Generally yes, but with limits that are stricter for lawyers than for most businesses. A law firm can ask past clients for a review in GoHighLevel as long as it asks every closed client, offers nothing in return, does not screen for happy clients, and never discloses client information in a reply. The bottom line: the ask is the easy part, and the risk sits in incentives and in what the firm says when a review appears.
The general review rules
Google's contributed content policy, as quoted by review management vendors, prohibits businesses from discouraging or prohibiting negative reviews or selectively soliciting positive reviews, and it bans incentives such as discounts or free goods in exchange for reviews. The FTC's Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule took effect October 21, 2024 and targets fake reviews, incentives conditioned on sentiment, and certain suppression. Lawyers have a further layer: bar advertising rules on testimonials, which differ by state.
The lawyer specific rules
ABA Formal Opinion 496, issued January 13, 2021, says the main ethical concern in responding to online reviews is confidentiality under Rule 1.6, and concludes that a negative online review is not a controversy between lawyer and client that allows disclosure. It cites In re Tsamis, where a lawyer received a public reprimand for disclosing confidential information in response to a client's negative Avvo reviews, and an Indiana lawyer who was disbarred for actively manipulating Avvo reviews by monetarily incentivizing positive ones and exposing confidential information about clients who wrote negative ones. State rules on testimonials also vary. A Clio article says California's comment to Rule 7.1 says testimonials cannot lead prospective clients to expect the same results, and an advertising guide says New York requires a disclaimer that a testimonial may not be representative of other clients' experience. Check your state before showcasing reviews on the firm's own website.
How to ask
| Do | Do not |
|---|---|
| Ask every closed client, at the same point in the process | Ask only clients who won or seem happy |
| Send after the closing letter, when the matter is finished | Ask during an active matter |
| Give the direct link to your Google profile | Offer a discount, gift, or fee waiver |
| Have an attorney approve the message | Tell the client what to write |
| Answer no review publicly with client details | Respond with any fact about the matter |
Build it in GoHighLevel
GoHighLevel's help portal has a Review Requests section covering customized messages by SMS and email and sending review requests, and its Goal Event action can wait for a review request link to be clicked.
- Connect the firm's Google Business Profile in the reputation settings.
- Write a plain review request that thanks the client and asks for feedback, with no incentive and no filtering.
- Build a workflow that starts when the tag Closed is added and 30 days have passed since the closing letter.
- Have the attorney approve the workflow before it is activated, and exclude contacts flagged Complaint or Fee dispute.
- Send the request once by email and once by text if the client agreed to texts, then stop.
- Do not add a satisfaction question that decides who receives the review link.
Worked example
For example, a firm that closes 20 matters a month sends 20 requests. At a 10 percent response rate, that is 2 new reviews a month (20 times 0.1), or 24 a year, and every one is authentic.
Mistakes to avoid
- Offering a discount for a review. Google bans incentives, and an Indiana lawyer was disbarred for paying for them.
- Screening first. Google names selective solicitation.
- Replying with case facts. Opinion 496 says that breaches Rule 1.6.
- Ignoring state testimonial rules. Check before displaying reviews on the website.
How this was handled before
Firms relied on directory listings and word of mouth, and reviews on Avvo or Martindale were often unsolicited. Google reviews changed that, and bar discipline cases involving reviews followed, which is why the ABA addressed responses to online criticism in 2021.
What to measure after launch
Track requests sent, review link clicks, and new reviews posted. Read every new review the same day and follow the firm's reply policy.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Keep a record of who was asked and when, and confirm the state bar's position on reviews and testimonials. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Can a lawyer ask clients for reviews?
Generally yes. The concerns are incentives, selective asking, and confidentiality in replies.
Can a lawyer respond to a negative review with details?
ABA Formal Opinion 496 says a negative review does not permit disclosing confidential information, and suggests considering not responding.
Can a firm offer a discount for a review?
No. Google bans incentives, and an Indiana lawyer was disbarred in part for paying for positive reviews.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.