Lawyer reviews from opposing parties and non-clients
Guide · Updated October 31, 2026
Lawyers attract a type of review most businesses never see: reviews from the other side of a case. An opposing party, or a relative of one, may post a one-star review of the lawyer who represented their adversary.
This guide covers how to handle lawyer reviews written by people who were never your clients.
Why these reviews are different
Platforms generally want reviews to reflect a first-hand customer experience. A person who was on the opposing side of a matter did not hire you, and some platforms treat that as a conflict of interest or a review not based on a genuine customer experience. Whether a specific platform agrees is its decision.
- Identify the connection carefully. Do not assume an anonymous reviewer is the opposing party without a good basis.
- In a report to the platform, describe the relationship in general terms without revealing confidential details about your client or the matter.
- If you reply publicly, keep it neutral, for example noting that you have no record of representing the author. Consider whether even that reveals too much in your situation.
- Never contact a represented opposing party directly about the review. Professional conduct rules on communicating with represented persons may apply.
What to document before asking for removal
Platforms, publishers and search engines review requests based on what you can show them. A short, organized file makes a request easier to evaluate and makes an appeal possible later.
- The exact page address (URL) of the content, plus the direct link to the individual review or post if the platform provides one.
- Dated screenshots that show the full text, the author's display name and the address bar.
- A copy of the text saved separately, in case it is edited later.
- The specific rule or policy you believe it breaks, in one or two sentences.
- Any facts you can support with documents, kept private unless a process actually requires them.
- The date of each request, the form or channel used, and any case or ticket number you receive.
Keep this log even if the first request succeeds. Content sometimes reappears on another page or site, and a record of earlier decisions saves time.
How flagging a Google review generally works
Google reviews are governed by Google's prohibited and restricted content policies for user-contributed content. Those policies cover categories such as fake engagement and spam, off-topic content, conflicts of interest, harassment, hate speech, personal information and illegal content. A review that is harsh, unfair or one-sided does not break the policy just because it is negative.
- Open the review from your Google Business Profile, or find it in Google Maps or Search while signed in as an owner or manager.
- Choose the report option and select the reason that matches the specific policy the review appears to break.
- Record the date you reported it. Google provides a reviews management tool where profile owners can check the status of reported reviews.
- If the report is declined, the tool generally allows an appeal. Add any new, specific information rather than repeating the same request.
Google makes the final decision. Nobody outside Google can guarantee that a review will be taken down, so be cautious of anyone who promises that.
What the ethics rules say about replying to client reviews
Lawyers have a duty of confidentiality under rules based on ABA Model Rule 1.6. In Formal Opinion 496 (2021), the ABA's ethics committee concluded that a negative online review alone does not permit a lawyer to disclose confidential client information in a response.
The opinion describes options that generally remain available:
- Not responding at all, which is often reasonable.
- Asking the website or search engine to remove the review if it is false or breaks the site's rules, without revealing confidential information.
- Posting a short reply that does not reveal client information, for example saying that professional obligations prevent a detailed response and that the lawyer does not believe the post is accurate.
- Contacting the former client privately to try to resolve the concern.
State rules and ethics opinions vary. Check your state bar's guidance or consult ethics counsel before replying to a review that touches on a representation.
Steps to take after a post you believe is defamatory
A post that states something false about you as a fact is different from a harsh opinion. Defamation law varies by state, and only a licensed attorney can tell you whether a specific post meets the legal standard in your state. These are practical steps while you get that advice:
- Do not reply in anger or post anything that repeats the allegation.
- Preserve evidence: dated screenshots, the URL, the author's profile, and any related messages. Save copies outside the platform.
- Write down which statements you believe are false facts, and what documents show they are false.
- Note the date the post first appeared. Legal time limits for defamation claims are set by state law and can be short.
- Check whether the post also breaks the platform's own rules, which may be a faster route than a legal claim.
- Consult a licensed attorney in your state before sending any demand letter or threat.
Under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, websites are generally not treated as the publisher of content their users post, so legal claims usually focus on the author. Identifying an anonymous author typically requires a legal process handled by an attorney.
Legal note: this guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and platform policies change and vary by state. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Getting help
Many of these steps you can take yourself. If you would like someone to look at your situation with you and suggest a plan, you can book a paid consultation. This is a paid consultation: price confirmed when scheduling. No payment is taken on this site. We do not guarantee that any review, article, listing or search result will be removed.