By business · Professional services

Instagram auto-replies for lawyers and law firms

People ask a lawyer’s Reel what to do about their own problem, in the comments, in detail. Comment-to-DM moves them to a safer step: which area is it, here is how a first meeting works. The automated replies give no legal advice and take no case details.

Updated 6 October 2026

Start free See the set-ups

Comment words for lawyers and law firms

Ask people to comment one word in your caption or video. Each word sends something different.

CONSULT: How a first meeting works: how long it lasts, whether it is free or paid, how to book and what the lawyer can and cannot say in it.
FEES: How the firm charges for different work, such as a fixed fee, an hourly rate or a payment plan, and what is not included.
DOCS: The papers to gather before a first meeting, such as contracts, letters and dates, in a simple list that works for most matters.
PROCESS: The usual stages of a matter from first meeting to outcome, in plain words, with a clear note that every case differs.
AREAS: The kinds of matter the firm takes and the ones it refers elsewhere, so people stop sending the wrong enquiry.
CONTRACT: A checklist for small-business owners on what to have in writing before a client or supplier starts work.
URGENT: A short message that points to the phone line or the court-deadline route and does not pretend a DM is fast enough.

4 set-ups to try

Each one shows the conversation it creates. After a comment, the first DM is plain text, as Meta requires, and the link follows once they answer.

Stages of a matter from an explainer Reel
Someone comments on your post
PROCESS
Public reply under their comment
Thanks! The plain-English guide is in your DMs ⚖️
First DM (plain text)
Thanks for the comment. In a word or two, what kind of matter is it, such as employment, family or a contract? Please don't send names or details here. Reply and I'll send how it usually works.Yes pleaseHow a matter usually runsRead the stages
Explainer Reels draw people who want a rough map. Asking only for the area tells you which lawyer should follow up, and the line about names and details keeps case facts out of a channel not built for them.
Fee questions that come in as a DM
FEESThanks for asking about fees. Do you need a one-off piece of work, such as reviewing a document, or help with something ongoing? Reply and I'll send how the firm charges for each.How we chargeSee our fees
Many people hesitate to call because they fear the bill. A clear answer to how you charge, sent at once, removes that barrier, and the one-off or ongoing question tells you which kind of enquiry this is.
Document list from a before-you-book post
Someone comments on your post
DOCS
Public reply under their comment
Sent, your checklist is in the DMs 📄
First DM (plain text)
Thanks for commenting. Is this for a first meeting you have booked, or are you still deciding whether to see a lawyer? Reply and I'll send the list of papers that make a first meeting useful.Yes pleaseWhat to bring to a first meetingGet the list
A good checklist saves meeting time, which is why firms like it, and it is useful even to people who never become clients. The question shows whether to follow up about a booking or just let the list do its work.
Which matters the firm takes, from a Story
Replied to your story
AREASThanks for replying. Which area do you think your matter falls under? Reply with a word and I'll send the kinds of work the firm takes, and who to try if yours is not on the list.Areas we coverSee the areas
Firms lose hours to enquiries in areas they do not cover. Telling people early, and where else to look, is kinder than a silence and keeps your inbox for matters you can actually take.

Freebies worth commenting for

A one-page what-to-bring list for a first meeting, covering papers, dates and a short timeline you write yourself
A plain-English glossary of ten terms people hear at the start of a matter
A checklist of questions to ask any lawyer before you hire one, including how they bill
A small-business contract checklist: the clauses most disputes turn on, in simple words
A guide to writing a clear timeline of events before you speak to a lawyer
What a letter before a claim is, and what to do on the day you receive one, with a line to get advice for your own case
A short guide to what to keep, and what not to delete, when a dispute looks likely
A guide to how legal costs are usually structured, with a worked example that uses made-up numbers

What people ask a lawyer in DMs

People often write to a lawyer when they are worried, and they tell the whole story at once. The first reply matters: it must be kind, it must not advise and it must not invite more detail than the channel should hold.

