A solicitor has taken a former client to court over three negative reviews posted online. Property specialist Jacqueline Samuels represented herself during the High Court trial before deputy master Marzec who was asked to decide on the preliminary issue of whether Christopher John Henry had published three reviews on Google which Samuels claimed were written ‘to inflict damage’ on her reputation.

Henry, who also represented himself, denied writing or publishing the posts.

Samuels had acted for Henry and others in a freehold purchase in 2021. Some time later, three negative reviews were posted on Google about Samuels’ firm, Samuels & Co Solicitors, under the names Chris H, John H and PR. Samuels claimed the reviews had been posted by Henry.

She told the court the initials PR were of a former client who had instructed her with the defendant as ‘the defendant wanted me to believe that was a post made [by the other client]’. 

Samuels added: ‘The defendant had a motive to inflict damage on my reputation. The review was trying to put people off from instructing my firm…to inflict economic damage on my firm.

‘He had a motive to do so, he was dissatisfied with the service that I provided to him which he said so in his evidence and because the complaint to the SRA and Legal Ombudsman did not go in his favour, they were decided in my favour. I would say that provided the defendant with motive to inflict harm so that people would not instruct me [and] to try and put me out of business.’

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Samuels said there was ‘no doubt’ in her mind that Henry had made the three posts. She added: ‘I feel I have been wronged and it is my prerogative to bring these actions. They are actions brought in good faith within the time limits required.’

She told the court a client who had instructed her later saw the negative reviews and ‘wanted to cancel’.

‘It is feasible people do their due diligence before instructing me. In my experience the people that do not instruct you, do not come back to tell you why,’ she added.

Speaking of the claim, Henry said ‘taking legal action against a client seems an unusual thing to do’. He added: ‘The relationship was quite difficult in my opinion. I did then complain to the internal complaints procedure, to the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Legal Ombudsman because I felt her conduct was not good. A simple sorry from Miss Samuels at any point during this would have resolved the matter.’

Henry said his complaints to the SRA and the Legal Ombudsman were not upheld and he did not have time ‘to sit around posting reviews about some solicitor’.

He added: ‘It has been a very stressful time having a solicitor, a fully trained solicitor, trying to sue a client for something they have categorically said they did not do. I do feel she is doing this as punishment. It is normal to expect that people might complain about your service.’

The court heard that Samuels had previously sued another former client over a negative review. The claim was struck out and an appeal was dismissed.

Judgment was reserved.