By Julie Bays

How many potential clients is your firm losing simply because no one answered the phone? Throughout the legal industry, law firms are losing a notable proportion of client inquiries, leading to revenue loss. This challenge extends from solo practitioners to mid-sized firms, where the inability to respond to or return calls promptly represents more than a customer service issue. It constitutes a systemic intake concern with tangible financial and ethical implications. As competition intensifies and clients increasingly demand prompt communication, firms that do not address these shortcomings risk falling behind. 

The Problem

According to Clio’s 2024 Legal Trends Report, the number of law firms answering an incoming call from a prospective client has dropped sharply from 56% in 2019 to just 40% in 2024. Even more concerning, of the firms that missed a call, only 20% returned it. This communication breakdown is so severe that nearly half of all firms (48%) were unreachable by phone, meaning they neither answered calls nor returned messages.

The problem isn’t limited to phone calls. Clio’s research shows that a staggering 64% of prospective clients received no follow-up at all, whether by phone or email. This means nearly two-thirds of legal inquiries go unanswered, a significantly missed opportunity.

This lack of responsiveness has a direct effect on business. In the same study, 73% of secret shopper clients said they would not recommend the firms they contacted. In stark contrast, those who reached a real person on the phone were significantly more likely to endorse the firm, with a 39% recommendation rate versus much lower rates for email or voicemail-only interactions.

The Financial Impact

This widespread communication breakdown can have effects that extend beyond immediate inconvenience, potentially impacting a law firm’s financial stability. A study by Law Leaders estimates that U.S. law firms collectively let approximately 195 million incoming calls slip through the cracks each year. To put this in perspective, each missed call isn’t merely a lost voice on the line – it represents a prospective client seeking help, sometimes urgently. With an average conversion rate of 7% and a typical client value of $8,000, the math is striking. This oversight translates to nearly 13.6 million lost clients and an astounding $109 billion in potential revenue vaporized annually.

For solo practitioners and small firms, the effects are more pronounced. Unlike larger firms with resources for dedicated staff or comprehensive automated systems, solo attorneys typically manage all aspects of their practice. LexHelper’s recent analysis indicates that solo attorneys miss over 35% of incoming calls during business hours, and this figure increases to 90% after hours when clients may require assistance. Voicemails are not always effective as a backup. More than half remain unanswered for 72 hours or longer, which may result in prospective clients not receiving timely responses.

When a prospective client’s call goes unanswered, it often triggers a chain reaction: The client moves down their list, quickly dialing another attorney until they reach someone who can assist them in real time. In the current legal market where clients can easily find multiple alternatives online, this may result in losing not only a particular case but also a long-term client and their referrals.

Beyond direct financial impact, the cumulative effect of missed communication undermines a firm’s reputation. Reviews and word-of-mouth increasingly highlight not only legal expertise but also accessibility and care. Law firms seen as unresponsive risk damaging their standing within the community and online, potentially deterring future inquiries before they even occur. 

Wasted Marketing

The financial hit does not end with missed clients; it is compounded by wasted marketing dollars. Law firms invest heavily to attract potential clients, but much of that expenditure goes down the drain when leads are ignored. According to CallRail, the average law firm spends $649 to generate a single lead. Yet many of those leads never receive a reply, let alone convert into paying clients.

This disconnect between marketing investment and client intake is not just inefficient, but also costly. The legal industry ranks among the worst sectors for answering phone calls, despite pouring substantial resources into advertising and online visibility. Firms are paying premium prices to be found, only to let those hard-earned opportunities slip away the moment the phone rings. 

Solutions: From Intake Systems to Automation

The good news? Solving these communication breakdowns does not require a major overhaul. Today’s technology offers accessible, affordable tools that can dramatically improve client intake and responsiveness, even for solo and small firm practices. Forward-thinking firms are already seeing the benefits of several tools.

Virtual Receptionists and Live Answering Services

Engaging a virtual receptionist or subscribing to a live answering service can be a game changer for law firms of any size, particularly solo practitioners and small practices. These services ensure that incoming calls are always answered by a trained professional, creating a welcoming and reliable first point of contact for prospective and current clients. Unlike generic call centers, many legal-focused virtual receptionist services are familiar with industry terminology and can handle sensitive client matters with the discretion and professionalism the legal field demands.

Virtual receptionists can perform a range of functions beyond simply answering the phone. They can screen and prioritize calls, take detailed messages, schedule appointments directly into a firm’s calendar and even answer basic client questions based on customized scripts.

For growing law firms, investing in a virtual receptionist service is often more cost-effective than hiring additional full-time staff, yet it provides a level of client care and responsiveness that helps set a firm apart in a crowded, competitive market. Ultimately, by capturing every opportunity and making every caller feel valued, virtual receptionists and live answering services become a vital link in converting inquiries into loyal, long-term clients.

Online Scheduling Tools

Allowing clients to book consultations through a website eliminates the frustrating cycle of phone tag and dramatically increases the likelihood that a prospect will become a paying client. Among the many options available, Microsoft Bookings stands out for its simplicity and seamless integration with tools many law firms already use.

Microsoft Bookings offers an intuitive interface that requires minimal technical expertise, making it easy for law firms to set up appointment types, customize availability and automate confirmation emails. Clients can view real-time openings, select their preferred time slot and receive instant confirmation, reducing the back-and-forth that often results in lost leads. For firms already using Microsoft Outlook or Teams, Bookings syncs directly with existing calendars, preventing double-booking and helping staff manage their schedules effortlessly.

AI-Powered Intake Tools

While chatbots and automated web forms are common across many industries, attorneys are right to question their maturity and suitability in the legal field, where confidentiality, accuracy and case nuance are paramount. That said, several tools built specifically for law firms are making strong progress in meeting these demands.

A notable example is LawDroid. Built from the ground up for legal professionals, LawDroid Builder supports intake automation with customizable, secure chatbots, captures lead data and integrates with popular case management systems without requiring coding skills.[vii]

Other legal-specific solutions, such as Smith.ai, offer AI chat and virtual receptionist features developed with the legal industry in mind. These platforms allow firms to automate the intake process, screen clients for conflicts and schedule consultations directly.

Client Relationship Management Systems

Client relationship management (CRM) systems help track each lead’s progress through the intake process from initial contact to the consultation. This ensures that every prospect is managed properly, and follow-up is consistent and effective.

Best of all, many popular legal practice management platforms already include intake and CRM tools, sometimes at no extra cost. MyCase and Smokeball, for example, offer built-in intake forms and basic lead tracking as part of their standard plans. Clio offers these features through Clio Grow, a separate but tightly integrated product. For many firms, using the tools they already have is the easiest first step toward improving client responsiveness and maximizing their marketing investments. 

Conclusion

To better serve clients and protect your bottom line, start by taking a few simple but impactful steps. Begin with an honest audit of your call data: Are calls being answered promptly? Are voicemails returned? Then track your intake outcomes to see how many inquiries convert to actual clients. Consider whether your current systems are scaled appropriately for your firm’s size and workflow. Finally, evaluate how your intake process aligns with your broader marketing strategy. Generating leads is only valuable if you can respond to them effectively. Improving intake isn’t just about adopting new technology. It is about showing responsiveness, availability and professionalism.

Ms. Bays is the OBA Management Assistance Program director. Need a quick answer to a tech problem or help solving a management dilemma? Contact her at 405-416-7031, 800-522-8060 or julieb@okbar.org. It’s a free member benefit.

Originally published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal — September, 2025 — Vol. 96, No. 7