Opineko for Law Firms

Law firms face a unique review collection challenge: the very nature of legal work creates privacy barriers that discourage clients from posting public feedback. Someone going through a divorce, defending against criminal charges, or settling a personal injury claim may be perfectly satisfied with their attorney but unwilling to publicly associate their name with the legal matter. This privacy barrier means law firms typically accumulate reviews far more slowly than restaurants, dentists, or home service companies — which paradoxically makes each review more valuable and each negative review more damaging.

The timing of review requests matters more for law firms than almost any other professional service. Asking a client for feedback during an active case — especially a stressful one like a custody battle or criminal defense — is inappropriate and likely to generate negative sentiment regardless of the quality of representation. The optimal moment is case resolution, when the outcome is known and the client feels a sense of closure. A thoughtfully worded thank-you letter with a QR code, sent after the final invoice is paid and the matter is closed, converts at significantly higher rates than any other approach because the client is in a reflective, grateful state.

Law firms should also focus their review strategy on consumer-facing practice areas. A personal injury firm, family law practice, or estate planning attorney benefits enormously from Google reviews because potential clients are actively searching for and comparing attorneys online. Corporate law firms and regulatory specialists, by contrast, acquire clients through referrals and reputation within their professional network, making public reviews less critical. For consumer-facing practices, reaching 40 to 50 Google reviews creates a moat that most local competitors cannot easily match.