Signed Retainer Cases vs Live Transfers: Which Model Is Right for Your Firm?

What signed cases are and how they work

A signed case is a fully executed retainer delivered to your firm. The vendor generates the lead, qualifies it, and signs the retainer on your behalf on your contract. You receive a case that is ready to work — no calling, no qualifying, no closing. See our signed cases page for the full model.

A live transfer is a qualified prospect on the phone, connected to your intake team in real time. The vendor qualifies and puts them on the line; your team closes. See live transfers.

When to choose signed cases

Signed cases are the right choice when:

• You do not have a dedicated intake team. Solos and small firms often cannot staff 24/7 intake. Signed cases eliminate the need.
• Your intake team is underwater. If your team cannot keep up with current volume, adding more leads makes it worse. Signed cases remove the intake burden.
• You want guaranteed cases. You are buying cases, not leads. The only variable is the return rate.
• You have been burned by lead quality. Signed cases remove the qualification risk — the case is signed before you pay.

When to choose live transfers

Transfers are the right choice when:

• You have a strong intake team. If your team can take live calls and close on the first call, transfers give you more control over the closing conversation.
• You want a lower cost per case. Transfers typically produce a lower CPA than signed cases because you handle the closing. See how to calculate CPA.
• You want control over qualification. Your team confirms the details on the live call rather than trusting the vendor's screening.

Pricing comparison

The per-unit price is meaningless without the close rate. Here is a side-by-side for a typical firm.

• Live transfers: $1,500 per transfer ÷ 55% close rate = $2,727 CPA
• Signed cases: $3,500 per case ÷ (1 − 10% return) = $3,889 effective CPA

For a firm with a strong intake team, transfers win on CPA. For a firm with no intake team, signed cases are the only viable option — because the alternative (building intake infrastructure) costs more than the difference.

The 14-day replacement guarantee

Both models carry a 14-day replacement window. For transfers, replacements cover leads who were already represented, at fault, uninsured, outside the statute, or lied about injury. For signed cases, the same criteria apply — if a case becomes unmonetizable within 14 days, it is replaced. Read our replacement policy guide for the details.

How to choose based on firm size

• Solos and small firms (1-10 cases/month): Signed cases. You do not have the intake bandwidth for transfers.
• Mid-size firms (11-30 cases/month): Transfers. You have intake capacity and want the lower CPA.
• Larger firms (30+ cases/month): Often run both — transfers for the core, signed cases to handle overflow.

Book a strategy call

The only way to know which model is right is to run your real numbers. Book a strategy call and we will recommend the right delivery model based on your intake team, size, and budget.