The Oklahoma Bar Journal September 2025

staff manage their schedules effortlessly.

discretion and professionalism the legal field demands. Virtual receptionists can per form a range of functions beyond simply answering the phone. They can screen and prioritize calls, take detailed messages, schedule appoint ments directly into a firm’s calendar and even answer basic client ques tions based on customized scripts. For growing law firms, invest ing in a virtual receptionist service is often more cost-effective than hiring additional full-time staff, yet it provides a level of client care and responsiveness that helps set a firm apart in a crowded, com petitive market. Ultimately, by capturing every opportunity and making every caller feel valued, virtual receptionists and live answering services become a vital link in converting inquiries into loyal, long-term clients. consultations through a website eliminates the frustrating cycle of phone tag and dramatically increases the likelihood that a prospect will become a paying client. Among the many options available, Microsoft Bookings stands out for its simplicity and seamless integration with tools many law firms already use. Microsoft Bookings offers an intuitive interface that requires minimal technical expertise, making it easy for law firms to set up appointment types, customize availability and automate confir mation emails. Clients can view real-time openings, select their preferred time slot and receive instant confirmation, reducing the back-and-forth that often results in lost leads. For firms already using Microsoft Outlook or Teams, Bookings syncs directly with existing calendars, prevent ing double-booking and helping Online Scheduling Tools Allowing clients to book

first step toward improving client responsiveness and maximizing their marketing investments.

AI-Powered Intake Tools While chatbots and automated web forms are common across many industries, attorneys are right to question their maturity and suitability in the legal field, where confidentiality, accuracy and case nuance are paramount. That said, several tools built specifically for law firms are making strong prog ress in meeting these demands. A notable example is LawDroid. Built from the ground up for legal professionals, LawDroid Builder supports intake automation with customizable, secure chatbots, cap tures lead data and integrates with popular case management systems without requiring coding skills. 7 Other legal-specific solutions, such as Smith.ai, offer AI chat and virtual receptionist features devel oped with the legal industry in mind. These platforms allow firms to automate the intake process, screen clients for conflicts and schedule consultations directly. ment (CRM) systems help track each lead’s progress through the intake process from initial contact to the consultation. This ensures that every prospect is managed properly, and follow-up is consis tent and effective. Best of all, many popular legal practice management platforms already include intake and CRM tools, sometimes at no extra cost. MyCase and Smokeball, for exam ple, offer built-in intake forms and basic lead tracking as part of their standard plans. Clio offers these features through Clio Grow, a sepa rate but tightly integrated product. For many firms, using the tools they already have is the easiest Client Relationship Management Systems Client relationship manage

CONCLUSION

To better serve clients and protect your bottom line, start by taking a few simple but impact ful steps. Begin with an honest audit of your call data: Are calls being answered promptly? Are voicemails returned? Then track your intake outcomes to see how many inquiries convert to actual clients. Consider whether your current systems are scaled appro priately for your firm’s size and workflow. Finally, evaluate how your intake process aligns with your broader marketing strategy. Generating leads is only valuable if you can respond to them effec tively. Improving intake isn’t just about adopting new technology. It is about showing responsiveness, availability and professionalism. Ms. Bays is the OBA Management Assistance Program director. Need a quick answer to a tech problem or help solving a management dilemma? Contact her at 405-416-7031, 800-522-8060 or julieb@okbar.org. It’s a free member benefit. ENDNOTES 1. “Highlights from the Legal Trends Report: the Legal Industry in 2024,” Clio website. http://bit.ly/3UMJpSl. 2. “Three Ways Law Firms Can Respond to Potential Clients Faster,” Clio website. http://bit.ly/4lBHURW. 3. “Phone Calls Ignored, Emails Unanswered: Fixing the First Impression Problem for Law Firms,” 2Civility website. http://bit.ly/41G9aaq. 4. “The Legal Industry’s $109 Billion Dollar Problem,” Law Leaders website. http://bit.ly/4oxUtA3. Posted June 27, 2025. 5. “The cost of missed calls for solo attorneys in 2025,” LexHelper website. http://bit.ly/45Np854. 6. “How missed calls could be costing your law firm $7M annually,” CallRail website. http://bit.ly/413M8Ku. Published March 12, 2025. 7. LawDroid Builder. https://lawdroid.com/builder.

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL