Intake workflow
The intake checklist every small firm should run — every time.
6 min read · 2025-10-28
Inconsistent intake causes conflict misses, lost leads, and clients who never sign retainers. A repeatable checklist protects your firm and converts more inquiries into paying matters.
Step 1: Capture the inquiry
Every inquiry should enter your system the same way. A public inquiry link on your website, Google Business profile, and email signature captures name, contact info, matter type, and a brief description.
Leads land on a pipeline board — New, Consultation, Qualified, Retained. You see every open inquiry at a glance instead of digging through voicemail and email.
Step 2: Conflict check before consultation
Run a conflict check against existing clients and matters before you schedule a consultation. LawNest prompts this during the convert-to-client flow, but the habit starts at qualification.
If a conflict exists, decline early. If the conflict is waivable, document the waiver before proceeding. This step is non-negotiable for small firms without a dedicated conflicts clerk.
Step 3: Consultation and qualification
Move the lead to Consultation on the pipeline when the call is booked. After the meeting, mark Qualified if you want to proceed or close the lead if not.
Qualified means you have assessed merit, quoted fees, and the client wants to move forward — not that they have signed yet.
Step 4: Engagement intake and retainer
Send engagement intake by email as soon as the client says yes. The form captures details you need for the matter — parties, dates, documents, and billing preferences.
Generate the retainer from a template, place signature fields, and send the signing link the same day. Clients who sign within 48 hours retain at dramatically higher rates than those who wait a week.
Step 5: Convert to client and open the matter
When the retainer is signed and deposit collected, convert the lead to client + matter. Intake answers copy to the client record. Open the matter from a practice-area template so tasks and checklists spawn immediately.
Workflow rules can automate steps 4 and 5: retainer sent on Qualified, tasks created on Retained, calendar event for filing deadlines on matter open.
Automate the repeatable steps
You do not need a separate intake product or Zapier chain. LawNest workflow rules fire on pipeline stage changes — create tasks, send emails, and schedule calendar events automatically.
The checklist stays the same whether you are a solo lawyer or a five-person firm. The difference is how much runs without you remembering each step.