Client communication is one of the largest sources of complaints against small firms, and most of it is not about outcomes — it is about silence. Texting solves the silence problem well. It also creates three problems most firms have not thought through.
Check your professional obligations first
Confidentiality, privilege, supervision and record-keeping duties vary by jurisdiction and practice area, and messaging touches all four. Speak to whoever handles your professional compliance before you start. Nothing here is legal or ethics advice.
Keep substance out of the bubble
Treat texts as logistics, not as advice. Hearing dates, document requests, appointment confirmations, 'I have sent something to the portal'. Anything that is legal advice, case strategy, or sensitive fact belongs somewhere access-controlled and properly recorded.
Fine in a text
- Appointment and hearing reminders
- “Documents are ready in the portal”
- “Please send the signed form by Friday”
- “Running 20 minutes late”
Not in a text
- Advice on the merits
- Case strategy or settlement figures
- Sensitive facts about the matter
- Anything you would not want on a lock screen
export const firm = { hearingReminder: (c: Ctx) => `${c.firm}: reminder of your appointment on ${c.dayDate} at ${c.time}, ` + `${c.location}. Reply C to confirm or call ${c.phone}.`, // The detail lives behind authentication. Always. documentsReady: (c: Ctx) => `${c.firm}: there's a document waiting for you in the client portal. ` + `Sign in to review: ${c.portalLink}`, chaseDocument: (c: Ctx) => `${c.firm}: we still need the ${c.documentName} to keep things moving. ` + `Upload here when you get a moment: ${c.uploadLink}`,};The document chase is where the value is
Matters stall on missing paperwork more than on anything a lawyer does. A short text with an upload link gets documents back days faster than an email with an attachment the client has to print, sign and scan. Across a caseload that is real capacity.
Record-keeping is not optional
If a client communication happens, it belongs on the matter file. A conversation living only on a fee-earner's phone is a file-note that does not exist, and it becomes a problem the day someone leaves or the day the matter is reviewed. Route messaging through a system that logs to the matter, and never let staff use personal numbers for client contact.
Personal phones are the real risk
The failure mode here is not the messaging platform — it is a solicitor giving a client their mobile number because it is easier. That conversation is unlogged, unsupervised and unretained. A firm number that everyone uses is the fix, and it needs to be enforced rather than suggested. Related: financial services has the same problem with sharper penalties.
Set a retention policy deliberately rather than keeping everything by default — data retention.
Next step
Browse the other industry playbooks, compare the services that can send this on the providers page, or tag your links with the UTM builder.