How to Get More Google Reviews
as a Solicitor

A lot of the firms I’ve reviewed know they should have more Google reviews. I’ve yet to find one with an actual system for getting them.

The result is predictable, and it’s the same pattern I’ve found looking closely at professional services firms across the North West: a handful of reviews from years ago, usually prompted once by a well-meaning member of staff, then nothing. Meanwhile every prospective client doing due diligence before instructing a firm — and nearly all of them do — sees a thin, dated review profile and quietly moves on to a firm that looks more established, even if the actual work would have been identical.

Why this matters more for solicitors than most businesses

Legal services are a high-trust, high-stakes purchase. Nobody’s comparing prices the way they would for a plumber. They’re trying to answer one question: can I trust this firm with something that matters? A thin review profile doesn’t just fail to help. It actively raises doubt at the exact moment a prospective client is deciding whether to pick up the phone.

Why “just ask for reviews” doesn’t work

Most firms have tried asking for reviews and given up, usually because it was inconsistent: done once during a spike of enthusiasm, then forgotten. The firms with genuinely strong review profiles don’t ask harder. They ask systematically, at the same point in every matter, as a built-in step rather than something someone has to remember to do.

A system that actually works

1. Pick one consistent trigger point. The moment a matter closes successfully is usually best, while the outcome is still fresh and the client is still relieved or pleased.
2. Make the ask specific, not generic. “Could you leave us a review?” gets ignored. A direct link, sent at the right moment, with a short personal note referencing the actual matter, gets acted on.
3. Make it easy. A direct Google review link — not a search-and-find task — removes almost all of the friction that kills good intentions.
4. Track it. Five reviews last year and five reviews last month read very differently to a prospective client even though the total is the same. Recency matters as much as volume.

What this actually fixes

A firm with 30+ recent, specific reviews doesn’t need to argue it’s trustworthy. The reviews do that work before the first phone call happens. That changes the entire tone of an initial enquiry — from “convince me you’re legitimate” to “I’ve already decided you probably are, let’s talk about my matter.”

Common questions

How many Google reviews does a solicitor actually need?

There’s no fixed number, but 20 to 30 recent reviews is usually enough to look established rather than new or untested. Recency matters more than volume: 10 reviews from the last six months read better than 50 from five years ago.

Can I ask clients directly for a Google review?

Yes, and it works far better than a generic request buried in an email footer. A short, specific message referencing the actual matter, sent at the right moment, gets a far higher response rate than a passive ask.

Is it against solicitors’ regulatory rules to ask for reviews?

No. The SRA has actively encouraged this, running a pilot scheme with law firms and review platforms specifically to increase client reviews, and industry data shows 44% of firms already direct clients to leave one. The actual constraint is narrower: don’t pressure clients, don’t incentivise positive reviews, and don’t fabricate or manufacture them. The system above works within that, since it’s about timing and making a genuine ask easier, not manufacturing anything.