The problem
People call a divorce or custody attorney after an argument at night, or the weekend they are served, and they call the next firm on the list if they reach voicemail. If a firm gets 40 after-hours calls a month and one more of those callers every 2 months would have hired the firm for a $5,000£3,759€4,474A$7,218C$7,068 matter, that's $2,500£1,880€2,237A$3,609C$3,534 of work a month on average going elsewhere.
What the AI does
Calls to the firm's number forward to Smith.ai's AI Receptionist outside office hours. Smith.ai says it answers 24/7, qualifies leads and routes calls, records and transcribes calls with a summary, and can transfer a call to a live receptionist. The firm sets it up to take the caller's name and number, the other party's name for the conflict check, the type of matter and the county, and to tell anyone in danger to call 911. A staff member runs the conflict check on each summary first thing in the morning and calls back cleared callers to book a consultation. The AI receptionist takes messages; it gives no legal advice and makes no promises about the case.
A worked example
An illustrative example built from typical figures, not a named business.
A two-attorney family law firm in Tucson, Arizona, gets about 40 calls a month in the evenings and at weekends. It forwards those hours to Smith.ai's AI Receptionist on the Pro plan, and the office manager works through the call summaries every morning at 8:30.
Before
40 after-hours calls a month to voicemail, with many callers never leaving a message
After
All 40 answered, with a summary and conflict-check names waiting each morning
What it's worth
About $1,000£752€895A$1,444C$1,414 a month in profit, against a $150£113€134A$217C$212 cost. That assumes one extra client every 2 months on a $5,000£3,759€4,474A$7,218C$7,068 matter, $2,500£1,880€2,237A$3,609C$3,534 a month on average, at an assumed 40% margin. Pro is $150£113€134A$217C$212 a month for 75 calls, with $2.50£1.88€2.24A$3.61C$3.53 for each extra call; the free plan covers 25 calls a month, which is too few here.
How to set it up
- Write the call flow with the attorney: the questions to ask, a clear line that anyone in danger should call 911, and a statement that the firm will call back and can't give advice by phone.
- Collect only names, contact details, matter type and county; tell callers not to describe their situation until the firm has checked for conflicts.
- Forward the firm's number to Smith.ai outside office hours only, and test it in the evening and at weekends.
- Run the conflict check on every summary before anyone at the firm calls back, and decline politely if there is a conflict.
- Review a sample of recordings each month, since the state bar's rules make the firm responsible for supervising outside help (ABA Model Rule 5.3).
What goes wrong
- Callers in distress may not want to talk to an AI. Offer transfer to a live receptionist, and check that cost with Smith.ai, since the pricing page doesn't state it.
- If a caller tells their whole story to the receptionist and turns out to be the other spouse of a current client, the firm can face a conflict. Keep the call flow to names and contact details.
- Every answered call counts toward the quota except known spam. A busy month can mean $2.50£1.88€2.24A$3.61C$3.53 overage calls on Pro.
- Recorded calls hold sensitive family information. Check Smith.ai's confidentiality terms and who in the firm can access recordings before going live.