The ultimate guide to collecting & managing law firm reviews

In a field as trust-dependent as law, mastering review management is not just beneficial; it’s essential to your practice’s success.

Think about it: When a person needs a lawyer, they seek the most qualified person to help them navigate their high-stress situation. First, they’ll turn to friends and family for recommendations. If those recommendations fall short, chances are, that person will turn to online law firm reviews to help inform their decision. 

Consider the following online review statistics: 

• 92% of consumers read at least two reviews before doing business with a company.
• 85% have decided not to do business with a company because of negative reviews.
• Friends and family are the most trusted resources for evaluating reputation, immediately followed by customer reviews. 

When potential clients search for lawyers online, does your practice show up with a glowing 5-star presence? If not, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, you’ll learn why law firm reviews are essential, how to collect them, and how to manage them effectively. 

3 ways law firm reviews help your practice

Collecting law firm reviews from your clients will require effort and diligence. What makes that effort worthwhile? Let’s look at some of the ways reviews will help your practice.

1. Building trust and credibility

Reviews serve as a crucial trust-building tool. Positive reviews from clients validate your firm’s expertise and reliability. They act as personal endorsements and enhance your firm’s reputation in the eyes of potential clients.

2. Enhancing visibility and brand awareness

Online visibility is critical nowadays — if people can’t find you online, they might not find you at all. If your firm lacks a robust online presence, potential clients might overlook you. Reviews improve your firm’s search engine rankings, making you more discoverable to those in need of legal services.

3. Facilitating improvement

Client reviews offer invaluable feedback. They shine a light on what your firm does well and where there’s room for growth. This continuous stream of feedback is essential for maintaining high standards of client service and adapting to changing client needs.

Why knowing how to manage a small law firm’s reviews matters

While gathering client reviews is a critical first step, the thoughtful management of these reviews is what sets your firm apart. When you actively manage reviews, you signal to existing and potential clients that their opinions and experiences matter deeply to your firm.

Managing reviews is more than a reputational tool — it’s essential to client service and relationship building. This approach enhances your firm’s visibility and solidifies its identity as a client-centric practice. 

How to collect law firm reviews: 7 tips

Many clients will happily leave you a review. In fact, 35% of consumers will leave a review at least half the time when asked by a business, and 12% will leave a review every time. The catch? You have to ask them to do it. 

Here are some tips to help you get the ask right: 

1. Timing is everything: The ideal time to ask for a review is when client satisfaction is at its peak, typically after a successful case resolution. Avoid requesting reviews during high-stress periods.
2. Choose the proper channels: Leverage channels like email and text messaging, as they are direct and often yield higher response rates.
3. Personalize your approach: Tailored review requests show clients that their unique experiences and opinions are valued. Personalization can significantly increase response rates.
4. Explain the importance: Make sure clients understand the value of their feedback. Explain how their reviews can help your firm enhance its services and guide other potential clients in decision-making.
5. Simplify the process: The easier it is to leave a review, the more likely clients will do it. Provide clear, straightforward instructions and consider automated emails with direct links to lawyer review sites.
6. Follow-up: Clients are often busy; a gentle reminder can prompt them to leave a review if they don’t respond to your initial request.

Empowering clients to write meaningful reviews

While your primary focus should be collecting and managing reviews, it’s also beneficial for you to understand how to write a good review for a law firm so you can empower your clients to do it. 

A good review for a law firm accomplishes the following: 

• Shares specific details. Clients should be specific about what they appreciated, be it your responsiveness, attention to detail, courtroom prowess, or something else. 
• Highlights the client-lawyer relationship. Was it professional, empathetic, supportive? Such insights are often as valuable as comments on legal expertise.
• Focuses on the outcome and the process. Clients should feel free to discuss the outcome of their case and how your firm navigated the complexities and communicated throughout.

How to manage a law firm’s reviews: 4 best practices

Managing law firm reviews is not just about monitoring what clients say about your firm; it’s about actively engaging with this feedback to reinforce your firm’s commitment to excellence. Use the following best practices to guide your efforts. 

1. Respond to every review

When clients leave positive feedback, a prompt and personalized ‘thank you’ acknowledges their effort and reinforces their positive experience. This response shows gratitude and encourages others to share their experiences.

Addressing negative reviews is equally important. Respond professionally and empathetically. Acknowledge the client’s concerns and offer to discuss the matter further offline. This approach shows that you take feedback seriously and are committed to resolving any issues — it can even help you win back trust and rebuild relationships. 

2. Leverage positive reviews

Positive law firm reviews provide social proof of your expertise and client satisfaction. Put those glowing reviews to work for you by infusing them into your marketing efforts. Featuring them on your website, in brochures, or on social media can boost your firm’s credibility and convince people to contact you.

3. Learn from feedback

Regularly analyzing reviews can provide valuable insights into how clients perceive your services. Look for patterns or common themes in feedback to identify areas of strength and those needing improvement.

Use this feedback to inform staff training, service delivery improvements, and policy adjustments. This proactive approach betters your services and demonstrates to clients that you are a firm that evolves based on their needs and feedback.

4. Establish a Review Policy

Develop a clear, comprehensive policy on how to handle reviews. Figure out who is responsible for responding, identify the appropriate tone and language for responses, and set an ideal response timeline.

Your policy should also outline steps for dealing with sensitive or potentially false reviews — this is crucial to protecting your firm’s reputation while adhering to legal and ethical standards. 

Law firm reviews FAQs

Collect and manage law firm reviews with Birdeye

Managing reviews effectively takes strategy and diligence. Thankfully, Birdeye exists to streamline the process. With Birdeye, you can automate and simplify online review management, improve your online reputation, boost visibility, strengthen client relationships, and more. 

Ready to take your review strategy to the next level? Watch a demo today to see how we can help.