Most law firms have never called their own number as a client would. The phone system was set up, the greeting recorded, and then left to run in the background.
When we called 200 law firms, most issues we found were small but important: a full mailbox, a menu that looped, a transfer that led nowhere. Almost all could be fixed in a single afternoon, once someone noticed them.
This guide helps you hear your firm’s phone line as a first-time caller would, spot what needs attention, and know what to fix first.
Why the first call matters
In those 200 calls, 62% ended in voicemail and about 1 in 4 reached a person. In a separate survey of 6,000 people, 89% said they would rather speak to a real person than AI when contacting a law firm, and a third said they would hang up if connected to AI instead.
Every call to a law firm is about something that matters. What a caller hears in the first minute shapes how they feel about your firm, and whether they trust you to help.
Step one: call your own firm as a stranger would
Use a phone your system does not recognize, like your personal mobile or a friend’s. Call your main number at three key times: a weekday around 5:30 p.m., a weekday evening, and a weekend morning. Start with afternoons and evenings, when most callers reach out and offices are closing or closed.
Note the following:
- How many rings, or how many seconds, before anything answered
- Who answered
- If there was a menu, whether every option led somewhere
- Whether you could leave a message, or schedule a consultation, and whether the greeting told you what happens next
- Whether the details you gave were repeated back correctly
If possible, ask a colleague or family member to call as well. A fresh perspective often catches details you may have missed.
What we heard, and what to check
Below, you will find the most common problems we heard, along with a quick way to test and fix each one.
| What callers experienced | What to check | What to change |
| Calls ringing for three to five minutes before reaching voicemail | Time the call from first ring | Set a defined ring limit, so an unanswered call moves to a person or a mailbox promptly |
| Full mailboxes, or no option to leave a message | Leave a test message and check how much space remains | Clear the mailbox on a set schedule, and assign one person to check it |
| A menu that looped for five minutes | Press every option, in order | Make sure each option reaches a person or a working mailbox, with no dead ends |
| Holds of two to three minutes, and one hold that ended in a disconnect | Time the hold, and stay on to the end | Limit the hold, and offer to take a message when no one is free |
| Transfers that never completed, or “the call could not be completed as transferred” | Dial each extension and each attorney’s option | Update the directory when staff change, and set a fallback mailbox |
| A greeting that named a different attorney than the one called | Listen to the full greeting | Re-record it whenever staff or titles change |
| “Call back during business hours,” with no next step | Listen for what happens after the message | Tell callers when they will hear back, or have someone take their details |
| Numbers out of service, or a number that belonged to another firm | Dial the number on your website, Google profile, and directory listings | Correct the number everywhere it appears |
| A receptionist who was hard to hear, or heavy background noise | Listen on a phone speaker, as a caller would | Use a quiet space, a headset, and a clear answering script |
| An AI that misheard a name, dropped digits from a phone number, or couldn’t reach a person | Give a name and number, and ask for a human | Confirm details back to the caller, and give every caller a clear path to a person |
Check what callers find before they call
Many callers find your number through your website, a search result, or a directory. In our calls, we found numbers that were out of date or no longer in service, and some websites that would not load.
Open your website on a phone and tap the number. Then check it against your Google profile and any bar or directory listings. Make sure every listing matches. A correct number in one place does not mean it is right everywhere.
Fix the basics (in this order)
Start by fixing anything that stops a call from reaching you. Then focus on the details that shape how a caller feels about your firm.
- Make sure every call reaches someone, or at least a working mailbox. Fix dead ends, loops, and full mailboxes first.
- Give callers a clear next step. Hearing “we’ll schedule you in straight away” reassures, while “call back during business hours” leaves them uncertain.
- Plan for the hours when your office is closed. This is the biggest gap we found, and it needs attention.
- Keep your greetings, directories, and listed numbers up to date. Assign someone to check and update them regularly.
Decide how to cover the hours you are not there
You have three main options: an in-house rotation, a shared receptionist, or an outside legal answering service. Each can work well. The best choice depends on your call volume, your team’s availability, and what your clients need.
Whatever you choose, ask yourself:
- Is a person answering every call, at every hour?
- Are they trained in legal intake, and will they follow your process?
- Can they support callers in the languages your clients speak?
- How do details reach you, and how quickly?
- What happens when you or an attorney cannot be reached?
Repeat the check
Call your own number after any change to staff, phones, or office hours. Otherwise, check in once a quarter. Keep a simple log with the date, time, what you heard, and what you changed. Over time, you will see how your callers’ experience improves.
How LEX Reception can help
At LEX Reception, every call is answered by a trained legal receptionist, 24 hours a day, in English and Spanish. Our team follows your firm’s intake process, and every call is answered by a real person, never a bot.
If you want to talk through what your callers hear today, or how your calls are covered after hours, we are here to help.
