The Ohio Court of Appeals recently established a significant precedent: law firms can now pursue defamation claims against individuals who post false and damaging online reviews. This decision arose from a case involving Columbus-based law firm Kisling, Nestico & Redick (KNR), which sued a former client over negative online comments alleging the firm had neglected his case. KNR argued that these comments were not simply opinions but inaccurate statements that could harm the firm’s reputation and client trust.
The client contended that his statements were protected by free speech. However, the court clarified that while the First Amendment does protect expressions of opinion, it does not shield false statements of fact that harm another’s reputation. The court’s rationale emphasized that such statements are not protected if they can be proven false and cause reputational damage.
For law firms and other professionals, this ruling offers an important mechanism to protect their reputation against defamatory claims online. This case underscores a balanced approach: while individuals retain the right to share opinions, businesses also have a legal path to address false allegations that may harm their credibility and livelihood.