CallataGuides

Business phone system for law offices in Texas

13,833 law offices operated in Texas in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.

Establishments
13,833CBP 2023
Employees
87,363mid-March 2023
Per 100k residents
44.2U.S. 48.7
State rank
3rd of 51by count

The law office industry in Texas

Texas had 13,833 law offices in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 541110, Offices of Lawyers). They employed 87,363 people in mid-March and reported $11.0 billion in annual payroll. That is the 3rd highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Law offices make up 2.1% of the 670,878 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Texas has 44.2 law offices, 9.1% below the national rate of 48.7. The average establishment has 6.3 employees against 6.6 nationally. Payroll per employee is $126,451, in line with the U.S. figure of $125,580.

Law offices: Texas compared with the U.S., 2023
MeasureTexasUnited States
Establishments13,833165,491
Mid-March employees87,3631,093,331
Annual payroll$11,047,100,000$137,300,251,000
Employees per establishment6.36.6
Payroll per employee$126,451$125,580
Establishments per 100,000 residents44.248.7

Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

Where law offices in Texas are concentrated

Census published law office counts for 62 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Texas. The largest is Dallas, TX, with 3,969 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 98% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Law offices by metro or micropolitan area, Texas, 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployeesPer 100k residents
Dallas, TX3,96928,21347.6
Houston, TX3,86727,48249.6
Austin, TX1,5249,77159.7
San Antonio, TX1,1887,31743.0
McAllen, TX3371,65436.8
El Paso, TX2831,29732.2
Corpus Christi, TX2121,40647.1
Lubbock, TX1791,00048.8
Tyler, TX17978671.9
Beaumont, TX17084742.6
Brownsville, TX15763036.4
Longview, TX14941050.4
Amarillo, TX12464945.1
Waco, TX9450130.6
Laredo, TX8535031.2
College Station, TX8157028.2
Midland, TX7436239.2
Abilene, TX72—39.1
Killeen, TX6843613.3
Sherman, TX6829945.2
Wichita Falls, TX5516936.7
Texarkana, TX-AR5517237.8
San Angelo, TX4918940.3
Odessa, TX4425925.9
Victoria, TX3711737.3

Top 25 of 62 areas by establishments. Source: Census CBP 2023.

Team sizes at law offices in Texas

72.3% of Texas's law offices with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 71.8% nationally. 86.7% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.

Law offices in Texas by employment size, 2023
Employment sizeEstablishmentsShareU.S. share
1–4 employees10,00672.3%71.8%
5–9 employees1,98214.3%15.1%
10–19 employees1,0207.4%7.4%
20–49 employees5584.0%4.0%
50 or more employees2651.9%1.8%

Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.

Calls a law office in Texas has to catch

Prospective clients often call a law office at a stressful moment and contact more than one firm, so the first firm to respond has an advantage. Attorneys are frequently in court or meetings, which makes accurate message taking and routing to the right paralegal essential. That holds for law offices in Texas as much as anywhere.

Calls a law office in Texas might handle in a typical week include:

After-hours calls

Potential clients often call in the evening, so capturing and transcribing those messages lets the firm call back first thing.

Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.

What a phone system costs a law office in Texas

Law offices in Texas average 6.3 employees, so the comparison uses a 6-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 6 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $180.00 a month and 6 on Ooma Office Pro cost $149.70. On Callata the same 6 people cost $119.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.

The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $732. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.

Monthly list price for a 6-person law office
Provider (plan)Pricing basisPer monthPer year
Callata (Callata Office)$99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user$119.00$1,428.00
Quo (Starter)$19.00 per user$114.00$1,368.00
Nextiva (Core)$23.00 per user$138.00$1,656.00
Ooma (Office Pro)$24.95 per user$149.70$1,796.40
Dialpad (Standard)$27.00 per user$162.00$1,944.00
RingCentral (RingEX Core)$30.00 per user$180.00$2,160.00

Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.

Area codes in Texas

Texas has 29 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your clients know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.

Area codes in Texas by assigned exchanges
Area codeExchangesTime zoneIn service sinceOverlay with
281786Central1996346, 621, 713, 832
469786Central1999214, 945, 972
832786Central1999281, 346, 713
512785Central1947737
713785Central1947281, 346, 621, 832
972785Central1996214, 469, 945
210784Central1992726
214784Central1947469, 945, 972
817780Central1953682
903771Central1990430
346752Central2014281, 621, 713, 832
956735Central1997none
806734Central1957none
254671Central1997none
361537Central1999none
940506Central1997none
830496Central1997none
409433Central1982none
936422Central2000none
682421Central2000817

Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.

How Callata works for law offices in Texas

Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.

If you already have a number in Texas, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.

Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.

Firms should consider privilege and confidentiality before recording calls or using AI summaries, and follow their bar's guidance on client communications.

Frequently asked questions

How many law offices are in Texas?

13,833 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 87,363 people in mid-March.

Which Texas metro area has the most law offices?

Dallas, TX, with 3,969 establishments in 2023.

What does a phone system cost a 6-person law office?

$180.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $149.70 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $119.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).

Do I need to register to text customers from a Texas number?

Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.