The Short Answer
Reviews are one of the strongest prominence signals in local SEO, directly affecting Google Maps 3-pack ranking and giving prospective clients the social proof they're actively looking for before choosing a lawyer. A firm with 5 recent, detailed reviews will consistently outperform an otherwise-similar firm with none or with reviews that are years old.
Quality and Recency Matter as Much as Quantity
A steady, ongoing stream of recent reviews signals an active, currently-trusted practice far more than a large batch of reviews from years ago followed by silence.
Detailed reviews mentioning specific practice areas or outcomes (without violating client confidentiality) also help relevance signals, since they reinforce which specific services your firm is known for.
Building an Ethical, Consistent Review Process
The most effective approach is a simple, consistent process: ask satisfied clients for a review at the natural close of their matter, make it as easy as possible with a direct link, and never offer any incentive in exchange for a review, which violates both Google's policies and Law Society of Ontario advertising rules. See optimizing your Google Business Profile for where these reviews live.
What to Read Next
None of this happens in a vacuum for a Mississauga law firm. Related questions worth reading next include What's the Difference Between Local SEO and National SEO for a Mississauga Law Firm?, What Does a Technical SEO Audit for a Mississauga Law Firm Actually Check?, and What Keywords Should a Mississauga Law Firm Target for SEO?, along with How Often Should a Mississauga Law Firm Blog for SEO? and How Do Mississauga Law Firms Build Backlinks Ethically?. Firms further along usually move on to Do Legal Directories Still Help SEO for Mississauga Firms? and What Should a Firm Look for When Hiring a Mississauga SEO Agency?. See the full Mississauga growth system, or go straight to AI Website Design for Mississauga Law Firms and AI SEO for Mississauga Law Firms for the two core services behind all of it.