Many law firms are unaware of what their customer acquisition cost (CAC) should be for their legal services. Having a target CAC when preparing and executing legal advertising campaigns is critical, as there is an objective measurement for success and a number to optimize towards.
This article includes the most common legal services advertised and the target CAC across various advertising channels. Before the data is presented, it may be helpful to know how we are calculating CAC.
CAC = Total Spend on Sales/Marketing ÷ Customers Acquired
Because this is a long article, you can click the category you are most interested in to skip directly to the information. There is also a roll-up average of the information available below.
| Personal Injury Law | Family Law | Criminal Defense |
| Estate Planning | Bankruptcy Law | Business and Corporate Law |
| Real Estate Law | Employment Law | Immigration Law |
| Tax Law | Intellectual Property Law | Environmental Law |
Where This Data Came From: The data below was compiled using a meta-analysis combining our client data and published data from other reputable sources. Updates are made continually to ensure the data is relevant.
Note: We have included the top advertising methods for which we had complete data under each category. If you have specific questions about a current campaign and what a recommended CAC should be for a channel that is not listed, feel free to reach out on our contact page.
Average CAC by Practice Area
The table below contains a roll-up average of all of the various practice areas broken down by organic and inorganic forms of marketing. Organic marketing includes advertising such as SEO and organic social media, as dollars are not directly traded for impressions. On the other hand, inorganic marketing includes any form of advertising where attorneys must pay for impressions in front of potential customers such as radio, TV, and Google Ads.
Service Area Organic CAC Inorganic CAC Average Personal Injury Law $1,324 $1,921 $1,622 Family Law $770 $1,117 $943 Criminal Defense $569 $826 $698 Estate Planning $785 $1,139 $962 Bankruptcy Law $231 $335 $283 Business and Corporate Law $923 $1,340 $1,132 Real Estate Law $616 $893 $754 Employment Law $631 $916 $773 Immigration Law $431 $625 $528 Tax Law $954 $1,385 $1,169 Intellectual Property Law $631 $916 $773 Environmental Law $1,016 $1,474 $1,245
Average Personal Injury Law CAC
Personal injury law is known to have some of the highest CACs of any type of law. See the averages in the table below.
Personal Injury Law Car accidents Slip and fall cases Medical malpractice Product liability SEO $243 $405 $2,025 $810 Organic Social Media $301 $501 $2,507 $1,003 Google Ads $451 $751 $3,755 $1,502 Meta Ads $361 $601 $3,006 $1,202 Avvo $599 $999 $4,994 $1,998 FindLaw $544 $907 $4,534 $1,813 Email Marketing $160 $266 $1,331 $532 TV Ads $753 $1,254 $6,272 $2,509 Radio Ads $663 $1,105 $5,526 $2,210 Print Ads $541 $901 $4,507 $1,803 Billboards $603 $1,004 $5,022 $2,009 Public Transportation Ads $513 $854 $4,272 $1,709
Average Family Law CAC
The average family law CAC figures are in the table below.
Family Law Divorce Child custody and support Adoption Prenuptial agreements SEO $810 $648 $324 $243 Organic Social Media $1,003 $802 $401 $301 Google Ads $1,502 $1,202 $601 $451 Meta Ads $1,202 $962 $481 $361 Avvo $1,998 $1,598 $799 $599 FindLaw $1,813 $1,451 $725 $544 Email Marketing $532 $426 $213 $160 Print Ads $2,509 $2,007 $1,004 $753 Radio Ads $2,210 $1,768 $884 $663 Billboards $2,009 $1,607 $803 $603
Average Criminal Defense CAC
Criminal defense CACs may vary based on how “tough on crime” a jurisdiction is. Generally, the tougher a jurisdiction is on crime, the lower CACs will be, of course assuming equal amounts of total crime.
Criminal Defense DUI/DWI defense Drug offenses Assault and battery Theft and burglary SEO $486 $405 $324 $284 Organic Social Media $602 $501 $401 $351 Google Ads $901 $751 $601 $526 Meta Ads $721 $601 $481 $421 Avvo $1,199 $999 $799 $699 FindLaw $1,088 $907 $725 $635 Email Marketing $319 $266 $213 $186 TV Ads $1,505 $1,254 $1,004 $878 Radio Ads $1,326 $1,105 $884 $774 Print Ads $1,082 $901 $721 $631 Billboards $1,205 $1,004 $803 $703
Average Estate Planning CAC
Average estate planning CACs are available in the table below.
Estate Planning Wills and trusts Probate Estate administration Elder law SEO $203 $810 $648 $405 Organic Social Media $251 $1,003 $802 $501 Google Ads $375 $1,502 $1,202 $751 Meta Ads $301 $1,202 $962 $601 LinkedIn Ads $337 $1,349 $1,079 $675 Avvo $499 $1,998 $1,598 $999 FindLaw $453 $1,813 $1,451 $907 Email Marketing $133 $532 $426 $266 Print Ads $451 $1,803 $1,442 $901
Average Bankruptcy Law CAC
Bankruptcy CACs will generally go lower during tougher economic times and vice versa.
