Lawyer may participate in an online service for soliciting client reviews, NC Ethics Opinion states
Topic: participation in online service for soliciting client reviews
The Opinion “rules that, subject to certain conditions, a lawyer may participate in an online service for soliciting client reviews that collects and posts positive reviews to increase the lawyer’s ranking on internet search engines.”
A lawyer may participate in an online service for soliciting clients’ review provided that the lawyer obtains the client’s informed consent. This entails that the lawyer must explain to the client how the review will be solicited and collected, if there is a monthly fee the lawyer pays, and which information will be provided to the online service.
“The lawyer may not solicit, encourage, or assist in the posting of fake, false, or misleading reviews.”
North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct 1.4, 1.6(a), 8.4
The full text of the 2018 Formal Ethic Opinion 7 is available at https://www.ncbar.gov…