Client Relationship Management Checklist

Intake specialist enters client name, related entities, opposing party, witnesses, matter type, jurisdiction, and source into the PMS (Clio, MyCase, Lawmatics). Capture statute of limitations or other hard deadlines on the intake form — missed SOL is the most common malpractice trigger.

Search the PMS conflicts database against client, related entities, opposing party, witnesses, and key non-parties under Rule 1.7 and 1.9. Imputation under Rule 1.10 reaches every attorney in the firm — include lateral hires' prior-firm matters in scope.

Managing partner reviews the hit and decides: decline, accept with informed-consent waiver, or build an ethical screen. Document the analysis in the conflicts file — the bar will ask for it if a grievance follows.

Use the matter-type template (hourly, flat, contingency, or hybrid). Lock down scope, retainer amount, billing cadence, communication preferences, and fee-dispute resolution. Vague scope is the most common bar grievance — name what is and is not included.

Send via DocuSign or Clio's e-signature with a 7-day reminder. Do not begin substantive work before the countersigned letter and retainer arrive — pre-engagement work is unbillable and creates scope ambiguity.

Bookkeeper deposits to the IOLTA trust account under Rule 1.15 and posts to the client's individual ledger. Never deposit to operating — a single commingling event is a disciplinary referral in every state.

Assign matter number, responsible attorney, billing matter, fee structure, and DMS folder structure (NetDocuments, iManage, or Clio Documents). Calendar the SOL with redundancy — docket entry plus Outlook plus paper file note.

Responsible attorney walks the team — associate, paralegal, legal assistant — through factual background, legal theory, immediate deadlines, and the privilege posture. Assign first substantive task with a tickler.

Include client portal login, key-contact roster (responsible attorney, paralegal, billing contact), what-to-expect timeline, and confirmed communication preference. Confirm whether email, portal, or phone is the channel of record.

Match cadence to matter type — biweekly for active litigation, monthly for transactional drafting, quarterly for estate planning. Schedule recurring entries on the responsible attorney's calendar so the client never goes 30 days without an update.

Save every email, call note, and portal message to the DMS under the matter folder. A reconstructable communication trail is the firm's first defense in a fee dispute or grievance.

Responsible attorney edits the pre-bill before it leaves the firm — clean up vague entries ("met re: case"), block-billing, and write-downs. Unedited junior associate time is the leading cause of fee disputes.

Bookkeeper reconciles book balance, bank balance, and sum of client ledgers monthly under Rule 1.15. Flag any client with a sub-$0 ledger before disbursement — bank-reported overdrafts trigger automatic disciplinary referral in most states.

Short call or portal message asking three questions: are we communicating frequently enough, is the work matching expectations, and are there adjacent issues we should know about. Surface scope creep before it becomes a billing fight.

Bring concerns to the managing partner the same week they surface. Document the response plan — fee adjustment, scope clarification, reassignment, or withdrawal — and confirm in writing with the client.

Note where this client likely has unmet legal needs the firm could serve — a corporate client without an estate plan, a litigation client without an employee handbook. Stay inside Rule 7.3 solicitation rules; offer information, not pressure.

Marketing manager segments the firm's update list by practice area and sends quarterly. Generic firmwide blasts get unsubscribes; targeted alerts (new DOL rule, state SOL change, IRS guidance) get replies.

Responsible attorney drafts a one-to-two-page summary covering services rendered, key outcomes, remaining obligations (appeal windows, post-closing covenants, recordation deadlines), and document return plan.

Itemized statement showing gross recovery, attorney fee, advanced costs, lien deductions, and net to client. Settlement disbursements without a line-item statement are the most common closing-stage dispute.

Cut the refund check from IOLTA and zero out the client ledger. Lingering trust balances at year-end raise audit flags and tie up Rule 1.15 reportable funds.

Short Lawmatics or Typeform survey: communication, value, likelihood to refer, and an open comment box. Read every response — referrals come from satisfied closers, not satisfied openers.

Records clerk archives to the DMS retention folder per matter-type schedule (commonly 5–7 years post-close; longer for estate, real estate, and minor-client matters). Set the destruction tickler — never destroy ad hoc.