Yes, with conditions. GoHighLevel's missed call text back sends a text to a caller the moment a call goes unanswered, and a criminal defense firm can use it at night if the text is generic, short, and asks for a callback number. The bottom line: the text should never mention an arrest, a charge, or a case, because the phone may belong to a family member, and a text is stored and visible on a lock screen.
Why the caller matters more than the text
Clio's Legal Trends secret shopper study of 500 firms, as summarized by the Oklahoma Bar Journal and the ABA Journal, found that 40 percent of firms answered a call from a prospective client, down from 56 percent in 2019, that about a third replied to an email, and that of the firms that missed a call, only 20 percent called back. The figures come from Clio's own research, so treat them as one vendor's benchmark, not a census of law firms.
People who call a defense firm at night are often a family member reacting to an arrest, or someone who has just been served or released. They call several firms in a row. A text that arrives while they are still holding the phone keeps the firm in the running, and a call that goes to voicemail with nothing after it does not.
What the message should and should not say
| Say | Do not say |
|---|---|
| The firm name and that you missed the call | Any word about an arrest, charge, jail, or case |
| Reply with a name and the best number for a callback | Any advice, prediction, or fee |
| If this is an emergency, call 911 | Any promise about when a lawyer will call |
| How to stop messages | The caller's name, if the number is not yet matched |
The Florida Bar's chatbot opinion and ABA Formal Opinion 10 457 on lawyer websites both stress that an invitation to send information can create duties to a prospective client under Rule 1.18, and that disclaimers must be clear and consistent with what the firm does. So the text asks for a name and number and stops there.
Where it does not work
A missed call text goes only to a number that can receive texts. A landline, or any number that cannot receive texts, will not get it. So the firm still needs voicemail and a fast human callback, and the text is a supplement. GoHighLevel's help portal says the feature is set per number under Phone System, Voice, Voicemail and Missed Call Text Back, and its Call Connect feature keeps voicemail from counting as an answered call, which helps the trigger fire correctly.
Build it in GoHighLevel
- Go to Settings, then Phone System, then Voice, and open Voicemail and Missed Call Text Back for the firm's number.
- Turn on Missed Call Text Back and write the generic message from the table.
- Turn on Call Connect so a call that reaches voicemail is not counted as answered.
- Build a workflow with the Call Details trigger for a missed inbound call that adds a tag Needs callback and creates a task for the attorney on call.
- Add a second text 15 minutes later only if the caller has not replied and the firm has not called back, then stop.
- Turn on Stop on Response so a reply gets a person and the automation stops.
The GoHighLevel help pages describe the Call Details trigger as filtering by call direction, status, number, and disposition, and the Stop on Response setting as stopping the workflow for a contact who replies.
The consent question
Whether a text sent in reply to a caller's own call falls within the caller's consent is a question for your attorney, and the carrier registration rules apply either way. GoHighLevel requires A2P registration for business texting, and the FCC's 2024 rules let people revoke consent by any reasonable means, with words such as stop, quit, end, revoke, opt out, cancel, and unsubscribe counting automatically. The FCC released a further revision on September 9, 2026, so ask your attorney which version applies when you launch.
Worked example
For example, if a firm misses 10 calls a week after 6 p.m. and 3 of those callers reply to the text with a number, that is 3 callbacks the firm would not have had (10 times 0.3). Even one retained matter can pay for the setup.
Mistakes to avoid
- Naming the charge. A lock screen can expose it.
- Relying on the text alone. Landlines and other numbers that cannot receive texts will not get it.
- Sending more than two texts. Stop after one follow up.
- No callback owner. Assign the task to a person.
How this was handled before
Defense firms forwarded the office line to a lawyer's cell at night and let the lawyer decide which calls to take. That kept the firm reachable and cost the lawyer their sleep. A generic text after a missed call keeps the caller engaged without waking anyone.
What to measure after launch
Track missed calls, replies to the text, callbacks made within 30 minutes, and matters retained. If replies are low, shorten the text, and if callbacks are slow, fix the task assignment.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Confirm your A2P registration is approved before the text goes live, and keep a record of how callers reach the firm. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Can the text mention that the firm handles criminal cases?
Keep it to the firm name. The firm name may already say it, but the message itself should not mention a charge or a case.
Will the text reach a landline or a jail phone?
A text goes only to a number that can receive texts. Landlines and other numbers that cannot receive texts will not get it.
Which words must stop messages?
The FCC's 2024 order lists stop, quit, end, revoke, opt out, cancel, and unsubscribe as automatically reasonable.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.