Episode Description
Ever spent 45 minutes reading reviews for a $12 phone charger? If we’re doing that for trivial purchases, imagine what potential clients are doing when choosing something as important as their attorney. In this episode, I break down why social proof isn’t just important—it’s everything in your legal practice.
I share the exact system I used to more than double my reviews in just 10 months, including the scripts that transformed my approach. You’ll learn the “verbal commitment” technique that gets clients to follow through, how to time your requests perfectly, and what to do when (not if) you get that dreaded one-star review.
Stop sending those generic “thanks for your business” emails that everyone ignores. Instead, discover how simple changes to your review strategy can become your cheapest, most effective marketing tool. Plus, I’ll reveal how one partial refund became my best marketing investment ever—turning an unhappy client into one of my biggest referral sources.
Whether you’re drowning in five-star ratings or still building your online reputation, this episode delivers actionable strategies you can implement today. Social proof is the digital version of someone vouching for you at a cocktail party—and it’s time to get more people talking.
Listen Now!
Episode Transcript
LAUREN: [00:00:00] Social proof isn’t just important in our business, it’s everything. You can have the slickest website, the most impressive credentials, and copy that would make Don Draper jealous. But one authentic, heartfelt review from a satisfied client carries more weight than all of that combined. Reviews aren’t just marketing, they’re digital versions of someone vouching for you at a cocktail party.
Welcome to A Different Practice. I’m your host, Lauren Lester, and I’m passionate about helping solo attorneys build thriving practices. After starting my own solo firm straight out of law school, School and building it to a successful practice that earns well over six figures while working part time.
I’m here to share the tools and strategies that made it possible. Think of this as grabbing coffee with your work bestie while learning everything they didn’t teach you about running a business in law school. Pull up a seat and get ready to build a different practice.
Let me ask you something. Have you ever found [00:01:00] yourself scrolling through Yelp at 530, reading review after review before deciding where to order dinner from? You know, that place has 4. 2 stars, but this person says they got food poisoning. But this other review says it was the best pad thai they’d ever had, but then this person says the delivery was 20 minutes late.
And suddenly it’s 6. 15 and you’re still hungry, still scrolling, and still undecided? Oh, yeah. Just me? I’ve spent an obscene amount of time reading reviews before making even the most trivial purchases. I once spent 45 minutes, no lie, comparing reviews for a 12 phone charger. 45 minutes! That is nearly 4 of research per dollar spent.
But here’s the thing. If we’re doing this for takeout and phone chargers, imagine what potential clients are doing when they’re choosing something as important as their attorney. The truth is, great client reviews are the cheapest, most [00:02:00] effective marketing tool you have as a solo attorney. Full stop.
Period. No questions asked. So why aren’t you getting more of them? Today I’m breaking down the system I use to more than double my reviews in just 10 months. And because we’re all human and perfect 5 star ratings every single time just isn’t realistic, I’ll also walk you through what to do when, not if, but when, you get a bad one.
Welcome back to A Different Practice, where we challenge the status quo in the legal profession and build practices we love. I am so glad you’re here. Alright, let’s get something straight right off the bat. Social proof is everything in our business. People trust what others say about you indefinitely more than anything you could say about yourself.
You can have the slickest website, the most impressive credentials, and the most convincing copy about how amazing you are. But one genuine, heartfelt review from a satisfied client is carrying more weight than all of that combined. I’ve seen this [00:03:00] play out time and time again. When I ask new clients how they found me, they often said, well, I read your reviews and it felt like you would really listen to me.
Not, I was impressed by your law school or your committee work is really great. It’s the human connection that they’re seeking and reviews give them a window into that. So why do so many solo attorneys struggle to get reviews? Three main reasons. First, it feels awkward to ask, and I get that. You don’t want to seem needy or desperate, you’re worried that your client will feel put on or obligated to write something, you’re afraid that they just might say no, or, second, worse, you’re terrified of a bad review.
What if they didn’t think you did a good job? What if they completely misrepresent what happened? What if they tank your perfect five star rating? And third, and this was my biggest mistake for years, you’re waiting until the case is officially over, by which point your client has mentally moved on.
They’re already [00:04:00] living in the post legal problem phase of their life, and the last thing they want to do is revisit their divorce, bankruptcy, or whatever difficult issue brought them to you in the first place. By the end of today’s episode, you’ll walk away with a simple replicable system to consistently get meaningful client reviews.
Plus the tools to handle the occasional negative ones with grace. Because the reality is both good and bad reviews are part of running a practice in the digital age. Ignoring this truth isn’t a strategy. It’s a missed opportunity. So what’s the system for more and better client reviews? Deliver outstanding service without expectation.
