Solo and Small Firm

The Practitioner Winter 2017, Volume 23, Issue 1

Yelped ? What Is the Best Response to Negative Online Reviews

By Steven Krongold

Steven L. Krongold specializes in business litigation. For the past 30 years, Mr. Krongold has litigated disputes involving trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, invasion of privacy, cybersquatting, investment fraud, defamation, and other business-related torts. Mr. Krongold can be reached at the Krongold Law Corp., P.C., located in Orange County, CA.

Attorneys are not immune from the new phenomenon of negative online reviews posted anonymously. The number of such websites has proliferated in recent years to include Yelp, Avvo, Yahoo!, Yellow Pages, Glassdoor, and Citysearch. These websites scour public databases and, without consent, list attorneys, accountants, doctors, dentists, real estate agents, and other professionals. The websites then give members of the public the ability to create accounts and critique the professional without any editorial oversight. Many online reviews make accusations of fraud, gross negligence, and even criminal conduct. Not surprisingly, professionals are fighting back. This article explores best practices when you or your client(s) become victims of defamation posted anonymously.

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