Getting more and responding to Google reviews for law firms

How can a law firm ask for Google reviews without influencing them?

Offer one non-selective request after a genuine legal-service experience, and leave participation, star rating, and wording to the customer.¹²

Google allows a business to solicit genuine content without incentives and without attempting to influence the rating or the review’s contents. Google prohibits payment for a review, discounts or free services tied to posting one, and incentives conditioned on editing or removing a negative review.¹²

For a law firm, the request should not supply a desired legal conclusion or a phrase such as “won my case.” Do not ask for five stars, a particular result, a named lawyer, or a set number of reviews. Google also prohibits discouraging negative reviews, selectively asking for positive reviews, pressuring people to review on the premises, and requesting specific content, including content that identifies a staff member.²

What should a law firm check before publishing a public reply?

A law firm should test a public reply for truthful service language, client confidentiality, reviewer privacy, and a non-promotional tone before publishing it.¹³⁴

The ABA Model Rule 7.1 says a lawyer must not make a false or misleading communication about the lawyer or the lawyer’s services. A material misrepresentation, or an omitted fact needed to keep the communication from being materially misleading when read as a whole, can cross that line.³

The ABA Model Rules are a baseline, not a substitute for the rules where a lawyer is licensed. Current ABA guidance notes that jurisdictions differ in how they treat responses to online reviews, so a law firm should check its applicable state rules before adopting this checklist.⁵

The ABA Model Rule 1.6 says a lawyer must not reveal information relating to a client representation without informed consent, implied authorization to carry out the representation, or an exception in paragraph (b). It also requires reasonable efforts against inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure or access.⁴

Google advises businesses to be professional and polite, protect privacy, avoid personal attacks, explain what they can and cannot do, and apologize when appropriate.¹

What can a law firm say about its services in a review reply?

A law firm can address a review with a service fact it can support, but it should not turn the reply into a broader legal-services claim that is false or misleading.³

A reviewer’s description is not a license to add an unsupported statement about the firm. If the review praises a practice area, attorney, or result, check the proposed response as a separate communication about the firm’s services. Keep the wording tied to what the review says and what the firm can substantiate.

Do not use a public reply to disclose the identity of a client, the existence of a representation, case details, or information learned through the representation unless informed consent, implied authorization, or a Rule 1.6(b) exception permits that disclosure.⁴⁵ A general acknowledgement can answer the public feedback without confirming private facts.

When should a law firm move a review discussion to phone or email?

Move a complex review discussion to the firm’s phone or email instead of asking the reviewer to publish personal or matter details. Google recommends a private channel for complex situations and says a business should not share a reviewer’s private information.¹

Use the public reply to acknowledge the concern, explain a supported limitation, or invite private contact through the firm’s own channel. Keep the public text free of client-identifying details, legal strategy, documents, and facts about a representation that the firm is not permitted to disclose.¹⁴

Should a law firm report a negative Google review?

Report a review when it appears to violate a Google policy, not merely because the firm dislikes it or disagrees with the reviewer.⁶

Google says only policy-violating reviews are eligible for removal. Google does not mediate business-customer conflicts, and a negative review is not automatically a policy violation.⁶

A law firm can keep the reporting decision separate from the reply decision. Use Google’s reporting path for a suspected policy violation. Use the public response to address the concern without revealing client information or making a misleading statement about legal services.⁶³⁴

What is the law-firm checklist before replying to a Google review?

Use this sequence for each draft:

1. Confirm access. Google requires a verified Business Profile before a business can reply to reviews.⁷
2. Separate public feedback from confidential facts. Mark any detail that relates to a client representation and remove it unless informed consent, implied authorization, or a Rule 1.6(b) exception supports disclosure.⁴
3. Check the service language. Remove a material misrepresentation or any omission that would make the communication misleading when read as a whole.³
4. Check the tone. Keep the reply professional, short, direct, honest, conversational, and non-promotional. Do not include private information or personal attacks.¹
5. Choose the right route. Invite phone or email for a complex matter. Report the review only when a Google policy violation is present.¹⁶

Google reviews replies for policy compliance. An approved reply appears publicly under the customer’s review, the responder’s personal name is not shown, and the customer is notified.⁷

FAQ

Law firms can ask for honest Google reviews, but the request and reply must preserve the reviewer’s choice, the firm’s truthfulness, and client confidentiality.

Can a law firm offer a discount for a Google review?

No. A review-linked benefit is not allowed, whether the firm ties it to publishing feedback, revising it, or taking it down. A law firm should invite a genuine account without offering money, discounts, free services, or another benefit tied to the review.¹²

Can a law firm confirm that a reviewer is a client?

Treat that confirmation as information relating to a representation and do not publish it unless informed consent, implied authorization, or a Rule 1.6(b) exception permits disclosure. A general acknowledgement can respond to the review without confirming the client relationship.⁴

Can a law firm report a review because it criticizes the firm?

Not for that reason alone. Google says disagreement or dislike is not enough for removal. Report the review when it appears to violate a Google content policy.⁶