Negative keywords tell Google which searches should never show your ad. For a criminal defense firm, they’re the fastest way to stop paying for calls you can’t take: people looking for a different firm, a public defender, a civil lawyer, or help in a state where you don’t practice.
In one Birmingham defense account, more than 100 competitor names went into the negative list alone, and search term relevance improved right away. Below is a starting list built for criminal defense, grouped so you can review it quickly.
How negative keywords work
- Broad match negative (free): blocks searches containing all the words, in any order.
- Phrase match negative (“free lawyer”): blocks searches containing that exact phrase.
- Exact match negative ([court records]): blocks only that exact search.
Add them at the account level (a shared negative list) for things you never want, and at the campaign level for things that belong in one campaign but not another. For example, block “expungement” in your DUI campaign so those searches go to your expungement campaign instead.
The criminal defense negative keyword list
Free and low-cost help
free, pro bono, legal aid, public defender, court appointed, cheap, low cost, sliding scale, free consultation lawyer near me (review this one; some firms want it)
Jobs and education
jobs, job, career, salary, hiring, internship, paralegal, law school, degree, how to become, LSAT, bar exam
Research and records
court records, case lookup, inmate search, mugshots, arrest records, jail roster, docket, definition, meaning, statute text, wiki, PDF, template, forms
Other practice areas
divorce, custody, child support, personal injury, car accident, workers comp, immigration, bankruptcy, estate planning, will, probate, real estate, landlord, eviction, employment, medical malpractice, civil lawsuit, sue
Victims and other roles
victim advocate, how to press charges, file a police report, restraining order against (review: some defense firms handle protective orders), become a bail bondsman
Wrong location
Names of states, cities and counties where you don’t practice, especially neighboring ones. In the Birmingham account, callers with charges in Georgia and other states were a regular source of wasted spend until location settings and negatives were tightened.
Competitor names
Pull every firm name from your search terms report and from local search results, and add them as phrase match negatives. People searching for a specific firm almost never hire someone else, and they cost you a click and an awkward call.
Copy-and-paste negative keyword lists for criminal defense
Paste these into Google Ads Editor or a shared negative keyword list, then remove anything your firm actually handles. They are written as phrase-match negatives (in quotes) unless noted, which blocks the phrase in any search without blocking whole words you might need.
Job seekers and career searches
"jobs"
"job"
"careers"
"hiring"
"salary"
"internship"
"paralegal"
"legal assistant"
"how to become"
"law school"
"bar exam"Students, research and general information
Defense searches are full of people researching a topic rather than hiring. Block the clearly academic ones.
"definition"
"meaning"
"essay"
"pdf"
"statistics"
"examples of"
"famous cases"
"case law"
"wikipedia"
"quizlet"Free help and public defenders
Someone asking for a public defender or free legal aid is rarely a paying client. Think carefully before blocking “free consultation” if you offer one.
"public defender"
"court appointed"
"legal aid"
"pro bono"
"free lawyer"
"free legal advice"
"low cost lawyer"Record lookups, jail and bail searches
"inmate search"
"inmate lookup"
"jail roster"
"mugshots"
"arrest records"
"court records"
"case search"
"bail bonds"
"bondsman"
"warrant search"Victims, plaintiffs and the wrong side of the case
"victim"
"sue"
"lawsuit"
"compensation"
"settlement"
"restraining order"
"file charges"
"press charges"TV, movies and pop culture
"show"
"episode"
"netflix"
"movie"
"cast"
"saul"
"better call saul"
"lincoln lawyer"
"law and order"Practice areas you don’t handle
Add the ones you don’t take. Most defense firms block these:
"divorce"
"custody"
"personal injury"
"car accident"
"immigration"
"bankruptcy"
"estate"
"will"
"real estate"
"workers comp"
"employment"Competitor firm names
People searching for another firm by name mostly want that firm. In the Amari Law Firm account, more than 100 competitor names were added as negatives after the search terms showed the firm paying for those clicks. Build this list from your own search terms report, using exact or phrase match on each firm’s name.
How to find new negative keywords every week
- Open the Search terms report for the last 7 days, sorted by cost.
- For each term that cost money, ask: would I take this caller’s case?
- Add the irrelevant part of the search (not the whole search) as a phrase-match negative to your shared list.
- Once a month, check the list for anything that is blocking good searches, for example a negative on “cheap” that also blocks “cheapest DUI lawyer near me” when you do want that caller.
Negatives to think twice about
| Term | Why it’s not automatic |
|---|---|
| cheap / affordable | Some flat-fee firms convert price-sensitive callers well |
| free consultation | Many defense firms offer one; this can be a buying signal |
| traffic ticket | Low fees for some firms, a steady source for others |
| bail / bond | Often searched by family right after an arrest, a key moment |
| what happens if | Early-stage research, but sometimes from people just charged |
Decide based on what signs. If you track calls to signed cases, the search terms report will tell you which of these produce clients. Here’s how to set that up.
How to keep the list current
- Read the search terms report every week. It’s where criminal defense accounts quietly lose money.
- Add anything that isn’t a person who needs a defense lawyer in your area.
- Check new competitor names monthly.
- Before adding a negative, make sure it isn’t blocking a search that has signed a case.
What are negative keywords for lawyers?
Negative keywords tell Google which searches should never show your ads. For law firms they block job seekers, students, people looking for free help, record lookups, other practice areas and other firms’ names, so the budget goes to people likely to hire you.
What are good negative keywords for criminal defense Google Ads?
Common ones are jobs and careers, public defender and legal aid, inmate search and mugshots, bail bonds, victim and lawsuit terms, TV show names, practice areas you don’t handle and competitor firm names. Start with the lists above and add from your own search terms report every week.
Should I add “free” as a negative keyword?
Be careful. “Free legal advice” and “pro bono” rarely bring paying clients, but blocking “free” on its own can block people searching for a free consultation, which many defense firms offer. Block specific phrases instead of the single word.
Should I block competitor names in Google Ads?
Usually yes for criminal defense. People searching a firm by name mostly want that firm. One defense firm added more than 100 competitor names after its search terms showed it was paying for those clicks.
How often should a law firm update its negative keywords?
Check the search terms report weekly and add negatives from anything you paid for that you would not take. Review the whole list monthly to make sure it isn’t blocking searches you want.
Should negative keywords be broad, phrase or exact match?
Phrase match is the safest default: it blocks the phrase anywhere in the search without blocking the individual words. Use exact match for competitor names you only want to block on their own, and broad-match negatives only for single words you never want, like “jobs.”
Next, see the full 28-point criminal defense Google Ads audit.
Get a straight answer on your account
Want me to read your search terms report? Book a free 30-minute account review. I’ll look at your search terms, your call recordings and what you signed last quarter, and tell you where the money is leaking, whether you hire me or not. I work with one criminal defense firm per city and 12 firms at most.
Or call Henry directly at 612-203-3591. See pricing or the full Amari Law Firm results.
Henry Bell runs Bellringer Marketing, a Google Ads practice that works only with criminal defense firms. He managed paid search and Local Services Ads for Amari Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama, from September 2025 to August 2026, reporting results in signed cases from the firm’s case management system.
