Optimizing Legal Intake (12 Seamless Methods)

Key Takeaways:

• Legal intake is the first step in case management with your prospective clients.
• Automated or not, these steps capture valuable information about your lead’s needs.
• Utilizing the right type of legal intake process can streamline the experience and boost relationships from the start.
• Array Digital can help you streamline your client interactions.

Legal intake processes can be daunting and time-consuming, leading to frustration and delays in addressing legal needs. Every misstep could potentially worsen your situation, causing anxiety and uncertainty about the outcome.

Thankfully, law firms can implement various effective methods to optimize legal intake and ensure a seamless client experience. From leveraging technology and automation to creating clearer communication channels, there are plenty of ways to optimize your legal intake process and achieve higher client satisfaction.

What does legal intake mean?

Legal intake is the process by which law firms assess a potential client or case to determine whether they want to take on it. Specifically, they look for any indication that this case may not be a good fit for them or worth their time.

What is an intake form?

A legal intake form is a form that captures the information necessary to make decisions about the intake of a new client. It is a form that includes:

• Personal information of the client
• Citation data or information
• Description of services needed

What is another word for “client intake?”

You may hear client intake called other things, including:

• Case intake report
• Client application
• Client case form
• Client intake log
• Client enrollment form
• Client information sheet

What does a legal intake specialist do at a law firm?

A legal intake specialist’s primary responsibilities include:

• Onboard new clients to the firm
• Evaluate potential claim success factors
• Determine the viability of the claim
• Set up documentation and communications for new clients with attorneys
• Establish contracts with clients
• Set up meetings with all included parties

Why is it important to have a streamlined legal intake process?

More than ever, it’s important to have a streamlined legal intake process because it:

• Helps you make quick decisions about potential clients
• Provides you with a way to record where leads are coming from
• Enables your firm to make better decisions about marketing

For example, your questionnaire allows your potential client to state where they heard about the attorney or firm. You can then gauge the efficacy of your marketing channels. If you just recently started a Google Ads campaign, for example, and that is bringing in more traffic to your website, and those leads are well-qualified, that could be worthwhile to continue.

Consider the importance of this and the work your legal intake professionals are doing. Consider taking these steps for a seamless client experience.

#1. Providing the best experience for our clients

Understanding your client’s specific needs and concerns during the intake process helps you provide tailored legal solutions. Your legal team does its job better when it can gather information quickly and direct clients properly, which improves the client experience many times over.

Discover Array Digital’s award-winning podcast for more tips on providing the best experience for your clients.

#2. Leveraging technology to enhance the client intake process

Legal tech can help you streamline operations and capture key client data efficiently. Automating your daily administrative and business tasks, including legal intake, simplifies the work for your legal team.

• Consider a law practice management software solution with an intake feature.
• Integrate your intake system into your client relationship management (CRM) system.

#3. Responding quickly with clear communication

Good and efficient communication is key to successfully onboarding clients. Successful legal intake processes ensure clients understand their rights, options, and responsibilities should they move forward.

#4. Building trust and rapport

Work to establish trust and rapport with your clients immediately. Doing this from the outset through the intake process helps to create positive attorney-client relationships and supports open communication for both parties.

#5. Managing expectations

Managing client expectations from the onset is also important. This includes discussing all factors that play a role in their satisfaction with your legal service, whether it is in your control or not, including:

• Costs
• Outcomes
• Timelines

#6. Providing ongoing support

Attorneys need to follow up and keep communication open. This means providing ongoing support beyond that initial intake process. Doing so helps to build overall satisfaction well after onboarding.

#7: Implementing online intake forms

Online forms allow clients to provide essential information quickly and securely, reducing paperwork and workflow hangups while ensuring better processes and efficiencies for clients and attorneys.

#8: Offering multilingual support

Prospective clients come from all walks of life and backgrounds. By providing multilingual support, you ensure language barriers do not hinder communication during the intake process. This helps to foster inclusivity and accessibility for clients with a more diverse background.

#9: Utilizing client portals for document sharing

Client portals online facilitate secure document sharing and communication. Clients can read, communicate, and gather valuable information without making a phone call, saving everyone time and money. This also enhances transparency and efficiency throughout the legal client intake process.

#10: Conducting intake interviews via video conferencing

Video conferencing can be a critical tool for enhancing profitability while providing an efficient way to gauge a client’s needs and objectives. This allows attorneys and intake specialists to conduct interviews remotely to accommodate those who cannot attend in-house meetings. Video conferencing helps improve accessibility for clients without sacrificing personal interactions.

#11: Offering virtual legal assistance chatbots

Another way to support client needs is to use a chatbot as a type of legal assistant. Using chatbots on a firm’s website allows the client to receive initial information about their legal issue before contacting your employees. It builds a strong first impression by ensuring they can schedule an appointment or get information right away.

#12: Providing educational resources for self-help

Offering educational resources helps clients understand their legal rights and what their options may be within their specific legal matter. Utilize a variety of tools to help answer client questions as they fit within your practice areas, including:

• Articles
• FAQs
• Videos

This helps clients to be more informed and helps to speed up the legal intake process.

Why law firms trust Array Digital

Array Digital knows metrics. We help all attorneys – from personal injury to real estate to criminal defense – connect with their clients through holistic digital marketing. We do this through specialized expertise and customized solutions.

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