Bad Lawyer Reviews: How to Respond to Them as a Law Firm (8 Tips)
You ever open your inbox or Google listing and see a review that instantly tightens your chest?
Maybe it was a one-star with no context. Or maybe it was worse — a full-blown rant from a former client that left out half the story and made you look like the villain. You know you did the work, followed the process, and gave them your best… but now it’s out there for everyone to see.
If you’ve been there — or you’re dealing with it now — you’re not alone.
Bad reviews happen to good attorneys all the time. The key isn’t to panic or take it personally. It’s knowing how to respond, how to protect your reputation, and how to use it as a moment to show the kind of lawyer (and person) you really are.
Let’s talk through it.
Why Do Clients Leave Law Firms with Negative Reviews?
Bad reviews can feel like a punch to the gut — especially when you know you’ve done your job.
But most of the time, negative feedback isn’t about your legal work. It’s about how the experience made the client feel. When someone doesn’t feel heard, informed, or cared for, that’s usually when they head online to vent.
Here are the top 3 reasons clients leave negative reviews:
- They felt ignored. A lack of updates or slow replies makes clients feel abandoned, even if you’re hard at work behind the scenes.
- Expectations weren’t managed. When clients expect a huge win or a fast outcome and reality hits differently, frustration turns into blame — even if the outcome was reasonable.
- The experience felt impersonal. If the relationship feels cold or rushed, they’ll remember the lack of connection more than the result.
So what’s the takeaway here?
Most bad reviews come from emotional frustration, not legal malpractice. And that means they’re fixable — with better communication, clearer expectations, and a little more empathy baked into your process.
How to Respond to Your Law Firm’s Bad Reviews as a Lawyer
The best way to deal with a bad review, as a lawyer especially, is to stay calm, respond professionally, and show you handle criticism with integrity. This response reflects how you handle challenges and speaks to your character beyond the review itself.
That said, here are more ways you can deal with negative reviews.
1. Don’t fire off a reply right away.
If you see a bad review and your first instinct is to clap back — pause. Go grab coffee, take a walk, vent to a friend… then come back with a level head. You don’t want to say something you’ll regret (or worse, that crosses ethical lines).
Need help crafting thoughtful replies? This quick guide on how to respond to negative reviews breaks it down with do’s and don’ts that actually work.
Example:
You just got a 1-star review saying, “Worst lawyer ever. Didn’t return my calls.” You know you called them back — they just didn’t pick up. You’re tempted to reply:
“You were unreachable for weeks, and we had to cancel your deposition because of your no-shows.”
Instead, wait. Here’s a calmer version you could go with the next day:
“I’m sorry to hear you felt communication fell short. We aim to keep every client in the loop and would be happy to chat further and clear things up — feel free to call or email anytime.”
Same facts, but the tone shows professionalism (and keeps you out of ethics hot water).
2. Run your response by someone else.
Even if it feels right, a second opinion helps — especially from someone who’s good with tone. Sometimes we think we sound calm and collected when we actually sound snarky or defensive.
3. Reply to the good ones too.
A lot of lawyers ignore the good reviews — big mistake. Show appreciation. It also makes your response to a bad review feel less like damage control and more like standard practice.
Not sure how to ask for feedback without sounding pushy? This blog post on how to ask for a review gives helpful templates and timing suggestions. You can also explore ways to encourage more client reviews if that’s something you want to do more consistently.
4. Keep your cool (and their info) confidential.
Never reveal case details, even if you really want to correct the record. Instead, say something like, “Due to confidentiality rules, I can’t share details, but I’m sorry to hear you felt that way. Happy to talk offline.”
Example:
A former client leaves a review saying:
“My attorney totally botched my child custody case and didn’t care that my ex was abusive.”
You might feel the urge to say, “We actually helped you win more custody time, and the abuse claim was dismissed,” but don’t.
Instead, try:
“I’m sorry to hear you were unhappy with the outcome. While I can’t go into details publicly, I’d be glad to speak with you directly to address any concerns.”
This keeps you ethically safe and still shows you’re not ignoring them.
5. Take it offline.
Whenever possible, invite the person to continue the convo via phone or email. It shows you’re open to resolving things, and it keeps the messy stuff out of the public eye.
Example:
A client leaves a vague 2-star review:
“They seemed nice, but I didn’t feel like they really fought for me.”
Instead of debating what “fought for me” means in public, you can respond:
“Thanks for sharing your feedback. I’d love to understand more about your experience — feel free to reach out so we can discuss.”
You’re not agreeing, not disagreeing — just showing you’re open to dialogue and resolution. Plus, if they’re reasonable, you might get them to revise their review after the talk.
