01
The after-hours gap
Accidents happen at all hours, and claimants often call a firm the evening after they've seen a doctor, or on a weekend when they finally have time. If that call goes to voicemail, many will simply call the next firm they saw advertised. Outsourced intake closes that gap without hiring a night shift.
02
What a legal intake call center should do
A good partner behaves like an extension of your team, not an answering service.
- Answer in your firm's name with a script you approve.
- Screen with your criteria and log intakes directly into your CRM or case-management system.
- Book consultations, send retainers when authorized, and escalate urgent or catastrophic cases.
- Offer Spanish-language agents if your market needs them.
- Record every call and share QA scores.
03
Coverage models
Most firms start with nights and weekends, then add business-hours overflow when their own team is busy. Some move to full coverage so attorneys and case managers can focus on cases already signed. Pricing is usually per agent hour or per handled call.
04
How to measure success
Track the answer rate (calls answered live versus abandoned), sign-up rate from qualified calls, and time from first call to signed retainer. Review a sample of recordings each week with your intake manager. If those numbers improve and cost per signed case falls, the program is working.