Key takeaways
- Ask the same short set of questions every time, so leads can be compared.
- Sort leads into fits, needs review and not a fit, and let a person review borderline ones.
- A lawyer decides on the case. Software gathers and routes.
- Do not quote filing deadlines from a script. They differ by state and case.
What does qualifying a lead mean?
It means finding out quickly whether a lead matches the cases your firm takes, and whether the next step is a consult, a callback, a referral or a polite decline. The faster this happens, the better the chance the person does not call someone else.
What facts should you gather?
| Topic | Examples of what to ask | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Contact | Name, best number, best time to call | So the right person can follow up |
| Incident | What happened, date, place | Type of case and any time limits |
| Injuries | What injuries, whether they have seen a doctor | Severity and urgency |
| Other parties | Who else was involved, any police or incident report | Liability and evidence |
| Representation | Whether they already have or have spoken to a lawyer | Avoid conflicts and wasted effort |
| Insurance | What insurance details they have to hand | Coverage and next steps |
| Source | How they found the firm | Tracking and cost per signed case |
How do you sort leads?
- Fits now: matches your case criteria; send to a lawyer or intake specialist the same day.
- Needs review: unclear facts or an unusual case; a person looks at it promptly.
- Not a fit: outside your practice or area; use a counsel-approved reply and, where it helps, a referral suggestion.
What can software do, and what must a person do?
- Software can: call or message the lead quickly, ask the standard questions, record the answers, and alert your team.
- A person must: decide whether to take the case, speak with distressed callers, and send any decline or engagement message.
When a person contacts a firm about a possible case they may be a prospective client, which brings confidentiality duties under Model Rule 1.18. Ask your ethics counsel how that applies to the information you collect and to decline messages.
What should you avoid?
- Collecting more sensitive information than the first call needs.
- Telling anyone they do or do not have a case, or quoting a filing deadline.
- Screening on anything unrelated to the case, such as characteristics protected by law.
For the full process, see the intake process guide and how our AI voice assistant hands off to your team.
Want this worked out for your firm? The free 20-minute growth audit looks at your ads and how new leads are handled today, and you keep the written plan. Book my free growth audit.