Your staff keep the calls they answer now
This isn't a replacement for your receptionist. Your phone system forwards only the calls nobody answers: after hours, during lunch, on weekends or when every line is busy. Someone with a new injury or a family member in jail calls at 9 PM, and instead of a voicemail box, they reach an assistant that helps them.
What happens on a call
- It says who and what it is. The first sentence says the caller has reached the firm's AI assistant, that it can't give legal advice and that the call is recorded.
- Conflict details first. Names and opposing parties before the facts of the matter.
- Your intake questions. The same approved questions as your website chat.
- Booking or escalation. It books a consult on your calendar, or for urgent matters like an arrest, alerts the attorney on call.
- Summary to you. Details, transcript and recording reach your inbox, or your CRM via Zapier, and the caller gets a confirmation text.
A sample after-hours call
A shortened example. Every line comes from the script your firm approves.
Assistant: Thanks for calling Halbrook Defense. You've reached the firm's AI assistant, and this call is recorded. I can't give legal advice, but I can take your information and get you to an attorney. Who am I speaking with?
Caller: This is Dana. My son was arrested tonight in Washington County.
Assistant: I'm sorry, Dana. I'll get this to the attorney on call right away. What's your son's full name, and do you know where he's being held?
Caller: Marcus Cole. They said the county jail in Hillsboro.
Assistant: Thank you. I've sent this to the attorney on call, who will call you back at this number. Is this the best number to reach you tonight?
Because the firm marked arrests as urgent, the attorney on call got a text with the details during the call.
Which calls it takes, by practice area
- Personal injury: accident victims calling around in the evening. See PI intake.
- Criminal defense: arrests and family members calling from home or a jail lobby. See criminal defense intake.
- Family law: people who can only call once the kids are asleep, or when it's safe to talk. See family law intake.
- Everyone else: new-client calls at lunch or when every line is busy, so your staff aren't pulled off the call they're on.
AI answering vs. a live answering service
| Live answering service | Tactical Intake | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | $425–$449 a month for 50–150 minutes | $997 a month with 1,000 voice minutes, plus your website chat |
| Takes full intake | Often just name, number and message | Your full approved question set |
| Books the consult | Sometimes, for an extra fee | Yes, on your calendar |
| Recording and transcript | Varies | Every call |
| Same script every time | Depends on the operator | Yes |
An in-house receptionist for evenings costs far more: $54,000 to $68,000 a year for a full-time position. For most firms, one extra signed case covers a year of Tactical Intake.
Setup
You get a dedicated number. Your phone provider (RingCentral, Vonage, Zoom Phone, a desk phone system or a cell carrier) sets "forward when unanswered" or an after-hours rule to that number. If you leave, we restore your original forwarding. Phone answering can be added any time after the website chat, or started together.
Recording and Washington callers
Washington requires every party's consent to record a call. Because every call announces that it's recorded before intake starts, callers from Vancouver and the rest of Washington are covered along with Oregon callers.
Common questions
Does this replace my receptionist?
No. It answers only when your team doesn't, such as after hours, at lunch or when every line is busy. Your staff keep the calls they answer now.
Will callers know it's an AI?
Yes. The first sentence of every call says it's the firm's AI assistant. Anyone who prefers a person can leave a callback request.
What if a call is urgent?
You decide what counts as urgent, like an arrest or a statute deadline. Those calls trigger an immediate text or call to the attorney on call.
How many minutes are included?
1,000 voice minutes a month are included. Additional minutes are $0.60 each.
Does it work for Oregon and Washington callers?
Yes. Every call announces that it's recorded before intake starts, which covers Washington's all-party consent rule for callers from Vancouver and the rest of Washington as well as Oregon callers.
Can it answer in our firm's name?
Yes. It greets callers as your firm's AI assistant, follows your approved script and books consults on your calendar.
Can we start with chat and add phones later?
Yes. Many firms start with the website chat and turn on after-hours answering once they've seen the leads come in.
See it working on a real firm site
Chat with the assistant on our demo firm site, then book 15 minutes and we'll show you where the lead lands. Questions? Call (775) 762-6203.