Guide

A law firm intake script template you can fill in

Short answer: a script is five jobs in order, with wording for each. Fill in the brackets with your firm's fee, services and attorney-approved language, then have the attorney review it.
Last reviewed October 25, 2026 · By Dr. Jeffrey Scott Stanton, DCH

Stage 1: Open

"Thank you for calling [firm name]. This is [your name]. May I ask your name? ... Thank you, [name]. Here is how this will go: you tell me what is happening, I will ask a few questions so the attorney has what she needs, I will explain how the consultation works and what it costs, and we will find a time that suits you."

Stage 2: Ask

"Tell me what is going on, in your own words."
[The facts the attorney needs, as the attorney specifies.]
"What made you call today?"
"Who else is involved in this decision?"
"What would a good outcome look like for you?"

Stage 3: State the value and the fee

"From what you have told me, the part that matters most to you is [caller's reason, in their words]. The consultation is [the firm's fee, or no charge, as the firm states it]. It is the hour where the attorney hears the whole situation and explains the next step, so you leave knowing what to do next."

Say the fee once. No "only," no apology.

Stage 4: Ask for the next step

"I would suggest [day and time]. Would [option one] or [option two] be easier? ... I will send a confirmation by [text or email]. Please bring [documents the firm asks for]. If anything changes, call [number]."

Offer information only after a time is agreed.

Stage 5: Respond to concerns

First: "What is the one thing you would want to be clear on?"
Then: answer the process or fee concern, or hand off the legal one.
If they do not book: "Let me hold [time] until [deadline], and I will call you then. Is this the best number?"

The hand-off line

"That is exactly the question for the attorney, and I do not want to guess at it. I am writing it down so she has it in front of her and goes through it with you at the consultation. Would Thursday at ten or Friday at two be easier?"

Use it for any legal question, then give a time.

Complete the brackets with the attorney. Every word a firm adopts should be reviewed against the jurisdiction's rules on attorney advertising, solicitation and fee communication. Scope, plainly: everything on this site concerns the conversation that turns an inquiry into an engagement. Nothing here is legal advice, nothing touches the legal work or the attorney's judgment, and any wording a firm adopts is reviewed by the firm against its jurisdiction's rules on attorney advertising, solicitation and fee communication before it is used.

Keep reading

Scope, plainly: everything on this site concerns the conversation that turns an inquiry into an engagement. Nothing here is legal advice, nothing touches the legal work or the attorney's judgment, and any wording a firm adopts is reviewed by the firm against its jurisdiction's rules on attorney advertising, solicitation and fee communication before it is used.

About the Author

Dr. Jeffrey Scott Stanton, DCH is a behavioral strategist and the founder and Chief Learning Officer of R2R Diagnostic Group. He is the former EVP of Learning & Development at Douglas Elliman Real Estate, where he trained sales professionals on the conversations that turn an inquiry into a commitment. He applies the same method, the R2R Assessment and a 14-item call-review scorecard, to law firm intake teams. The work is the conversation only; legal questions and judgment stay with the attorney.

The method, the scripts and the scorecard are on how it works, the script template and the scorecard guide.

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