How to Spot Fake Lawyer Reviews

The process of vetting an attorney is already stressful for the person who's never hired one, add fake lawyer reviews into the mix and all hell breaks loose. If you've come across this article, you've probably searched something like "how to tell if a lawyer review is fake" or similar. Chances are good you're already suspicious that some attorneys are beefing up their profiles with garbage reviews. The stakes are high for an attorney, one client gained, (or lost), from an Internet search can be worth thousands of dollars or much more. So it makes sense that if they want to be perceived in the best possible light an attorney might try to "influence" their ratings on Yelp, Google, Yahoo and the numerous other rating & review websites.

So here's how to spot the fakers:

1. If an attorney has numerous, (50+), reviews that should raise a red flag but not necessarily identify them as fake. Many attorneys have thriving practices and part of their follow up with clients is to ask them to do a review. This is not unusual.
2. If there are 2-3 negative reviews, followed chronologically by numerous five-star ratings that's usually a tell tale sign that the deck is being stacked. Once an attorney is aware that there's negative publicity on their firm, the logical thing to do is counter strike with positive publicity to balance their rating. However, sometimes these are legitimate testimonials from former clients that the attorney was suddenly motivated to contact. Don't throw them out yet - read #3.
3. If you click on the profile of the individual reviewing the attorney, check for a few alert signals: has this person reviewed numerous attorneys or businesses with all five-star ratings, has this person reviewed businesses in vastly different geographies on the same date, does this person have zero connections/friends (Yelp). If most of these are true, it may be a "burner" profile set up by the attorney's staff or marketing companies that sell positive reviews.
   
4. In the context of the review, is the attorney's geography or area of legal practice mentioned, (sometimes more than once)? This is a tactic used by optimization companies to help float positive reviews to the top of search engines. Most legitimate reviewers don't say things like "John Smith is a great personal injury lawyer in San Bernardino", it's just not natural and stands out like a sore thumb once you're aware.
5. Does the attorney have a 100% five-star rating? Lawyers have a tendency to make people mad, (some would say 'especially the good ones'). If there's no 1 or 2 star ranting reviews from indignant former clients I'd be cautious, some people aren't 100% pleased with their lawyer even if it was impossible to get a better outcome - this is most evident for family, criminal and business lawyers.

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That being said here's the lesson learned: Don't rely on one source of information when choosing an attorney. Do numerous searches, check the state Bar website for reports of unscrupulous behavior, interview more than one attorney, get a referral from a trusted friend or family member if possible and make an informed decision.

If you're looking for a lawyer in the Southern California area, here's a good resource on how to start your search, and if you'd like to research a local San Bernardino or Riverside lawyer and click to all their reviews from one spot, try our directory now.

Please comment below if there are any methods I've missed, and if you're an attorney chime in and tell us your perspective on lawyer review websites.