Hint: They’re just as important as lawyers Your intake specialist is your firm’s gatekeeper. They’re responsible for helping the firm run smoothly by bringing in good cases and directing unqualified cases elsewhere. Do you have a dedicated intake department? If not, your receptionist is probably drowning in calls, unsure which are qualified and which aren’t, meaning your firm is losing out on quality prospects. Making a clear distinction between intake and reception is a surefire way to increase staff productivity and bring in more, better cases. It begins by developing a consistent process for handling intake, and EverSpark can help with that process. […]

Perspective by Mara Siegel, Legal Intake Training Manager I used to be the intake director for a law firm in Ohio. Each year the attorneys allocated a huge chunk of our budget to external brand-building, which meant we shelled out a small fortune in advertising and lead generation year after year. Meanwhile, internal team building and training took a back seat. Internal growth efforts were relegated to low-stakes, low-reward group outings and one-time events that provided a temporary boost in morale, but not much else. In these shortcomings I saw an opportunity: Instead of allocating a huge portion of our budget to external […]

Perspective by Mara Siegel, Legal Intake Training Manager at EverSpark Table of Contents Proper Training and Onboarding Communication Upward Mobility and Professional Development Wrapping Up Over the years I’ve worked with some amazing people in the legal field. The hardworking attorneys, clever paralegals, and passionate administrative staff at my first job welcomed me into a traditionally intimidating field with open arms. Despite it all, I saw a trend unfolding in front of me–intake specialists were leaving left and right, as if going through a revolving door.  The longer I’ve worked in the legal world, the more I noticed this trend across the board. […]

You’re the managing attorney of an established firm in your area. Your firm boasts all positive reviews, but one day you log on and see the unimaginable – a terrible, negative one-star review.  It might read something like this:   That’s harsh, and you’re worried the review will disrupt business. But before hitting ‘Respond’ and defending yourself with a snarky comment, consider how your response will influence dozens – maybe even hundreds – of potential clients’ opinions of your firm. More importantly, your response needs to be ethical, at least in the eyes of the American Bar Association. Not sure what that means? […]