How to get more Google reviews for your law firm

Why reviews are the problem solo PI lawyers talk about most

When we read 274 lawyer threads on Reddit for our research, reviews came up again and again, and the pattern was the same. The work is good, the clients are happy, and the review count stays low.

"I’ve been in solo practice a little over two years and currently have 14 Google reviews."Solo lawyer, r/LawFirm, Reddit

That lawyer had also sent the direct link and made it easy, and still got little back. This guide fixes the part that usually breaks: the timing, the wording, and who owns the job. It also covers the rules, because for a lawyer the cost of getting this wrong is higher than for a plumber. Reviews matter for the same reason they matter to everyone else. A thin profile next to a firm with 200 reviews is easy to scroll past. For the bigger picture, see local SEO for lawyers and our guide to Google Business Profile for lawyers.

Reviews also feed the AI assistants. ChatGPT, Gemini and Google's AI Overviews summarize what reviews say, so a profile full of specific reviews from real clients gives them something to repeat. More on that in how to get your law firm recommended by ChatGPT.

The rules first: what Google and the FTC prohibit

Read this section before you send a single request. Google's Maps content policy lists what a business may not do. The relevant lines, from the Google Maps prohibited and restricted content policy, are that merchants may not:

• "Offer incentives - such as payment, discounts, free goods and/or services - in exchange for posting any review."
• "Discourage or prohibit negative reviews, or selectively solicit positive reviews from customers." This is what people call review gating.
• Request that staff solicit a certain number of reviews (a quota), or that staff solicit reviews that include specific content, including content that identifies a staff member.

The same policy rules out content based on a conflict of interest, such as current or former employment or a contractual relationship with the business. That is why you should not have your own staff, relatives or vendors post reviews. The policy does allow you to "solicit or encourage the posting of content that does represent a genuine experience, without offering incentives to do so." Asking is fine. Rewarding, screening and scripting are not. Google: get more reviews says the same thing in plainer words: remind customers to leave a review with a link or QR code, and do not offer incentives.

Google also warns that account holders whose conduct harms users or the community can face anything from suspended account privileges to termination. For a firm that gets most of its calls from the map pack, that is not a risk worth taking for a few extra stars. If you have already lost your listing, see Google Business Profile suspended: what law firms can do.

The FTC has its own rule. The FTC Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule Q&A says it took effect on October 21, 2024, bars incentives that are conditioned on a review expressing a particular sentiment, and bars using unfounded or groundless legal threats to stop a person from posting a review or to get one removed. Do not threaten a client with a lawsuit over a review unless you have a real legal claim and have thought hard about it.

Finally, your bar's rules apply on top of all this. Lawyer advertising rules in many states restrict how client testimonials can be used in marketing, and they differ by state. This page does not give state-by-state advice. Check your own state bar's advertising rules, or call its ethics hotline, before you republish client reviews on your website or in ads. Linking to your Google profile is generally less risky than quoting a review in an ad, but confirm with your bar.

When to ask: the moment the client is happiest

Timing does most of the work. In the r/LawFirm thread we mentioned, a solo PI lawyer put it this way:

"Solo PI attorney here — I’ve found the best time to ask for a review is when clients are coming in to pick up their check."Solo PI attorney, r/LawFirm, Reddit

That matches what we see in practice. Ask at moments of relief, not at random:

Two cautions. First, do not ask while the case is still open and the outcome is uncertain. An unhappy or anxious client is the most likely to write a bad review, and you may also be creating a problem for yourself if you push. Second, a client who is angry is not a "no" you should route away from Google. You do not decide who gets the link. See the gating section below.

Step 1: Get your direct review link

The link is the most important tool. A client who has to search for your firm, find the profile, and hunt for the review button will give up. A direct link opens the review box right away. Per Google: get more reviews, you can create a Google link or QR code to request reviews from inside your Business Profile.

1. Sign in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile.
2. Search for your firm's name on Google, or open it in Google Maps.
3. Choose the option to ask for or share your review link (Google calls it "Get more reviews" or "Share review form"), and copy the link.
4. Shorten it if you like with a link shortener you control, and save it in your phone as a text snippet and in your email program as a signature or saved reply.
5. Test it from a phone that is not signed in to your business account. Customers must be signed in to a Google account to leave a review, so tell clients that up front.

If you have more than one office, each location has its own link. Use the link for the office that handled the case.

Step 2: Decide who on staff owns it

With a 0 to 2 person firm, "everyone" means no one. Pick one person, and write the job in one sentence: "At every disbursement meeting, I ask the client for a review and send the link that day." In a solo practice, that person is you, with a calendar reminder tied to the closing task for each file.

