Response Time
How long it takes to respond to a potential client's inquiry. One of the biggest factors in whether they hire you or someone else.
Response time is the gap between "they reached out" and "you responded."
It might be the most important metric in client acquisition, and most firms track it poorly—if at all.
Why Speed Matters
The data here is clear and dramatic.
Leads contacted within 5 minutes are 21x more likely to convert than leads contacted after 30 minutes. Within the first hour, conversion is 7x higher than after 24 hours.
This isn't mysterious. When someone searches for a lawyer, they're motivated right now. That motivation fades fast. The lawyer who responds first captures the client while the problem is still urgent.
What Most Firms Do
The honest truth: most law firms respond slowly.
Studies show the average law firm takes 24-48 hours to respond to web leads. Many never respond at all.
This creates a massive opportunity. Simply responding quickly—within minutes instead of days—is a genuine competitive advantage.
What Gets in the Way
After-hours leads: If someone submits a form at 9 PM, they wait until morning. Or later.
Busy staff: When calls and emails stack up, new leads get triaged to the back of the queue.
No system: Without clear responsibility and tracking, leads fall through cracks.
Phone tag: You call, they don't answer. They call back, you're in court. Repeat.
Solving the Speed Problem
Different approaches to faster response:
Better staffing: Dedicate someone specifically to leads. New inquiries are their first priority, always.
Answering services: Third-party services answer phones and take messages 24/7. Fast response, but limited capability.
AI intake: AI engages leads immediately, anytime. No waiting for humans to become available.
Text follow-up: When phone calls fail, immediate text messages often get through.
Measuring Response Time
Track two things:
First response time: How long from inquiry to first meaningful contact?
Speed to qualified conversation: How long until an actual substantive conversation happens?
The first number measures systems. The second measures effectiveness. Both matter.
The After-Hours Problem
Response time stats get worse after hours—which is exactly when most legal searches happen.
Someone with a problem at 10 PM who fills out a form waits until morning. Someone who calls gets voicemail. By the time you respond, they've contacted other firms.
True 24/7 response—whether via AI, answering service, or heroic staffing—solves this. Instant engagement at any hour, no exceptions.