Intake Form
A structured document (paper or digital) that collects essential information from potential clients to begin the evaluation process.
Intake forms are the traditional method for capturing client information. They've been standard practice for decades—and they're increasingly showing their age.
What Intake Forms Collect
A typical legal intake form asks for:
Contact basics: Name, phone, email, address
Case information: What happened, when, where, who was involved
Background: Prior attorney contact, insurance information, relevant history
Logistics: How they found you, best time to call, preferred contact method
More detailed forms go deeper: specific questions for practice areas, medical treatment history, employment details, etc.
The Problem with Forms
Forms work when people are motivated enough to complete them. But that's a high bar.
Consider someone who just had a car accident. They're stressed, maybe injured, definitely overwhelmed. Your form asks them to "describe the incident" in a text box.
Many don't finish. Others write almost nothing useful. By requiring effort upfront, forms filter out people who might be great clients but aren't ready to commit to paperwork.
Forms vs Conversation
The alternative to forms is conversation—whether with a person or AI.
Conversation is incremental. One question leads to another. The "cost" of each response is low. Before they know it, someone has shared their whole situation.
Forms front-load the ask. Fill out all these fields, then submit, then wait for us to call.
Same information collected, dramatically different experience.
When Forms Still Work
Forms aren't obsolete. They work when:
- The person is already committed (referred by a friend, knows they want to hire you)
- Follow-up is guaranteed fast
- The form is short and focused
- There's no expectation of real-time response
They work less well for:
- After-hours inquiries
- People early in their research
- Complex situations that don't fit fields
- Anyone who prefers dialogue to data entry
Hybrid Approaches
Many firms now use forms as a backup, not the primary path.
Chat handles initial engagement. If someone prefers forms, the option exists. But the default experience is conversational.
This captures more leads while still accommodating people who genuinely prefer forms.