What Should a Law Firm Intake Script Include?
The short answer
A good intake script guides the call through seven steps: a warm greeting, the caller's story, qualifying questions, checking fit, a clear explanation of what happens next, booking the consultation on the call, and a quick recap. It gives every caller the same experience no matter who answers the phone. Your team should know it well enough that it sounds like a conversation.
Why intake needs a script
The first call is often the moment a potential client decides whether to hire you. If one person on your team asks the right questions and books the consultation, and another takes a message and promises a callback, your results depend on who picked up the phone.
A script fixes that. It makes sure the important questions get asked, conflicts get checked, and the caller leaves with a booked appointment. It also makes training new intake staff much faster.
What the script should cover
Greeting. Answer with the firm name and your name, and thank them for calling. Keep it warm and short.
Their story. Ask an open question, such as what's going on and how you can help. Let them talk. Take notes. Many callers are stressed, and being heard matters.
Qualifying questions. The basics for your practice areas: the type of matter, key dates, location, other parties involved, and whether they've worked with another attorney on this. Include the questions you need for a conflict check.
Fit. Decide whether the matter is something the firm handles. If it isn't, say so kindly and offer a referral if you have one.
Next steps. Explain what happens at the consultation, who they'll meet with, how long it takes, and whether there's a fee.
Book it now. Offer two specific times and put the appointment on the calendar while they're still on the phone. Confirm their best phone number and email.
Recap. Repeat the date and time, tell them what to bring, and let them know they'll get a confirmation by text or email.
Close by recording where they heard about the firm. That one question is what makes marketing tracking possible.
Make it sound natural
The script is a guide. Train intake staff on the purpose of each step so they can adapt the wording to the caller. Role-play calls during training, listen to recorded calls together, and update the script when you notice questions that confuse people or steps that get skipped.
Pair the script with a process
The script covers the call itself. The process around it matters just as much:
Every lead gets a call back quickly during business hours
After-hours calls and web forms have a plan so they get answered first thing the next business day
Every call is logged in your intake or case management system with the lead source
Missed calls and no-shows get a set follow-up sequence
Our post on why leads aren't turning into signed cases covers the full intake process, and our post on which marketing is bringing your law firm cases explains how the lead source carries through to your numbers.
Track what happens
Watch a few numbers every week: calls answered, consultations booked, show rate and signed cases. If calls are coming in but consultations aren't getting booked, the script or the training needs work. If consultations are booked but people don't show, look at your confirmations and reminders.
What it looked like at a growing firm
At the firm where I was COO, intake grew from about 25 cases a month to more than 100. A consistent intake script was part of that. Every caller got the same questions, consultations were booked on the first call whenever possible, and every lead was tracked to its source. New intake staff could get up to speed quickly because the steps were written down.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a law firm intake call take?
Long enough to understand the matter, check for conflicts and book the consultation. For many practice areas that's about ten to fifteen minutes.
Should intake staff give legal advice?
No. Intake staff gather information and book consultations. Questions about the law or the caller's options should be saved for the attorney.
What questions should be on a law firm intake form?
Contact details, the type of matter, key dates, other parties involved for a conflict check, any prior attorney involvement, and how they heard about the firm.
How do we handle callers who aren't a fit?
Tell them kindly, thank them for calling, and offer a referral if you have one. A good experience can still lead to future referrals.
How often should we update the intake script?
Review it every quarter and whenever you add a practice area, change your consultation process, or notice a step that isn't working.
Where to start
Listen to five recent intake calls. Note what was asked, what was missed and whether a consultation was booked. That will show you exactly what your script needs. If you'd like an outside look at your intake process, the Free Firm Gap Report will show you where the gaps are.
Or call 813-565-3050 to talk it through.
Related: Why Aren't My Law Firm's Leads Turning Into Signed Cases?, How Do I Know Which Marketing Is Bringing My Law Firm Cases?, How Do I Improve Client Onboarding at My Law Firm?, How Do I Write SOPs for My Law Firm?, What KPIs Should a Law Firm Track Every Week?, How Do I Run Performance Reviews at My Law Firm?, How Do I Run a Weekly Leadership Meeting at My Law Firm?, Why Does My Law Firm Keep Losing Good Staff?, How Do I Know If My Law Firm Needs a Fractional COO?, How Do I Build a Budget for My Law Firm?, How Do I Build an Org Chart for My Law Firm?, How Do I Set Quarterly Goals for My Law Firm?, How Do I Stop Being the Bottleneck in My Law Firm?, What Does a Fractional COO Do for a Law Firm?, Why Is My Law Firm Growing Revenue but Not Profit?, When Should My Law Firm Hire Another Person?, How Do I Get My Law Firm Paid Faster?, How Do I Clean Up My Law Firm's Trust Account?, What Should My Law Firm Do Before Switching Case Management Software?, How Much Does a Fractional COO Cost for a Law Firm? and Fractional COO, Office Manager or Legal Administrator: Which Does Your Law Firm Need?
