What actually makes a lead exclusive
A lead is exclusive when all three of these are true:
- It is sold to one firm and one firm only.
- It is not resold, recycled, or re-marketed after a delay.
- It is not the by-product of a campaign that also fed other vendors.
Some vendors call themselves “exclusive” when they really mean “sold a maximum of three times.” That isn’t exclusive — it’s a smaller share. Ask any vendor for written exclusivity language and a clause that defines what happens to the lead if you reject it.
Exclusive vs. shared — the numbers
Exclusive MVA leads are sold to one law firm and never shared, recycled, or resold. The firm receives the lead in real time and is the only attorney who can call that injured party. Exclusivity drives higher contact rates, higher signed-case rates, and a measurably lower cost per acquired case than shared leads.
Typical real-world differences:
- Shared: $40–$120 CPL, ~25–35% contact rate, ~3–6% signed-case rate.
- Exclusive: $250–$500 CPL, ~75–90% contact rate, ~10–18% signed-case rate.
On cost per signed case, exclusive almost always wins — but you have to size your monthly spend correctly. Our pricing benchmarks page shows the math by case type.
Why exclusivity is the contact-rate lever
When an accident victim submits their information, they’re flooded with calls from every firm that bought the shared lead — usually within 90 seconds. By the time a fourth firm calls, the prospect has stopped picking up. Exclusivity eliminates that race. Your intake calls back the only attorney who has their information.
When the higher CPL is worth it
Exclusive leads are the right buy when your intake can call back within five minutes, you can spend at least a month at consistent volume to read the data, and your case mix supports a CPL premium. They’re the wrong buy if your follow-up bandwidth is unreliable or you’re only ready to commit for two weeks.