct 7, 2026.