Law firm reviews: asking clients for reviews ethically
Guide · Updated October 31, 2026
Many satisfied clients would be glad to leave a review but never think to. A clear, ethical request process can build a steady base of genuine law firm reviews over time.
Lawyers face a few extra constraints that other businesses do not, so this guide combines general review rules with the points specific to legal practice.
Considerations specific to law firms
- Advertising rules: many state bars treat client reviews and testimonials as a form of lawyer advertising. Some states have specific rules about testimonials and disclaimers, so check yours.
- Confidentiality: the request itself should not reveal anything about the matter, and it should go only to the client, not to family members unless the client asks.
- Timing: ask after the matter concludes, not while the client depends on you for an outcome.
- Sensitive matters: some clients would not want their legal matter associated with them publicly. Make it easy to decline, and do not follow up repeatedly.
- No rewards: do not offer reduced fees or gifts in exchange for a review.
Asking for genuine reviews the right way
The steadiest way to improve how a profile looks is a regular flow of honest reviews from real clients. How you ask matters.
- Ask everyone, not just happy clients. Screening people first and only sending satisfied ones to a review site is known as review gating. Google's policies prohibit discouraging negative reviews or selectively asking for positive ones.
- Do not pay or reward people for reviews. Google prohibits incentivized reviews, and the FTC's 2024 rule on consumer reviews and testimonials prohibits buying reviews and conditioning rewards on positive or negative sentiment.
- Never write reviews yourself or have staff, relatives or vendors post them without clear disclosure.
- Make it easy: send the direct review link soon after the visit or job, in one short message.
- Check each platform's rules. Yelp, for example, asks businesses not to ask for reviews at all.
The federal rules on reviews in plain terms
In 2024 the Federal Trade Commission finalized a rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, which took effect in October 2024. In general terms it targets:
- Fake reviews, including reviews from people who do not exist or who did not have the experience described.
- Buying positive or negative reviews, or offering rewards that are conditioned on what the review says.
- Reviews by company insiders or their relatives that do not clearly disclose the connection, in certain circumstances.
- Using unfounded legal threats, intimidation or false accusations to suppress reviews.
- Misrepresenting that a website that displays reviews is independent when the business controls it.
Separately, the Consumer Review Fairness Act of 2016 generally makes it unlawful to use form contracts that bar customers from posting honest reviews. If your intake paperwork contains a non-disparagement clause, have a lawyer look at it.
This is a summary, not legal advice. For questions about how these rules apply to your business, consult a licensed attorney.
What the ethics rules say about replying to client reviews
Lawyers have a duty of confidentiality under rules based on ABA Model Rule 1.6. In Formal Opinion 496 (2021), the ABA's ethics committee concluded that a negative online review alone does not permit a lawyer to disclose confidential client information in a response.
The opinion describes options that generally remain available:
- Not responding at all, which is often reasonable.
- Asking the website or search engine to remove the review if it is false or breaks the site's rules, without revealing confidential information.
- Posting a short reply that does not reveal client information, for example saying that professional obligations prevent a detailed response and that the lawyer does not believe the post is accurate.
- Contacting the former client privately to try to resolve the concern.
State rules and ethics opinions vary. Check your state bar's guidance or consult ethics counsel before replying to a review that touches on a representation.
A simple structure for a public reply
Future clients read your reply more closely than the original reviewer does. Keep it short, calm and specific to the business, not to the person.
- Thank them for taking the time to write, even if you disagree.
- Acknowledge the concern in general terms without confirming private details or arguing about facts.
- Say what you do as a matter of policy (for example how you handle refunds, wait times or complaints).
- Offer a private next step, such as asking them to contact the office or the manager by name.
- Sign it with a real name and role, so the reply reads as coming from a person.
Avoid copy-and-paste replies. Readers notice identical wording under every review, and it signals that nobody actually read the complaint.
Legal note: this guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and platform policies change and vary by state. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Getting help
Many of these steps you can take yourself. If you would like someone to look at your situation with you and suggest a plan, you can book a paid consultation. This is a paid consultation: price confirmed when scheduling. No payment is taken on this site. We do not guarantee that any review, article, listing or search result will be removed.