Managing the Efficiency–Satisfaction Trade‐Off: The Moderating Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Legal Services

ABSTRACT Digitalization has reshaped professional services, yet its impact on client satisfaction remains ambiguous. This study examines the efficiency‐satisfaction paradox in China's digitized legal services. Using 5,500 client assessments from 110 firms, we identify an inverted U‐shaped relationship between legal service efficiency (LSE) and customer satisfaction (CS): satisfaction rises with moderate efficiency but declines when excessive standardization erodes relational value. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) moderates this relationship through a dual amplification‐buffering mechanism: CSR enhances satisfaction up to the optimal efficiency threshold and alleviates over‐efficiency's negative effects. Additional analyses reveal that CSR's influence varies across efficiency and satisfaction sub‐dimensions, highlighting the need to align CSR initiatives with client expectations. Grounded in Expectation Confirmation and Stakeholder theories, the findings challenge linear service models and position CSR as a governance mechanism that balances digital efficiency with relational trust under ESG disclosure mandates. Exploratory evidence further suggests contextual heterogeneity across various firm and client segments.