Casey Meraz: The Law Firm AI Expert
Leading the charge in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)—ensuring law firms are recommended by ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and the AI systems that will define the future of how people find lawyers.
The Shift from SEO to GEO: Why Law Firms Must Adapt
The way people find lawyers is fundamentally changing. For two decades, search engine optimization meant ranking in Google's blue links. Today, a new paradigm is emerging: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)—the practice of ensuring your law firm is recommended by AI assistants.
When someone asks ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, Perplexity, or Claude "Who's the best personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles?", these AI systems don't show a list of search results. They synthesize information from across the web and provide a direct recommendation. If your firm isn't being mentioned, you're invisible to a growing segment of potential clients.
Casey Meraz recognized this shift early. As the leading law firm SEO expert with 15+ years of experience navigating search evolution, he's now pioneering GEO strategies specifically designed for the legal industry.
What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of optimizing your online presence to be recommended by AI-powered systems. Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on ranking in search result pages, GEO ensures AI systems:
- Know your firm exists and understand what services you provide
- Trust your firm based on authority signals across the web
- Recommend your firm when users ask relevant questions
- Cite your firm accurately with correct information
How AI Systems Evaluate Law Firms
AI systems like ChatGPT and Google Gemini evaluate law firms differently than traditional search algorithms. Understanding these factors is crucial for GEO success:
Entity Clarity
AI systems need to understand exactly what your firm is, where it operates, what practice areas it covers, and who works there. Ambiguous or inconsistent information leads to poor AI recommendations.
Authority Signals
AI systems look for mentions in authoritative sources—legal directories, news publications, industry websites, and scholarly content. These citations build the trust AI needs to recommend your firm.
E-E-A-T Factors
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust—Google's quality guidelines—are even more important for AI. Content that demonstrates real expertise and experience is prioritized in AI recommendations.
Review Sentiment
AI systems analyze reviews across platforms to gauge client satisfaction. The volume, recency, and sentiment of reviews all influence whether AI recommends your firm.
Content Quality
AI systems can evaluate content quality in ways traditional algorithms couldn't. Comprehensive, accurate, helpful content that truly answers user questions is essential for GEO.
Why Casey Meraz is the Law Firm AI Expert
Casey has been at the forefront of every major shift in search technology:
- 2002: Started in SEO before most businesses knew it existed
- 2008: Built enterprise SEO programs at Intuit
- 2013-2015: Contributed to Moz Local Ranking Factors study
- 2015-Present: Led law firms through mobile-first, voice search, and featured snippet evolutions
- 2024-Present: Pioneering GEO strategies for the AI-first future
This history of anticipating and adapting to search evolution positions Casey uniquely to help law firms navigate the AI transition. He understands that the fundamentals—quality content, authority, trust—remain constant, but how we optimize for these factors is evolving rapidly.
Preparing Your Law Firm for AI-Powered Search
The transition to AI-powered search isn't happening overnight, but law firms that prepare now will have a significant advantage. Casey's approach integrates:
Foundational SEO
Traditional SEO remains essential and actually feeds AI systems. A strong SEO foundation ensures your content is being indexed and analyzed by the systems that train AI.
Entity Building
Creating clear, consistent entity signals across all digital touchpoints so AI systems understand exactly who you are and what you do.
Authority Development
Building genuine authority through quality content, strategic PR, and industry recognition that gives AI systems confidence to recommend you.
AI Monitoring
Tracking how AI systems currently respond to queries about your practice areas and competitors to identify opportunities and gaps.
The Future of Legal Marketing is AI-First
Within the next few years, AI assistants will become the primary way many people search for professional services including lawyers. Law firms that establish authority with AI systems now will dominate their markets.
"The firms that understand GEO and start building AI authority today will have an insurmountable advantage over competitors who wait. This is the most significant shift in how people find lawyers since Google launched—and it's happening faster than most realize."
— Casey Meraz
GEO Strategies for Law Firms
Comprehensive optimization approaches designed to ensure AI systems recommend your firm.
Entity Optimization
Building clear, authoritative entity signals that AI systems can confidently reference when answering legal questions.
Structured Data Enhancement
Comprehensive schema markup that helps AI understand your firm's expertise, location, and practice areas.
Citation Building
Establishing consistent presence across authoritative sources that AI systems reference for verification.
Content Authority
Creating expert content that demonstrates E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust) that AI prioritizes.
Brand Mentions
Strategic PR and content placement that builds the brand recognition AI systems use to make recommendations.
Review Strategy
Generating authentic reviews that AI considers when evaluating which attorneys to recommend.
AI Systems We Optimize For
Ensuring your firm is recommended across the AI landscape.
ChatGPT/GPT-4
Understanding how OpenAI's models recommend lawyers and optimizing for inclusion in responses.
Google Gemini
Preparing for Google's AI-powered search features including AI Overviews and conversational search.
Perplexity
Optimizing for citation in Perplexity's AI-powered research assistant responses.
Claude AI
Ensuring visibility in Anthropic's Claude responses for legal queries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) for law firms?
GEO is the practice of optimizing your law firm's online presence to be recommended by AI systems like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity when users ask for attorney recommendations. It focuses on entity clarity, authoritative content, and signals that AI systems trust.
How is AI changing how people find lawyers?
Increasingly, potential clients are asking AI assistants for lawyer recommendations instead of performing traditional searches. AI systems synthesize information from multiple sources to provide recommendations, making visibility in these systems critical for future lead generation.
Why is Casey Meraz a law firm AI expert?
Casey Meraz has been at the forefront of every major shift in search technology for 15+ years. As the leading law firm SEO expert, he recognized early that AI would transform how people find lawyers and has been developing GEO strategies specifically for the legal industry.
Can AI marketing replace traditional SEO for law firms?
Not yet—traditional SEO remains essential. However, AI marketing (GEO) is becoming increasingly important as a complementary strategy. The best approach integrates both, ensuring visibility whether clients use traditional search or AI assistants.
How can my law firm prepare for AI-powered search?
Start by building strong E-E-A-T signals, ensuring entity clarity (clear, consistent information about your firm), creating authoritative content, and working with an expert like Casey Meraz who understands both SEO and GEO strategies.
Get Ahead of the AI Revolution
The firms that prepare for AI-powered search today will dominate tomorrow. Let's ensure your firm is ready.