Running a business in 2025 requires some level of online presence. As a small to mid-sized law firm, you likely have a website that showcases the practice areas you offer and background information about your practice to give potential clients an idea of what they can expect from enlisting your services. However, having an online presence for your law firm also means that people can write reviews about their experiences working with you. While many client reviews tend to be positive, a less-than-stellar (or even an outright negative) review can seem devastating. It’s natural to worry about the impact of a negative client review—will it prevent potential clients from enlisting your services? Before you assume the worst or fire off a hasty response, it’s essential to take some time to develop a strategic plan for addressing the review. In many cases, law firms can use a negative review as an opportunity to highlight their genuine concern for the client experience and even reinforce their commitment to delivering exceptional legal services to everyone they serve. Moreover, responding to positive reviews can further cultivate trust in your law firm and inspire potential clients to seek out your services when the need arises.
While no one wants to receive a negative review, it’s helpful to develop a plan for responding strategically and effectively to any review your law firm receives. Reputation management for lawyers is a critical component of any digital marketing for law firms strategy. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that your law firm can respond to client reviews (both positive and negative) with grace, poise, and professionalism.
Why Responding to Online Client Reviews Matters to Law Firms
First, it’s worth recognizing why it’s important to respond to the client reviews your law firm receives. In today’s market, over 99 percent of consumers report that they use online local business reviews at least some of the time before deciding whether to patronize a nearby company. Clearly, online reviews play a significant role in someone’s decision to contact a particular business for goods or services. Since you know that potential clients will likely view the reviews that your former clients have left, it’s essential to monitor and respond to the reviews you receive. Moreover, search engine algorithms like Google reward businesses that acknowledge customer reviews by displaying these companies higher among the search results pages. As you develop or revisit your current content marketing for law firms strategy, it’s worth incorporating law firm reputation management best practices to take these efforts to the next level.
Reputation Management For Attorneys: Current Best Practices
Once you decide to focus on developing an online reputation management strategy for your law firm, it’s time to translate this plan into action. Here are a few simple tips to get you started.
Respond Promptly (Yet Thoughtfully)
Timing your response can be a delicate endeavor. While you don’t want to leave a review unanswered for too long, firing off a hasty response can lead to additional complications and headaches. Reading a poor review can put you on the defensive, inspiring you to post a response that comes across as accusatory, insensitive, or even hostile towards the reviewer. Unfortunately, those who see the client’s comment (and your aggressive response) will likely view your law firm in a more negative light. In contrast, when you take the time to cool off and craft a thoughtful response that expresses your genuine concern for what the client wrote and your commitment to improving your services, those who see this interaction are more likely to see your law practice as authentic, caring, and invested in the well-being of your clients.
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Acknowledge the Reviewer’s Concerns
Even if you know the client who posted the negative review was exaggerating or misrepresenting their experience of working with you, it’s important to craft a response that is responsive to their concerns. Dismissing their words or denying their account of the event may escalate an already tense situation. Instead, crafting a response that acknowledges their concerns and invites them to discuss the matter with you directly (and, ideally, offline) is usually the best way to diffuse the matter with professionalism. Many disgruntled clients simply want to feel heard, and they will likely appreciate your offer to talk through their concerns over the phone. In some cases, this offer can even prompt them to take down their negative review or revise it to include more favorable words and phrases. Additionally, those who see how well your law firm handled a negative review with empathy and a genuine concern for the client’s well-being are more likely to seek out your services when the need arises.
Express Gratitude For Positive Reviews
It’s common to assume that there is no need to respond to positive reviews from clients, as the glowing words seem to speak for themselves. However, taking the time to write a few words of appreciation can go a long way in cementing your law firm’s reputation as client-centered and invested in the community. Thanking your clients for positive feedback also reinforces your law firm’s eagerness to engage with those you serve, and those who see your comments of gratitude are more likely to see that you care about forging lasting and meaningful relationships with the clients you serve.
Reporting Suspicious Reviews as Needed
With the increasing availability of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, many businesses have wondered whether some of the reviews they have received have not been written by actual clients or customers. In rarer cases, fake reviews can be written by rival businesses or disgruntled non-clients. If you suspect that one of the reviews is fake, you should flag the review for removal and report it to the review site (in many cases, this is Google Business Profile).
Learn More About Marketing Strategies For Law Firms Today
If you’re ready to learn more about how to get the most out of your law firm’s digital marketing strategy, give LegalRev a call today at (800) 893-2590 to discuss your needs and goals with a knowledgeable content marketing strategist.
