It’s the way of modern business — clients use online reviews to gauge an attorney’s reputation and to understand the level of service they can expect before deciding whom to hire.

With that said, an attorney’s first impression is their online presence, which gives the attorney and their practice the best possible chance of being hired — one that inspires people to click and learn more about the attorney or firm, what people have to say, and what the practice can offer.

QUANTITY OF REVIEWS

The quantity of reviews is a critical part of how reviews can help — or harm — attorneys and firms. The more positive reviews that are collected, the better it is for the firm from a marketing perspective. If a practice has five reviews, it may say to a potential client that the practice has not served many people, which can translate to a lack of experience. That may or may not be true, and if it’s not true, there is a marketing problem. If the practice has a hundred reviews, it can say to potential clients that the practice has a large client base and professional experience. Coupled with a good rating average, the quantity of reviews that the business has speaks volumes to potential clients.

It is the nature of business that attorneys will have disgruntled clients who were impossible to please, whom the practice had to withdraw from representing, or whom the attorney thought were happy at the end of representation but surprisingly complained on Google about the time the attorney went on vacation and how it ruined the rest of their life. It is important to counteract the impact of a negative review by burying it in a sea of positive reviews from happy clients. The sting of the inevitable not-so-great review is much milder when it is one of a hundred and not one of ten.

Making the review process fast and effortless for clients is the easiest way to increase the quantity of reviews.

• Include direct links to Google Business Profile and Avvo profiles when requesting reviews.
• Use a designated review hub page, a homepage box, or information in footers on your website that lists all review platforms.
• Add a QR code in the office, on business cards, at the bottom of invoices, or in email signatures (e.g., “Scan to leave a review”).

QUALITY OF REVIEWS — AVERAGE REVIEW RATING

People use online reviews for attorneys just as they would for any business or service. If a customer is looking for any business — a restaurant, a dentist, or a dog groomer — would they select one with a two-star rating? How about four stars? Potential clients who are turning to online reviews to help them make the major financial decision of which lawyer to invest in have a standard for the quality of service that they expect for their money. They are judging the attorney based on their average rating alone before the attorney even has the chance to try to win the client’s business. They may even put a filter on their search (e.g., four stars and above) to completely omit practitioners with an average rating that falls below their standard. Pulling the average rating as high as possible is imperative.

There is no shortcut to a happy client. To leave a positive impression on a client, put in the work and make the client feel valued, heard, and supported throughout the representation. Clients do not remember how well drafted their motions were; they remember how you made them feel. Set clear expectations to help prevent disappointment and confusion. Give regular updates so that clients do not feel forgotten. Return client calls and emails in a timely fashion. Be kind and patient. Never forget the “counselor,” in “attorney and counselor” and keep compassion at the forefront of your client interactions.

The better the client experience, the easier the ask is when it is time for a review. A truly satisfied client is usually more than happy to shout from the rooftops how much they enjoyed their experience.

WHO TO ASK

This may go without saying, but target clients who are exceptionally happy with the outcome of their case or their experience with the attorney or firm. Those who are not are usually the ones who feel inspired to go online and speak their minds without anyone’s encouragement. It is the happy clients who need the reminder that their experience is valuable and that it should be shared with others. People expect a good experience, and when they get one, they feel like they are just getting what they paid for. It often doesn’t dawn on clients to praise their attorney for the caliber of service they expected from the beginning.

Go out there and ask your clients — past and present — to share a kind word about working with you. Even if you haven’t seen a client in a while, you can find a natural way to reach out and ask them to leave you a review.

Here is some sample language you can use to nudge a client to leave you a great review:

Hi [Client Name],

I really enjoyed working with you on your case and appreciate the trust you placed in me. It was an honor to serve as your attorney and counselor.

If you feel comfortable sharing your experience, I would be grateful if you could leave a short review on [Google/Facebook/Avvo/etc.]. It helps other people know what to expect when looking for legal help, and your voice is valuable.

Here’s the link to leave [Attorney or Firm Name] a review on [Platform]: [Insert link]

Thank you again, and I am here for you if you ever need me in the future.

WHEN TO ASK

The best time to ask a client for a review is when they are happiest. For example, a client whose divorce you have worked on for 18 months may best receive your request when you are delivering their signed judgment, when all of the stress from the case is finally subsiding, and when they see the light at the end of a very long tunnel through which the attorney has walked beside them.

A nice holiday card is a great way to reach out to a client whom an attorney has not spoken to in a while and send a hello, cheery well wishes, and a review request. It doesn’t feel out of the blue to get a holiday card during the holidays. People also generally feel more giving during the holidays.

Here is an example of some language for a holiday card with a review request. Note that the language is broad to remain inclusive:

Please accept our warm wishes for a joyful holiday season. As we reflect on the year, we are grateful that you trusted our firm with your legal matter. If you wish to provide feedback on your experience, you may do so by leaving a review using the QR code below. Thank you for being part of our year!

Be wary of asking clients to leave a review too early in the representation or right in the middle of a case. Asking too early when it is unknown which clients or cases will take a turn for the worse is risky, and once clients have contributed to the attorney’s or firm’s online reputation, they will not hesitate to go back and amend their review if their tune changes. Keeping reviews off clients’ radar until the representation is completed or until the attorney and client have a strong and positive long-standing relationship is usually a good rule of thumb.

INCENTIVIZING CLIENT REVIEWS

While it may seem enticing to encourage clients to leave a review by offering an incentive (like a gift card), there are ethical concerns in doing so.

MRPC 7.2(c) prohibits a lawyer from giving anything of value to a person for recommending the lawyer’s services (with a few exceptions that do not apply to online reviews). Offering a gift or perk for a review falls under giving “something of value for recommending the lawyer’s services” and is therefore prohibited.¹

Additionally, MRPC 7.1 requires that all communications about a lawyer’s services must not be false, fraudulent, misleading, or deceptive. Reviews that are provided due to a received incentive could raise concerns about the content of the reviews being misleading to the public, as the review is not purely voluntary and could cause prospective clients to have an “unjustified expectation” of the lawyer’s services.

RESPONDING TO ONLINE REVIEWS UNDER MICHIGAN ETHICS OPINION R-26

Michigan Ethics Opinion R-26² states that under MRPC 1.6, attorneys are prohibited from disclosing client confidences or secrets when responding to online reviews, and a negative review does not trigger the MRPC 1.6(c)(5) self-defense exception. In other words, a bad review is not an invitation for an attorney or firm to explain their side of the story.

Due to these restrictions, lawyers are only permitted to respond only with a limited and generic reply to online reviews, such as acknowledging the concern, issuing a generic apology that the reviewer had a negative experience, or asking the reviewer to contact the office directly to discuss their concern. A response can also state that their “professional ethics obligations prevent them from responding to online criticism in a public forum.” Any response that discloses case details, the attorney-client relationship, or the details regarding the client’s case outcome risks an ethics violation.

R-26 also cautions that public discourse with a reviewer normally makes things worse. In short, engaging in a public argument with a reviewer amplifies the review and looks defensive, which may discourage prospective clients. For both ethical and marketing reasons, the safest response is brief and generic. When in doubt, no response is the best response.

If you have any questions about how to improve your practice, please call the Practice Management Resource Center Helpline at (800) 341-9715 or email us at pmrchelpline@michbar.org.