It happens – even to us. Bad reviews on public platforms – like Google or social media – are something that most businesses have to navigate. It’s a hard thing, especially when you know how hard you work to give each client the attention they deserve, but even more so when you know that new prospective clients are also looking at those reviews, whether fair or unfair, and making big decisions about you.
How do you know what’s true – and what’s nonsense – when it comes to attorney reviews?
It’s not that we’re perfect or we don’t make mistakes, but there are always people who will complain no matter what. And, if I’m being so for real right now, it’s true – we don’t sell ice cream or designer shoes or some kind of people-pleasing product. We’re helping women navigate divorce, one of the most profound and life-altering experiences many adults will go through.
Our clients are not happy, usually, when we first meet them. And that’s a lens through which all of their experiences will be viewed. It’s not necessarily that they’re not happy with us, but it’s an unhappy, stressful, and overwhelming time. Sometimes, however well-meaning, we can get caught in the crossfire.
I say all the time that we call it the practice of law because it’s more of an art than a science. It requires a lot of judgment calls. And, sometimes, we’re making big decisions without a whole lot of information. I can’t tell you how many clients tell me that they want to move forward with an agreement without all the information – because getting it would cost too much and it doesn’t feel worth it to them. Is it a best practice? No. But my clients are in the driver’s seat where their cases are concerned. I make recommendations, but if they ultimately don’t want to pursue something, I can’t make them.
We do, sometimes, have clients sign letters that say that what they’re doing is against our advice – but that’s more to protect us from liability in the event that whatever the client is choosing ends up being a choice she wishes she hadn’t made. Hey, it happens. It’s a high-stakes, high-stress time. And everyone is worried about how much it’ll all cost and not everyone has the resources to leave no stone unturned.
It doesn’t mean our representation isn’t as good. It means that choices were made. In fact, choices are always made, good and bad, with positive and sometimes even negative consequences. We try to use our crystal balls to prepare our clients for every possible eventuality but the reality is that, well, our prophesying skills need a little bit of work. We’re lawyers, not fortune tellers or psychics.
Some people are unhappy no matter what; some are unhappy because of the specific circumstances. But almost without question, they’re unhappy. Even getting some great results isn’t necessarily enough to help them feel less disappointed in their present situation. Sure, it helps, but … it’s a hard time, no matter how you slice it.
So, if you’re finding bad reviews – and virtually everyone will have them, unless they’re just too new to have made anybody mad yet – ask yourself whether it sounds reasonable. Because, obviously, there are less-than-amazing family law attorneys out there. But there are also people who love to leave bad reviews. Ask yourself the following:
-
Does this feel like real criticism of the attorney and the way she ran her practice – or is this person just unhappy in general?
Even if you look at reviews for experiences that might be totally positive, you’ll find bad reviews. Sometimes, the reviews are specific, but other times the person just sounds like a negative Nancy. Would nothing have made this person happy? Especially if their gripes aren’t specific (the food was bad, the service was worse, the atmosphere was disappointing), they can be easier to discount. Sometimes, you have to read between the lines.
Is the statement, “The attorney didn’t know military law at all,” or was it, “The attorney didn’t file a TSP Order or submit the required paperwork to DFAS at the conclusion of my case, and this led to all sorts of issues with my ability to recover a portion of the retirement income.” See the difference? The first one I’m not sure that I’d give much credence; the second, I think I’d sit up and listen.
-
Are the issues that this person reported likely to be relevant to your case – or is it completely irrelevant?
Did this person have an issue – legitimate or not – that is related to what you might experience or is it something wholly unrelated? “This attorney didn’t know military law,” isn’t relevant to you if yours is a civilian divorce (and, in any case, I’d still look at question #1 and wonder if this is a specific enough complaint to suggest that it is true and not just a general gripe that may or may not have a legitimate foundation).
-
Were the issues created by the opposing party or attorney?
We can’t pick and choose who we want on the other side, and some attorneys are wildly litiigous – which increases costs and frustrations for the opposing party. Sure, we can combat it, but that’s expensive, too. Attorneys in the family law space work on retainers and bill hourly as work is done, so if they’re over there creating more work, it’s going to result in more cost.
If the other party is pro se, too, that can create additional hurdles and drive up cost and frustration. Is the person’s specific complaint about their attorney or about the larger process – which can be, I am sorry to say, abusive in its own right? The more aggressive and litigious people – attorneys and parties alike – can create a pretty toxic environment that is difficult, expensive, and demoralizing to navigate, even with competent representation.
-
Were there just bad facts?
I am going to hold your hand while I say this, because it’s a hard thing to say (and a harder thing to admit, if your facts aren’t good either): sometimes, the person involved isn’t doing herself any favors.
Sometimes, cases run off the rails for all sorts of reasons – bad facts, like alcoholism or addiction, or even refusing to follow legal advice, can lead to worse outcomes than would have existed otherwise. Withholding information is something that happens, too, and an attorney can’t give good advice without all the facts. Some cases are just harder to win, too – like relocation or even an abuse case.
Is it that the attorney didn’t fight for the person or that the law didn’t support the desired outcome? Even if the law did support it, was the judge or the GAL not on her side? Was she fighting an uphill battle from the first? Sometimes, these cases are marathons, rather than sprints, and we don’t see the ideal outcome the first go around, especially when we’re talking about custody.
Another thing I see – and things where we’re more likely to have someone complain – is when we get hired at the last minute (when the attorney has a reduced ability to do what needs to be done in the time allotted) or, sometimes, in cases where a settlement is reached before trial. Some people get buyer’s remorse and wish, instead, that they’d have their day in court – because, at least, they’d know they tried everything. Compromise is hard and, most of the time, in family law, everyone thinks they’re losing. Even if it feels like a good settlement to us, sometimes – to the woman involved – it doesn’t feel that way, at least at first.
The pressure of trial can convince people to settle who then, later, wonder what would have happened. And, though we try to do our best to guess what might have happened and give good advice based on our experience, we don’t have soothsaying abilities so can’t tell for certain whether it’d have been a better (or worse) outcome, or how much she’d have spent to get to that point.
Hey, bad reviews happen. And you’ll probably read some when you’re looking to hire a family law attorney. We all have an unhappy client now and then (and, let’s face it, happy clients are WAY less likely to leave a review). But is it as negative as it seems – or is it just a sad person dealing with a sad situation in whatever way she knows how?
I’m not saying that these people are crazy or that their feelings aren’t justified. But like anything else, some bad reviews indicate a fault on the part of the attorney and, well, some don’t. Try to be discerning as you read and don’t let one bad review put you off. And worst case scenario? Have a consult and see for yourself. Maybe even get a second opinion, if you’re not sure or if the advice you’re getting isn’t what you wanted to hear or doesn’t mesh with your intuition.
And, in the meantime, download a copy of our book on how to hire a divorce lawyer (or not). Visit our website at hoflaw.com for more.