Observed secret shopper
2024: 40% answered the initial phone call
A third-party research company contacted 500 law firms by phone and email with a prospective-client inquiry.
answered the initial phone call
were reached by phone including callbacks
remained unreachable by phone
responded to email
Among phone conversations, 41% offered rate information, 12% provided an estimate of total cost, and 36% explained the process and next steps.
Historical comparison
2019 phone and email responsiveness
Clio’s 2019 secret shopper emailed 1,000 U.S. law firms and phoned 500 from the same group. The sample had equal representation across family, criminal, bankruptcy, business formation, and employment matters and included firms of all sizes.
- 56% answered the phone.
- 39% of calls went to voicemail; among those, 57% did not receive a callback within 72 hours.
- 73% were reached by phone including callbacks, leaving 27% unreachable.
- 40% responded to email.
Directional comparison
2019 vs. 2024
| Measure | 2019 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Initial phone answered | 56% | 40% |
| Reached by phone including callbacks | 73% | 52% |
| Email response | 40% | 33% |
Citing this page
Use the original study and this interpretation together.
Clio's 2024 secret-shopper study contacted 500 law firms by phone and email; 40% answered the initial phone call, 52% were eventually reached by phone, and 33% responded to email.
When citing an individual statistic, cite the original publisher as well as CallShift whenever practical.