Generative Engine Optimization for Law Firms Cost: 2025 Guide

Generative engine optimization for law firms cost is the primary logic problem most partners are ignoring while they continue to burn five-figure retainers on outdated SEO agencies. Most legal marketing teams are essentially paying for a map to a city that no longer exists. The reality is that the search landscape has shifted from a list of links to a conversation. If your firm isn't the one being cited by an LLM like ChatGPT or Perplexity, you are invisible to the highest-value clients.

The logic is that you cannot apply 20th-century billing models to 21st-century technology. When we look at the generative engine optimization for law firms cost, we have to stop viewing it as a standalone line item. It is an evolution of your existing digital infrastructure. Most firms currently spend between $500 and $50,000 per month on SEO. However, if that SEO doesn't include a specific strategy for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), you are effectively subsidizing a sinking ship.

For a solo practitioner or a small firm with one to five attorneys, the monthly retainer for GEO-integrated services typically falls between $500 and $5,000. For mid-sized firms with six to twenty attorneys, you are looking at $5,000 to $9,500 per month. Large, national firms with 21 or more attorneys often see costs exceeding $10,000 to $50,000 per month. The real question is not the price tag, but the architecture of the service you are receiving.

Here is what actually happens: Agencies that understand the logic of the modern web are bundling GEO into their comprehensive SEO retainers. They aren't charging you extra for 'AI magic'; they are shifting their labor from manual keyword stuffing to structured data optimization and authoritative content adaptation. If an agency tries to charge you a separate, massive fee for GEO without explaining how it integrates with your site's schema, they are likely just selling you buzzwords.