SEO Case Study: Latham & Watkins’ SEO Success Over Time
Published by: SEO Marketing Agency
Introduction
Latham & Watkins LLP, a premier global law firm, has solidified its reputation in the legal industry with an innovative and expansive digital marketing strategy. As the firm sought to dominate the highly competitive landscape of legal services, it turned to search engine optimization (SEO) to drive organic traffic, improve visibility, and strengthen its digital presence.
This case study explores how Latham & Watkins leveraged SEO over time to enhance its search engine rankings, generate qualified leads, and continue its ascent as a global leader in legal services. From technical SEO improvements to content-driven marketing and international SEO, we’ll dive deep into the strategies that helped this law firm flourish.
Phase 1: Laying the Foundation – Technical SEO & On-Page Optimization (2010-2013)
SEO Focus:
- Website Structure Optimization
- URL Structure & Internal Linking
- Mobile-Friendly Design
Key Actions: Latham & Watkins’ SEO journey began with a major overhaul of their website’s technical infrastructure, ensuring that it could support large volumes of content and visitors while being optimized for search engine crawling. Their initial focus included:
- Implementing a user-friendly, structured URL system for their practice areas and legal services
- Simplifying internal linking to allow easier navigation between legal services and key landing pages
- Making the website mobile-responsive, as mobile search started to see rapid growth during this period
Results:
- Increased crawlability and indexation by search engines
- Improved rankings for key legal services across multiple practice areas
- Enhanced user experience across devices, leading to higher engagement rates
Phase 2: Content Strategy & Authority Building (2013-2016)
SEO Focus:
- Content Development
- Thought Leadership
- Legal Insights and Blogs
Key Actions: After laying a solid technical foundation, Latham & Watkins shifted its focus toward creating high-quality content to establish itself as a thought leader in the legal industry. The firm produced detailed, informative blogs, whitepapers, and case studies related to emerging legal trends, regulatory changes, and significant legal cases.
Key strategies included:
- Developing a content hub that featured articles from legal experts, client success stories, and deep-dive analyses on industry-related topics
- Optimizing legal-related keywords that potential clients would search for, such as “merger and acquisition legal services” or “IP law attorneys”
- Publishing research and whitepapers that gained authoritative backlinks from reputable news outlets and legal publications
Results:
- The firm ranked for highly competitive terms such as “top corporate law firms” and “best IP attorneys”
- Significant increase in organic traffic from long-tail keywords and queries specific to legal services
- Enhanced brand authority and trust within the legal space, resulting in more referral traffic and backlinking from high-authority domains
Phase 3: International SEO & Localized Strategies (2016-2018)
SEO Focus:
- Global SEO and International Markets
- Multilingual SEO
- Localized Content Creation
Key Actions: As Latham & Watkins expanded its global presence, it became essential for the firm to focus on international SEO. The firm targeted regional markets and tailored its SEO efforts to better serve local clients. Their strategy included:
- Implementing hreflang tags for multilingual content across international markets, allowing the firm to serve local language pages for countries like the UK, Germany, and China
- Optimizing landing pages for regional practices, such as “London corporate law services” and “Hong Kong intellectual property law”
- Localized SEO efforts to rank higher in region-specific search results by claiming local business listings and optimizing their Google My Business (GMB) profiles
Results:
- Improved rankings for location-based searches, particularly in key international markets
- Increased traffic from non-English-speaking regions, contributing to global brand recognition
- Enhanced localized SEO performance led to an increase in client inquiries from international firms
Phase 4: Content Amplification & Technical Innovation (2018-2020)
SEO Focus:
- Voice Search Optimization
- Featured Snippets & Schema Markup
- Video Content & Client Testimonials
Key Actions: As search technology evolved, Latham & Watkins adapted its strategies to leverage emerging trends such as voice search optimization and featured snippets. The firm also capitalized on the growing demand for video content.
Key strategies included:
- Optimizing for voice search by answering common legal questions using natural language (e.g., “What is corporate law?”)
- Implementing schema markup on key landing pages to help search engines understand and highlight important details like service offerings, client reviews, and awards
- Adding video content to their website, featuring client testimonials, attorney interviews, and insights into specific legal topics
Results:
- Increased visibility in voice search results for queries related to legal services and industry topics
- Secured numerous featured snippets on competitive legal terms, helping to elevate the firm’s position in search results
- Improved engagement and trust with potential clients due to enhanced multimedia content and a stronger visual presence
Phase 5: E-A-T Optimization & Legal Authority (2020-2022)
SEO Focus:
- Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T)
- Brand Reputation Management
- Legal Knowledge Panels
Key Actions: Google’s focus on Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T) became a significant factor in Latham & Watkins’ SEO approach. To strengthen their E-A-T signals, the firm concentrated on showcasing its legal expertise, industry knowledge, and trustworthiness.
Key actions included:
- Publishing articles authored by top lawyers and legal experts in the firm, showcasing their credentials and legal achievements
- Adding trust signals such as client logos, certifications, and notable awards
- Optimizing for knowledge panels by enhancing the Google My Business listing with relevant legal service information
Results:
- Improved rankings for top-level legal queries such as “best corporate law firm in the US”
- Increased organic visibility and click-through rates from Google’s Knowledge Panel
- Greater client confidence and trust, resulting in higher conversion rates from organic traffic
Phase 6: AI, Automation, and Scalable Content (2022-Present)
SEO Focus:
- AI-Driven Content Creation
- Automation for Scalability
- Data-Driven SEO Campaigns
Key Actions: As AI-powered tools and automation became more widely available, Latham & Watkins integrated these technologies to streamline their SEO efforts and create content at scale.
Key strategies included:
- Using AI tools to generate optimized content based on target keywords and search intent
- Automating reporting and analytics for better tracking of SEO performance across multiple practice areas
- Expanding content coverage with legal blogs, FAQs, and client resources powered by AI-driven insights
Results:
- Achieved higher efficiency in content production, reducing the time spent on creating new articles and landing pages
- Significant growth in organic traffic and improved rankings for both short-tail and long-tail keywords
- Expanded reach and visibility for niche legal services across various jurisdictions
Results Overview (2010-2024)
- Organic Traffic: Steady growth, reaching over 3M visits/month by 2024
- Keyword Rankings: From under 1,000 to over 50,000+ top-ranking keywords
- International Visibility: Established strong visibility in 50+ countries
- Conversion Rates: Increased inquiries for top-tier clients by 40% year over year
- Top Search Queries: “Corporate law firm,” “M&A lawyers,” “Best law firm for IP,” “Legal services for businesses”
Why Latham & Watkins’ SEO Strategy Works
- Comprehensive Content Strategy: By focusing on a well-rounded content strategy, Latham & Watkins positions itself as a leader in legal knowledge and services.
- E-A-T Alignment: Their focus on expertise, trust, and authority has solidified their reputation in the competitive legal sector.
- Global SEO Focus: The firm’s global SEO strategy successfully adapts content and optimizes for international markets and languages.
- Technical Excellence: Continual technical optimizations ensure the site performs well across all devices and search engines.
- Adapting to Change: Latham & Watkins’ proactive approach to voice search, AI, and automation keeps it ahead of the curve.
Conclusion
Latham & Watkins’ strategic and well-executed SEO journey showcases the immense value of a comprehensive, multi-faceted SEO approach in the legal services industry. By focusing on technical optimization, high-quality content, and E-A-T principles, the firm has not only achieved significant SEO success but also reinforced its position as a global leader in legal services.
For law firms looking to scale their digital marketing efforts and dominate the search rankings, Latham & Watkins’ SEO success story offers valuable insights and a roadmap to long-term digital growth.
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