Bankruptcy Law Chapter 7 bankruptcy Chapter 13 bankruptcy Debt relief Credit counseling SEO $162 $243 $122 $81 Organic Social Media $201 $301 $150 $100 Google Ads $300 $451 $225 $150 Meta Ads $240 $361 $180 $120 Avvo $400 $599 $300 $200 FindLaw $363 $544 $272 $181 Email Marketing $106 $160 $80 $53 TV Ads $502 $753 $376 $251 Radio Ads $442 $663 $332 $221 Print Ads $361 $541 $270 $180 Billboards $402 $603 $301 $201
Average Business and Corporate Law CAC
Business and corporate law CAC figures may vary depending on the company size in the target market, but these are generally correct as an average.
Business and Corporate Law Business formation and incorporation Contract law Mergers and acquisitions Intellectual property SEO $243 $405 $1,215 $567 Organic Social Media $301 $501 $1,504 $702 Google Ads $451 $751 $2,253 $1,051 Meta Ads $361 $601 $1,803 $842 LinkedIn Ads $405 $675 $2,024 $944 Avvo $599 $999 $2,996 $1,398 FindLaw $544 $907 $2,720 $1,269 Email Marketing $160 $266 $799 $373 Print Ads $541 $901 $2,704 $1,262
Average Real Estate Law CAC
Real estate law figures will vary slightly depending on the transaction size.
Real Estate Law Residential real estate transactions Commercial real estate transactions Lease agreements Landlord-tenant disputes SEO $284 $810 $162 $203 Organic Social Media $1,003 $201 $251 $702 Google Ads $300 $375 $1,051 $770 Meta Ads $301 $842 $616 $721 LinkedIn Ads $944 $691 $809 $944 Avvo $1,024 $1,199 $1,398 $799 FindLaw $1,088 $1,269 $725 $635 Email Marketing $373 $213 $186 $186 Print Ads $721 $878 $878 $627 Billboards $703 $774 $553 $663
Average Employment Law CAC
Employment laws in various areas of the United States can alter these figures up or down.
Employment Law Wrongful termination Discrimination and harassment cases Wage and hour disputes Employment contracts SEO $486 $567 $324 $284 Organic Social Media $702 $401 $351 $351 Google Ads $601 $526 $526 $375 Meta Ads $421 $421 $301 $361 LinkedIn Ads $472 $337 $405 $675 Avvo $499 $599 $999 $699 FindLaw $544 $907 $635 $1,405 Email Marketing $266 $186 $413 $373 Print Ads $631 $1,397 $1,262 $1,803
Average Immigration Law CAC
Again, we observed a variance in immigration law CACs based on the area of the United States.
Immigration Law Visa applications Green cards Deportation defense Citizenship and naturalization SEO $203 $243 $405 $284 Organic Social Media $251 $301 $501 $351 Google Ads $375 $451 $751 $526 Meta Ads $301 $361 $601 $421 Avvo $499 $599 $999 $699 FindLaw $453 $544 $907 $635 Email Marketing $133 $160 $266 $186 Print Ads $451 $541 $901 $631
Average Tax Law CAC
The strongest correlation we found to tax law CAC was the budget and personnel of the IRS along with the current tax laws and regulations.
Tax Law Tax planning and compliance IRS audits and disputes Estate and gift tax issues Business tax law SEO $567 $1,003 $648 $486 Organic Social Media $702 $1,502 $802 $602 Google Ads $1,051 $1,202 $1,202 $901 Meta Ads $842 $1,349 $962 $721 LinkedIn Ads $944 $1,998 $1,079 $809 Avvo $1,398 $1,813 $1,598 $1,199 FindLaw $1,269 $532 $1,451 $1,088 Email Marketing $373 $2,509 $426 $319 Print Ads $1,262 $1,803 $1,442 $1,082
Average Intellectual Property Law CAC
IP law CACs may be affected by changes in R&D tax treatment and the increase in patent issuances but are generally stable.
Intellectual Property Law Patent applications Trademark registration Copyright protection Trade secrets SEO $810 $243 $203 $405 Organic Social Media $1,003 $301 $251 $501 Google Ads $1,502 $451 $375 $751 Meta Ads $1,202 $361 $301 $601 LinkedIn Ads $1,349 $405 $337 $675 Avvo $1,998 $599 $499 $999 FindLaw $1,813 $544 $453 $907 Email Marketing $532 $160 $133 $266 Print Ads $1,803 $541 $451 $901
Average Environmental Law CAC
Environmental law CACs vary greatly based on how heavy environmental regulations are. In the 2024 election, we expect CACs to increase if Donald Trump is re-elected due to his history of cutting environmental regulations.
Real Estate Law Residential real estate transactions Commercial real estate transactions Lease agreements Landlord-tenant disputes Property zoning SEO $284 $810 $162 $203 $567 Organic Social Media $1,003 $201 $251 $702 $514 Google Ads $300 $375 $1,051 $770 $901 Meta Ads $301 $842 $616 $721 $842 LinkedIn Ads $944 $691 $809 $944 $540 Avvo $1,024 $1,199 $1,398 $799 $699 FindLaw $1,088 $1,269 $725 $635 $635 Email Marketing $373 $213 $186 $186 $133 Print Ads $721 $878 $878 $627 $753 Billboards $703 $774 $553 $663 $1,105
Next Steps: Lowering Your CAC
The best way to lower the CAC of a law firm is to implement a thought leadership SEO strategy coupled with value-based email marketing, as these consistently product the lowest CACs. If you are interested in working with Focus Digital to provide this service, we can be contacted on our contact page.