To our clients and partners,
You hired Rankings.io because we deliver results in the most competitive search environments in legal. Everything we do is built to protect and extend that advantage for your firm. Our existing clients are our first priority, and that will never change.
This letter explains a step we are taking in 2026, why it matters to you, and how it strengthens everything we do together.
Why Law Bear Exists
Law Bear is a personal injury firm built to advance access to justice by directly representing injured Arizonans. The firm is approved by the Supreme Court of Arizona under Administrative Order No. 2026-49 (May 5, 2026) to operate under Arizona’s Alternative Business Structure (ABS) program, a regulated process designed to protect consumers and uphold professional standards. I hold an approved non-attorney ownership interest in the firm. Law Bear has established its team, office, and operations in Arizona because the firm is built to serve this market, not to leverage a regulatory structure for out-of-state expansion.
After thirteen years advising PI firms on how to compete and win, I wanted to operate inside the market I’ve spent my career studying. Law Bear was designed from the ground up with licensed attorneys who make all legal decisions independently and in the best interest of clients. My role is to bring marketing and operational expertise that helps the firm reach and serve more Arizonans who need legal representation.
The firsthand operational knowledge that comes from running a firm naturally strengthens the strategies we bring to Rankings.io clients. By the time we recommend an approach to you, it is informed by real-world experience operating in one of the toughest PI markets in the country, not just advising from the outside.
Why Arizona
Arizona is one of the only jurisdictions in the country where a non-attorney can seek an ownership interest in a law firm through a regulated program designed to protect consumers and uphold professional standards. Under ABA Model Rule 5.4, enforced in virtually every other jurisdiction, this structure is prohibited. That confines this initiative to a single state.
Arizona also happens to be one of the most demanding PI markets in the United States:
- Extreme Saturation: Phoenix is flooded with private equity-backed firms and massive advertising spends, driving cost-per-click to record highs.
- Shifting Case Patterns: As the global hub for autonomous vehicle testing, Arizona is experiencing changes in accident frequency and type ahead of the national curve.
- High Competition: A regulatory environment that permits non-attorney ownership has created a hyper-competitive landscape with no margin for error.
Operating in this environment means the strategies that inform your work with Rankings.io will have been tested in conditions as demanding as any market in the country.
How This Protects Your Competitive Advantage
We hold ourselves to the highest standards, and this structure is designed to reinforce that:
- Total Market Exit: We have exited all PI firms with primary headquarters in Arizona. Law Bear is the sole firm in which I am seeking an ownership interest, used strictly for serving Arizona consumers and deepening our operational expertise.
- Absolute Geographic Limits:Law Bear will operate exclusively in Arizona and is restricted from expanding into your territory.
- First-Look Access: Playbooks, tools, and tactics validated through Law Bear’s operations are released to Rankings.io clients before they are documented anywhere else. What Law Bear proves in the Phoenix market becomes a Rankings.io client advantage before competitors see it.
- Compliance Oversight: Law Bear is subject to semi-annual compliance audits by an independent Compliance Lawyer under the terms of its ABS license. The standards that govern Law Bear are publicly accountable.
Governance & Professional Standards
Law Bear’s governance structure is designed to ensure that the lawyers serving clients are never influenced by outside business interests:
- Lawyer Independence: All legal decisions at Law Bear, including case strategy, client selection, and legal judgment, are made exclusively by licensed attorneys acting in the best interest of clients. Non-attorney ownership does not influence these decisions.
- Client Confidentiality: Law Bear maintains confidentiality protections consistent with the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct. Client information is not shared with Rankings.io or any other entity.
- Decision Authority: Legal matters are governed solely by the firm’s licensed attorneys. Business and marketing operations are managed separately, with clear delineation of authority so that no business decision overrides or interferes with a lawyer’s professional duties and responsibilities to clients.
- Professional Standards: Law Bear is committed to maintaining proper standards of work and ensuring that all business policies and procedures support, rather than interfere with, the duties and responsibilities lawyers owe to their clients.
Operational Boundaries
Rankings.io and Law Bear are separate entities with independent teams, financials, and operations:
- No Client Competition: Law Bear will not compete for clients in markets served by Rankings.io clients and will not solicit personal injury cases outside Arizona.
- No Fee-Sharing: Rankings.io is compensated solely through marketing service fees. We do not participate in legal fees or case outcomes.
- Full Transparency: We will not onboard any personal injury firm headquartered in Arizona at Rankings.io without full written disclosure of our interest in Law Bear. These protections are reflected in our client commitments.
The Bottom Line
Rankings.io was built to help your firm win. Law Bear was built to serve injured Arizonans with the same commitment to excellence. The operational knowledge that comes from running a firm in one of the toughest markets in the country will make the strategies we bring to you sharper and more accountable. That is the standard. That is the commitment.
Best,
Chris Dreyer
CEO, Rankings.io