Law firms
Auto-reply for lawyers: 12 WhatsApp templates that follow legal advertising rules
Quick answer
What can a lawyer write in a WhatsApp auto-reply?
A lawyer's auto-reply should say the message arrived, ask for a short summary of the case and the city, and say when someone will reply. Legal advertising rules call for discreet, informative text: do not promise a result, do not mention compensation amounts, and do not offer services to people who did not contact the firm.
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Messages for the firm's WhatsApp, from welcome to case update, with no promise of results. Copy them and replace what is in brackets.
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See the 30 automatic message templates for customers, grouped by moment.
Summary in 7 facts
- Messages for the firm's WhatsApp, from welcome to case update, with no promise of results.
- A lawyer's auto-reply should say the message arrived, ask for a short summary of the case and the city, and say when someone will reply.
- Legal advertising rules call for discreet, informative text: do not promise a result, do not mention compensation amounts, and do not offer services to people who did not contact the firm.
- Five points where a law firm's message tends to slip.
- Swipe the table sideways to see all the columns.
- Welcome with a reply time First contact, when the lawyer cannot reply right away.
- After hours Nights, weekends and holidays.
By the numbers
| Number | What it means |
|---|---|
| 30 templates | See the 30 automatic message templates for customers, grouped by moment. |
| 1 day | A lawyer will read it and reply within [1 business day]. |
| 1 hour | The consultation lasts about [1 hour] and costs [amount]. |
| 67 businesses | The CertuAI team measured this on WhatsApp across 67 businesses that answer customers with CertuAI's AI: 34.6% of conversations started outside Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| 500 messages | The CertuAI Index does not publish a single number for law firms: a field is only published on its own when it has at least 3 accounts and 500 messages in the data, and law firms do not yet pass that cutoff. |
| 122,720 messages | CertuAI customer service data: 67 businesses of various kinds, 122,720 customer messages, from Jul 30 to Sep 30, 2026, measured on Oct 9, 2026. |
What is allowed and what to avoid in a lawyer's message
Five points where a law firm's message tends to slip.
| Topic | Allowed | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Result | Explaining the possible paths | "Case won" and "guaranteed result" |
| Fees | Stating the consultation fee to someone who asks | Mentioning compensation amounts |
| First contact | Replying to someone who wrote | Writing to someone who did not contact the firm |
| Tone | Informative and sober | Sales pressure, like "today only" |
| Past cases | Stating the practice areas | Citing a client or case without permission |
Swipe the table sideways to see all the columns.
Welcome and greeting message for a law firm
Welcome with a reply time
First contact, when the lawyer cannot reply right away.
Olá, você falou com o escritório [nome]. Sua mensagem foi recebida. Um advogado lê e responde em até [1 dia útil]. Se quiser adiantar, escreva em poucas linhas o que aconteceu.
now ✓✓Sorting by topic
A firm with more than one practice area or more than one lawyer.
Olá! Para a sua mensagem chegar ao advogado certo, diga qual é o assunto: trabalho, família, consumidor ou outro. Depois, conte em poucas linhas o que aconteceu.
now ✓✓For existing customers
When most messages come from people who already have a case.
Olá. Se a sua mensagem é sobre um processo em andamento, informe o seu nome completo. O advogado responsável retorna em até [1 dia útil].
now ✓✓
CertuAI demo with a fictional law firm: the reply says the firm handles the matter and asks for a name to book the consultation, without promising a result.
Away message for lawyers: after hours, hearings and year-end break
Outside business hours
Nights, weekends and holidays.
Olá. O escritório atende de segunda a sexta, das [9h] às [18h]. Sua mensagem fica registrada e será respondida no próximo dia útil.
now ✓✓In a hearing
On the day you spend the afternoon at the courthouse.
Olá. Hoje estou em audiência e respondo as mensagens a partir das [17h]. Se o assunto tem prazo vencendo hoje, escreva a palavra urgente no começo da mensagem.
now ✓✓Year-end break
While the firm is on break.
Olá. O escritório está em recesso de [data] a [data]. Nesse período, as mensagens são lidas [uma vez por dia] e os casos com prazo têm prioridade.
now ✓✓
Message to book the consultation and ask for documents
Consultation invitation
After reading the case summary.
Para analisar o seu caso, o primeiro passo é uma consulta. Tenho [dia] às [hora] ou [dia] às [hora], no escritório ou por vídeo. Qual prefere?
now ✓✓Consultation fee
When people ask how much it costs.
A consulta dura cerca de [1 hora] e tem o valor de [valor]. Nela eu analiso os documentos e explico os caminhos possíveis. Quer que eu reserve um horário?
now ✓✓Document list
Right after booking the consultation.
Para a consulta, [Nome], traga ou envie por aqui: [documento de identidade], [contrato] e [comprovantes]. Se faltar algum, avise antes, que eu digo como conseguir.
now ✓✓
Case update message for the client
Case update with news
When the case has moved.
Olá, [Nome]. Houve uma movimentação no seu processo: [o que aconteceu, em palavras simples]. O próximo passo é [passo], e eu aviso quando ele acontecer.
now ✓✓Case update with no news
When the client asks and nothing has changed.
Olá, [Nome]. Conferi o seu processo hoje e ainda não há novidade: ele aguarda [o que falta]. Assim que houver movimentação, eu aviso por aqui.
now ✓✓A matter the firm does not handle
When the case is outside your practice areas.
