People looking for a lawyer are usually dealing with something stressful and want help soon. If your inquiry form drops into a shared inbox and waits, they may hire whoever responds first. Good intake starts on your website.
One page for each practice area
A visitor with a specific problem wants to see right away that you handle it. A clear page for each practice area, written in plain language, does that far better than one long list. It also helps search engines connect your firm with the kinds of cases you take.
Keep consultation forms short
Ask only for what intake needs to get started, like name, contact details, practice area and a brief description. Long forms that ask for every detail up front can scare people off. You can gather the rest during the consultation.
Route inquiries to the right person
When the form asks for the practice area, each inquiry can go straight to the right attorney or intake staff member instead of a shared inbox. Routing can also send the inquiry into your intake system or CRM with the basics filled in.
- Practice area chosen on the form
- Inquiry sent to the right attorney or staff member
- Details saved in your intake system or CRM
- Someone notified right away
Reply fast, even automatically
An automatic reply that confirms the inquiry was received and explains what happens next reassures people while your team gets to it. Keep it short, warm and approved by your firm, and make sure a real person follows up.
Be careful with chat assistants
A website assistant can answer general questions like office hours or how consultations work. It should never give legal advice, should say clearly that it is an AI assistant and should hand people to your team. Our guide on whether a chatbot is worth it covers what to look for.
Write attorney bios people actually read
People want to know who they will be working with. A short, plain bio that covers each attorney's focus areas and approach is more helpful than a long list of credentials. Keep bios current, and only list what is true and approved by your firm.
Explain what happens next
Many people have never hired a lawyer before. A short section on how consultations work, what to bring and how long it usually takes to hear back lowers the stress of reaching out. Keep it accurate to your firm's actual process.
Track where inquiries come from
Knowing which practice area pages bring in inquiries helps you see what is working. When inquiries land in your intake system with the practice area and page they came from, you can make better decisions about where to focus.
Common intake mistakes
- A single shared inbox. Inquiries wait until someone happens to check it.
- Forms that ask for the whole story. Long forms scare people off before they reach out.
- No confirmation. People wonder whether their message went through and contact another firm.
- Outdated practice areas. Pages for work you no longer take attract the wrong inquiries.
Where to start
Submit an inquiry on your own website and time how long it takes to reach the right person. If the answer is "it depends who checks the inbox," that is the place to start. Our law firm page shows how we build these sites.
Want help with your intake?Tell us how inquiries reach your team today. A real person will read it and follow up.
Start a projectQuick questions
How quickly should a law firm reply to a website inquiry?
As quickly as your team reasonably can. An automatic confirmation right away, followed by a real person, helps people feel heard while your team gets to it.
What should a consultation request form ask?
Usually just name, contact details, practice area and a short description. Details can be gathered during the consultation.
Can a chatbot handle legal intake?
A website assistant can answer general questions and collect basic contact details with permission. It should never give legal advice and should always hand people to your team.