A decade ago ranking first is search with your law firm was still challenging, but at least the goal was simple. You wanted to be in that number one spot. Now, it’s a lot more complicated. First came the featured snippet which could rank above the number 1 spot and even above search ads. For local search, it was the map pack, and for many years SEO experts made key strategy decision with the goal of being at the top of the map pack and for a time, that meant at the top of local search.
The game is changing again with AI Overview pushing the map pack down and all but replacing the featured snippet. How, in 2025, do you stay on top of local search. We’ll try to answer that as we explore how AI overviews are changing the map pack.
The Lay of the Land: Understanding the Key Players
To grasp how much the game is changing, we first need to be clear on the two heavyweight contenders fighting for attention at the top of Google’s local search results.
The Map Pack: The Long Reigning King of Local SEO
For years, the Google Map Pack, also known as the Local Pack, has been the primary target for any law firm serious about attracting local clients. It’s that highly visible block containing a map and three business listings that appears for searches like “criminal defense lawyer Oshkosh.” Its power comes from its directness. It offers potential clients everything they need in one place which includes your firm’s name, star rating from reviews, address, and crucial click-to-call buttons or links for directions right to your office. For a long time, securing a spot in the Map Pack meant you had won the local search battle.
AI Overviews: The New Contender in Search
Google has made its biggest change in years, and it is called AI Overviews. Instead of just seeing a list of blue links, you now often get an AI-written summary at the very top of the page. The AI pulls information from a bunch of different websites to give a direct answer to a person’s question. It tries to be so complete that people do not need to click any links. This is a huge deal, and it is starting to really shake things up for the Map Pack.
Read More: What is Google AI Overview?
How AI Overviews and the Map Pack Interact
These two powerful features don’t exist in separate worlds. They are competing for the same valuable space and a potential client’s attention, and their interaction is redefining local SEO.
The Fight for Digital Real Estate
The most immediate change is a simple matter of screen space. AI Overviews frequently appear above the Map Pack. This physically pushes the familiar map and its three listings further down the page. For users, especially on mobile devices, this means more scrolling is required to even see the Map Pack. Your firm could have a top Map Pack ranking, but if it’s below an expansive AI answer, its visibility is automatically reduced.
AI as a Data Synthesizer
The AI doesn’t just create answers out of thin air. It actively pulls and synthesizes data from what it considers the most reliable sources, and your Google Business Profile is a prime source. An AI Overview might build its summary by referencing your firm’s name, mentioning your high review rating, or even stating your business hours, all data it found in your profile. This means your GBP is now feeding the very feature that is competing with it for attention.
AI as a Competitor
This leads to the biggest strategic challenge. What happens when an AI Overview answers a user’s question so thoroughly that they feel they have all the information they need? They might not scroll down to click on any of the Map Pack listings. This is the “zero-click” threat. If a user searches “what are the business hours for Smith Law Firm” and the AI Overview answers “Smith Law Firm is open from 9 AM to 5 PM,” that user has no reason to click on your profile, costing you a potential website visit or direct engagement.
Different Triggers for Different Searches
It’s important to note that not every search will trigger both features. A broad informational question like “what is the statute of limitations for personal injury in Wisconsin” will likely generate a detailed AI Overview but no Map Pack. On the other hand, a high-intent local search like “personal injury lawyer near me” is very likely to trigger both, creating that direct competition for the user’s attention.
The Real World Impact on Your Law Firm
This evolving search landscape has direct consequences for how potential clients find and perceive your firm.
The most obvious is the challenge of reduced visibility and lower click-through rates. If the Map Pack is consistently pushed below the fold by AI Overviews, you can expect fewer clicks on your profile, even if your ranking remains the same. This makes every click you do get even more valuable.
There is a new first impression you need to manage, and you do not fully control it. Your law firm can now be mentioned by name right inside an AI Overview. This is a massive opportunity for your brand if the AI says something good about you. But it is also a huge risk if the AI misreads the data or highlights something negative.
This all points to the amplified importance of your data’s accuracy. Since the AI relies on the data it can find, the absolute accuracy of your Google Business Profile and website is more critical than ever. Inconsistent hours, an old address, or a wrong phone number can now be broadcasted with AI-powered authority, making a small mistake a much bigger problem.
How AI Overview is Affecting Search Volume
How to Adapt and Win in the New Local Search
You can’t stop the evolution of search, but you can adapt your strategy to succeed within it. The new goal is to become such an authoritative and clear source of information that the AI has to feature you.
Double Down on Your Google Business Profile
Start treating your Google Business Profile like your most important client file. It is no longer just a listing. It is the primary source of information Google’s AI uses to understand your firm. Every field needs to be perfect, just like a legal document. That means your Name, Address, and Phone number are exactly the same everywhere. It means your services are detailed, your photos are professional, and you are using Posts to show you are an active, current practice.
Make Your Reviews a Top Priority
Reviews have always been important, but now they serve a dual purpose. They are a massive trust signal for human users, and they are a key data point for the AI. A strong, steady stream of positive reviews tells Google you are a trusted entity. The AI may even summarize the sentiment of your reviews in its answers. An active, ethical review generation strategy is absolutely essential.
Create Hyper Local Content on Your Website
Give the AI great material to work with. Go beyond generic practice area pages and create location-specific pages and blog posts that answer common local legal questions. A page titled “Navigating the Oshkosh Courthouse for a Traffic Violation” makes your website an invaluable source for local queries that a generic site could never be. This gives the AI a reason to cite your website as an expert source.
Focus on E-E-A-T
This acronym (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is Google’s mantra for content quality, and it’s more important than ever in an AI world. The best way to be featured favorably by AI is to prove you are the most trusted and authoritative source in your local niche. This means your website content should be written by legal experts, showcase your experience with specific case types, and be presented professionally and accurately.
Let Civille Help Your Firm Fight for the Top of Search
At Civille, we understand that SEO is no longer just about rank. In fact, it hasn’t been for quite some time. It’s about getting in front of people. It’s about controlling your message. And, most importantly, it’s about getting clients. Reach out to us today and let us build you a digital marketing strategy that puts your firm at the top of search.
