Findings reveal delays in law firm response time and gaps in intake process that could cost firms millions in potential revenue
Tuesday, April 19, 2022 (NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif.) — Lawyers are leaving millions of dollars of revenue from potential cases on the table, a new study on law firm responsiveness from digital marketing agency Hennessey Digital reveals.
For the second-consecutive year, Hennessey Digital, the digital marketing agency of choice for the legal industry, has conducted its Law Firm Response Time study to provide the industry with a deeper understanding of the effectiveness of online lead forms. Findings from the 2022 study show gaps in law firms’ intake processes that could lead to millions in lost revenue for high-value leads and cases.
In its original 2021 law firm response time study, Hennessey Digital uncovered issues with firms’ intake processes, most notably the importance of responding quickly to lead forms submitted via a law firm’s website. The overall response rate improved from the previous year, with 67% of all firms contacted responding in 2022 (up from 59% in 2021).
17% of law firms in the 2022 study responded to the lead form inquiry in 10 minutes or less.
Other key findings:
- If a law firm failed to respond to the lead form inquiry in 15 minutes, they were unlikely to respond at all.
- The firms that responded in both 2021 and 2022 improved their response times significantly, by a median of 53 minutes faster than the year prior.
- 13% of firms responded with all four forms of communication tracked in the study (phone call, voicemail, email, and text messaging).
- 43% of firms were missing a live chat feature on their websites.
- Have COVID and pandemic economics impacted the legal industry? A large number of firms contacted in last year’s study either didn’t respond or were unable to be reached in 2022. Only 43% of the firms in the original 2021 cohort responded this year.
Nine law firms responded to the lead form inquiry in under one minute, raising the bar for lead form responsiveness. Worthy of recognition are:
Hoglund Law
Law Office of Stephen J. Dennis
Carlson Law Firm
Law Offices of Gary Bruce
Hastings & Hastings
Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers
Kleczek Law Office
Setareh Law
Bader Scott
“As plaintiffs’ law firms look for avenues for new growth, a low-hanging fruit for many continues to be improving how quickly they respond to inquiries from potential clients,” said Scott Shrum, President and COO of Hennessey Digital. “There is no shortage of solutions available for tracking and engaging with leads, but this study confirms once again that none of that matters if a firm takes hours to respond to inbound inquiries.”
Hennessey Digital Senior Director of Marketing Cindy Kerber Spellman explained the significance of the study results and the agency’s investment in law firm website research.
“When a person needs the help of legal counsel, the clock starts ticking. As consumer behavior shifts and communication through digital media increases, law firms must adapt and have effective processes in place in order to connect with prospective clients in a timely fashion. Our investment in research helps marketers better understand the dynamics of the online ecosystem that impact their business, and equips our clients with a competitive advantage to apply insights and strategies that help them serve more people while increasing their firms’ revenue,” Kerber Spellman said.
With the recent hire and promotion of key leaders in its SEO and web development teams, Hennessey Digital is well-positioned to advance its thought leadership and fulfill its Vivid Vision for 2024, with legal industry research and technology innovation fueling its plans for growth and expansion.
Our investment in research helps marketers better understand the dynamics of the online ecosystem that impact their business, and equips our clients with a competitive advantage to apply insights and strategies that help them serve more people while increasing their firms’ revenue.
Cindy Kerber Spellman, Senior Director of Marketing
Hennessey Digital thanks legal intake services provider Alert Communications for sponsoring this study. Alert Communications provides law firms with a full suite of intake solutions to improve ROI and increase new client acquisition.
About Hennessey Digital
Founded in 2015 by internationally recognized SEO expert and best-selling author Jason Hennessey, Hennessey Digital is a multi-award winning digital marketing agency for top law firms and other industries. Specializing in technical SEO, content marketing, law firm SEO, paid media and pay-per-click advertising (PPC), and conversion rate optimization (CRO), Hennessey Digital helps clients get more qualified leads and high-value cases through holistic marketing strategies. Hennessey Digital made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America in 2019, 2020, and 2021 and was named a Quartz 2021 Best Company for Remote Workers.
