In an online era, individuals are increasingly being asked to review and comment on services they have received, whether this is eating out at local restaurants or finding a hotel to stay in on the other side of the world. Reviews are in the public domain for all to see and are frequently relied on and used by others as a recommendation on what is good – or a warning of what should be avoided.

Similar reviews can be left for tradesmen and now more commonly for professional firms themselves via sites such as Google and Trustpilot. Historically, a professional firm may have received a letter or email regarding a complaint of poor service and the contents of this would have remained private. These days a disgruntled client may leave a negative comment or criticism online which can potentially be viewed by millions of people and which may prove very difficult to remove, leading to reputational damage to the business.

Please click here to see a recent article by one of our legal partners, DWF LLP that looks at the challenges of monitoring and dealing with online comments, and whether a derogatory post regarding a firm’s professional services can trigger a requirement to notify PI insurers or any other relevant insurance that the professional may hold.