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The ethics of responding to a client review

Several state bars have already disciplined attorneys for this. The safe reply is shorter than you think.

Daniel Osei· Platform Policy Lead· · 3 min read
A gavel resting on a plain wooden surface
Short answer

Confidentiality obligations generally prohibit revealing information relating to a representation in a public reply, and the self-defence exception is read narrowly and usually does not extend to answering an online review. Multiple state bars have issued opinions and disciplined attorneys who rebutted reviews with case facts. The compliant reply contains no case information at all.

Why the self-defence exception does not cover this

Rules permitting disclosure to respond to allegations in a proceeding are aimed at formal complaints and claims, not at online criticism. Bar opinions have repeatedly declined to extend it to review responses.

The reasoning is that a negative review is not a proceeding, and a public reply is not a controlled forum. That has caught out attorneys who assumed a right of reply existed.

A bad review is not a proceeding, and your reply is not a defence filing.

What has actually drawn discipline

  • Correcting the reviewer's account of what happened in the matter.
  • Stating what the client was advised or what they refused to do.
  • Referring to fees, payment history or outcomes.
  • Confirming the representation and its subject.
  • Implying the reviewer was dishonest, using case facts.

The reply that is safe

Acknowledge feedback generally, state that professional obligations prevent public discussion, invite direct contact. Nothing more.

It is worth writing this into a firm policy with one named approver, because the risky version is always written by the attorney who was actually involved, immediately after reading the review. The removal route, which is separate and safer, is in how to remove a negative review of a law firm.

Common questions

Can I respond if the client consents?

Informed consent can permit disclosure, but obtaining it from someone who just posted a hostile review is rarely realistic.

Does this apply to non-client reviews?

Confidentiality attaches to representations. Someone who was never a client is different, though caution still applies as to whether they were a prospective client.

Can the firm's marketing team respond instead?

The obligation follows the attorney regardless of who types it.

DO
Daniel Osei
Platform Policy Lead, ReputationHound
Daniel reads the policies most people never open. He maps what each platform will actually act on, and where a complaint has to be argued rather than filed.

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