Review management
Real feedback. Careful replies.
A review belongs to the person who writes it. Give people a fair, optional way to share their experience, then handle the response with the care a law firm needs.
Book a FREE Strategy CallFeedback helps people assess your firm.
Google says review count and positive ratings can help a business’s local ranking. Relevance, distance and prominence also matter; reviews are one part of the picture.
People can also read feedback when deciding whether to contact a firm. Recent experiences may help them assess communication and service. A testimonial does not establish what their own matter will achieve.
Four things worth keeping track of.
Track these four areas to understand the review process. They are reporting categories, not a claimed formula for Google’s rankings. Clients choose whether to review and what to say.
Count
The public total, plus new reviews received during the reporting period.
Recent experiences
When reviews were posted. Older feedback still forms part of the public record.
Request coverage
Whether the agreed, neutral request process was followed. Do not choose recipients by their likely rating.
Client’s own words
Feedback stays voluntary and unscripted. Do not require a matter type, attorney name, city or confidential detail.
The bar rules come first.
What do bar rules say about reviews?
The firm’s designated attorney checks review requests, replies and website testimonials against the rules in the relevant jurisdiction. ABA Model Rules offer a reference; the applicable state rules and facts control.
The process needs separate checks for platform policy, truthful advertising, confidentiality and permissions. See bar-rule compliant marketing for the wider review.
No incentives on Google
Google prohibits reviews given in exchange for payments, discounts, gifts or other incentives. Attorney review also covers applicable professional rules.
Accurate testimonials
Review quotations and their surrounding claims must avoid misleading expectations about results. The firm approves wording and any required qualification.
Confidentiality first
A public review does not automatically authorize the firm to disclose information about representation. Check permissions and attorney guidance before reusing it.
Review the response
A negative review alone does not create a general right to reveal protected information. Consider whether a public reply is appropriate at all.
Website permissions
Check reuse rights, client authorization where needed, platform conditions and any required disclaimer before putting a testimonial on the website.
A fair request. A real choice.
Agree a neutral request process with the firm, including eligibility, timing and a suitable communication channel. Where requests are allowed, they should be optional, professional and free of instructions about the rating or wording.
Google prohibits selectively soliciting positive reviews and discouraging negative feedback. Do not use a satisfaction screen to direct only happy clients to the public review link.
A review must reflect a genuine experience. We do not write, purchase or post reviews for clients. Use a direct Google review link where appropriate; avoid pressure to review during an office visit. The attorney confirms privacy and professional obligations for the request.
Pause before you press reply.
Monitor feedback on the agreed cadence. Routine responses can acknowledge the review without discussing a matter, confirming a client relationship or implying a promised outcome. A thoughtful response need not disclose personal details.
For criticism, pause and send the proposed response to the designated attorney. A private contact option may be appropriate. In some circumstances, making no public reply is the better choice. ABA Formal Opinion 496 addresses the confidentiality concerns; the firm checks its applicable rules.
Each platform has its own rules.
Start by understanding where prospective clients encounter your firm. Google, Avvo, Yelp, Facebook, Martindale and Lawyers.com have different features and rules; some are also directories worth being listed in.
Set the process by platform rather than asking for reviews everywhere. Yelp tells businesses not to solicit reviews. Monitor relevant profiles and check current platform policies before requesting, replying to or reusing feedback.
Reviews connect to your Business Profile and can contribute to your place in the map results. See the broader Google Maps and local SEO plan alongside the review work.
Profile eligibility and representation are checked against Google’s Business Profile guidelines. Review requests are checked against Google’s content policy. Reply decisions also refer to ABA guidance on online criticism. Platform differences include Yelp’s review-request policy.
What you get in review management
An attorney-reviewed request process
Neutral eligibility, optional wording, appropriate timing and an agreed email or text channel.
Useful Google review links
A direct link where appropriate. Any QR use is optional and checked to avoid pressure during an office visit.
A response workflow
Monitoring, routine reply guidance and an attorney approval step for sensitive feedback.
Relevant-platform monitoring
Google and the other profiles that matter to the firm, with each platform’s rules checked separately.
A criticism playbook
Who reviews difficult feedback, when to report a policy violation and when to leave a review unanswered.
A dated review report
Review activity and process coverage, with intake outcomes reported separately rather than claiming a review caused a signed case.
Before you make the plan.
Can we offer a gift card or discount for a review?
Google prohibits review incentives such as gift cards or discounts. We do not build incentives into the request process. The firm also checks the applicable professional rules.
Can we feature reviews on our website?
Check that the testimonial is authentic, accurately presented and permitted for reuse. The designated attorney reviews client authorization where needed, platform conditions and any required disclaimer.
Should we reply to an unfair review?
Send it to the designated attorney before replying. A restrained response or private contact may be appropriate; sometimes no public reply is preferable. Do not disclose protected information to defend the firm.
Can you guarantee a number of new reviews each month?
No. People choose whether to leave a review. We report the agreed request process and received feedback without promising a count or a rating.
The next useful question.
See how this work connects to the rest of your plan.
Start with your firm
Give feedback the care it needs.
Bring your current review process. We’ll look at the request, the response and the attorney approval step alongside your firm’s privacy requirements.
Book a FREE Strategy Call