MyTakedown
← All Case Studies/Case BriefShield Protection

Page 1 of Google Went From a Liability to a Client Magnet. 89% Negative Result Suppression.

Senior AttorneyLegal4 months

A dismissed bar complaint from 2019 and two unfavorable news articles dominated the first page of Google results for the attorney's name, costing an estimated $200K+ in lost client opportunities annually.

The Situation

What Was Happening

The client is a senior partner at a mid-size litigation firm. In 2019, a disgruntled opposing party filed a bar complaint that was dismissed within 60 days — but the complaint filing was covered by two legal news outlets. Those articles, plus the state bar's public docket page showing the (dismissed) complaint, occupied positions 2, 4, and 7 on the first page of Google results for the attorney's name. Every prospective client who Googled them saw "bar complaint" before anything else. The firm estimated this cost them $200K+ per year in clients who never called. The articles were factually accurate — they couldn't be removed. The bar docket was a public record. Traditional removal wasn't an option.

89%
Negative Results Suppressed
off page 1
8 of 10
Page 1 Positions Controlled
owned or positive
+67%
Inbound Leads Increase
year over year
+$340K
Revenue Impact
estimated annual recovery
Our Approach

How We Got It Done

Long-term SERP control strategy combining new authoritative content creation, existing profile optimization, and strategic link building to push negative results off page 1.

1

SERP Audit & Strategy

Mapped all 30 results on the first 3 pages of Google. Identified which results could be displaced, which could be enhanced, and calculated the authority gap needed to push negative content to page 2.

2

Authority Asset Creation

Built or optimized 14 digital properties: personal website, LinkedIn, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, Super Lawyers, law firm bio, authored articles on legal publications, and social profiles.

3

Content Velocity Campaign

Published 8 bylined articles across legal industry publications, 3 podcast guest appearances, and 2 speaking engagement announcements — all optimized for the attorney's name as a keyword.

4

Link Authority Building

Acquired high-authority backlinks to owned properties through legal directories, bar association profiles, university alumni features, and industry partnerships.

5

Ongoing Rank Monitoring

Tracked daily SERP positions for 15+ keyword variations. Adjusted strategy weekly based on ranking movements. By month 3, two of three negative results had moved to page 2.

6

Maintenance & Protection

Transitioned to ongoing Shield monitoring to maintain positions and prevent negative content from resurfacing. Monthly content refresh to sustain authority signals.

The Results

What Changed

89%
Negative Results Suppressed
off page 1

Before & After

Metric
Negative Results on Page 1
Before
3
After
0
Metric
Controlled Results on Page 1
Before
2
After
8
Metric
Monthly Inbound Leads
Before
12
After
20
Metric
"Bar Complaint" Visibility
Before
Position 2
After
Position 14

All negative results pushed off page 1 of Google. 8 of 10 page 1 results now controlled or positive. Estimated $340K annual revenue recovery.

For five years, I watched potential clients Google me and never call. Now when they search my name, they see exactly what I want them to see — my expertise, my track record, my results. MyTakedown turned my biggest liability into my strongest marketing asset.
D.H.
Senior Partner, Litigation