Law Firm PPC Case Study: How a Criminal Defense Firm Signed 3 Clients in 7 Days

This law firm PPC case study shows how a criminal defense firm in Paris, France, signed 3 clients in 7 days with Google Ads: $630 in ad spend, 64 qualified visitors, 6 calls, and $8,250 in fees, more than 13 times the spend. The return came from a precise method, not from luck.

The method rests on five steps: choosing keywords that actually pay, reading the intent behind each search, speaking to the right person, writing an ad that hits the mark, and building a landing page that reassures and converts. For the full playbook, see our complete guide to Google Ads for law firms.

The context: an urgent practice area and a proven method

The firm and its market

The client practices criminal defense. In this practice area, searches are urgent: someone has just been arrested and taken into police custody, and a family member needs a lawyer now. These searches happen mostly on mobile and end in a phone call, not a form.

Who ran the campaign

At Hendy, we do not make empty promises. We are a law firm marketing agency: we have worked with more than 30 law firms, and we bring experience gained at Google itself. Our approach is a rigorous method, not a gamble.

The setup: keywords, search intent, and the right person

Step 1: Choose keywords that actually pay

We start simple, with keywords. The goal is to reach prospective clients at the right moment, with the right intent.

Over time, we built a template to pick the right keywords: lawyer + practice area + city.

For a criminal defense firm in Paris, that gives keywords such as "police custody lawyer Paris." We tested it, and it works: the people who type it are in an emergency, ready to click, and above all ready to act. In the US, the same keyword template gives "DUI attorney Houston."

Step 2: Read the intent behind the search

Not all searches are equal. You want prospective clients who truly need your services, not web tourists looking for free information.

A concrete example: someone who types "how do I get someone out of police custody?" is probably looking for information, not a lawyer. Someone who types "police custody lawyer Paris" is already taking action. That is where you come in. In the US, the same line separates "how to get someone out of jail" from "criminal defense lawyer near me."

If you used our template, you should not run into any major problem here.

Step 3: Speak to the right person

Do you think your ideal client types the keyword and clicks? Not always. Depending on the situation, a relative, such as a parent, a spouse, or a friend, runs the search for someone in trouble.

The consequence: do not write to the person in custody. Write to the stressed person looking for an immediate solution to help their loved one. This subtle shift decides your conversion rate, the share of visitors who contact you.

The ads and the landing page

Step 4: An ad that hits the mark

Your ad is your first impression, and you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

An example of effective ad copy:

• "Police custody lawyer in Paris. Immediate response. Available 24/7."
• "Criminal defense lawyer since 1998."

The first line speaks to urgency, the second to credibility. The result: people click.

Step 5: A landing page that reassures

Do not waste the click by sending visitors to a homepage that talks about everything and nothing. The page must speak directly to the prospective client's specific need.

Someone who searches "divorce lawyer" does not want a page that covers divorce, estates, child custody, and firm news all at once. A relevant landing page is a specific landing page.

What the page contained:

• A clear promise and a call to action: "A loved one is in police custody? Get them out within 24 hours."
• Reassurance through testimonials or figures that prove the firm's experience, for example "500 cases handled, featured in a national newspaper."

The goal is simple: turn a visitor into a phone call.

Results: 3 signed clients in 7 days

The numbers

Think this is theory? With $630 in Google Ads spend, the firm generated $8,250 in fees in just 7 days:

• 64 qualified visitors.
• 6 direct phone calls.
• 3 signed clients, for $8,250 in fees.

What the numbers mean

Each signed client cost about $210 in ad spend, for an average fee of $2,750. Nearly 1 qualified visitor in 10 picked up the phone, and half of the callers signed. Every dollar invested came back more than 13 times.

Why we counted calls, not clicks

We judged the campaign on calls and signed clients, not on clicks or page views. In criminal defense, the conversion that matters is a call from a worried relative, and the figure that matters is the cost per signed client. That only works if someone answers every call: see our guide to client intake automation.

What would this campaign take in a US market?

These results come from a market where clicks cost less than in most of the US. Read them as proof of the method, not as US benchmarks.

Higher click prices

In the US, criminal defense and DUI clicks typically cost $15 to $50. At those prices, the same 64 visitors would cost about $960 to $3,200 instead of $630. See our breakdown of Google Ads costs for lawyers.

The economics can still work. In the hypothetical criminal defense example of our Google Ads guide, a $30 click and a $4,000 average fee leave a cost per signed case of $600 to $1,500.

Ad copy that fits your state bar's rules

Lawyer advertising is allowed in every state, but your ads must follow ABA Model Rules 7.1 to 7.3 as adopted by your state bar: no misleading claims, and no promised results. A line such as "get them out within 24 hours" can create unjustified expectations. Promise what you control instead: availability around the clock and a fast callback. "Criminal defense lawyer since 1998" is a verifiable fact and stays fine. More in our guide to lawyer advertising rules.

A budget that runs long enough

Seven days were enough to prove the method, not to measure a stable cost per case. In the US, most firms should plan on $2,000 to $4,000 a month to start, enough for at least 100 clicks per campaign. A reliable read of your cost per signed case takes two to three months, the time bidding needs to learn from your conversions.

Could we double your firm's revenue?

This Google Ads method is the core of the strategy we deploy for our law firm clients.

You have better things to do than learn how marketing works. At Hendy, we automate the acquisition of new cases so you can focus on what really matters: your clients and the growth of your firm.

• Solo practitioner: Tired of chasing clients while juggling the running of your practice? Picture a steady flow of new cases, without worrying about cash flow or spending nights looking for prospects.
• Small law firm: You are growing, but competition is fierce and standing out keeps getting harder. We help you shine online and attract quality clients, without the constant pressure to justify your choices to your partners.
• Large law firm: Facing internal resistance to digital tools while under pressure to innovate? We bring modern, measurable solutions that keep you ahead, without compromising your firm's traditional values.

Let's talk. You will receive a personalized growth plan to double your revenue, without having to lift a finger: book a call. Or see our law firm Google Ads agency.