Emotion, Trust, and AI: Your Law Firm’s Digital Footprint

Reputation isn’t just about being visible, it’s about being believable. This week, Gina and Jennifer translate key takeaways from the 2025 Brand Reputation Summit into an action plan for law firm leaders. If 93% of buyers research online and reviews sway decisions, then what your firm publishes (and what others say about you) must reflect who you are today.

The central tension: Generative AI amplifies whatever it can find. If your bios, case studies, and news are stale or overly polished, AI will surface a version of your brand that doesn’t match your current positioning. The solution isn’t more content. The solution is better governance and a return to authentic storytelling that connects emotion to expertise.

Why do emotions matter in professional decision-making?

Law firms often market to logic, such as degrees, deals, and credentials. But, 95% of decisions are driven by emotion.

“That’s huge,” Jennifer says. “Law firm leaders often think their buyers make purely rational, logic-based choices, but the reality is, decision makers are still people.”

Gina agrees.

“Clients trust brands and people who make them feel safe, confident, and aligned with their values. When a GC hires you, they’re saying, ‘I trust you to act as an extension of me.’ That emotional connection has to be built intentionally through storytelling, transparency, and consistency.”

She points out that bios written in the first person—full of credentials and schools—miss the mark. “They rarely answer the reader’s real question: What’s in it for me?”

• What’s changed: AI surfaces signals across your website, bios, media coverage, and third-party platforms.
• Risk: Outdated, fragmented pages and unattended review sites create credibility gaps.
• Result: Missed opportunities, loss of trust, and mismatched expectations with GCs who expect you to act as an extension of their teams.

Actions

• Inventory public touchpoints: website (bios, practices, case studies), media mentions, awards, speaking profiles, review/job sites.
• Update what’s inaccurate, retire what’s outdated, and align language to your current positioning and values.

How is AI reshaping law firm reputation?

According to Gina, AI is changing what people see and believe about your firm, whether or not you’re paying attention.

“Generative AI pulls content from across your digital footprint,” she explains. “If your bios, news pages, or case studies are outdated, that’s the version of your brand the world will see. Reputation management now is content management.”

Jennifer adds that it’s common for firms to have press pages with 18-month-old updates. “We see it all the time,” she says. “That signals inattention.”

Gina’s advice: “Audit your content regularly. Outdated, fragmented, or overly polished pages make people hesitate. Credibility depends on consistency.”

Buyers want to feel safe, confident, and aligned with your values.

Actions

• Lead with “what’s in it for the client,” not first-person credential lists.
• Use storytelling that shows judgment, empathy, and integrity.
• Demonstrate how you behave when the client isn’t in the room.

So, how should firms think about AI day-to-day?

Gina’s rule is simple: AI is a tool, not a voice. AI can speed research, drafts, and distribution, but it shouldn’t replace human judgment or tone.

“It can help us communicate more efficiently,” she says, “but it can’t replace human judgment or empathy. Maybe one day it will. But not yet. Firms that thrive will use AI to enhance human connection, not replace it.”

She also stresses the importance of transparency: “Be upfront about how your firm uses AI. Make sure your values—accuracy, ethics, confidentiality—guide your use of the technology.”

Practical guardrails

• Treat AI outputs as first drafts only; never publish unedited.
• Be transparent (internally and externally) about how you use AI.
• Align AI usage to firm values; prioritize accuracy, confidentiality, and empathy.

What role do people play in building trust online?

One of Gina’s biggest takeaways from the summit: trust is shifting toward smaller, more authentic voices.

“There’s a rise in what we call ‘nano-influencers.’ These are people with just a few hundred or a few thousand followers who show up consistently and authentically,” she explains.

For law firms, that means partners, associates, and staff can be your most credible advocates. “When leaders share authentic insights and celebrate their teams online, they build emotional credibility,” she says.

Jennifer agrees: “We tell clients all the time: comments matter. Don’t just post. Engage. Thoughtful interaction on LinkedIn is how trust scales digitally.”

Stand up an employee advocacy program

• Provide message guidance, disclosure/ethics training, and content prompts.
• Recognize authentic engagement (especially from leadership); managing partners should model behavior.
• Focus distribution on LinkedIn comments and conversations.

What’s one actionable takeaway for law firm leaders?

Gina doesn’t hesitate. “Reputation today isn’t about being visible, it’s about being believable.”

To get there, she recommends:

• Audit your online presence, including bios, practice descriptions, news, and reviews.
• Lead with authenticity through storytelling and transparency.
• Use AI ethically. Always review and humanize its outputs.
• Empower your people to act as advocates.
• Balance innovation with integrity.

“In an age of rapid tech change,” she adds, “trust is the true differentiator. People still do business with those they know, like, and trust.”

Jennifer adds, “Believability starts with emotion. If 95% of decisions are emotional, our responsibility as communicators is to connect with humanity—through real stories, not just credentials.”

The Takeaway for Law Firm Leaders

Your firm’s reputation is the sum of what people find and what they feel. Audit your digital footprint, humanize your narratives, use AI responsibly, and empower your people to show up where it matters. In an age of rapid tech change, trust is the differentiator and consistency is how you earn it.

Resources

Conferences:

• 2025 Brand Reputation Summit: https://curtiscoulter.com/brs25/
• SIBF: https://www.surfaces.org/BioInterface2025
• WIPL – Women, Influence & Power in Law Conference: https://www.event.law.com/corpcounsel-wipl/
• INBOUND: https://www.moscone.com/events/inbound-2025
• Legal Marketing Association: https://www.legalmarketing.org/events

Individuals:

• Patrice Tanaka – linkedin.com/in/patrice-tanaka-3689063
• Mark Coulter – com/in/markcoulter
• Michael Smith – com/in/mrmichaeljsmith
• Angela Esposito – com/in/angieespo
• Brandi (Brandy) Boatner – com/in/brandiboatner
• Jasmine Trillos-Decarie – com/in/jasminedecarie
• Emy Cook – com/in/emy-cook
• Leslie Richards – https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/members/leslie-richards/
• Isabelle Horan – https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/members/isabelle-horan/
• Kim Miller – https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/members/kim-miller/
• Mahalet Ropar – https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/members/mahalet-ropar/
• Kyla Thompson – https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/members/kyla-thompson/
• Deb Ruffins – https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/members/deborah-ruffins/
• Mark Beese – https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/members/mark-beese/

Thought Leadership:

• Relationships at the Speed of AI https://www.furiarubel.com/podcasts/relationships-at-the-speed-of-ai/
• How Google Knowledge Panels Build Trust in the Age of AI https://www.furiarubel.com/podcasts/how-google-knowledge-panels-build-trust-in-the-age-of-ai/
• Finding, Living & Sharing Your Purpose with Patrice Tanaka of Joyful Planet https://www.furiarubel.com/podcasts/episode-19-finding-living-sharing-your-purpose-with-patrice-tanaka-of-joyful-planet