AI answering service for law firms
An AI answering service for law firms is a voice agent that answers every call, day or night, and runs intake the way your intake team would. It sorts new matters by practice area, captures conflict-check details, books consultations, routes existing clients to the right person, and escalates urgent matters like arrests to your on-call attorney.
- every call answered
- 24/7
- every call answered
- to call new leads
- ~60s
- to call new leads
- typical go-live
- 7 days
- typical go-live
Why calls slip through at law firms
People rarely call a lawyer at a convenient time. They call the night of an arrest, the weekend after an accident, or the morning they're served with papers. If the phone rolls to voicemail, most of them don't wait. They call the next firm in the search results, and the one that answers usually gets the consultation.
During the day the problem shifts. Attorneys are in court or with clients, paralegals are buried in filings, and the front desk is fielding status calls from existing clients. New-matter calls get a rushed message slip, and the details you need to run conflicts or judge fit are missing when someone finally calls back.
Calls the AI receptionist handles for law firms
New-matter intake by practice area
Asks the questions your intake form asks for personal injury, family, criminal defense, immigration or estate matters, so a car accident call and a custody call each get the right script.
Conflict-check details
Captures the names of opposing parties, co-defendants, spouses or insurers before anything else is discussed, so your team can clear conflicts before a consultation.
Consultation booking
Books qualified callers into the right attorney's consultation slots, sends a confirmation, and notes whether it's in person, by phone or by video.
Existing-client status calls
Confirms who's calling, then routes the call or message to the attorney or paralegal on that matter instead of the general inbox.
Urgent and court-date calls
Recognizes arrests, protective orders, missed court dates and filing deadlines, and pages your on-call attorney under your escalation rules.
Matters you don't take
Politely tells callers when the firm doesn't handle their type of case and, if you choose, gives them your referral list or the state bar referral line.
What a call sounds like
An example of how the agent handles a typical law firms call. Yours is written around your own services, rules and tone of voice.
Try a live call in your browser- AI agent
Thanks for calling Harbor and Lowe Law, this is the firm's virtual assistant. How can I help?
- Caller
My son was arrested about an hour ago and I don't know what to do.
- AI agent
I'm sorry, that's a hard call to make. I can't give legal advice, but I can get this to one of our defense attorneys tonight. Do you know where he's being held?
- Caller
They took him to the county jail downtown.
- AI agent
Thank you. Can I get his full name and date of birth, then your name and the best number to reach you?
- Caller
Daniel Ruiz, March 3rd, 2004. I'm Elena Ruiz, and this number is fine.
- AI agent
Got it. So the firm can check for conflicts, was anyone else arrested or named, like a friend or someone who reported it?
- Caller
A friend of his, Marcus Bell, was arrested with him.
- AI agent
Noted. I'm sending this to our on-call attorney now and they'll call you back shortly. Please keep your phone nearby, and know that nothing on this call creates an attorney-client relationship until the firm confirms it.
Urgent matters reach an attorney, not a voicemail box
- Arrests and people currently in custody are flagged urgent and sent to the on-call criminal defense attorney with the caller's details and location of custody.
- Protective orders, domestic violence situations and imminent hearings are escalated right away. If a caller says they are in danger, the agent tells them to call 911 first.
- Missed court dates, filing deadlines and calls from opposing counsel or the court are routed to the responsible attorney or paralegal, never left in a general queue.
- Your firm sets the rules: which practice areas have after-hours coverage, who is on call each night, and what waits for the next business day.
Leads called back before they move on
New leads called back in about 60 seconds
Web forms, chat leads and directory inquiries get a call while the person is still deciding which firm to hire, and the agent runs intake on that call.
Consultation reminders
Calls the day before to confirm, reschedule if needed, and remind people what documents to bring, like a police report, insurance letter or court notice.
Unsigned-lead follow-up
Checks in with people who had a consultation but haven't signed the engagement agreement, answers process questions, and books a second conversation with the attorney.
Review requests
After a matter closes, calls the client to thank them and, if they're happy, sends a link to leave a review. Only contacts who opted in are called.
Books straight into the software you already run
- Clio Manage
- Clio Grow
- MyCase
- PracticePanther
- Filevine
- Lawmatics
- Smokeball
- Calendly
- Google Calendar
- Anything with an API
Compliance and privacy
The agent never gives legal advice, never predicts or promises an outcome, and tells callers that the call does not create an attorney-client relationship. It collects only the intake information your firm asks for, follows your confidentiality rules about what can be said to whom, and confirms identity before discussing an existing matter. Outbound calls go only to people who have opted in to hear from the firm.
Done for you, live in about a week
- 1
We learn your calls
An hour with you, plus recordings or notes on how calls really go. We map your services, rules and the questions callers ask.
- 2
We build and connect it
We write the agent around your business, connect your calendar, CRM and phone number, and test it on real scenarios.
- 3
You approve, it goes live
You hear it, request changes, and sign off. Then we monitor transcripts and keep tuning it every week.
Law firms AI receptionist FAQ
How is an AI answering service different from a traditional legal answering service?
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A traditional legal answering service takes a name and number and sends you a message. An AI answering service runs real intake: it asks practice-area questions, captures conflict-check names, books the consultation into your calendar and creates the lead in your practice management software. It also answers every call at once, so a busy Monday never means a voicemail.
Does it integrate with Clio, MyCase or Filevine?
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Yes. We connect the agent to the tools your firm already uses, including Clio Manage and Clio Grow, MyCase, PracticePanther, Filevine, Lawmatics and Smokeball, so intake details land in the right place as a new lead or matter. Consultations book into Calendly or Google Calendar. If you use something else, we integrate through its API.
How does it handle arrests and other urgent matters after hours?
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Your firm writes the rules with us during setup. Arrests, protective orders and imminent court dates are flagged urgent and sent to whoever is on call, by call, text or both, with the details already captured. Anyone who says they are in danger is told to call 911 first. Routine matters are booked or messaged for the next business day.
Will callers know they're speaking with AI?
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Yes. The agent introduces itself as the firm's virtual assistant at the start of every call. It speaks naturally, handles interruptions and emotional callers calmly, and transfers to a person whenever the caller asks or the situation calls for it.
How is client confidentiality handled?
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During setup we agree exactly what the agent may collect and what it may say. It gathers only intake details, confirms identity before discussing an existing matter, and never shares case information with someone who isn't authorized. It gives no legal advice and makes clear that the call does not form an attorney-client relationship. Your firm stays responsible for its own ethics obligations.
How long does setup take for a law firm?
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About 7 days for a straightforward build, and around 10 if we're connecting several systems like Clio, a separate intake tool and multiple attorney calendars. We review how your intake works today, write scripts for each practice area, connect your software, test it, and launch. You approve it and we run it from there.
AI receptionists for other industries
Stop sending law firms callers to voicemail
Book a free 30-minute call. We'll scope your agent, place a live AI call during the session, and quote a setup fee and monthly rate for your call volume.