We're looking for an experienced client services professional to become the first point of contact for a small real estate law firm.
This is a combination of legal receptionist, client intake and client relations.
The main goal is to take calls and enquiries away from the attorney, properly understand what the person needs, and decide what should happen next.
You'll need to learn the firm's services, the types of matters it handles and the types of work it doesn't take on. You'll also need to understand when a potential client should be referred to another attorney or professional.
There is also an opportunity to help build a proper intake process for the firm. The current system isn't as structured as it needs to be, so someone who can improve the process and eventually help manage it will have plenty of scope to grow.
What You'll Be Doing
Client Intake
Answer incoming calls and enquiries
Speak with prospective clients and understand what they need
Ask the right questions to properly qualify enquiries
Determine whether the firm's services are appropriate
Collect relevant information from prospective clients
Record and organise intake information
Schedule consultations and follow-up calls
Pass qualified matters to the attorney when appropriate
Refer unsuitable enquiries to the appropriate attorney or professional
Client Relations
You'll also work with existing clients and referral partners.
This includes
Answering client questions where appropriate
Following up with existing clients
Keeping clients updated
Making sure clients know what happens next
Building good relationships with referral partners
Checking in with clients to understand how things are going
Identifying areas where the client experience could be improved
Escalating issues that genuinely require the attorney's attention
The aim is for clients to feel that they are speaking with someone who knows the firm and can actually help them, rather than simply someone answering the phone.
Building the Intake Process
The current intake process needs to be developed and properly structured.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to
Help design a clear intake process
Build systems for handling new enquiries
Create procedures and checklists
Improve how information is collected
Document the firm's intake procedures
Identify gaps in the current process
Help train future junior team members
Eventually take ownership of the intake function
This means the role could grow considerably for the right person.
What We're Looking For
Previous experience in a law firm is strongly preferred, particularly experience with:
Legal intake
Legal reception
Client onboarding
Law firm administration
Client services
Lead qualification
Scheduling consultations
Managing incoming enquiries
You should be comfortable speaking to people on the phone and asking questions rather than simply taking messages.
Experience with real estate law would be particularly useful, although a strong legal intake background in another area could also work.
Personality Matters
Confidence is important for this role.
You'll be speaking with potential clients, existing clients and referral partners, so you need to be friendly and professional while being comfortable taking control of a conversation.
The right person will be
Confident on the phone
Friendly and approachable
Professional
A good listener
Comfortable asking questions
Intelligent and curious
Calm when they don't immediately know the answer
Good at thinking on their feet
Comfortable learning a new area of law
Able to make sensible decisions about what needs to be escalated
You don't need to know everything on day one. You do need to be willing to learn the business properly and become confident enough to handle conversations without immediately passing everything to the attorney.
What Success Looks Like
The goal is for the attorney to stop having to personally screen every incoming call.
Over time, you should become the person who can
Answer → Understand → Qualify → Guide → Schedule or Refer
You'll also help build the systems behind this process so that the firm can eventually bring additional junior staff into the intake function.
Systems
The firm currently uses
Clio
HubSpot
QuickBooks Online
Microsoft Teams
OneDrive
Experience with Clio would be particularly useful, although training can be provided to someone with the right background.
Growth
There is a clear opportunity for this role to grow.
Someone who can build and manage the intake process could eventually take responsibility for the function, help bring on junior team members and take on additional hours and responsibilities as the firm grows.