The foundation of getting great reviews isn’t a clever email template or a perfectly timed request. It’s actually doing great work. Seems obvious, right? But here’s where many attorneys go wrong. Clients can smell when you’re just being nice because you want something from them. You know exactly what I’m talking about.
It’s like when the server at a restaurant becomes super attentive and friendly right before [00:05:00] dropping the check. Meanwhile, you’ve been waiting to get more water for 30 minutes. That sudden shift in attention feels inauthentic. Outstanding service has to be your default setting, not something you turn on when you’re fishing for reviews.
And it doesn’t have to be complicated. Some of the simplest things that make the biggest difference. Quick response times. When a client calls or emails, get back to them within a business day. Even if it’s just to say, Hey, I got your message. I’m working on it. Nothing makes the client feel more valued than knowing they’re not shouting into the void.
Provide regular updates, even when there’s nothing major to report. A regular check in that says nothing new to report. I’m still working on X, Y, and Z does wonders. Silence is the enemy of client satisfaction. And explain things in plain English. I can’t stress this enough. The quickest way to alienate clients is to talk over their heads or drown them in legalese.
Break it down like you’re explaining it to a friend, not showing off your legal [00:06:00] vocabulary. And here’s my not so secret weapon. I always try and identify and address the emotional undercurrent of every case. Legal problems are rarely just legal problems. There’s usually fear, frustration, or anxiety driving them.
When you acknowledge that human element, clients feel seen in a way that goes beyond the technical aspects of their case. Acknowledge their feelings and be compassionate. I’ll often thank clients for collecting documents. Now, I know I can’t do my job to help them if they don’t provide the documents, but I recognize that they’re busy and it’s extra work I have put on their plate.
Or if a client shares a frustrating experience that’s happening to them, I take a moment and say, that’s awful. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with that. That must be incredibly difficult. Even if there’s nothing I can do about it, I want them to know I understand where they’re coming from. So what’s the best way to get good reviews and prevent bad ones?
Make sure your clients feel heard, [00:07:00] respected, and taken care of go above and beyond what they expect. And here’s something that might be a little controversial. If a client isn’t happy with your service. Consider offering a refund, whether in whole or in part. I know it sounds crazy, but that refund could be the best money you ever lose compared to the alternative of having a justified bad review on your profile.
Forever. I once had a client who was unhappy with how long her case was taking. Now, any family attorney out there knows that. Court timelines are largely outside of our control. But rather than hiding behind that truth, I acknowledged her frustration, explained the situation again, and offered her a partial refund on her deposit because I couldn’t blame her for where she was coming from.
She was so surprised by this response that not only was she so Super appreciative that I tried to do a little something to alleviate her stress that she knew wasn’t my fault, but she later became one of my biggest referral [00:08:00] sources. That refund ended up being the best marketing investment I have ever made.
All right. Now that we’ve established that great service is your foundation for great reviews, let’s talk about the actual ask. Timing is everything here. The number one mistake I see solos make is sending a generic review request email after the case closes. Something like, thanks for your business. If you were satisfied with our services, please consider leaving a review at the following link.
Whoa, cold, impersonal, easy to ignore. Instead, I use what I call the verbal commitment approach. Here’s how it works. First, I identify a moment of positive connection. This could be after you’ve delivered great news, resolved a challenging issue, or anytime your client just expresses gratitude or relief. In that moment when the relationship feels really strong, make your request in person or over the phone.
I usually say something like, Mrs. Smith, I’ve really enjoyed working with you on this case. If you found [00:09:00] my help valuable, would you mind leaving a review? It really helps others in similar situations find me. That personal request is infinitely more effective than an automated email. But here’s where the magic happens.
I also add Or would you let me know how I could have provided better service? This approach gives unhappy clients an opening to air their concerns privately instead of online. If they hesitate or seem uncomfortable, you can always follow up with, I’m always looking to improve my practice. Is there anything about your experience that didn’t meet your expectations?
This two part approach does double duty. For happy clients, it secures a verbal commitment that makes them much more likely to follow through. And for unsatisfied clients, it creates a private channel for feedback that might otherwise end up as a public complaint. It shows them that you care about their experience and want to improve.
Even if they don’t share, they are far less likely to complain online. [00:10:00] I had a client who wants, when I asked for a review, hesitated and then said, actually, it was kind of hard sometimes to understand where we were in the process or what was coming next. This was valuable feedback that I might have never received otherwise.
I thanked her and then quickly made changes to my onboarding process to help clients see the full picture and where they were in the process. Not only did I avoid a mediocre review, but I actually ended up with a positive one after she saw how serious I took her input. The final piece of the review puzzle is reducing friction.
Once someone has verbally agreed to leave a review, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to follow through. Within 24 hours of getting that commitment, send a direct link via email or text. Not a general link to your Google business page or Avvo profile, but a direct link to the review form itself.
