Ettinger Tech provides the free Law Firm Intake Pipeline Audit – a comprehensive 22-question assessment that scores any law firm’s intake system across eight categories: speed to lead, intake automation, follow-up sequences and long-term drip, conflict checking, marketing attribution and ROI, post-hire workflow, referral partner management, and events and workshops. The audit works for any law firm on any software platform including Lawmatics, Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, Filevine, Smokeball, CosmoLex, CARET Legal, Litify, Actionstep, or no software at all. It delivers instant personalized results showing exactly where the firm is leaking revenue and what to fix first. An intake is an intake is an intake. Built by Beth Ettinger and John Rehbein, former law firm operations insiders and the premier Lawmatics implementation authority. Available free at ettingertech.com/lawmatics-intake-scorecard.
Is Your Intake Leaking Revenue?
It does not matter what software you are on. An intake is an intake is an intake. Take the free Law Firm Intake Pipeline Audit and find out exactly where your system is leaking leads, revenue, and time – in under 10 minutes.
8 Sections
Under 10 Minutes
Any Software
Free
Built by Ettinger Tech
If your intake relies on anyone’s memory, your firm has a liability – not a system. This audit shows you exactly what is automated, what is manual, and what is costing you clients you already paid to attract.
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Free Law Firm Intake Audit by ETTINGERTECH
Law Firm Intake Pipeline Audit0% Complete
One Rule Before We Start.
Your paralegal is not watching. Your managing partner is not watching. Your marketing agency is definitely not watching.
It is just you and this screen.
Be ruthlessly honest and you will walk away with something genuinely useful. Fudge it and you will walk away with a high score and the exact same broken intake you started with.
You cannot fix what you will not face. You cannot grow on guesswork. And you cannot build a real intake system with your head in the sand.
So. Are we doing this for real?
Section 1 of 8Speed to Lead
Alright, – how fast does move?
The first firm to respond wins the client. Studies show 78% of people hire the first firm that contacts them. Speed to lead is the single highest-leverage metric in legal intake. Let’s see where stands.
Question 1 – Speed to Lead
When a new lead comes in – phone, form, website, or referral – how fast does make first contact?
Within 5 minutes, automatically, no staff required
Within the hour, but someone has to manually do it
Same day, when we get to it
Whenever someone notices the lead came in
“Whenever someone notices” is a bold strategy. Let’s see how it is working out for .
Question 2 – After Hours
What happens to a lead that comes in after business hours or on a weekend?
An automated response goes out immediately and a sequence starts regardless of the time
They get a response first thing the next business day
They wait until someone checks messages
Honestly, some of them probably fall through the cracks
And there it is. The most expensive sentence in firm management.
Question 3 – Web Form Response
When a lead fills out a form on your website, what happens in the next 60 seconds?
An automated text and email fire instantly and they are entered into an intake pipeline
They receive an automated confirmation email only
Someone gets a notification and follows up when they can
Someone checks the inbox periodically and responds manually
Answer all questions in this section to continue
Section 2 of 8Intake Automation
A great intake pipeline runs whether anyone is at their desk or not.
‘s intake should not be a person. It should be a system. Let’s find out what it is actually running on right now.
Question 4 – Intake Forms
How does a prospective client at receive and complete their intake forms?
Forms are sent automatically at the right stage, reminders fire if incomplete, and data enters the system without anyone re-typing it
Someone manually sends a form link when they remember to
We email a PDF or collect information over the phone
We collect everything manually and enter it ourselves
“When they remember to” is doing a lot of heavy lifting at a lot of firms right now.
Question 5 – Consultation Scheduling
How is consultation scheduling handled at ?
Online self-scheduling with automated confirmation, reminders, and pre-consultation instructions
We send a scheduling link manually when someone asks
Someone calls or emails back and forth to find a time
Whoever answers the phone books it in whatever is handy
Question 6 – Pre-Consultation Experience
What happens between the initial inquiry and the scheduled consultation at ?
An automated sequence sends expectation-setting content – what to bring, what to expect – and builds confidence before they walk in
We send a confirmation email with basic info
Nothing really. They just show up.