Obrigado por explicar o caso, [Nome]. Esse assunto está fora das áreas em que o escritório atua, e por isso não vamos poder ajudar. O melhor caminho é procurar um advogado de [área].
now ✓✓
Three rules for a lawyer's message
They apply to the greeting, the away message and any ready-made reply from the firm.
No promise of results
Nothing like "case won", "guaranteed" or a compensation amount. Explain the next step, not the outcome.
Only for people who wrote first
An auto-reply answers someone who contacted the firm. Do not use a list of numbers to offer services.
Confidentiality from the first line
Ask for just a summary at the start. Documents and sensitive details come after the consultation is booked.
See how it looks in your industry
Each industry gets different questions on WhatsApp. Pick yours to see how CertuAI's AI serves that kind of customer.
How to set up the firm's auto-reply in WhatsApp Business
The names are the ones in the WhatsApp Business app on Android.
Set the firm's hours
Under Tools, Profile, Business hours, mark the days and hours when someone replies.
Turn on the greeting
Under Greeting message, paste the welcome with the reply time.
Turn on the away message
Under Away message, choose Outside of business hours. On a hearing day, switch to Always send and go back to normal at the end of the day.
Save the everyday replies
Under Quick replies, save the document list and the two case update templates, with shortcuts like /documents and /update.
Legal advertising rules apply on WhatsApp
The Code of Ethics and Discipline of the Brazilian bar says a lawyer's advertising must be informative, discreet and sober. Provision 205/2021, from the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), updated the advertising rules and kept the principle: informing is allowed, soliciting clients is not.
In practice, an auto-reply stays within the rule when it answers someone who wrote, gives hours, practice areas and the next step, and does not promise a result. It breaks the rule when it becomes a blast to a contact list or when it talks about a sure win. If you are unsure about a text, check with your state's bar section (OAB): this page is general information, not legal advice.
The two first-contact templates that are not here are in the WhatsApp welcome message page, and the hours notices are in the business hours message page. The general list is in auto-replies for customers. What an AI agent on WhatsApp for lawyers does, and what stays with the lawyer, is on the industry page.
When people write to a business: CertuAI data
People with a problem write when the problem shows up, not when the firm opens. The CertuAI team measured this on WhatsApp across 67 businesses that answer customers with CertuAI's AI: 34.6% of conversations started outside Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m..
The number covers all industries together. The CertuAI Index does not publish a single number for law firms: a field is only published on its own when it has at least 3 accounts and 500 messages in the data, and law firms do not yet pass that cutoff.
| What was measured | Result |
|---|---|
| Conversations whose first message arrived outside Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. | 34,6% |
| Customer messages that arrived outside Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. | 32,5% |
| Messages that arrived at night on a weekday, 6pm to midnight | 12,7% |
| Messages that arrived overnight on a weekday, from midnight to 8 a.m. | 3,9% |
Swipe the table sideways to see all the columns.
Source: CertuAI WhatsApp Customer Service Index, Q3 2026. CertuAI customer service data: 67 businesses of various kinds, 122,720 customer messages, from Jul 30 to Sep 30, 2026, measured on Oct 9, 2026. Business hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., in each account's time zone. Test accounts, test contacts and imported history are left out. Redone every quarter.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best WhatsApp welcome message for a lawyer?
The one that says the message arrived, when someone will reply, and asks for a summary: "Your message was received. A lawyer will read it and reply within 1 business day. To speed things up, write in a few lines what happened."
Can a lawyer use an auto-reply on WhatsApp?
Yes, as long as the text is informative and discreet and answers someone who contacted the firm. What legal advertising rules do not accept is a promise of results or an offer of services to people who did not ask.
What should a lawyer not write in the auto-reply?
A promise of results, a compensation amount, a client's name and a pushy sales pitch like "today only".
How do you update a client on their case through WhatsApp?
Say what happened in plain words, what the next step is, and that you will let them know when it happens. If there is no news, say so and say what the case is waiting for.
Can a lawyer message people who are not clients?
Replying to someone who wrote to the firm, yes. Sending messages to a list of numbers offering services is soliciting clients, which legal advertising rules prohibit.
Can an AI answer for a law firm?
It can handle information: hours, practice areas, documents and booking a consultation. Analyzing the case and advising the client remains the lawyer's job.
Where to go next?
The AI greets whoever arrives, and the case stays with the lawyer
In CertuAI, the AI answers right away whoever contacts the firm, asks for the case summary, sets the consultation time and keeps each conversation noted in the customer dashboard. You teach the Brain what it may say and in what tone. When the conversation calls for legal advice, it alerts you.
From US$ 75 per month.
Create my agentOlá, você falou com o escritório [nome]. Sua mensagem foi recebida. Um advogado lê e responde em até [1 dia útil]. Se quiser adiantar, escreva em poucas linhas o que aconteceu.now ✓✓
This is the first message on this page, sent by the AI in your tone, with nobody at the counter.
In short
What can a lawyer write in a WhatsApp auto-reply? A lawyer's auto-reply should say the message arrived, ask for a short summary of the case and the city, and say when someone will reply. Legal advertising rules call for discreet, informative text: do not promise a result, do not mention compensation amounts, and do not offer services to people who did not contact the firm.
About CertuAI: CertuAI is the AI that answers a small business's WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger 24/7, with a built-in CRM, and is a Tech Provider on Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform. Paid plans start at US$ 75 a month, with no lock-in. Create my agent