Lawyer Lead Generation in 2026: Buy vs. Generate
$250M+ managed Meta ad spend · 600+ plaintiff law firms · 100+ mass torts · 2M+ leads since 2015
Lawyer lead generation can mean buying shared leads from a broker or generating exclusive leads from your own advertising. Brokered leads are resold to multiple firms; MTAA-generated leads come from ads it runs for you, with documented chain-of-custody and no resale — currently a blended $43.36 per lead and $60.39 per signed case.
The two models
Broker model: a vendor sells the same lead to several firms and you compete to sign it. Agency-generated model: an agency runs advertising for your firm and the resulting leads are exclusively yours. The second protects conversion, margins, and your firm's reputation with claimants.
What each really costs
A cheap shared lead that three firms are calling is rarely cheap once you count the cases you lose. The honest yardstick is cost per signed case — currently $60.39 blended across MTAA's tracked campaigns, ranging $106 to $1,225 by tort. See the live figure.
How to avoid recycled leads
Ask any vendor: are these exclusive, who else receives them, and can you document consent and origin? MTAA generates every lead from its own Meta advertising with full chain-of-custody, so there's nothing recycled. The minimum campaign budget is $25,000, including all fees, with no fixed spending timeline. Pricing is actual Facebook and Instagram ad spend plus a 15% management fee, a one-time $1,000 setup fee per tort, and $100 per signed retainer when CloudIntake is used. The management fee is earned only as advertising money is spent. Unspent client funds can be refunded at any time for any reason, after accounting for fees already earned or owed.
Frequently asked questions
How much do lawyer leads cost?
Shared broker leads can look cheap per lead but convert worse. MTAA generates exclusive leads at a blended $43.36, with signed cases at $60.39.
Are bought legal leads worth it?
Shared, resold leads usually underperform exclusive generated leads on conversion and cost per signed case. Exclusivity and documented consent matter more than headline lead price.
Exclusive vs. shared leads — what’s the difference?
Exclusive leads go to one firm; shared leads are sold to several at once. MTAA leads are exclusive and never resold.
What is the cost per signed case?
Across MTAA's tracked tort campaigns it currently runs $106 to $1,225, blending to $60.39 — and the figure updates continuously.