Attorneys Lose Six Figures a Year to Free Consultations

Law firms are constantly striving to optimize their resources and convert leads into paying clients. However, the traditional approach of offering free consultations can be a double-edged sword. While it attracts potential clients, it often comes at the cost of wasted attorney time and unrealistic client expectations. Here’s where the concept of free case evaluations (different from consultations) enters the picture. This strategic approach allows your firm to thoroughly assess cases without sacrificing valuable resources, potentially generating your law firm six figures of unrealized revenue and empowering you to build stronger client relationships from the very beginning. 

The Hidden Cost of Free Consultations

Free consultations may seem like a good way to attract new clients, but the truth is they are nothing more than hidden costs that eat away at your firm’s bottom line. More often than not offering free consultations opens the door for everyone, including individuals that are unqualified for your services. This ultimately takes time and billable hours revenue away from your attorneys and your law firm. The limited time spent with each client in free consultations can paint a false reality of the true complexity of the case. This can lead to wasted time spent with unqualified leads or clients with unrealistic expectations of what a free consultation can accomplish and many other problems down the line. Many free consultations are nothing more than a sales pitch for the firm which can also lead to dissatisfied prospective clients who many leave a negative review from their experience not being aligned with the reality of a free consultation.

Free Consultations Vs. Free Case Evaluations

Free consultations are common in the legal space, making many attorneys feel like it is a necessary part of the client acquisition process. Free consultations can be a great way to understand the client’s situation and determine if you can help them through their case or if your services aren’t suited for what they’re looking for. However, free consultations come with a cost, valuable attorney time and knowledge. But, what if we presented your firm with an alternative option that results in six figures of additional income and actually draws in more qualified clients.

All of our own firms offer free case evaluations and paid consultations. This results in an additional $700,000+ per year in revenue for our US Legal Groups practice. Free case evaluations can be submitted online through our website and various landing pages. This allows potential new clients to submit information regarding their case and a chance for a member of our legal staff to review their submission before reaching out. After receiving a case evaluation, a receptionist, legal assistant, or paralegal will reach out to the potential client via phone call to further assess their situation, run a conflict check, and determine if it makes sense to book a paid consultation. This typically takes fifteen minutes or less. The free case evaluation provides the client with valuable information and helps them set their expectations as it relates to the possibility of working with our firm, giving them a better understanding of what a paid consultation entails. While it might seem scary to start charging for consultations, especially if your firm has never done so, but this can make a huge difference in your law firm’s yearly revenue.

How Free Case Evaluations Can Benefit Your Law Firm

Free case evaluations offer a multitude of advantages for law firms. They provide a comprehensive assessment without financial commitment and empower potential clients to make informed decisions about their legal needs. Similar to free consultations, free case evaluations allow you to gain a deeper understanding of the case and allow you to accurately assess its merits, without wasting precious time. This allows your firm to quickly understand if this is a case suitable for your law firm to service and quickly vets out any unqualified submissions, allowing you to avoid wasting valuable time. Furthermore, free case evaluations position your firm as accessible and client-focused, building trust and rapport from the outset. This can lead to higher client satisfaction, increased referrals, and ultimately, a stronger bottom line when a free case evaluation converts to a paid consultation.

Implementing Free Case Evaluations

Transitioning from free consultations to free case evaluations requires careful planning, training, and execution. Begin by developing a clear and concise process outlining the evaluation steps, the information required for new clients, and the expected timeframe for providing feedback. The next step involves your staff. Make sure everyone on your team is well-trained in conducting these evaluations. They should know what questions to ask to identify if the potential new client is qualified and a good fit for your law firm to take on. Additionally, your staff should be able to respond in a timely fashion and effectively communicate the value of your firm to potential new clients.

To maximize the impact and reach of your free case evaluations, consider creating dedicated landing pages or a form on your website that clearly explains the process and benefits of completing the form. Implement a system within your law firm’s CRM (we recommend Lawmatics) to capture and manage client information efficiently, ensuring that every individual who submits a free case evaluation is contacted in a timely manner. Streamlining the evaluation process and providing exceptional client experiences can position your firm as a knowledgeable and responsive legal resource. If you’re wondering how you can begin implementing free case evaluations for your own law firm, but you aren’t sure where to start, contact our team today. We understand transitioning from free consultations to free case evaluations can be scary and present many unknowns. We also know what it is like to reap the benefits of making this switch and trust us, you’ll never look back!