Many first calls to a law firm are intake calls
A caller reaches your firm at 7:15pm on a Thursday with a question about a lease or a car accident. They want to know whether to call a lawyer tomorrow. The office is closed, and the voicemail waits until morning. The first conversation tends to cover the same ground: who the caller is, how to reach them, what kind of matter it is in general terms, and whether they can come in for a consultation.
An AI intake assistant handles that first conversation on your phone line, website chat and texts, then hands the rest to your staff. It is an intake and scheduling tool. It is not your lawyer, and it does not replace the attorney. This is not legal advice. Magnet Mint LLC is not a law firm.
What the assistant does, and what it does not
| The assistant does | The assistant does not |
|---|---|
| Answer calls, chat and texts with your approved intake script | Interpret the law or your firm’s position on a matter |
| Take contact details and a neutral category of matter | Ask for the full story before conflicts are checked |
| Route urgent mentions to a person you name | Give deadline or limitation advice |
| Take preferred consultation times for staff to confirm | Predict an outcome or say whether a caller has a case |
| Answer office hours, locations and the fees you publish | Quote fees, results or outcomes you have not approved |
The conflicts check comes before any matter discussion
- The assistant takes the caller’s name and contact details, then the names of the other parties involved.
- It passes those names and a short, neutral summary of the matter type to your staff.
- Your staff run the conflicts check under your firm’s procedure. The assistant does not run it and does not decide what counts as a conflict.
- The assistant takes the caller’s preferred consultation times but does not confirm one. After staff clear the check, they confirm the consultation. If there is a conflict, the caller gets the decline wording your firm approved.
Confidentiality and prospective clients
A caller who asks about hiring your firm is a prospective client. Under lawyer conduct rules based on ABA Model Rule 1.18, a lawyer who discusses a possible engagement with a prospective client may not use or reveal what was learned, even when no engagement follows, and that information can create a conflict later. The comment to the District of Columbia’s version notes that a lawyer may limit the first interview to information that is not a confidence or secret, as long as the lawyer can still tell whether there is a conflict. The intake follows that idea: contact details, the parties’ names and a neutral category, not the full story.
The assistant tells callers that the conversation is an intake, that it gives no legal advice, that no attorney-client relationship is formed by it, and that the details belong in the consultation with a lawyer. Your firm sets how intake records are kept and who can read them, and every vendor that stores them is listed in the written scope. Your state’s version of the rule may differ, so ask your own counsel. This is not legal advice.
Texts need the caller’s consent under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (47 CFR 64.1200). We set up opt-in and STOP handling. A business texting number needs carrier registration (A2P 10DLC), which is extra. The assistant also says that it is an AI assistant, and callers can reach your staff or leave a message.
Attorney advertising and approved scripts
Your responsible attorney approves every script before launch: the greeting, the intake questions, the decline wording and the disclaimers. The scripts make no claim about results, quality or fees that the firm has not approved in writing. Lawyer advertising and communications rules apply to these conversations, and your firm stays responsible for compliance. Ask your own counsel to review the scripts before launch.
Urgent matters and after hours
The assistant is not an emergency service. It asks whether the matter is urgent, and any mention of a court date, a hearing, a deadline or an arrest goes to the person you name. Whether that is a transfer or an alert depends on your phone setup, which we agree in the written scope. Outside your hours, the assistant still takes the intake and the caller’s preferred times, and your staff confirm a consultation after the conflicts check when the office reopens.
What it costs and what is not included
Setup is from $900 and takes 2-3 weeks. Phone answering is from $299/month (about 300 minutes), and website chat and messaging is from $199/month. The first month is included in setup.
Not included in any price: domain and hosting, new photography, third-party software subscriptions such as your calendar or practice software (billed at cost), SMS carrier registration (A2P 10DLC) and message fees, and AI usage above the plan allowance.
Who it fits, and who should keep a person on the phone
It fits firms and solo attorneys who miss intake calls after hours or during court days, and want a written intake summary for every call. It is a weak fit if your intake is one person answering every call, or if you want the assistant to screen cases on their merits. It will not do either. Keep a person for current clients, fee questions, complex intake and anything urgent.
How to start
Ask for a free demo: 30-minute call; demo shared within 3 business days. Or call 617-991-9912. Our AI assistant answers the phone and passes your request to the team.
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