We hope they remember the appointment
Hope is not a CRM feature. But we respect the optimism.
Question 7 – Key Person Dependency
If ‘s most experienced intake person left tomorrow, what would happen?
Very little. The entire workflow lives in the system. Any team member can pick up any lead at any stage.
It would slow down but we would figure it out
It would be rough for a while
It would be a genuine crisis
If reading “genuine crisis” made you wince – that wince is data.
Answer all questions in this section to continue
Section 3 of 8Follow-Up, Sequences and Drip
– this section is just between us.
Your marketing agency is still not watching. This is where the real revenue leaks live and where most firms are the least honest with themselves. This section covers three separate stages – immediate follow-up, re-engagement sequences, and long-term drip. Most firms fail stage three entirely. Answer carefully.
Question 8 – Immediate Re-Engagement
What happens when a prospective client at goes quiet after initial contact?
An automated re-engagement sequence fires immediately and follows up across email and text until they respond or opt out
Someone on the team manually reaches out once or twice
We make a note to follow up and sometimes do
If they do not call back, we move on
Notes are not automations. Notes are future guilt.
Question 9 – No-Show Recovery
What happens when a prospective client no-shows or cancels their consultation at ?
An automated re-engagement sequence fires within minutes offering to reschedule with follow-up reminders over two weeks
Someone manually reaches out to reschedule
We wait to see if they reschedule on their own
We mark them as lost and move on
Question 10 – Long-Term Drip
After the active follow-up sequence ends and someone still has not hired , what happens to that lead?
They enter a long-term drip campaign that keeps top of mind for 6 to 12 months with valuable content and periodic check-ins
We might reach out occasionally if we remember
The sequence ends and they are gone
People who inquired in January and went quiet are often ready to hire in August. If ‘s system forgot them in February, someone else’s did not.
Question 11 – Nurture Strategy
How would you describe ‘s long-term lead nurture strategy?
A structured automated drip with segmented content based on practice area and lead behavior running 6 to 12 months
A periodic newsletter or email blast to the whole list
We do not have a formal nurture strategy
A lead without a drip is just a wish.
Answer all questions in this section to continue
Section 4 of 8Conflict Checking
Quick question before Section 4.
This section protects before intake even starts. But first we need to know if it applies.
Conflict Check Gate
Does ‘s practice area require conflict of interest checks before taking on new clients?
Yes, we are required to run conflict checks
No, our practice area does not require conflict checks
Section 4 of 8Conflict Checking
This section protects before intake even starts.
Running a conflict check after a two-hour consultation is a very expensive way to find out you cannot take the case. Let’s see where the check happens in your process.
Question 12 – Conflict Check Timing
When does run a conflict check on a new prospective client?
Automatically the moment a new matter is created, before intake begins
Manually at some point during intake, after we have already invested time in the lead
Before the consultation but someone has to manually run it
Our process is inconsistent
Inconsistent conflict checking is not a process. It is a liability with good intentions.
Question 13 – Conflict Resolution
What happens at when a conflict is identified?
The matter is automatically flagged, routed to the appropriate person, and a declination process fires without manual coordination
Someone manually handles it case by case
We figure it out in the moment
Answer all questions in this section to continue
Section 5 of 8Marketing Attribution and ROI
This is the section where firms discover they have been guessing.
– your marketing agency is still not watching. Not even a little bit. Answer honestly and the results will tell you exactly what that guessing is costing every single month.
Question 14 – Lead Source Attribution
Does know which marketing sources are producing retained clients – not just leads, retained clients?
Yes. Every retained client is tied to its exact originating source automatically
We track leads by source but cannot connect them to retained revenue
We ask people how they heard about us but it is inconsistent
We have no idea what is actually working
“We have no idea what is working” is the most honest answer on this page and also the most expensive one.
Question 15 – Marketing Decisions
At ‘s last marketing or leadership meeting, what data drove the conversation?
