Key facts
- Legal 500 accidentally published unredacted reviews of barristers and law firms.
- Some reviews described legal professionals as "sloppy, disorganised and indecisive."
- The website suspended its webpage on Friday after the error.
- Tim Wakefield, CEO of Legal500, apologized for the incident.
Legal 500, a publication that compiles reviews of barristers and law firms, accidentally published unredacted, critical feedback on its website on Thursday. The reviews, which are typically characterized by praise, instead described some of the country's top lawyers as "sloppy, disorganised and indecisive," with one review stating a legal career was "nothing of note."
Many lawyers were praised for their "robust" courtroom presence, but one was noted for having a "temperament can be difficult to deal with." The website suspended its webpage on Friday after the error came to light.
Tim Wakefield, chief executive officer of Legal500, told the Daily Mail that the error occurred during a recent website update. He stated that as soon as the issue was identified, the content was removed and additional verification checks were initiated. Wakefield acknowledged the importance of accurate information and apologized for any concern or inconvenience caused, adding that steps are being taken to strengthen quality assurance processes.