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. Google's algorithms and prospective clients alike read recency as a signal of current relevance, not just historical reputation.
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 — a review that simply says "great lawyer" carries less SEO value than one that naturally mentions the type of matter handled.
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 and how they're displayed.
What to Read Next
None of this happens in a vacuum for a Ottawa law firm. Related questions worth reading next include What's the Difference Between Local SEO and National SEO for an Ottawa Law Firm?, What Does a Technical SEO Audit for an Ottawa Law Firm Actually Check?, and What Keywords Should an Ottawa Law Firm Target for SEO?, along with How Often Should an Ottawa Law Firm Blog for SEO? and How Do Ottawa Law Firms Build Backlinks Ethically?. Firms further along usually move on to Do Legal Directories Like Avvo and Justia Still Help SEO for Ottawa Firms? and What Should a Firm Look for When Hiring an Ottawa SEO Agency?. See the full Ottawa growth system, or go straight to AI Website Design for Ottawa Law Firms and AI SEO for Ottawa Law Firms for the two core services behind all of it.