On this page
- The numbers behind missed calls
- Why after hours calls matter for law firms
- Your options for after hours calls
- How a missed call text back works for a law firm
- How much are missed calls costing you?
- Keep the first text simple and careful
- Law firm receptionist scripts, adapted for text
- Intake and conflict checks stay with your team
- Which TextbackFast plan fits a law firm
- How to set it up
- Frequently asked questions
The numbers behind missed calls
Sources: 411 Locals study; CallRail 2025 survey.
One in five callers who hit voicemail dials your competitor next. A text in seconds keeps them talking to you.Based on the CallRail 2025 survey
Why after hours calls matter for law firms
People rarely call a lawyer on a schedule. They call after an accident, after an arrest, after they get served, or late at night once they finally decide they need help. Many of them are calling several firms from the same search results page, and the first firm that responds has a real head start.
When nobody answers, many callers do not wait. In a 2025 survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, only 42% said they leave a voicemail when a business does not answer, and 21% said they call another business right away (CallRail 2025 consumer survey, summarized by Local Voice). For a law firm, that next call can be the competitor who signs the case.
Your options for after hours calls
- A live legal answering service. Trained operators answer every call, follow your intake script, and can take messages, screen for conflicts or transfer urgent calls. It is the most complete option, and it is usually priced per minute or per call, so the cost moves with your call volume.
- A voicemail greeting. Free and simple, but most callers do not leave a message, and you may not hear about a new matter until the next business day.
- An on-call attorney phone. Common in criminal defense and other practices where some calls truly cannot wait. It works, but every call reaches a person, including the ones that could wait until morning.
- A missed call text back. Calls ring your office as usual. Any call you do not answer gets an instant text from your firm's number, so the caller knows they reached a real firm and can explain in writing what they need.
These can work together. A firm might keep a live service for business hours overflow, keep an on-call phone for urgent criminal matters, and add a text back so no other missed caller is left with silence.
How a missed call text back works for a law firm
You keep your existing office number. You set up conditional call forwarding so that only calls you do not answer go to your TextbackFast number. Calls your receptionist or attorneys pick up ring exactly like they do now.
When a call goes unanswered, the caller gets a short text right away, written in your firm's voice. They can reply with their name and the kind of matter at their own pace, which is often easier for someone who is stressed or cannot talk freely. Messages are plain text with no emojis, and callers can reply STOP at any time. TextbackFast keeps automatic texts under 160 characters, so each one goes out as a single standard text.
How much are missed calls costing you?
Drag the sliders to estimate the revenue law firms leave on the table from calls that never get answered.
Estimate only: missed calls × 4.33 weeks × job value × booking rate. Your numbers will vary.
Keep the first text simple and careful
An automatic text is not legal advice, and it should never sound like it. A good first message does three things: it says who you are, it says sorry you missed the call, and it asks one easy question, such as the caller's name and the type of matter. It does not ask for the full story, sensitive details or documents by text. Your intake team and attorneys decide what to collect and how, under your firm's own policies and your state's professional rules.
If your practice handles urgent matters, such as criminal defense, the first text can also point the caller to your on-call number.
Law firm receptionist scripts, adapted for text
Most firms already have a phone script for intake. The same ideas work in a text, just shorter. These are examples only. You write your own messages in TextbackFast.
- After hours: "Hi, this is [Firm]. Sorry we missed your call, we are closed. What is your name and what type of legal matter is this about?"
- In court or with a client: "Hi, this is [Firm]. Sorry we missed you, our attorneys are with clients. What type of matter can we help with?"
- Urgent practice areas: "Hi, this is [Firm]. Sorry we missed your call. If this is urgent, call [on-call number]. Otherwise, what can we help with?"
- Bilingual callers: "Hi, this is [Firm]. Sorry we missed your call. Do you prefer English or Spanish? What can we help with?"
Intake and conflict checks stay with your team
Deciding whether to take a case, running conflict checks and giving any kind of advice belong to your attorneys and staff, not to an automatic text. A text back gives the caller a fast, polite response and collects the basics. Your team reads the replies, calls back the promising ones, and handles the rest the way your firm already does.
Which TextbackFast plan fits a law firm
Every plan includes the 7-day free trial. Compare them in the pricing section.
- Starter ($49/mo) sends one automatic text per missed call and forwards replies to your cell. A good fit for a solo attorney who wants to keep it simple.
- Pro ($99/mo) adds a two-way texting inbox, follow-ups for repeat callers, quick replies, CRM or Google Sheet sync, and review requests. Useful when a receptionist and several attorneys share new client messages.
- AI ($199/mo) runs the conversation from your playbook. It can ask for the caller's name and the type of matter, and it hands the conversation to you for anything sensitive, upset callers, anything it is not sure about, or anyone who wants to talk to a person.
A one-time carrier registration fee also applies when you sign up ($35 for a sole proprietor, $69 with an EIN), which is required to send business texts in the U.S.
How to set it up
Setup takes a few minutes. Pick your plan and reserve a local number at signup. Then forward unanswered calls from your current phone. Most firms use a landline or a VoIP system, so see the landline guide or the VoIP guide. If calls come to a cell, start with the cell phone setup guide. Then call your own number from another phone, let it ring out, and confirm the text arrives.
Want to see it work? Read what missed call text back is, visit the TextbackFast homepage to try the live demo, or start your 7-day free trial.
Stop losing jobs to missed calls
Starter $49, Pro $99, AI $199 a month, plus a one-time carrier registration fee: $35 one-time ($69 for businesses with an EIN). Your 7-day free trial starts once texting is approved. Keep your number by forwarding unanswered calls.
Start free trial →Compare plansFrequently asked questions
What is an after hours answering service for law firms?
It is any setup that responds to people who call your firm outside office hours. That can be a live legal answering service, a voicemail greeting, an on-call attorney phone, or a missed call text back that texts every caller you miss and asks what they need.
Is there an AI answering service for lawyers?
There are AI tools that answer or reply to calls. TextbackFast works by text: on the AI plan, it texts the caller you missed, asks for their name and the type of matter, and hands the conversation to your team for anything sensitive or anyone who wants a person.
What is the best answering service for lawyers?
It depends on your call volume and practice area. Firms that need every call answered live, around the clock, often use a live legal answering service. Firms that mainly want every missed caller to get a fast response can use a missed call text back, alone or alongside a live service.
What should a law firm phone answering service do?
Respond quickly, identify the firm, get the caller's name, contact information and type of matter, and give a clear next step, such as a callback from an attorney. Legal advice, case evaluation and conflict checks stay with the firm.
Can I offer a bilingual option?
Yes. You write your own messages in TextbackFast, so your first text can ask which language the caller prefers or be written in the language most of your clients use.
Does TextbackFast change my firm's phone number?
No. You keep your number and forward only unanswered calls to your TextbackFast number. Calls you answer ring as usual.