Personal injury leads are the lifeblood of case acquisition. Whether you generate them yourself or buy from vendors, understanding the economics, quality factors, and ethics helps you make better decisions.
What PI Leads Cost
By Case Type
| Case Type | Average CPL |
|---|---|
| Slip and fall | $312 |
| Workplace injury | $354 |
| Auto accidents | $391 |
| Product liability | $476 |
| Medical malpractice | $512 |
By Market
General averages mask significant market variation:
| Market Type | Typical CPL |
|---|---|
| Average market | $100-$300 |
| Competitive metro | $400-$700 |
| Highly competitive | $700-$1,500 |
| Mass tort campaigns | $500-$2,000+ |
Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and other major markets sit at the expensive end. Smaller markets can be significantly cheaper.
Exclusive vs. Shared Leads
Option A
Option B
Which Is Better?
Neither is inherently better. The question is cost per signed case:
Example: Exclusive leads at $500 with 20% conversion = $2,500/case. Shared leads at $150 with 5% conversion = $3,000/case. Exclusive wins despite higher CPL.
But: Shared leads at $150 with 8% conversion = $1,875/case. Now shared wins.
Your intake speed and quality determines which model works better for your firm.
Lead Quality Indicators
Not every lead is a case. Quality indicators help filter:
Strong Quality Signals
- Clear incident description: They can explain what happened
- Within your geography: You can actually serve them
- Recent incident: Not a case from years ago
- Responsive: They answer when you call
- Appropriate injuries: Damages worth pursuing
- Apparent liability: Not obviously at-fault
Warning Signs
- Vague or inconsistent story
- Incident happened years ago
- Already represented by another attorney
- Outside your service area
- Seeking “free advice” rather than representation
- Non-responsive after initial contact
Tracking Quality
Build feedback loops:
- Tag leads by source in your CRM
- Track lead-to-case conversion by source
- Monitor case value by lead source
- Calculate cost per signed case by source
This data reveals which sources produce cases, not just contacts.
Working with Lead Vendors
What Vendors Provide
Lead generation companies generate contacts through:
- Their own advertising (TV, digital, etc.)
- Content and SEO
- Aggregator sites
- Paid search campaigns
They sell these contacts to law firms as leads.
Evaluating Vendors
Questions to ask:
- How do you generate leads?
- Are leads exclusive or shared? How many firms?
- What’s your return policy for non-qualifying leads?
- Can you provide references?
- What data do you include with leads?
Red flags:
- Won’t explain lead sources
- No return policy
- Unwilling to provide references
- Unclear about exclusivity
Managing the Relationship
- Start with a trial period
- Track conversion religiously
- Dispute non-qualifying leads immediately
- Negotiate based on your conversion data
- Be willing to pause or exit if quality declines
Ethics of Buying Leads
What’s Permitted
Buying leads is generally permitted under bar rules, provided:
- The lead vendor doesn’t engage in improper solicitation (like directly approaching accident victims in hospitals)
- The arrangement doesn’t constitute fee-splitting with non-lawyers
- The vendor complies with advertising rules in their lead generation
Your Responsibility
Even when buying leads, you’re responsible for:
- Ensuring vendors use compliant methods
- Not participating in improper solicitation
- Proper client communication once engaged
If a vendor generates leads through methods that would violate bar rules if you did them directly, using those leads may create ethics issues.
Best Practices
- Understand how vendors generate leads
- Include compliance requirements in vendor contracts
- Avoid vendors who can’t explain their methods
- When in doubt, consult your state bar
Beyond Buying Leads
Lead vendors can supplement your marketing, but dependence creates risks:
Risks of vendor dependence:
- Costs can increase without notice
- Quality can decline
- Vendor could prioritize other clients
- You’re building their business, not yours
Building owned lead generation:
- Search and LSAs you control
- SEO that compounds over time
- Brand awareness that drives direct contact
- Referral relationships you develop
The strongest position: use vendors tactically while building your own lead generation capabilities.