They ask	Send automatically	Answer yourself when
Can you tell me if I have a case?	The PROCESS card and an invitation to book a first meeting	Always: only a lawyer who knows the facts can answer
How much will this cost?	The FEES card	They need an estimate for a specific matter
What should I bring?	The DOCS list	They ask about a deadline or a hearing date
Do you handle this kind of matter?	The AREAS card	It sits between two areas and needs a lawyer’s judgement
I have to reply to a letter by Friday.	A message pointing to the phone line, sent at once	Always, and the same day
The other side’s lawyer has contacted me.	Nothing automatic	Always, after a conflict check

Tip: On the Growth and Business plans, AI replies answer only from the information you write. Tell it never to comment on anyone’s situation, to say that a lawyer must hear the facts, and to point urgent matters to your phone line.

Posts that earn comments for a law firm

A Reel naming the five documents to find before a first meeting, with DOCS for the checklist.
A carousel of a typical matter from first call to outcome, shown as stages and not as results, with PROCESS in the caption.
A short clip on what a lawyer’s hourly rate really pays for, with FEES for how the firm charges.
A myth-versus-fact Story on one common misunderstanding in your practice area, with a reply word for a guide.
A post for small-business owners on the one clause they skip, with CONTRACT for the checklist.
An introduction to the team that lists the areas you cover and the ones you do not, with AREAS in the text.

Demand follows the calendar of your practice area: tenancy and school-year disputes, year-end employment changes, the weeks after a holiday when relationships end. Set the matching word live a few weeks before your busy time and test each from a second account.

From a comment to a first meeting

The first DM asks only for the area of the matter and tells the person not to send names or details.
The card opens your booking page or your enquiry form, which should state who the lawyer is and that no lawyer-client relationship exists until the firm confirms it.
Run any conflict check by hand before replying with substance. DMFast does not check conflicts.
Offer the checklist for an email. A CSV of those emails lets you send a newsletter from your own email tool.
Reply to URGENT or deadline messages the same day, by phone if you can.

A law practice in India can use the DMFast store to sell a template pack as a digital product, give a guide for an email and take free or paid consultation calls, with payments through Razorpay. Check your bar rules on selling products before you do.

Rules and risks to check

No legal advice in automated messages. A general statement can read as advice to someone whose facts differ. Keep automatic replies to how you work, what you charge and what to bring.
Advertising rules. Many countries and bars restrict how lawyers advertise, including claims about results, comparisons with other firms and the use of testimonials. Check yours before posting.
Confidentiality. Instagram is not a place for privileged or sensitive material. Tell people not to send case details, and never discuss a client or a matter in a post, even without a name.
Relationship and conflicts. A friendly DM exchange can create expectations. State clearly that nothing is advice, and that you are not their lawyer until the engagement is confirmed.
Meta’s limits. One private reply per comment, within 7 days, and automated messages only reach a person within 24 hours of their last message.

Messages to copy

Questions people ask

Can the automated reply tell someone if they have a case?

No, and it should say so. Only a lawyer who hears the facts can judge that. Use the reply to explain how a first meeting works, what it costs and what to bring, and say plainly that nothing in the message is legal advice.

Is it safe for people to describe their problem in a DM?

Instagram is not designed as a confidential channel, and your professional rules may have something to say about it. Ask in the first message that people leave out names and details, and move substance to a booked meeting or your usual secure route.

Can I put my booking link in the first message?

Not after a comment. Instagram allows plain text only as a first private message to a commenter, so ask the area of law first. When someone messages you or replies to a Story, the card with the link can follow at once.

How should the AI reply handle urgent messages?

On the Growth and Business plans, AI replies use only what you write. Give it your phone number and opening hours, and tell it that any message about a deadline, a court date or an arrest goes to a person, and the reply should say so at once.

Does it work with a Facebook Page for my firm?

Yes. Comments on Page posts and Messenger messages get the same keyword replies. Story replies and the follower gate are Instagram only, and it does not work with WhatsApp, personal Instagram accounts or Threads.

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Words to know

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