Client Intake Checklist

Capture full legal name, any prior or AKA names, mailing address, primary phone, and email in the intake CRM (Lawmatics, Clio Grow, Lead Docket). Prior names matter — they widen the conflict search and surface former-client matches that current-name searches miss.

Confirm the matter falls within a practice area the firm handles and a jurisdiction where a firm attorney is licensed. Out-of-jurisdiction matters require either pro hac vice or referral out — decide before booking the consultation.

Ask when the underlying event occurred and identify the applicable SOL window. PI matters with less than 60 days to SOL are the highest-risk intakes — escalate to a partner the same day rather than waiting for a normal consultation slot.

Aim to seat the consultation within 48 hours of first contact — lead conversion drops sharply after that. Send a calendar invite with the video link, intake questionnaire, and the firm's privacy notice.

List the prospective client, related entities (spouses, parent companies, subsidiaries), opposing parties, key witnesses, and material non-parties. Rule 1.7 conflicts hide in the witness list — don't shortcut this to just client and adverse party.

Search every party against the conflicts database in Clio, iManage Conflicts, or IntApp Open. Use name variants, prior names, and entity AKAs. Save the search results to the matter folder as the audit trail.

Review each hit with the managing partner. Decide: decline, accept with informed-consent waiver under Rule 1.7(b), or screen under Rule 1.10 if the conflict is imputed from a lateral. Document the decision and rationale in the conflicts memo before proceeding.

Draft the informed-consent letter naming the conflicting representation and the material risks. Send via DocuSign for signature by every affected client. Oral waivers do not satisfy Rule 1.7(b)(4) — get it in writing or do not proceed.

Document the factual background, legal theory, desired outcome, and known deadlines. Keep notes in the matter file rather than personal notebooks — these notes are work product from minute one.

State explicitly what the firm will and will not do — e.g., "formation of the Delaware C-corp and standard founder documents; does not include employment, IP, or tax advice." Scope creep is the single most common engagement-letter dispute.

Choose hourly, flat, contingency, or hybrid based on matter type and risk. Contingency requires a separate written contingency-fee agreement under most state rules; PI cases also need a settlement-authority clause.

Pull the correct template (litigation, transactional, family, etc.) from HotDocs or Lawyaw — generic letters miss matter-specific terms like contingency-fee splits or trust-account replenishment language. Include scope, fee, retainer amount, billing cadence, communication preferences, file-retention policy, and dispute resolution.

Responsible partner reads the letter — not just signs the cover page. Confirm scope matches the consultation memo, fees match the agreed structure, and any conflict waiver language is included.

Send via DocuSign or Clio's e-sign. Set a 7-day signature deadline; un-signed engagement letters older than two weeks should be re-confirmed before any work continues.

Deposit the retainer to the firm's IOLTA trust account, never to operating. Record the deposit on the per-client trust ledger with the matter number. Commingling — even a single inadvertent deposit to operating — is a Rule 1.15 violation.

Wait the bank's hold period — typically 7-10 business days for paper checks, same-day for ACH or wire. Do not authorize disbursements or substantive work against uncleared funds; a bounced retainer with disbursements already made puts the trust account into overdraft and triggers automatic state-bar notification.

Create the matter record in Clio, MyCase, or Filevine: matter number, billing matter, fee structure, responsible attorney, working attorneys, paralegal. Link the engagement letter and conflicts memo to the matter folder in NetDocuments or iManage.

Enter the statute of limitations, response deadlines, and hearing dates in CalendarRules or the firm docket — and into the responsible attorney's Outlook calendar. Set 60-day, 30-day, 7-day, and 1-day reminders. A missed SOL is the most common malpractice claim; calendar redundancy is the only defense.

Hold a 20-minute kickoff with the assigned associate, paralegal, and legal assistant. Cover the factual background, legal theory, near-term deadlines, and budget posture. Assign the first substantive task with a due date before the meeting ends.

Email the welcome packet: client portal credentials, billing cycle and payment options, key contacts, expected communication cadence, and the next milestone in the matter. The first 72 hours after engagement set the tone for the entire relationship.