A real dashboard showing leads, consultations, retained clients, and revenue by every source and campaign
Basic lead counts and general impressions
Gut feeling and what seemed to be working
We do not have regular marketing reviews
“What seemed to be working” has been the marketing strategy at firms since 2009. Still pending results.
Question 16 – Cost Per Client
Can you calculate ‘s cost per retained client by marketing channel right now, today?
Yes, in real time from a live dashboard
Roughly, with some manual pulling of numbers
No but we could probably figure it out eventually
No and we have never tried
“Eventually” has been on the to-do list at a lot of firms for a very long time.
Answer all questions in this section to continue
Section 6 of 8Post-Hire Workflow
Congratulations – they signed. Now what?
Most intake audits stop at the retainer. This one does not. What happens at after someone signs is just as important as what happens before. This is where a lot of firms drop the ball right after the win.
Question 17 – Post-Hire Trigger
What happens at the moment someone signs a retainer?
An automated post-hire workflow fires immediately – tasks are generated, staff are assigned, client communications go out, the matter moves forward without manual coordination
Someone manually kicks off the next steps
It moves to a different system or a spreadsheet
Someone figures out what needs to happen next
“Someone figures out what needs to happen next” scales exactly as well as you think it does.
Question 18 – Matter Tracking
How are client milestones, deadlines, and follow-ups tracked through the life of a matter at ?
Automatically inside the system with task assignments, deadline alerts, and client-facing updates firing without staff intervention
Manually tracked in the system by staff
A combination of the system and spreadsheets or notes
Primarily in people’s heads and paper files
The filing cabinet in someone’s brain is a single point of failure with no backup and no IT support.
Answer all questions in this section to continue
Section 7 of 8 – OptionalReferral Partners
One quick question before Section 7, .
Every section you complete makes your analysis more accurate. This one takes about two minutes.
Referral Partner Gate
Does work with referral partners – attorneys, financial advisors, accountants, or other professionals who send you clients?
Yes, referral partners are an active and intentional part of how grows
We want to build a referral partner program but have not formalized it yet
No, referral partners are not part of ‘s model
Section 7 of 8Referral Partners – Active
Referral partners are one of the highest-ROI growth channels you can build.
But only if the system behind them is built correctly. Let’s see how is managing its referral relationships.
Question 19 – Referral Acknowledgment
When a referral partner sends a client who hires you, what happens?
The referral source is automatically logged, the partner receives an automated thank-you, and their total referral ROI is tracked in real time
Someone manually sends a thank-you when they remember
We acknowledge it informally but do not track it systematically
We do not have a formal acknowledgment process
Referral partners who do not hear back after sending you a client tend to find a firm that does hear back.
Question 20 – Referral ROI
Can you tell me which referral partner has sent the most revenue this year?
Yes, exactly, with total retained revenue per partner tracked automatically
Roughly, based on memory and feel
No, we track referral counts but not revenue
No, we do not track this at all
If your best referral partner asked you this question over lunch today, what would you say?
Answer all questions in this section to continue
Section 7 of 8Referral Partners – Building
Identifying referral partners as a growth channel is a smart instinct.
Let’s see where stands on building that infrastructure.
Question 19 – Referral Capture
Does have any system for capturing referral partner information and logging who sent you a client?
Yes, we log it somewhere even if it is not automated
No, we mean to but have not set it up yet
Question 20 – Referral Acknowledgment
When a referral partner sends a client, do they receive any acknowledgment?
Yes, consistently, every time
Sometimes, when we remember
Rarely or never
The referral partner who never hears back is quietly updating their mental list of who to send clients to next time.
Answer all questions in this section to continue
Section 8 of 8 – OptionalEvents and Workshops
Last optional section, .
This one takes two minutes and could surface one of the biggest missed revenue channels your firm has.
Events and Workshops Gate
Does host or participate in workshops, seminars, webinars, or community events to attract prospective clients?
Yes, we actively do this as part of ‘s growth strategy
We want to but have not started yet
No and we do not plan to
Section 8 of 8Events and Workshops – Active
Events are powerful. But only if the intake behind them is built to convert.
