Client Intake Workflow Template for Small Firms
TLDR
Intake is where small firms lose the most prospective clients. A structured workflow with defined steps, timeframes, and checklists cuts intake time, reduces missed follow-ups, and catches conflicts before they become problems.
Why Intake Needs a System
At a large firm, intake is handled by a dedicated team with specialized software and defined procedures. At a 1-5 attorney firm, intake is whoever answers the phone. The attorney who just finished a hearing picks up a call from a prospective client, scribbles some notes, promises to follow up, and then gets pulled into something else. By the time they circle back two days later, the prospect has hired someone who called them back in two hours.
A structured intake workflow doesn’t require dedicated staff or expensive software. It requires a defined process with steps, timeframes, and checklists that anyone in the firm can follow. The goal is to move a potential client from initial contact to either an engagement letter or a clear decline within a predictable timeframe.
The Intake Pipeline
Every potential client moves through six stages. Each stage has a defined action, a responsible person, and a timeframe.
| Stage | Action | Timeframe | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Initial Contact | Log the inquiry, capture basic information | Within 1 hour of contact | Whoever takes the call/email |
| 2. Screening | Determine if the matter is within your practice areas and capacity | Same business day | Attorney |
| 3. Conflict Check | Run conflicts against your database | Within 24 hours | Attorney or paralegal |
| 4. Consultation | Schedule and conduct initial consultation | Within 2-3 business days | Attorney |
| 5. Engagement | Send engagement letter and fee agreement | Within 24 hours of consultation | Attorney |
| 6. Matter Opening | Open the file, set up billing, collect retainer | Within 48 hours of signed engagement | Attorney or office manager |
The timeframes are targets, not absolutes. But they should be tracked. If your average time from initial contact to engagement letter is 10 days, you’re losing clients to firms that move in 3.
Client Intake Workflow Template for Small Firms
A structured intake process for solo and small firm attorneys covering initial contact through matter opening, with practice-area-specific checklists.
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