ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Legal Newsline) — A Virginia law firm is claiming defamation against a client's mother, alleging her false comments in a Google review harmed the firm's reputation.
Binnall Law Group PLLC filed a complaint Oct. 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against Brenda Linnemann alleging defamation.
According to the plaintiff's complaint, Linnemann's daughter was a client of Binnall Law. It claims that in December of 2021, Linnemann publicly posted a negative review on Google stating "they literally did nothing but write 2 letters and pocket money. Do not consider them."
Binnall claims Linnemann's comments were misleading, false and published to harm the firm's reputation. The plaintiffs further claim Linnemann was negligent in her statements because she was in communication with her daughter regarding her legal representation and should have known the services the firm was providing.
It also claims Linnemann's false statements caused it to suffer damage to the firm's reputation, humiliation and loss of income. Binnall Law alleges Linnemann published her statements with intent to harm the firm and that an accusation that the firm is essentially stealing from its clients by pocketing unearned money prejudices it in the legal profession.
Binnall Law seeks monetary relief of $800,000, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. It is represented by Jared Roberts and Jason Greaves of The Binnall Law Group PLLC in Alexandra, Virginia.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia case number 1:22-CV-01227