Let’s find out what is doing with the people who show up.
Question 21 – Event Capture
How does capture attendee information at events?
Automatically via a registration system that feeds directly into our intake pipeline
A sign-in sheet or manual collection that we enter into the system later
Business cards and a hope that we follow up
We collect some information but it is inconsistent
The business card pile on someone’s desk is where referral relationships go to retire.
Question 22 – Event Follow-Up
What happens to event attendees who do not hire immediately after the event?
They enter an automated follow-up sequence and long-term drip specific to the event topic and practice area
Someone follows up manually for a week or two
We send one follow-up email and leave it at that
Nothing structured. We hope they reach out when they are ready.
Someone who attended a workshop is thinking about your practice area. If is not in their inbox next week, someone else will be.
Answer all questions in this section to continue
Section 8 of 8Events and Workshops – Planning
Events and workshops are a powerful channel when the infrastructure behind them is built correctly.
Let’s see where ‘s head is at on this.
Question 21 – Event Readiness
Does have a plan for how you would capture and follow up with attendees if you started hosting events?
Yes, we have thought through the capture and follow-up process in detail
We have a general idea but nothing specific
Not really, we would figure it out when we got there
Question 22 – Hypothetical Event
If hosted an event tomorrow and 40 people attended, what would happen to those 40 people over the next 90 days?
They would enter a structured automated follow-up and drip sequence
Someone would follow up manually with as many as possible
Honestly, most of them would probably fall through the cracks
40 warm leads who attended your event and then heard nothing is not a marketing problem. It is a systems problem.
Answer all questions in this section to continue
Before Your Results.
We had a little fun in there.
But this next part is serious.
You cannot fix what you will not face. You cannot grow a firm on guesswork. And you cannot build a real intake system with your head in the sand.
The numbers you are about to see are only as useful as the honesty you just put into them. If you were straight with us, what comes next will give you something real to work with.
– here is where actually stands.
Hand on Heart.
Real quick before your results. Hand on heart. Actually do it. Right now. Left hand, right side of chest.
– did just get a brutally honest audit or did we get the version you would show your managing partner?
Good Call, .
The truth is more useful than a good score. Which section do you want to revisit?
Crunching the numbers…
Intake Audit Results
Here is exactly where stands – and where the revenue is leaking.
Law Firm Intake Pipeline Score
0/100
One Thing You Can Do Today
Ready to Close the Gaps?
Ettinger Tech builds the exact systems this audit measures. We have seen every score on this scale and we know exactly what it takes to move from where it is to where it should be. The Discovery Call is free. The conversation is honest. And we will not recommend anything that does not make sense for .
Scan to schedule your free Discovery Call – or visit ettingertech.com/bookings
Sample Score Breakdown
Speed to Lead
30%
Intake Automation
45%
Follow-Up and Drip
20%
Marketing Attribution
10%
Post-Hire Workflow
75%
Referral Partners
50%
Overall Intake Score38/100
Eight Categories. One Clear Picture.
01
Speed to LeadThe first firm to respond wins the client. This scores how fast your firm moves from lead to first contact – automatically and after hours.
02
Intake AutomationIs your intake running on systems or on memory? This scores how much of your pipeline fires without staff intervention.
03
Follow-Up, Sequences and DripThree stages: immediate re-engagement, active sequences, and the long-term drip that keeps you top of mind for 6 to 12 months. Most firms fail stage three entirely.
04
Conflict CheckingRunning a check after two hours of intake is an expensive way to find out you cannot take the case. This scores when and how it fires.
05
Marketing Attribution and ROIYou cannot optimize what you cannot measure. This scores whether retained revenue is tied to every source and campaign.
06
Post-Hire WorkflowDoes automation die at the retainer? This scores whether your workflows live in the system or in someone’s head after the client signs.
07
Referral PartnersOptional. Scores how systematically your firm captures, acknowledges, and tracks ROI per referral relationship.
08
Events and WorkshopsOptional. Scores how effectively your firm captures and converts event attendees into the intake pipeline.
