Client Intake
The process of gathering information from a potential client to determine if their case is a fit for your firm and to collect what's needed to begin representation.
Client intake is the bridge between "someone interested in hiring you" and "actual paying client." It's everything that happens from first contact to signed engagement letter.
What Intake Actually Involves
For most law firms, intake includes:
- Initial contact — The person reaches out via phone, website, or referral
- Information gathering — Learning about their situation, the facts, the timeline
- Qualification — Determining if the case is one you want and can handle
- Conflict checking — Ensuring no conflicts of interest
- Fee discussion — Explaining how you charge and what it will cost
- Engagement — Signing the retainer or fee agreement
Each step filters some people out and moves others forward.
Why Intake Matters
Bad intake processes lose cases you should have won—and take cases you shouldn't have.
When intake is sloppy:
- Good prospects slip away because no one followed up
- Your team wastes time on leads that were never viable
- You miss critical facts that surface later and hurt the case
- Clients feel uncertain before they even hire you
When intake is tight:
- Every qualified lead gets proper attention
- Your team focuses on cases worth pursuing
- You start representation with complete information
- Clients feel confident from day one
The 24/7 Problem
Traditional intake happens during business hours. But potential clients don't only have problems during business hours.
The car accident at 11 PM. The arrest on a Saturday. The harassment that makes someone unable to sleep and searching for lawyers at 2 AM.
If your intake only works 9-to-5, you're invisible when many people need you most.
Intake Tools and Approaches
Firms handle intake differently depending on size and practice:
- Solo practitioners often handle intake themselves, or have one staff member dedicated to phones
- Small firms might have a receptionist or shared intake staff
- Larger firms often have dedicated intake departments or outsource to answering services
- Growing firms increasingly use AI to provide 24/7 coverage
The right approach depends on your volume, budget, and how much of the intake process you want automated.