Why practice area drives the budget
Personal injury firms commonly budget est. 10–15% of revenue because a single case can be worth six figures and every competitor knows it; estate planning can compete at est. 3–7% because clicks and cases cost far less. Applying one generic percentage across practice areas is the most common budgeting mistake firms make, and it is why this calculator asks first.
Where law firm budgets leak
- Buying PI-priced clicks with a family-law intake process. If calls go to voicemail after 6pm, the budget is fine and the intake is the problem.
- Directory spend without tracking. Legal directories can work, but only measured against cost per signed case, not impressions.
- Ranking for questions instead of cases. "How long does divorce take" traffic feels good; "divorce lawyer [city] cost" signs clients. Cost-intent content converts — it is the same pattern that works in every fee-sensitive industry.
Reading the cost-per-lead estimates
The CPL figures shown are widely cited est. ranges, not promises — your market, reviews and response speed move them a lot. The more useful discipline: track cost per consult scheduled and cost per signed case. A cheap lead that never answers the phone is the most expensive kind.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a law firm spend on marketing?
The est. convention runs from 3–7% of revenue in low-competition areas like estate planning up to 10–15% for personal injury, adjusted for market size. A $750k family-law firm in a mid-size metro typically lands around est. $3,750–$6,250/month.
What does a lead cost for a law firm?
Widely cited est. ranges: personal injury $500–$1,500, family law $100–$400, estate planning $75–$250, criminal defense $150–$500. These vary heavily by market and should be validated against your own signed-case numbers, not taken as promises.
Should a small firm bother with a percentage rule?
Below roughly est. $1,200/month the percentages stop mattering — workable local search plus review generation has minimum costs regardless of firm size. The calculator applies that floor for small firms.
SEO or PPC first for a law firm?
PPC buys immediate case flow at the highest CPLs in marketing; SEO compounds but takes months. High-value practice areas usually need both, with PPC throttled by real signed-case tracking rather than lead counts. Whatever the mix, fix intake speed first.
Do you guarantee case volume?
No, and neither should anyone else — bar advertising rules aside, nobody controls Google or your intake. What I commit to is named monthly deliverables on published pricing: $800 or $1,500/month, no contract, you keep everything if you leave.