Most criminal-defense firms collect 1-2 Google reviews per month — and lose hundreds of would-have-been-reviews each year by asking the wrong client at the wrong time with the wrong message.
A properly automated post-case review sequence can take a small firm from 2 reviews/month to 8-12.
Why criminal defense is uniquely tricky
A client whose case was dismissed will sing your praises. A client who pled to a misdemeanor with probation has mixed feelings. A client convicted at trial is hostile. If you blast the same review SMS to every closed case, you will collect 5-star reviews from the dismissed cohort and 1-star "they failed me" reviews from the conviction cohort. Net rating: worse than not asking.
The automation needs cohort logic.
The cohort split
In the firm the platform pipeline, the Closed stage should have sub-statuses: Closed-Dismissed/Acquitted, Closed-Favorable plea, Closed-Unfavorable. The review sequence only fires for the first two.
The 4-touch sequence (favorable cohorts only)
T+2 days — first SMS. "Glad we got you the outcome you needed. If our team helped, would you mind leaving a quick review? {{google_review_link}}"
T+5 days — email follow-up if no review. Slightly longer, includes a one-line specific reference to the case outcome.
T+10 days — second SMS, lighter ask. "One last ask — a quick Google review really helps small firms like ours."
T+30 days — switches to quarterly Past Clients sequence (referral asks, case results). Review window closed, relationship continues.
What goes in the link
The {{google_review_link}} should be the firm direct review URL: https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid={{firm_place_id}}. Skips the GBP detail page, lands directly on the review form. ~30% conversion lift over the standard URL.
How to handle the unfavorable cohort
Closed-Unfavorable: T+1 day closeout email with appeal info and a private feedback form (NOT a Google review link). T+30 days: nothing automated. Highest risk of damaging reviews — give them a private channel.
The math
Small criminal-defense firm: 25 closures/month, 60% favorable = 15 review-eligible. Without automation: ~1 review/month. With this sequence: 5-6 reviews/month. Over 12 months that is 60+ extra reviews — difference between local pack position #5 and #2, which is roughly 4× inbound CTR.
Building it
Workflow trigger: Opportunity status changed to Closed. Filter by closed_substatus IN [dismissed, favorable_plea]. Branch the rest off that filter. Each touch wraps in a "has the contact already left a review?" check.
Total build time: 2-3 hours.
Where this fits
Review automation is one of six workflows in the scale.law Law Firm Intake Stack for legal-vertical agencies. Full stack delivered white-label, $800 + $400/mo per client. scalelaw.tech/services.