Missed-Call Instant Text-Back for Law Firms
Every missed or after-hours call gets an instant text back in under 60 seconds, so the caller books instead of dialing the next firm on their list. Free n8n workflow. Self-hosted. Yours to keep.
The text your caller gets
This is the exact copy the workflow sends — two variants, chosen automatically by the clock. Edit the wording to sound like your firm.
Hi Maria, this is Example Law. We missed your call and want to help. Book a free consult: https://example.law/book — Reply STOP to opt out.
Sent when the call comes in inside your configured hours and nobody picks up.
Hi Maria, this is Example Law. We're currently closed but we want to help. Book a free consult: https://example.law/book — Reply STOP to opt out.
Sent nights and weekends, or any time outside the days and hours you set.
“Reply STOP to opt out” is not decoration. It is how the message stays on the right side of TCPA, and the workflow checks every number against your opt-out list before it sends. Leave it in.
What you have to set
Eight values, once, in n8n’s Variables tab. Sample values shown — replace all eight with your own.
| Variable | Example | What it does |
|---|---|---|
FIRM_NAME |
Example Law | The name the caller sees in the text. |
FIRM_BOOKING_URL |
https://example.law/book | Where the caller lands. Use your real booking link. |
FIRM_EMAIL |
[email protected] | Where the summary email goes after each text-back. |
FIRM_TWILIO_NUMBER |
+1 555 010 0199 | Your Twilio sending number. |
FIRM_TIMEZONE |
America/New_York | IANA timezone. Drives the after-hours split. |
FIRM_BUSINESS_HOURS_START |
9 | Hour your firm opens, 24-hour clock. Inclusive. |
FIRM_BUSINESS_HOURS_END |
17 | Hour your firm closes, 24-hour clock. Exclusive. |
FIRM_WORK_DAYS |
1,2,3,4,5 | 0 = Sunday … 6 = Saturday. Mon–Fri by default. |
Want this to run automatically, every time a call is missed?
Get the workflow — no email neededImport it into n8n
- The button above downloads the workflow as a .json file — that is the whole download.
- In n8n, open the workflows list, choose Import from File, and select the file you just downloaded.
- Open each node flagged with a warning and connect your own credentials — none of ours are in the file.
- Run it once manually before you activate it, and check the output is what you expect.
A missed call answered by text within seconds
How it works
- Receives an incoming call event via a webhook from Twilio StatusCallback or a CallRail missed-call webhook.
- Extracts and standardizes the caller number, caller name, firm number, source, timestamp, and whether the event is a true missed call.
- Stops processing if the event is not a valid missed call (for example, an answered-call status from Twilio).
- Determines whether the call occurred outside your configured business hours and adjusts the text wording accordingly.
- Builds a personalized SMS message using your firm name and booking link and submits it to a separate Bar-Compliance Guardrail workflow for opt-out and TCPA checks.
- If approved, sends the SMS via Twilio and then emails the firm a summary including the caller details, message text, and whether Twilio returned a delivery SID.
Compliance: never touches your legal work
This automation only handles operational steps — sending, routing, and moving data. It doesn’t draft, analyze, or make any legal judgment, consistent with ABA Opinion 512.
What’s inside
- The n8n workflow fileImport one JSON file. It listens for missed and after-hours calls from Twilio or CallRail and fires the text-back automatically.
- Instant SMS + email templatesReady-to-edit "Sorry we missed you, book here" copy that sends within seconds of the missed call.
- After-hours logicA simple schedule so callers get the right message during business hours versus nights and weekends.
- 10-minute deploy guide + LoomStep-by-step walkthrough to connect your phone number and calendar link. No developer needed.
✓ Works great when
- You are a solo or small firm and calls go to voicemail while you are in court or with a client
- You already use Twilio or CallRail for your firm number
- You want callers to book themselves instead of waiting for a callback that comes too late
✗ What breaks at scale
- You want two-way texting with routing to the right attorney by matter type
- You need the reply logged to a CRM and tagged as a new lead automatically
- You need spam and wrong-number filtering so staff are not chasing dead texts
Frequently asked
What platform does the missed call text back run on?
It runs on n8n, a free open-source automation tool you host yourself. You import one workflow file and connect your phone provider. Nothing is locked to us.
Does it work with my phone system?
It works with Twilio and CallRail out of the box. If your firm number forwards to either of those, you are set. Most VoIP numbers can port or forward in minutes.
Is a missed call text back compliant for a law firm?
Yes. This is operational messaging, not legal work. It sends a scheduling link and a friendly note. It never gives legal advice, quotes fees, or forms an attorney-client relationship. You control every word of the template.
Can you set this up for me instead?
Yes. The free version is yours to deploy. If you would rather have it wired into your CRM and routed by matter type, that is a Quick-Win Build, from $1,500, typically live within a week.
Want the version built for your firm?
Done-for-You Build.
The free workflow catches the call and sends the text. When you want it wired into your CRM, routed by matter type, and filtered for spam, that is a Quick-Win Build. We connect it to your stack and hand it back tested.
What you get
- Two-way texting routed to the right attorney by matter type
- Every reply logged and tagged as a new lead in Twenty
- Spam and wrong-number filtering so staff only see real callers
- Reporting on how many after-hours callers you recovered