Every extra click is an opportunity for them to get distracted or decide it’s just too much trouble. My [00:11:00] template is simple. It says, Thanks again for agreeing to share your experience working with me. You can leave your review here. With a direct link. Let me know if you have any questions or need any help.
You might also want to include a few bullet points reminding them of the specific work you did together. This isn’t scripting their review. It’s just jogging their memory about the journey that you’ve been on. Something like Here are some things you might want to mention the insert type of case we worked on together.
So the divorce case we worked on together, the bankruptcy case, the immigration case, how you felt about the communication during the process, anything that stood out about your experience. These prompts help the client write more specific, meaningful reviews instead of just a generic, Lauren was great.
Now, what about follow up? One gentle reminder a week later is fine, but don’t chase them down. If they don’t respond to the reminder, let it go. Pestering clients for reviews is a fast track to resentment. And when you get a positive review, [00:12:00] because I know you will, always respond. Yes, you heard me right.
Respond to the glowing five star reviews, just like you would the negative ones. Why? Because it shows you’re engaged and appreciative. It humanizes you to potential clients scrolling through your reviews. And frankly, it’s just good manners to say thank you when someone says something nice about you. I keep my positive review responses warm and personal.
Here’s one that I wrote recently. Thank you, Joe, for such a thoughtful review. I’m deeply touched by your kind words and so glad you felt supported through the process. If I figure out how to clone myself, I’ll let you know. Wishing you all the best. That was in response to a client who had said that the worst thing about working with me was that there weren’t two of me on the case.
How awesome is that? Here’s another example. Thank you for this five star review, Jane. I’m so glad you felt supported through the process and found a program that worked best for you. I appreciate you. Actually, looking back through my responses, I realize that I say [00:13:00] I appreciate you in almost every one, but I really do appreciate my clients, and they’re taking the time to leave a review.
But it’s funny to see my patterns emerge as I was preparing for this episode. It makes me wonder what it looks like to potential clients scanning through my responses. Hopefully it says that I’m genuinely grateful, which is exactly the impression I want to give.
Alright, now that we’ve covered how to get more positive reviews, Let’s talk about everyone’s nightmare scenario, The Bad Review. First, I’ve got a story for ya. My first less than stellar review wasn’t even meant for me. No joke. It was a three star review that said, and I quote, This place was excellent, very clean.
They did, however, forget the cheese on my Junior Cheeseburger Deluxe. Dude, I was pissed. Seriously, you’re taking away my firm’s so far perfect review rating because of a fast food mishap? Ugh! Once [00:14:00] I calmed down and got a clearer perspective, I actually saw this as an opportunity to show some humanity and humor.
And so I responded with, I’m sorry to hear they forgot your cheese, Ramon. If you ask us, that’s the best part of the burger. Rest assured, if we served burgers at our law firm, we’d never forget the cheese. That response ended up getting more positive attention than many of my five star reviews. Clients would come in for consultations and mention it, saying they appreciated an attorney who didn’t take themselves too seriously.
But not all negative reviews can be handled with humor. My first genuine one star review was from someone who tried to schedule a consultation, but it was clear from her intake form that she had a case I didn’t handle. I was doing divorce and custody cases at the time, and she had a guardianship case.
After I emailed her to confirm that and to cancel her appointment to avoid wasting her time, she left a review saying, Had my consultation canceled based off the provide a brief [00:15:00] description that I made. No attempt to gather more details to make a well informed decision. To be honest, I disagreed with her assessment, but I understood where she was coming from.
She felt dismissed without a proper chance to explain her situation. She felt that she had a case regarding a child. Wasn’t that a custody case? I responded to her review publicly, and then, this was key, I gave her a call to discuss things. She was surprised that I called, but I think she appreciated the direct communication.
We had a good conversation, and while she didn’t remove the review, it was a valuable lesson in how I could improve my intake process to make potential clients feel more fully heard, and better explain that not all cases involving kids are the same legally. So, what did I learn from these experiences?
First, Don’t panic. Bad reviews happen to everyone. I mean it. Everyone. Even me. Besides the two I’ve already shared, I have another one from someone who I actually worked with. They [00:16:00] posted it years after we had stopped working together and before I had my review system in place. I felt awful. But I had to remember that, to my knowledge, that’s one unsatisfied customer out of hundreds.
Does it still sting? Of course. But I can’t focus on the one poor review when I have five dozen other amazing ones. Think about it. Even the best restaurants in your town have a few one star reviews from people who didn’t like the napkins or thought the lighting was too dim. It happens to all of us. But I promise a single bad review will not ruin your business.
How you respond to it, however, might. Taking it personally and reacting emotionally can do far more damage than the review itself. When you get a negative review, and if you’re in practice long enough, you will, take a deep breath, step away from the computer, go for a walk, do whatever it helps to clear your head.
