They're searching at 3 AM.
Show up first.

It depends on your market, your practice areas, and how many competitors are running ads in your city. A solo criminal defense attorney in a mid-size city is a very different campaign than a multi-attorney firm in a major metro. We quote based on your specific situation. Reach out for a custom quote.

The math works in your favor. A single DUI case can run $5,000 to $15,000+. A federal defense retainer is often $25,000+. One client per month from search more than covers the marketing investment, and most firms close far more than one.

Chaffe & Chaffe saw rankings within 30 days. That's not typical for every market, but it shows what's possible when you build the right foundation. Google Ads can bring calls immediately. Organic SEO typically takes 3 to 6 months for consistent lead flow. Running both simultaneously is the smartest approach: PPC fills the pipeline now while SEO builds long-term visibility that compounds over time.

Absolutely. Criminal defense is one of the highest-intent verticals in all of legal search. Someone searching "criminal defense lawyer near me" at 3 AM just got arrested or their family member did. They are hiring someone today. Google Ads puts you at the top of that search instantly.

Yes, the cost per click is high ($50 to $200+ in competitive markets), but when a single case is worth $5,000 to $25,000, the ROI is hard to beat. We also run Local Service Ads for the "Google Screened" badge, which builds immediate trust.

Yes. Someone searching "DUI lawyer" and someone searching "assault defense attorney" are looking for different things, and Google treats those as different queries. You need dedicated pages for DUI/DWI, drug charges, assault, theft, federal crimes, domestic violence, and every other charge you handle.

Each page ranks independently and captures traffic from people searching for that specific problem. This is exactly what we build.

Urgency. According to the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, most people facing criminal charges have never hired an attorney before. They're scared, they're searching at odd hours, and they're making a decision fast.

Your marketing has to match that urgency. That means fast-loading pages, click-to-call on mobile, clear practice area information, and showing up in the Map Pack. The firm that appears first and looks credible gets the call. There's no "I'll think about it" in criminal defense.

Yes. People are already asking ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews things like "best criminal defense lawyer in [city]" and "what should I do if I get arrested." We optimize your online presence so AI platforms reference and recommend your firm.

That means structured data, authoritative content, strong review signals, and entity optimization across platforms that AI models pull from. This is the next frontier and most law firms aren't even thinking about it yet.