6. Got a fake or mistaken review? Flag it.
If someone leaves a review and you’ve never worked with them — or it’s clearly spam — you’re allowed to say so. Keep it simple: “I don’t believe we’ve worked together. Feel free to reach out so we can clear things up.” Then report it to the platform.
Example:
You get a review saying, “This lawyer overcharged me for immigration work,” but you only do personal injury law and never handled this case.
Here’s a good response:
“Hi, I don’t believe we’ve worked together — we don’t handle immigration cases at this firm. If this was posted in error, please reach out so we can clear it up. I’ve also submitted a report to the platform to investigate.”
And then, actually report the review on Google or Yelp. Include a screenshot of your practice focus, if possible. Platforms usually won’t remove reviews just because they’re bad — but if they’re irrelevant or clearly fake, you’ve got a chance.
7. Get more positive reviews to drown out the bad ones.
One bad review isn’t the end of the world, especially if you’ve got a bunch of good ones backing you up. Make it easy for happy clients to leave a review — send them a link, follow up after a win, whatever works.
Example:
Let’s say you’ve got 3 reviews: 2 are glowing, and 1 is a 1-star where the client just didn’t like the outcome (but it wasn’t your fault).
To shift the balance, you could do this:
- After a win, send your client a short message like: “So glad we got this wrapped up for you — if you have a second, I’d really appreciate a quick review. Here’s the link!”
- Add the link to your Google or Avvo review page.
- Keep it simple and non-pushy.
Even just 3–4 more good reviews can make the bad one look like an outlier.
8. Actually take something away from the feedback.
Sometimes the review sucks because the experience sucked — and that’s okay. Take the feedback, fix what needs fixing, and keep moving forward. Growth mindset and all that.
Things to Keep in Mind When Dealing with Negative Reviews as an Attorney
Getting a bad review can throw you off. It doesn’t matter if it’s legit or not… it still sticks with you.
But once you’ve had a minute to cool off and maybe write your response, here are a few things worth keeping in mind — especially if you want to avoid these headaches in the future.
Your reviews are your first impression now
Clients Google everything. That includes you. And those reviews? They’re one of the first things people see before they even pick up the phone.
One bad review won’t wreck your image, but if there’s no context or positive feedback to balance it out, it can sway someone away from calling.
Don’t wait for a bad one to check your reviews
This one’s easy to let slip — you’re busy, and it’s not exactly top of mind. But try to make it part of your weekly rhythm to check in. Or better yet, use something like The Surge Point to:
- Referrals: Encourage word-of-mouth growth from happy clients.
- Insights: Spot patterns in feedback before they turn into issues.
- Repeat: Keep great clients coming back — reviews aren’t the only thing that builds trust.
It takes one thing off your plate… and keeps you from being blindsided.
Some reviews hurt more than others — that’s normal
Not every review deserves a full-blown strategy.
A quick “2 stars, no comment”? You can respond simply and move on. But if someone writes a full story painting you in the worst light possible? That’s where you take your time and respond with care. Pick your battles and prioritize where your energy goes.
It might not be you — it might be your process
You could do amazing legal work, but if your front desk didn’t return a message or an email went unanswered, that’s what the client remembers. So every once in a while, step back and look at your firm through a client’s eyes. Ask:
- Do clients feel heard?
- Are updates going out consistently?
- Is the tone warm or robotic?
These little things often make the biggest difference in how people feel about your service.
Want to make sure your client experience is actually matching your intentions? This breakdown of common reputation management mistakes is a great gut-check.
Trust your gut — and keep notes
If a client seemed off from day one, chances are they’ll be just as difficult after the case ends.
If they do leave a negative review later, you’ll be glad you made a few notes about the situation while it was fresh.
That context helps you stay level-headed, avoid over-explaining, and respond with professionalism — not frustration.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, reviews aren’t just a public rating… they’re part of the bigger client journey.
When you treat them like an extension of your practice — not just damage control — you get more control over the narrative and how future clients perceive your firm.
If you’re ready to get more proactive about your reputation, The Surge Point is a great place to start. It’s built with law firms in mind (see how it works here) and helps you stay on top of your online reviews, track referrals, monitor insights from client behavior, and turn satisfied clients into repeat ones — all in one dashboard.
You can explore specific features like:
- Reviews to stay on top of public feedback
- Referrals to drive word-of-mouth growth
- Insights to understand client behavior better
- Repeat to keep good clients coming back
And if you want deeper strategies, check out the Surge Point blog, especially the plumbing and law firm reputation management guide — it’s packed with real, actionable advice.
Whether you’re trying to bounce back from a rough review or build a stronger reputation moving forward, you’ve got options. Take a breath, set up a plan that works for you, and if you need a hand getting started, book a quick demo here.
Good luck — you’ve got this.
