New matters opened clean:
documents chased without a paralegal
A law firm's intake process usually starts with a phone call or a form, then a back-and-forth chasing documents that can stretch for weeks before a matter is actually ready to work. An agent runs the intake conversation, builds the document checklist for the matter type, and keeps reminding the client until the file is complete, so an associate opens a matter instead of chasing paperwork.
The process today
A new client calling or emailing a firm usually goes through an intake call where someone writes down the basics, then an associate or paralegal has to figure out which documents the matter type actually needs and ask for them, often one email at a time as they remember each one. The client sends some documents, forgets others, and someone on the firm’s side has to track what is still missing and follow up, repeatedly, often over weeks.
The second cost is inconsistency between matter types and between staff. One paralegal’s document checklist for a given matter type is more thorough than another’s, and whether a conflict check question gets asked at intake or three weeks in depends on who took the call.
The third is that none of this is visible until someone checks: a matter can sit half-open, waiting on one document, for far longer than anyone realizes, because tracking what is outstanding lives in someone’s memory or a scattered email thread rather than a system.
What the agent does
The agent runs the intake conversation by web form, email or WhatsApp depending on how your firm prefers to meet new clients, asking the structured questions your firm already uses, including the conflict-check fields that need to be captured before a matter opens. Based on the matter type, it generates the correct document checklist automatically rather than relying on a person to recall it.
It then sends the client a single upload link and chases the specific documents still missing, not a repeated generic request, until the checklist is complete. The client sees their own status, what has arrived and what is outstanding, and the attorney gets a clean handover summary once the file is ready, instead of opening the matter to find half the documents missing.
Typical integrations: your practice management system’s API or import format, a web form or WhatsApp for client-facing intake, and secure document upload with status tracking.
What stays with humans
The conflict check itself, and the decision to accept or decline a matter, stay entirely with the firm; the agent only captures the information needed to make that call quickly. Any question that strays toward legal advice is routed to an attorney immediately rather than answered by the agent. Which documents a given matter type requires is a checklist your firm defines and can change at any time.
Guards
Every intake conversation and document request is logged, so a supervising partner can audit any matter’s intake history. The agent never offers legal advice, an opinion on the merits of a case, or a quote beyond what your firm has pre-approved for standard matter types. The intake flow runs against a batch of real past matters in dry run before going live, and a kill switch hands intake back to staff in one message if something looks off.
Price and timeline
| Option | Price | What it covers | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single automation | from $700 | One practice area, intake flow, document checklist and chasing | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Department package | from $2,800 | Intake and documents plus client status updates and billing-ready file handover across the firm | 3 to 5 weeks |
Running cost is usually $20 to $70 a month in messaging and model usage depending on new-matter volume.
Related
This pairs well with accounting firm document collection for firms running a similar document-chasing problem on the finance side, and with contract drafting for the next step once a matter is open. See the AI agents service page and the automation-everything overview for full package details. For real builds on document-heavy intake and status tracking, see the visa center AI support bots case study and the visa slot monitoring OCR bot case study.
Tired of opening a matter to find half the documents still missing? Get in touch and we will map your current intake flow.
Tired of doing this by hand? We can take the whole routine off your team, not just this step: Routine takeover, from $400 →
FAQ
How much does it cost to automate law firm intake?
From $700 for one practice area and one intake flow, live in 1 to 2 weeks. Firms with several matter types and document categories usually run $1,500 to $2,800.
How long before it is live?
1 to 2 weeks once we have your intake questions, document checklists per matter type, and access to your practice management system or a shared intake inbox.
Which practice management systems does it connect to?
Most practice management platforms with an API or import format, plus email, WhatsApp or a web form for the client-facing intake and document collection.
Does the agent give legal advice to the client?
No. It only collects information and documents according to a checklist your firm defines. Any question that strays into legal advice is flagged and routed to an attorney, never answered by the agent.
Is client data and document data secure?
Documents and intake data go into your own practice management or document system through its own access controls; we do not hold a separate copy, and every request and upload is logged for audit.