As with most professions, an attorney’s reputation is one of his or her most important assets. Training, education, experience, and skill, obviously, are vital to a lawyer’s long-term success, but a poor reputation can impact his or her ability to reach new clients and grow the business. There is little question that the internet has changed the way that people share information, and online reviews can have a major impact on the way the public views you as an individual as well as your law firm as a whole.
You probably realize that that you will never be able to completely satisfy every single client that walks through your door. Despite your best intentions—and, no doubt, your most sincere efforts—the legal world is often unpredictable and, occasionally, a client will be upset by the outcome or some other element of a case. If that client were to leave a negative review on Yelp or Google, your available options may be somewhat limited. A reputation management service, like that offered by OVC, INC., can help you mitigate the review’s impact, but even a disgruntled client is entitled to an opinion—unless the review contains false allegations. Then, as at least one case from Florida demonstrates, the situation may be significantly more noteworthy.
Blake v. Giustibelli