• Put it in the case close checklist. If you use a case management tool, add a task called "Review request sent" to the closing workflow.
• Do not set quotas. Google's policy prohibits asking staff to solicit a certain number of reviews, so track the number you sent, not a target the staff must hit.
• Do not script staff to ask for particular content. Google also prohibits asking staff to solicit reviews that include specific content, including a staff member's name. If a client mentions your paralegal by name on their own, that is fine. You cannot ask for it.
• Record each request. A simple spreadsheet works: client initials, date asked, date link sent, review received yes or no. You will use it to follow up once.

Step 3: Ready-to-copy ask templates

These are plain, short and personal. Edit them so they sound like you. Do not mention any reward, discount or gift. Do not ask for a five-star rating. Ask for an honest review.

In person, at the check pickup

"I am glad we got this resolved for you. If you had a good experience with us, would you be willing to share it in a Google review? It helps other people who are hurt find a lawyer they can trust. I will text you a link right now so it takes under a minute. Whatever you write, an honest review is what helps."

Text message, same day

"Hi [first name], it is [your name] from [firm name]. Thank you again for trusting us with your case. If you are willing, an honest Google review would mean a lot and helps others find us. Here is the direct link: [link]. No pressure at all. Thank you."

Email, within 24 hours (when you do not have a mobile number)

Subject: A quick favor, if you are willing

"Hi [first name], it was an honor to help you through this. If you were happy with how we handled your case, would you share your experience in a Google review? It takes about a minute: [link]. You will need to be signed in to a Google account. An honest review of any kind helps, and if there was something we could have done better, I would also like to hear it directly at [phone]. Thank you, [your name]."

One gentle follow-up, 7 days later

"Hi [first name], just following up in case my last message got buried. If you have a minute, here is the link: [link]. If not, no worries at all and thank you again."

Send one follow-up and stop. A second reminder starts to feel like pressure, and pressure produces the wrong kind of review.

What not to put in any template

• Anything of value in exchange: gift cards, a donation in their name, a fee discount, entry into a drawing.
• Wording that steers on sentiment, such as "if you were happy, leave us five stars; if not, call me first."
• Case details. Do not mention the injury, the amount or the insurer in the message, since text messages can be seen by others.
• A request that they mention a specific person or topic.

Review gating: why you cannot screen first

Some review software asks "how was your experience?" and only sends happy clients to Google, while unhappy ones are routed to a private feedback form. That is called review gating, and Google's policy lists it: no "selectively solicit positive reviews." The FTC also lists the related practice of suppressing reviews. The safe pattern is to send the same link to every client you would ordinarily ask, with the same message, and offer a separate way for them to reach you privately without discouraging a public review.

That last part is fine. You can include "if something was not right, call me directly at [phone]" in your message. You cannot make that call the only option, hide the Google link from unhappy clients, or discourage a negative review. If a vendor pitches you a tool that "filters" reviews, ask them to show you how it complies with Google's policy before you sign. If they cannot, walk away.

The same goes for review stations. A tablet in the lobby where clients write a review in front of you may produce reviews that are not truly independent, and reviews that all come from one device or location can look suspicious to Google's systems. We could not find a specific Google rule banning this, so treat it as a caution rather than a rule: ask clients to review from their own phone, in their own time.

Responding to reviews without breaking confidentiality

You can reply to reviews once your profile is verified, per Google: reply to reviews. Google reviews replies too, so a reply may take a few minutes to appear and sometimes much longer. For a lawyer, the bigger question is what you are allowed to say.

ABA Formal Opinion 496, issued January 13, 2021, names client confidentiality as the main ethical concern when responding to a negative online review. As described by the ABA Journal on Formal Opinion 496, the opinion says lawyers should give serious consideration to not responding to negative reviews at all, that a negative review is not a "controversy" under the self-defense exception in Model Rule 1.6(b)(5), and that a lawyer may use generic replies such as asking the person to contact the lawyer by phone. It also describes saying that professional obligations do not allow a fuller response. Individual states have their own versions of the confidentiality rules and some have issued their own opinions, so check your state's guidance. This is not legal advice.

The working rule most firms use: never confirm that the reviewer was a client, never mention any fact about the matter, and never argue. Even a reply to a positive review can reveal that the person was a client. Some lawyers choose to thank positive reviewers generically and to leave negative reviews unanswered or answer with a short, generic line. Here are templates that stay safe:

Reply to a positive review (generic)

"Thank you for taking the time to write this. We are grateful for the kind words, and we wish you well."

This does not confirm a client relationship, discuss the matter, or promise a result. Avoid replies like "We are glad we got you a great settlement."

Reply to a negative review from a client or former client

"Thank you for the feedback. I take every concern seriously. Professional obligations limit what I can say in a public forum, but I would welcome the chance to talk. Please call me at [phone]."

