BLO

Breeden Law Office — New Client Intake

Complete while on the call. All Forms first, then the matter branch.

All Forms

Completed by everyone on every call, regardless of matter type.

Tone This is a law firm. Calm, respectful, soft but clear voice. No slang. Always use the prospect's first name, or yes sir / no ma'am. Let the phone ring twice and smile before you answer.
Step 1 — Smile & greet — say “Thank you for calling Breeden Law Office, this is [your name] and I'm one of the intake coordinators here — whom do I have the pleasure to speak with?” … “Hi [name], how can I help you today?” Not a new potential client? Transfer to the right person or take a message. Something we don't help with? Still harvest the data before letting them know.
Step 2 — Harvest the data — say “Okay [name], before we get into your specific situation, I have some quick questions for you. I see you're calling from [number] — is that your cell phone?” Name, email, cell, reason for calling, county, mailing address with city, state and zip. Confirm spelling of the name, mailing address and email.
Step 3 — Referral question — say “We appreciate you reaching out to us. Out of curiosity, who referred you to our firm?” If they give a name: “Thank you for sharing that. We always appreciate it when our clients recommend us. Can you spell their first and last name so we can send them a thank you?” If they found us online: “We ask that question so we can be sure to thank our clients who referred their friends and family. In this case, we will thank Google, they led you to the right place.” Don't pause. Move right into the conflict check.

Conflict Check

On a Family Law matter the opposing party's name carries forward automatically.

Step 3 — Conflict check — say “Now, we need to run a quick conflict check to avoid any conflict of interest. Can you provide me with the name and phone number of the opposing party? We won't be contacting them; we just need to make sure there is no conflict with opposing parties.” Check both names in Clio Manage before scheduling a consultation.

Their Situation

Steps 4–5 — Their hell & their heaven — say (capture below) “Now, let's talk about your concerns. What's going on for you, what are you most worried about — said differently, what's keeping you up at night?” … “What would a win look like for you and your family?” Take notes. Repeat back a quick summary of their fear, then of their win, using a simple word or phrase they used. Probe with follow-up questions if needed.

Offer the Book

Step 6 — Introduction & offer the book — say “I'm glad you contacted us — you've called the right place. For more than 25 years, the team here at Breeden Law Office has been providing outstanding service to clients who are experiencing domestic issues. We've successfully helped thousands of clients navigate through stressful times. You can rest assured that our team has plenty of experience and you're in good capable hands. As a matter of fact, the owner of the firm wrote the book on Family Law in North Carolina, Divorce in North Carolina — What You Need to Know. We're happy to mail or email you a free copy of the book. The emailed book is a PDF, for your convenience. Should we use the address/email address you provided?” They should naturally say yes. If they said No to the email/mailing address above, send it to the safe email or safe address. Offer it on every call. Record the answer, then pick the matter type.

Intake Matter Type *

Opens the matching questions below.

Family Law

Opposing Party (from Conflict Check): —

Family Information

Legal Information

General Information

The purpose of this question is to make it clear WHO the client is.
Next — doIf everything fits and they are ready to move forward, proceed with scheduling and book the consult below.

Estate Planning

Marital Information

Significant Other (if applicable)

General Information

Estate plan — say “By an estate plan, I mean a will, power of attorney, living will, trust, or other documents.”
Let them know we will kindly ask others to step out at the end of the consultation so we can verify independent wishes, if planning alone.
Next — doIf everything fits and they are ready to move forward, proceed with scheduling and book the consult below.

Guardianship

Guardianship Information

Ward Information

General Information

Next — doIf everything fits and they are ready to move forward, proceed with scheduling and book the consult below.

Adoption

Adoption Information

Proposed Adoptee Information

General Information

Next — doIf everything fits and they are ready to move forward, proceed with scheduling and book the consult below.

Other

Other — do Gather as much information as possible. Escalate if needed or if unsure how to proceed. If you need to follow up, find out the best way to contact them (phone, email, text), then put the follow-up on your calendar and give them a one-hour range — e.g. “I'll email you between 1 and 2 pm today.” Escalate via Slack.

Book the Consultation

Live availability from the firm calendars. Choosing a time books it when you save.

Step 7 — Explore / ask for the appointment — say “If we could show you a way to alleviate your fear around [their hell], and move towards [their heaven], would you be open to exploring what that looks like?” When they say yes: “Thank you for sharing that information with me. We can help you. Given your current situation, I highly recommend we schedule you for an initial consultation as soon as possible.” Don't pause. If they say no, overcome their objections. They may not be a fit for the firm.
Step 8 — Something and something — say “Ok, great! To make it convenient for you we offer in person meetings in our Garner office or our Cary office, phone consultations, or Zoom consultations. Which one would you prefer?” “So, it looks like I have some openings on [day] or [day], which would work best for you?” … “I have [morning or afternoon] [time] or [time] available. Is there one you prefer?” … “Okay, so I have you booked for [day], at [time], correct?” Always give options so they make the decision and you control the call. Try to set them ASAP, tomorrow if possible.
Pick a consultation type to see open times.
Collect the payment — say “Now, the investment for the initial consultation with our Consult Relationship Coordinator is $95. Most clients prefer to pay using a credit card or debit card. Which do you prefer?” … “Excellent, let me know when you're ready, and I'll ask you some questions.” Attorney-only consult: the investment is $395. Card number, expiration date, security code, and the zip code/billing address on the card. Read each one back. Card details are never typed into this form.
Step 9 — Explain the next step — say “First and foremost [name], I want to say thank you for trusting Breeden Law to help you with your [issue]. Now that we have your appointment scheduled, let me share with you what you can expect from us between now and when you meet with us. You'll be receiving three emails shortly: one is a payment receipt for your consultation, one contains your appointment details, and one provides more details on what to expect during the appointment and contains an important link to a form for you to complete before your meeting, so our team has as much information as possible about your situation.” “If you have any legal documents like a court order or an agreement of any kind, you can attach it to your prospective client form or email it to us directly. The email address is included on the form.” … “We are here to help you at any time. So if you need help with the questionnaire or have questions, or if anything else comes up between now and when we meet, please do not hesitate to reach out via text, email, or phone and if necessary, we'll schedule a quick call with you to help. That's why we're here. Good for you?” If they ask for the email address: pcforms@breedenlaw.com
Step 10 — Ask the do-you-promise question — say “OK, we've got you locked in for your appointment and I promise that you'll have our undivided attention when we meet. With that being said, I need you to make me a promise in return, and that is simply this… if something comes up and you find that you can't make it to your appointment, because we need at least 8 hours notice to process a refund, can you promise to notify us at least 8 hours in advance?” … “Thank you! We're happy to find a time that works better for you in the event you need to reschedule.”
Step 11 — Wrap it up with a bow — say “I am glad you called today, [name]. I want to thank you for trusting us to help you with [their hell/heaven]. Again, we've got you down for [date and time]. We're looking forward to meeting with you. During the consultation, we will be sure to answer all of your questions as well as give you all the information you need to move forward.” … “Reminder, please be sure to send us any legal documents before your consultation if possible so we can take a look at those and make for the best use of our time together.” … “Thanks again, [name]. Enjoy the rest of your day. We will see you soon!”
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