Last updated: September 13, 2026
This page explains, plainly, where our listing data comes from, how firms end up on LawDB, what "Featured" actually changes, and how a firm's position in search results is decided. If anything here is unclear or you think a listing is wrong, see "Report an issue" at the bottom.
Every firm on LawDB - Basic or Featured - starts from the same source: Google's public business listings (name, address, phone number, star rating, and review count). We don't ask a firm to submit its own rating, and a firm can't pay to change what its rating shows. If a firm's Google rating is 3.8 stars, that's what appears here, whether it lists for free or pays for Featured.
Practice-area tags (which kinds of cases a firm handles) are assigned by us based on public information about the firm, to make the directory searchable by case type. Ratings, review counts, and tags reflect a snapshot at the time a page was generated and may have changed since - if you need current numbers, "Read Google Reviews" on any listing links to the live source.
Every firm that operates and has a public track record can appear on LawDB at no cost - we don't require payment to be listed. Featured is a paid upgrade. Here's exactly what it does and doesn't do:
| Basic (free) | Featured (paid) | |
|---|---|---|
| Appears in search results | Yes | Yes |
| Google rating & review count shown | Real, unedited | Real, unedited - identical rule |
| Position in results | Sorted by rating within relevant matches | Shown first, labeled "Featured Partner" |
| Profile page detail | Standard listing | Logo, added detail, consultation request form |
| Can buy a higher rating or fake reviews | No | No - not offered at any price |
In other words: Featured buys visibility and a fuller profile, not a better rating. A Featured firm with 3.9 stars still shows 3.9 stars, sitting above a Basic firm with 4.9 stars in that top section - which is exactly why it's labeled "Featured Partner" rather than left unmarked. We think that label is what makes the rest of the page trustworthy.
When you search or filter by city and case type:
Nothing else influences this order - not how long a firm has been listed, not how much they've spent, not anything we editorialize. Two Basic firms with the same rating and same match to your filters will simply appear in the order our data returns them.
Some firm pages have a "Request a Consultation" form. Messages sent through it are reviewed by LawDB and then shared with the firm the inquiry concerns, so they can respond to you directly. See our Privacy Policy for the full detail on how that information is handled.
If a listing has incorrect information, belongs to a firm that's closed, or you believe shouldn't be on LawDB, contact us at privacy@lawdb.ca and we'll look into it.