What Law Firms and Clients Need to Know About Google’s “Ask for me” Button When Searching for a Lawyer

If you search for a lawyer on Google right now, you will see a new button at the top of the results:

Ask for me.(Link: Search Engine Roundtable announcement in Jan 2025) Google can call service providers for prices and availability. 

This is not a minor change. Google is now putting itself between the client and the law firm. Most people will not notice the problems until it starts costing them leads or bringing in the wrong ones.

Here is what is really happening, what law firms need to watch for, and why this matters for anyone looking for legal help.

What Is “Ask for me”?

Google now prompts people searching for a lawyer to fill out a multi-step form before they ever land on a firm’s website. The user is required to select a practice area, pick a case type, set how urgent the need is, enter their location, and pick how they want to get updates.

Google is controlling the entire flow. The law firm no longer has control over the first contact or intake questions.

Why This Could Be A Problem

• Google controls the client relationship, not you.
  When someone fills out Google’s form, the law firm does not control the first impression or intake. Google decides who gets the lead, how the questions are asked, and what information is shared.

• Limited choices for clients.
  Google only lists broad practice areas and limited case types. For personal injury, it only allows “Car Accident” or “Slip and Fall.” If your firm handles anything outside those buckets, you are invisible.

• Data privacy concerns.
  Google collects details about every client’s legal issue before the firm sees anything. There is no clear answer on how this data is stored, used, or even resold. For law firms, that should raise a red flag.

• Lead quality drops.
  When Google inserts itself as the intake layer, you get more price shoppers, low-intent contacts, and fewer high-quality cases. The firm pays for the privilege of chasing leads that used to come directly. 

1. • No transparency on how leads are routed or priced.
     Google controls which firm gets the lead, how much it costs, and whether you get the chance at all. You may lose out for reasons you will never see.

What Practice Areas and Case Types Does Google Show?

Primary Practice Area list For Google Ask For Me – Google Search Screenshot

Family Law

• Divorce
• Child Custody
• Child Support

Screenshot of the subcategories of Family Lawyer in Google’s new Ask for Me on the SERP

Real Estate Law

• Landlord-Tenant Dispute (Eviction)
• Property Purchase
• Property Sale

Criminal Defense

(no subcategories)

Immigration Law

(no subcategories)

What Law Firms and Clients Should Do

• Check the setting in your Google Business Profile to ensure you enabled these types of calls to your business profile.
• Inform anyone who answers your phones to be on the lookout ,for these types call.    
• Do not rely on Google’s default analytics and tracking process. Make sure your site and profiles are set up to capture clients directly and track these users offline, as munch as possible.

For a deeper look at the risks and hidden mechanics behind this new intake feature, check the Near Media video and article that breaks down what it means for business and anyone searching for local services. It is worth your time.

Turn on Google Business Profile setting to allow automated calls from Google:

STEP 1: Go to your Google Business Profile settings on the Google Search page.

Screenshot of Step 1 – go to your Google business profile on Google by searching your brand name when logged into the Google account with access.

STEP 2: Click ADVANCED SETTINGS on your Google Business Profile account.

Screenshot of Step 2 – click ADVANCED SETTINGS

STEP 3: Enable accept automated calls from Google under the ADVANCED SETTINGS on your Google Business Profile settings.

Screenshot of Step 3 -enable automated calls from Google to enable ask for me on google business profile advanced setting window.

Bottom line:

Google’s “Ask for me” is not just a new button. It is another way for Google to control legal leads, capture sensitive data, and sell access back to law firms who used to get that traffic on their own terms. If you are not watching your intake setup and ad accounts, you might already be behind.

This is going to be felt across the advertising and lead ecosphere if/when google rolls this out to all users.

Updates:

Submit time: 11:17am EST. 

Response Recieved: 12:25pm EST.