Reply when the reviewer is not a client or you cannot find them

"We do not have a record of the experience described. If you contact our office, we would like to look into it." Do not name anyone or say who is or is not a client in your reply, and consider reporting the review instead (next section).

Whatever you write, reread it as if opposing counsel and the state bar would both read it. Keep it short.

Handling negative and fake reviews

Not every bad review is fake, and not every bad review is removable. The distinction matters, because Google says: "You can report any review, but only those that violate Google policies are eligible for removal. Do not report a review just because you disagree with it or dislike it." That is from Google: report a review.

Reviews Google may remove

Examples include spam, off-topic content, harassment, profanity, and reviews that are clearly from someone who never used your services, such as a competitor or an opposing party. The conflict-of-interest language in the policy also covers current or former employees and contractual relationships.

How to report a review

1. Open your Business Profile (search for your firm while signed in) and select "Read reviews."
2. Click the report icon next to the review.
3. Choose the reason that fits, such as spam or profanity, and select "Send report."
4. Check the status in the Reviews Management Tool. Per Google, the possible outcomes are "Decision pending," "Report reviewed - no policy violation," or "Escalated."
5. If the report is denied, you get one appeal, through the same tool, within the time Google gives.

Google says evaluation typically takes several days. Keep a screenshot of the review and your report. Lawyers on Reddit regularly say Google does little about hostile reviews, and removal is not guaranteed. Report the clear violations and do not sink hours into the rest.

If the review is real but unfair

You cannot make it go away, but you can bury it. A negative review among 150 mostly strong ones reads very differently from one among 14. The best response to a bad review is a steady flow of new real reviews, which is the whole point of this guide. Also, do not threaten the reviewer. The FTC rule bars using unfounded or groundless legal threats to remove a review.

If your competitors are posting fake reviews or fake listings

Fake reviews on a competitor's profile and fake listings are a separate problem with a separate process. See fake Google Maps listings and lawyers for how to document and report them. Do not answer fake reviews with fake reviews of your own.

A review system for a solo PI firm, in one page

1. Link: copy your direct review link and save it as a text snippet on your phone.
2. Trigger: a task named "Review request" on your case close checklist, due the day of the check pickup.
3. Ask: in person at pickup, then send the text template the same day.
4. Follow-up: one reminder 7 days later, nothing after.
5. Track: a one-line row per request in a spreadsheet.
6. Reply: thank positive reviewers generically; use the safe templates for negative ones; never confirm client status or case facts.
7. Report: flag policy violations through the Business Profile, once each, and appeal once if denied.
8. Review monthly: count new reviews, rating and how many came from your asks. This is the same kind of monthly check we recommend in the law firm SEO audit checklist.

The Reddit PI lawyer quoted above said about a quarter of the clients he asked actually followed through. That is a reasonable expectation: ask ten clients a month, and you might get two or three reviews. Over a year, that moves a profile from 14 reviews to 40 or more, without anything that could cost you your listing. We have not run this exact process for a published client result and we are not claiming one here. It is the process that Google's own help pages and the ethics guidance support.

When it makes sense to have someone else run it

Most solo lawyers can run this themselves. The hard part is not the template. It is the discipline of asking at every close and the monthly tracking. If your intake is already stretched, the monthly review asks, tracking and report filing can be part of a done-for-you local SEO plan. Our plan is described on the pricing page, and it includes review asks that follow the rules above: no incentives, no gating, and no fake reviews, ever. If you want to talk through it, book a 30-minute call with Mark, or run the free audit below to see how your review profile compares with the firms ranking above you.

How to get more google reviews FAQ

How many Google reviews does a law firm need?

There is no magic number. What matters is how many you have compared with the firms that outrank you in your area, how recent they are, and how specific they sound. Look at the three firms in the map pack for your main search, count their reviews, and set a steady monthly pace to close the gap. Consistency beats a one-time burst.

Can I offer a gift card or discount for a Google review?

No. Google says incentives such as payment, discounts or free goods or services in exchange for posting a review are prohibited, and the FTC rule bars incentives tied to a particular sentiment. For lawyers it is also a bar problem. Ask honestly, send the link, and let clients decide. Never offer anything of value in return.

Can I respond to a Google review about a case?

Be very careful. ABA Formal Opinion 496 treats client confidentiality as the main concern and says lawyers should seriously consider not responding to negative reviews. If you reply, keep it generic: do not confirm the person was a client and do not mention any case facts. Check your own state bar guidance too.

Can I get a fake or unfair Google review removed?

You can report any review, but Google only removes those that violate its policies, such as spam, harassment, or reviews from someone who was never a customer. Report it through your Business Profile, track it in the Reviews Management Tool, and use the one appeal if denied. Disagreeing with a review is not enough to get it removed.