A recent study by Constellate, a marketing research firm specializing in law firms, found that 89% of small law firm websites fail to meet Google's benchmark for good mobile speed. The study, released on October 13, 2026, analyzed 80 websites across five fast-growing markets: McKinney, Texas; Castle Rock, Colorado; Naples, Florida; Carmel, Indiana; and Cary, North Carolina.
The median mobile score was 60 out of 100, which falls into Google's "needs improvement" range. Of the 80 sites tested, 71 scored below 90, the threshold Google considers good. Specifically, 52 sites (65%) scored between 50 and 89, while 19 sites (24%) scored below 50, which Google labels "poor." Only 9 sites (11%) achieved a score of 90 or above.
Load times were also a concern. The median site took 7.4 seconds to display its main content, with 58 sites (73%) exceeding Google's 4-second threshold for poor performance. Castle Rock had the lowest median score at 56, while Carmel led with a median of 74, where a quarter of sites scored 90 or above.
"Most people search for a law firm on their phone, no matter what kind of legal service they are looking for," said Bruce Kreutzer, Partner and VP of Growth at Constellate. "Seven seconds is a long time to wait. They call the next firm. Most small firms never see this happen, because nobody shows them the number."
The study's methodology involved testing home pages using Google PageSpeed Insights (Lighthouse) with mobile settings in September 2026. Two sites could not be scored and were excluded. Firms were identified through Google search, and scores were grouped by Google's published bands. Individual firms were not named.
This news is significant for small law firms, as mobile search is critical for attracting clients. Poor mobile performance can lead to lost business, as potential clients may abandon slow-loading sites and contact competitors. The findings highlight a widespread issue that many firms may be unaware of, as they lack access to real-time performance data.
Constellate aims to address this gap. "We built Constellate on one idea: law firm marketing should run on real data, measured as it happens," said Chris Bardos, President of Constellate. "This is the first in a series. Search is changing fast, especially with AI answers, and the firms that know their numbers will adapt first."
The company provides website development, SEO, and generative engine optimization (GEO) for firms with 1 to 25 attorneys, guided by a data pipeline that tracks site performance in real time. For more information, visit constellate.com.
