Consultation Booking for Law Firms
The consultation is where a person decides to retain the firm, and where most marketing spend is either earned back or wasted. This page covers how to price it, book it, protect it with a conflict check and measure it.
Should a law firm offer free or paid consultations?
It depends on the practice area and how much screening happens before the meeting. Free short consultations suit urgent, high-volume areas where speed wins the client; paid consultations suit complex matters where the first meeting already delivers real advice. Many firms use both: a free 15-minute call to screen, then a paid first meeting.
ShoutEx view: a paid consultation is not a barrier when the page explains what the person gets. It also filters out people who were only collecting opinions.
| Model | Works well for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Free 15 to 20 minute call | Criminal defence, employment, immigration screening | Calls that turn into full advice for free |
| Free first meeting | Wills, real estate, business set-up | No-shows; confirm and remind |
| Paid consultation, flat fee | Family law, estate disputes, complex immigration | Say whether taxes are extra; credit it to the retainer if you do |
| Limited-scope or unbundled advice | People handling their own matter with help | Define exactly what is and is not included |
Practice-area pages explain the usual choice in more detail, for example family law and employment law.
How does the Law Society Referral Service affect consultations?
In Ontario, the Law Society Referral Service connects members of the public with a lawyer or paralegal for up to 30 minutes of free consultation. Further work after that may incur fees.
ShoutEx view: because a free first conversation is available through the law society, many people expect a short free call before they pay anything. A firm that charges for consultations should explain on its website what the paid meeting includes that a short call does not: a review of documents, a written summary, a fee estimate for the full matter.
- Say on the consultation page whether the first call is free and how long it lasts.
- Say clearly when the paid portion starts, and what it costs including tax.
- If you receive referrals from the service, have intake ready to explain fees after the free portion.
- Track referral-service consultations as their own source, so you can see how many retain.
When should a law firm run a conflict check before a consultation?
Run the conflict check before the consultation, using the names of every party the person mentions. A consultation with someone whose spouse, employer or business partner is already a client can create a conflict that costs the firm both people.
The check only works if intake collects the right names. Online booking tools should ask for them as required fields, with a short explanation of why the firm needs them.
- Collect the names of the person, the other parties and any related companies.
- Run the check before confirming the booking; hold the slot as tentative until it clears.
- If there is a conflict, decline politely without saying why or naming the client.
- Record the check and its result on the enquiry file.
- Only after it clears, send the confirmation with what to bring.
The intake and speed to lead page shows which questions belong before the check and which after.
How should consultation booking work online?
Let people book a real time, with the same message carried from the ad to the page to the confirmation. Online booking suits planned matters such as wills, real estate and business set-up; urgent matters still need a phone number at the top of the page.
The flow above keeps the searcher's word, consultation, in the ad, the page heading and the button. It shows length and price before the person commits, and tells them a conflict check comes first so the extra questions make sense.
- Show the next available times on the page, not just a form.
- Ask for conflict names inside the booking form.
- Send a confirmation with the address, parking, video link and what to bring.
- Send a reminder the day before, with a simple way to reschedule.
- If you take a deposit for paid consultations, say whether it is refundable and when.
- Landing page structure for ads is covered on ad landing pages.
Book the time on the first call.
Every "I'll send you some times" email loses people. Give the intake coordinator access to lawyer calendars and two slots to offer, and most consultations get booked before the call ends.
Can a law firm advertise second-opinion consultations?
Not in Ontario. Rule 4.2-1.2 of the Law Society of Ontario's conduct rules prohibits marketing second-opinion services, and rule 4.1-2 bars marketing intended to get someone who has retained another lawyer or paralegal to switch, unless the person initiates it. A firm can still meet a person who reaches out on their own, but it cannot advertise for them.
Get a second opinion on your case from experts who win. Switch lawyers today.
- Markets a second-opinion service, which Ontario rule 4.2-1.2 prohibits
- Invites people who already have a lawyer to switch
- "Experts" and "who win" imply superiority and raise expectations
- Does not say the firm's services are provided by lawyers
Separation, parenting and support. 60-minute consultation, $200 plus HST.
- Offers a consultation to anyone, without targeting people who have a lawyer
- Says "Lawyers", as Ontario rule 4.2-1.1 requires
- States the fee and that HST is extra
- Every statement can be checked
Other wording to avoid is listed on marketing rules by province.
How do you measure consultation bookings from ads?
Count consultations held and retainers signed, then send those outcomes back to the ad platform. Google's enhanced conversions for leads use hashed customer data from your form, such as an email address, to link a lead to the ad click, so a later outcome like a retained matter can be reported against the campaign that produced it.
Only send what is needed to match the lead, never the type of matter or anything confidential. The call and intake tracking page covers set-up for calls and forms.
| Stage | Count | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Ad enquiries (calls and forms) | 120 | 100% |
| Conflict-cleared and in scope | 82 | 68% |
| Consultations booked | 51 | 62% of cleared |
| Consultations held | 44 | 86% of booked |
| Retainers signed | 21 | 48% of held |
A low held-to-booked rate points to reminders and confirmation; a low retained-to-held rate points to the consultation itself, the fee estimate or the follow-up after the meeting.
Frequently asked questions
Should lawyers charge for consultations?
Many do for complex matters where the first meeting gives real advice. Free short calls suit urgent or high-volume areas. Whatever you choose, say it clearly before booking.
What is the Law Society Referral Service?
An Ontario service that connects people with a lawyer or paralegal for up to 30 minutes of free consultation. Further work may incur fees.
Can a law firm advertise second opinions?
Not in Ontario, where rule 4.2-1.2 prohibits marketing second-opinion services. Firms can still meet people who contact them on their own.
Should the conflict check happen before the consultation?
Yes. Collect the names of all parties at booking and clear them before the lawyer hears the details.
Do I need to say plus HST on a consultation fee?
In Ontario, fee advertising must say whether taxes and other charges are extra. Writing the fee with "plus HST" is the simple way to comply.
Should a law firm use online booking?
For planned matters, yes. For urgent matters, keep a phone number at the top of the page as well, because people want to talk first.
How do I reduce consultation no-shows?
Confirm right away, remind the day before, make rescheduling easy and, for paid consultations, take a clearly explained deposit.
What should I measure for consultations?
Consultations booked, held and retained, by source. Form fills alone overstate what marketing produces.
Sources & further reading
Regulator rules, platform policies and local data change. These sources let you check the facts on this page, last checked October 6, 2026.