I personally have a 24 hour rule. I never [00:17:00] respond to a negative review until at least 24 hours have passed. And that gives me time to process my emotions and respond professionally instead of defensively. So here’s the golden rule of responding to negative reviews. Don’t argue. You will never ever win a fight in the comment section.
Never. I don’t care how wrong the client is or how right you are. You will not come out looking good. There’s also an ethical dimension here. For us as attorneys, we have confidentiality obligations that limit what we can say in response to a review. You can’t sit there and share case details in your response, even if a client misrepresented what actually happened.
So what can you say? Well, keep it professional, not defensive. Here’s my template. I’m so sorry to hear you weren’t satisfied with your experience. I take client feedback seriously and would love to connect to see how I can make things right. Please feel free to contact me directly at, and then I put our office number.
[00:18:00] Or, as I responded to the potential client who scheduled a consultation for the wrong type of case for my practice, I said, thank you for your feedback. I’m sorry your experience was not what you expected. While our goal is to provide each case with exceptional service, we only handle divorce and custody matters.I’m sorry we could not help with your particular case. If there’s anything else you’d like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to call me at, and then I included the office number. Remember, your response isn’t for the reviewer. It’s not to respond to them. It’s for every potential client who’s going to read this interaction later.
They’re watching to see how you handle difficult situations, so show them you’re professional, respectful, and solution oriented, even when you’re being faced with criticism. And whenever possible, try to move the conversation off the public platform. In your response to a negative review, always include an invitation to contact you directly, along with a specific way to do so.
If the review [00:19:00] is from a current or former client, And it appears to be a misunderstanding. Reach out privately after posting your public response, call them, don’t email or text voice to voice communication is going to be much more effective for resolving emotional issues and start the conversation by listening and not defending.
Say something like, I hate, I noticed your review and I just wanted to understand more about your experience so I can do better. Then just listen. Oftentimes most people just want to be heard. And if the review highlights a genuine issue with your service, Take it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Maybe your intake process is confusing or your communication cadence needs work, or maybe even your fee structure isn’t transparent enough. Bad reviews, as painful and as disappointing as they are, They can often highlight real gaps in your client service. I had a client leave a two star review complaining about how difficult it was to get updates on his case.
Of course, my [00:20:00] first instinct was to defend myself. I had several calls with him. What was he talking about? I was available as soon as he had a question. But when I reflected honestly, I realized that for him it wasn’t enough. And I didn’t take the time to understand what he was actually looking for when we started to work together.
I assumed that my standard way of communicating was going to work, but I didn’t take the time to confirm that with him. Now, I ask every client on the outset how often they’d like updates, or how they’d like to communicate with me. And I tailor my communication schedule accordingly. That negative review, although still stings, did lead to a positive change in my practice.
Alright, let’s wrap this up because we’ve covered a ton today, but it all boils down to a few key principles. First, deliver great service without an agenda. Make clients feel heard, respected, and cared for throughout their experience with you. Second, ask for reviews at the right moment and [00:21:00] in the right way.
Get a verbal commitment first, then follow up with an easy, direct link. Third, make the process as frictionless as possible. Direct links, helpful prompts, and minimal follow up. And fourth, always respond to positive reviews with genuine gratitude. Show potential clients your human side. And when you inevitably get a bad review, stay calm, respond with grace, try to take it offline, and look for the learning opportunity.
One bad review does not define your practice or what an amazing attorney you are. Remember, reviews aren’t just about marketing. They’re valuable feedback about your practice. Good reviews tell you what you’re doing right, and negative ones highlight where you can improve. Both are gifts, even one that comes in a slightly less appealing package.
So here’s my challenge to you today. Write out your review request message. Not tomorrow, not next week, but today. Use it with [00:22:00] your next client, or better yet, send it to past clients whose case is wrapped up in the last month. You can start building your reviews now, one authentic request at a time. One final tip, don’t forget to reuse those reviews once you get them, pull quotes for your website, share them on social media, include them even in consultations.
If you have a client with a similar situation, let those satisfied clients keep working for you long after their case has closed. That’s it for today. Thanks so much for listening. I always enjoy our time together. Until next time, keep building a different practice. Thanks for joining me on another episode of A Different Practice.
If you found value in today’s conversation, subscribe to my Solo Success Lab newsletter, where each week I test and share what actually works in solo practice. Sign up for free at adifferentpractice. com slash subscribe. Want to help other lawyers transform their practices too? Follow the show. Leave a rating and share [00:23:00] this episode with someone who might benefit.
And if you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, download my free guide to the six pillars of optimization at adifferentpractice. com slash optimize. I’ve distilled nearly a decade of experience, including all the mistakes and victories into the essential elements every successful law firm needs.
I’ll see you next time. And until then, keep building a different practice.
