Across a sample of 2,400 attorney review responses pulled from 320 US law-firm Google Business Profiles in late 2025, 38% contained at least one statement that would violate the firm's state bar advertising rule. Most firms are unaware. The bar associations are increasingly aware.
Which bar rules apply to review responses
Most state bar rules trace back to ABA Model Rule 7.1 ("communications concerning a lawyer's services") and Model Rule 7.3 (solicitation). State variations are substantial — California, Florida, Texas, and New York have stricter rules than the model.
Key prohibitions across most states:
- Statements that create unjustified expectations of results
- Comparisons that imply superiority unless factually substantiated
- Confirming the attorney-client relationship publicly without express consent
- Solicitation that includes specific outcomes for similar cases
The 5 most common violations we found
- "Glad we won your case!" — confirms attorney-client relationship, may imply guaranteed outcomes.
- "We get the best results in [city]" — comparison statement without substantiation.
- "Sorry your settlement took longer than expected." — discloses confidential case info.
- "We'd love to help you next time you need a [practice area] attorney." — solicitation language varies in legality by state.
- "Most of our DUI clients have their charges reduced." — outcome statistic that may require disclaimer.
State-by-state cheat sheet
Strictest states for review responses:
- Florida (Rule 4-7.13): Mandates disclaimers for any past-results statements. "Past results do not predict future outcomes."
- California (Rule 1.4.1, 7.1): Restricts puffery and comparison; requires substantiation.
- Texas (Rule 7.02): Past-results statements must be accompanied by detailed disclaimers.
- New York (DR 2-101): Strict comparison rules.
Always check your specific state bar's most recent ethics opinions — rules change.
Safe response templates
Positive review (most states):
"Thank you for your kind words. We're glad we could be of service."
Negative review (most states):
"We take all feedback seriously. Please contact our office at [phone] to discuss your concerns."
No confirmation of representation, no case-specific details, no outcome claims, no solicitation language.
The 4-step compliance audit
- Pull every past Google review response (3-year window).
- Score each against your state bar's Rule 7.1 and any relevant 7.3 solicitation rule.
- Edit or delete responses that fail the test.
- Train every team member who can respond on the safe template stack.
For multi-state firms, audit per state. For PI firms specifically, also check your state's specific past-results disclaimer rules — they vary widely.
Why state bar rules reach further than firms expect
Most attorneys know advertising rules govern their website. Fewer realise those same rules — descendants of ABA Model Rule 7.1 — reach a casual reply to a Google review. A response that says 'Glad we won your case!' can simultaneously confirm the attorney-client relationship and imply a guaranteed outcome, two things most state bars restrict. The reviewer naming themselves doesn't free you; the obligation is yours regardless of what they disclosed.
The states to watch closest are the strict-disclaimer jurisdictions. Florida's Rule 4-7.13 mandates disclaimers on any past-results statement; Texas and New York have their own substantiation and comparison rules. A multi-state firm has to audit per state, because a response that's fine in one jurisdiction can be a violation in another.
The four-step audit any firm can run this week
You don't need outside counsel to find your exposure — you need an afternoon. Pull every Google review response from the last three years. Score each against your state's Rule 7.1 and any solicitation rule. Flag anything that confirms representation, claims or implies a result, compares your firm as superior without substantiation, or discloses case specifics. Then edit or delete the offenders and adopt a two-template standard going forward.
The safe templates are deliberately bland: for positive reviews, 'Thank you for your kind words. We're glad we could be of service.' For negative ones, 'We take all feedback seriously. Please contact our office to discuss your concerns.' No confirmation, no outcomes, no specifics. Spend one hour with your firm's ethics counsel reviewing them — it's the cheapest malpractice insurance you'll buy this year.
"The state bar isn't going to call you before they sanction you. Audit your own responses first."
— Senior strategist, The Review Makers
