Is Your Law Firm Losing Clients Because It Takes Too Long to Respond?

Tuesday, 9:40 p.m.

A woman was rear-ended on the way home. Her neck hurts, the other driver's insurer already called her, and she does not know what to say.

She searches for a personal injury lawyer and contacts three firms: a call to the first, a web form to the second, a chat on the third.

The first goes to voicemail. The second sends an automatic "we'll get back to you". The third answers immediately, asks a few questions about the accident, explains how a free consultation works and books her for 9 a.m.

She signs with the third firm the next day.

The data says most firms are hard to reach

Clio's 2024 Legal Trends Report ran a secret-shopper study of law firms. Only 33% replied to emails and only 40% answered the phone. Nearly half of firms, 48%, neither answered nor called back.

Prospective clients rarely wait. When the first firm does not answer, they contact the next one.

Why intake breaks

Lawyers are in court, in meetings or with clients. Paralegals juggle deadlines. Calls come in at night and on weekends, exactly when accidents, arrests and family crises happen. And not every inquiry is a case you take, so someone has to screen them all.

What the Ímpetus AI intake assistant does

Answers calls, web forms and website chat 24/7, in a professional tone you approve. Collects case facts with practice-specific questions: dates, location, parties, injuries, documents. Runs a conflict-check pre-screen, collecting names for your team to verify. Screens fit against your criteria: practice area, jurisdiction, statute-of-limitations flags. Books the consultation on the right attorney's calendar. Sends a summary to the attorney before the meeting. Refers out politely when the case is not a fit, using your referral list.

What it does not do

It never gives legal advice, never promises outcomes and never forms an attorney-client relationship. It states that it is an assistant, that the conversation does not create representation and that an attorney will review the case. Under ABA Model Rule 5.3, lawyers supervise nonlawyer assistance, including technology, so your firm approves the scripts and reviews performance.

What the US market charges

Agencies that build multi-agent voice and chat systems typically charge $5,000 to $25,000 to set up and $1,000 to $3,000 a month, according to Ciela's 2026 pricing guide.

The Ímpetus offer

Setup: $7,500

Intake scripts by practice area, screening criteria, call and chat setup, calendar and practice management integration when feasible, testing and training.

Operation: $990 a month

Conversation review, script updates, monthly intake report and support.

About half of the typical market range. Phone, messaging and AI usage are billed separately by volume.

Why spots are limited

We avoid serving two competing firms in the same practice area and city, so availability depends on your market.

Frequently asked questions

Is this ethical for a law firm?+

When properly supervised, yes. The assistant does not give legal advice, discloses that it is an assistant, and your attorneys approve the scripts. Confidentiality and data handling follow your firm's policies and ABA Formal Opinion 512 guidance on generative AI.

Does it integrate with Clio, MyCase or other practice management tools?+

When integrations are available, yes. Otherwise it sends structured summaries by email.

Can it handle Spanish-speaking callers?+

Yes, it can answer in English and Spanish.

How long does setup take?+

Usually four to six weeks.

What does it cost to keep sending calls to voicemail?

Think about the value of one signed case in your practice area. If AI intake helps you sign a single additional case per quarter, it pays for itself, and every other recovered inquiry is upside.