Tools to help you capture every Lead
Gone are the days of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. law firm receptionists chained to their desks, limited to answering phones and taking messages.
Modern consumers in search of legal guidance expect more, including 24/7, responsive service and immediate answers to their questions. Office hours are a thing of the past. Potential clients now research firms, retain legal services and do so from their own homes. Firms that rely on these tools, rather than on staff employees alone, are far better positioned to thrive in today’s highly competitive legal marketplace.
The good news is that reception and intake are some of the easiest firm functions to offload. Virtual receptionists and chatbots are able to answer calls 24/7, giving prospective clients the convenience and flexibility of a full-time coverage after hours. By outsourcing call handling and intake processes, you can increase your firm’s availability to new and existing clients while reducing administrative burdens and costs.
Choosing the right tools for your firm
There’s no shortage of virtual receptionists and intake tools for firms. The right tool for your firm will depend on the priorities of your firm, including features, cost and whether you are looking for a legal-specific provider. Don’t discount the generalists. However, don’t automatically discount the generalists.
Depending on your firm’s needs, they may very well check many of the boxes at a much more appealing price.
Before choosing a service, it’s essential to understand that outsourcing requires sharing your firm’s data with third parties, which in turn triggers certain ethical duties. These include the obligation to preserve confidentiality by vetting how and when your firm’s information will be accessed, used and stored by the provider.
With that in mind, let’s review some of the more widely used, stand-alone virtual receptionist services and client intake tools for firms. Information about pricing will be provided unless it’s not listed online.
Virtual legal intake and receptionist options
LexReception offers virtual receptionist services tailored for firms. They include handling client intake, appointment setting, and payment collection. LexReception differentiates itself by focusing on the legal industry, offering 24/7, bilingual availability and integrating with a wide range of legal practice management and payment processing tools.
Smith.ai combines live virtual receptionists with generative AI to manage calls, web chats, texts and Facebook messages while also handling lead qualification and customer relationship management integration. It also offers chatbots powered with generative AI that respond to online, text and social media messages. The “AI-first receptionist” is a standout feature. It streamlines intake workflows and provides multilingual support. When needed, it transfers to virtual receptionists who are human. Pricing for each offering is available on the website.
LawDroid offers AI-powered legal automation tools that handle tasks, such as virtual intake, document drafting and client communication. LawDroid is unique in its early adoption and use of generative AI for LawDroid Copilot – a virtual assistant. The company’s innovative approach makes it particularly relevant for small firms and solo practitioners who operate virtually. Ruby provides live virtual receptionists, chat services, and other tools for small businesses. The company consistently receives high ratings for customer service and has a strong brand recognition among solo and small firms. It integrates with some legal tech tools, and the website offers pricing information, including bundled options for live web chat and virtual receptionist services.
Back Office Betties delivers virtual receptionist and legal intake services staffed by receptionists trained exclusively in legal terminology and workflows. There are a number of integrations available with legal products. The company’s flat-rate pricing stands out and is listed on the website.
Answering Legal is a 24/7 live answering service built specifically for lawyers. It has features such as call forwarding and bilingual support. Its ability to customize call protocol and live call transfer allows qualified leads to be patched quickly through to the firm. It integrates with popular CRM systems and legal software platforms. Virtual receptionists, intake tools, and other virtual services can help firms be more responsive and efficient. Modern intake tools, whether AI powered, human-staffed, or a combination of both, reduce overhead, freeing up time to do more analytical and nuanced work. This benefit can be particularly impactful for solo and small firms, enabling them to better compete with larger practices by offering scalable, professional client service without the cost of full-time staff.
Outsourcing reception and intake is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to improve the client experience and streamline operations. There are many options to suit any budget or workflow. Investing in these tools will help your firm thrive and grow. She is a nationally recognized author and co-author, both published by American Bar Association. She has written hundreds of articles and regular columns for ABAJournal.com, Above the Law and other publications. She also speaks at conferences about the intersection of law with emerging technologies. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @nikiblack, or she can be reached at
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This column reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily the views of the ABA Journal–or the American Bar Association.
