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Ethical Review Response Generator
Paste a review and tell us who wrote it. You’ll see the safest move under ABA Formal Opinion 496, replies that reveal nothing about a client, and a check of your own draft.
Replies you can post
Ask the site to remove it
Opinion 496 lets you ask the host to take a post down. You may say it’s inaccurate, or that the poster was never your client. You may not include anything about a client’s matter.
Check your own reply before posting
Paste what you plan to write. We flag anything that could confirm a client relationship or reveal a matter.
How it works
The method, and the sources behind it
Who wrote it decides what you can say
ABA Formal Opinion 496 treats clients, strangers and people connected to a matter differently. Pick one and the advice changes with it.
You see the safest move first
Often that’s not replying, or calling the client directly. Lawyers have been suspended and disbarred for answering reviews with client details.
Replies that reveal nothing
Each draft avoids confirming a client relationship, the type of matter or the outcome, including the ABA’s own sample wording.
Your draft gets checked
Paste your own reply and we flag case types, outcomes, dates, arguments and public refund offers before you post.
Sources
Disclosures
- About this tool. Based on ABA Formal Opinion 496 (2021), read in full on November 5, 2026. ABA opinions guide but don’t bind state bars, and your state’s rules and opinions control. The replies are starting points, not ethics advice. If a review concerns a real matter, talk to your ethics counsel before replying.
- Your data. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to Lawzen or anyone else; anything saved stays on this device. See our privacy policy.
- Not legal advice. Lawzen is a marketing agency, not a law firm. Nothing on this page is legal, ethics, tax or financial advice, and using this tool doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship.
- Who made it. This free tool is made by Lawzen, which sells marketing services to law firms. Where it mentions our services or prices, it’s describing what we sell. Results are provided as-is, without warranty; see our terms.
- Trademarks. Google, ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Avvo, Justia and other names mentioned belong to their owners. Lawzen isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Questions, answered
About the Ethical Review Response Generator.
Can a lawyer respond to a negative Google review?
Yes, but carefully. ABA Formal Opinion 496 (2021) says lawyers may not reveal information relating to a client’s representation in a reply, because a negative review alone isn’t a “controversy” that allows disclosure. The opinion suggests seriously considering not replying, inviting the person to call, or posting “Professional obligations do not allow me to respond as I would wish.”
Can I say the review is false?
Not publicly if the matter is real. Opinion 496 warns that even a general statement that events aren’t accurately portrayed may reveal you were involved. You may tell the website host the post is inaccurate when you ask them to remove it.
What if the reviewer was never my client?
Opinion 496 says you may simply state that the person isn’t a client or former client. Check your records first: prospective clients, opposing parties and a client’s family are not “strangers”, and their posts may relate to a confidential matter.
Is it safe to thank someone for a positive review?
A short, general thank-you is fine. Avoid naming the reviewer, their case type or the result: those details can be confidential even when the client was happy.
Does my state follow Opinion 496?
ABA opinions guide but don’t bind state bars. Many states reach similar conclusions (for example New York State Bar Opinion 1032). D.C. Opinion 370 allows somewhat more because its rule differs. Check your own state’s ethics opinions.
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