Voicemail Greetings

Professional Voicemail Greetings for Lawyers

For lawyers, voicemail isn’t just a courtesy—it’s risk control. You’re often in court, a deposition, or a client meeting where your phone must be silent, but the people calling you may be facing an arrest, a custody issue, or a filing deadline. These greetings keep you professional, screen the right details, and set a clear timeline so urgent matters don’t slip away to the next firm.

Standard Business Hours (Court/Meeting Default)

Use this as your everyday greeting during normal office hours when you’re often unavailable due to court and client work.

“You’ve reached the law office of [Attorney Name] at [Firm Name]. I’m currently in court, a deposition, or with a client and can’t take your call. Please leave your name, number, the type of matter (criminal, family, injury, business/contract, or real estate), and any deadlines or court dates. If you’ve been served papers, tell me the date you were served. I return calls as soon as I’m available—typically the same business day.”

Tips for this scenario

-Say “type of matter” to reduce long stories and get what you need fast (criminal/family/injury/business/real estate).
-Always ask for “deadlines or court dates” so you can triage statute/court filing pressure.
-Add “date served” because it drives real response timelines in civil matters.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

!Your greeting doesn’t say you’re a law office, so callers think they reached the wrong number and hang up.

!You don’t ask for deadlines, court dates, or date served—so you can’t triage filing and hearing emergencies.

!You promise ‘I’ll call you right back’ while you’re in court 9–5, and clients lose trust when it doesn’t happen.

!You let callers ramble without asking for the matter type (criminal/family/injury/business/real estate), which makes messages unusable.

!You don’t give a safe-call option for family law clients, which can put them at risk and reduces the details they leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

What details should your voicemail always ask for in a law practice?

Ask for full name, best callback number, type of matter (criminal/family/injury/business/real estate), county/jurisdiction, and any deadlines (court date, filing deadline, date served). For arrests, add jail/county and bond hearing time. For closings, add property address and closing date.

Should you mention prices (like $100–$500 consultations) in your voicemail greeting?

Yes, if you want to reduce calls from people seeking free legal advice. Mentioning consultation fees ($100–$500) and typical project ranges (contracts $500–$2,000; litigation $5,000–$50,000+) sets expectations and attracts serious callers.

How do you handle calls when you’re in court all day?

Use a business-hours greeting that plainly says you’re in court or with a client, and that you return calls the same business day when possible. Ask for court dates and deadlines so you can prioritize. If urgent calls are slipping through, use a 24/7 answering option (like SkipCalls) to capture details while you’re unavailable.

What’s the best voicemail setup for criminal defense arrests after hours?

Use an emergency-specific greeting that asks for the arrested person’s full name, date of birth, jail/county, arresting agency, and any bond hearing time. Tell callers you prioritize arrest-related messages and will return them as soon as possible.

What should you say for family law callers who may not be safe?

Ask for a “safe callback number” and keep the message prompt short: county, whether children are involved, and whether there is an upcoming hearing or emergency filing need. Avoid asking for sensitive details that could put them at risk if someone else hears the voicemail.

How often should you update your voicemail greeting?

Update it anytime your availability changes: trial week, vacation dates, holiday closures, and seasonal rush periods (end-of-month closings, tax season business documents). Outdated greetings lead to missed deadlines and frustrated clients.