An intake system Avery actually built.

The questions Avery asks every estate planning caller, in order.

1. 1

   May I have your full legal name, and the best phone number and email to reach you?

   Why: Basic contact information for the file and for conflict checking.

2. 2

   What prompted you to look into estate planning at this time, for example, a new diagnosis, a recent loss in the family, a milestone like retirement, or starting/succession-planning a business?

   Why: Identifies urgency, emotional context, and whether this is first-time planning or a triggered need, so the attorney can prepare appropriately.

3. 3

   Do you currently have any estate planning documents in place, such as a will, trust, power of attorney, or healthcare directive?

   Why: Determines whether this is a new plan or an update/review, and flags if prior documents may need to be pulled.

4. 4

   Could you tell me a bit about your family situation, are you married, do you have children or other dependents, and is anyone in a blended family or a second marriage?

   Why: Surfaces beneficiary structure and potential family complexity relevant to will/trust drafting.

5. 5

   Do you own, or are you a partner or shareholder in, a family business? If so, is the goal of this consultation to plan for its succession or transfer?

   Why: Flags business succession matters, which often require additional documents (buy-sell agreements, entity review) and scheduling more time.

6. 6

   Roughly, what does your estate include, for example, real estate, retirement accounts, life insurance, a business interest, or property in more than one state?

   Why: Helps the attorney gauge estate complexity and whether trusts or tax planning may be relevant, without providing legal advice.

7. 7

   Are there any specific individuals you're concerned about, for instance, someone you want to intentionally leave out, a disputed family relationship, or a beneficiary who may need special provisions (such as a minor or a person with a disability)?

   Why: Surfaces sensitive beneficiary issues and potential future disputes for the attorney to address directly.

8. 8

   Has anyone else been named or discussed as an executor, trustee, power of attorney, or healthcare agent for you, or has anyone else in your family recently worked with this office?

   Why: Critical conflict-check trigger, identifies overlapping parties or prior firm contact before the matter is accepted.

9. 9

   Is there a time sensitivity we should be aware of, such as a health concern, upcoming travel, a pending business sale, or a court deadline?

   Why: Helps prioritize scheduling and flags if an expedited consultation is needed.

10. 10

    What days and times work best for you, and would you prefer an in-person meeting at the Memphis office or a phone/video consultation?

    Why: Books the consultation according to caller preference and attorney availability.

Signals during intake that stop a matter before it reaches the attorney's desk.

Sent automatically after every booking, one to the client, one to the attorney. Avery writes them as templates; highlighted details are fictional sample values filled into her merge fields.

Dear Margaret Ellison,

Thank you for reaching out. This confirms your estate planning consultation with Attorney Morgan Hale on Tuesday at 10:00 AM, to be held in person at our Memphis office, 555 Example Avenue, Suite 200.

To help make the most of your time together, please bring or have ready:
- A list of your assets (real estate, accounts, business interests, insurance policies)
- Any existing estate planning documents (wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives)
- Names and contact information for anyone you're considering as an executor, trustee, or agent
- Any questions or concerns you'd like to discuss

Please note: this consultation is an opportunity to discuss your situation and how our office may be able to help. It does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is formed until an engagement agreement is signed.

If you need to reschedule or have questions before your appointment, simply reply to this email or call our office at (901) 555-0148.

We look forward to speaking with you.

Warm regards,
Avery
Client Intake Coordinator
Ridgeview Estate Planning
(901) 555-0148 | 555 Example Avenue, Suite 200, Memphis, TN

Hi Attorney Morgan Hale,

A new consultation has been scheduled. Summary below:

Client: Margaret Ellison
Contact: (901) 555-0173 | margaret.ellison@example.com
Appointment: Tuesday, 10:00 AM, In person

Reason for inquiry: First-time will and trust. Recently widowed and wants a plan in place for her two adult children.

Family/Beneficiary Notes: Widowed. Two adult children, one living out of state. No blended family, special needs beneficiaries, or excluded parties mentioned.

Business Succession Notes: Not applicable.

Existing Documents: Yes, a will signed with her late husband about twenty years ago.

Time Sensitivity: None noted.

Conflict Check Flags: None.

Other Notes: Asked whether her husband's estate needs to go through probate; told her the attorney will cover that in the consultation. Recently widowed, calm but emotional on the call.

Please review conflict flags prior to the appointment if any are noted above.

Avery

What Avery does when the call comes in at 2am on a Sunday. Highlighted details are fictional sample values.

1. 1

   Answer warmly and set expectations immediately.

   Avery answers all after-hours, weekend, and holiday calls with a calm, warm greeting: 'Thank you for calling Ridgeview Estate Planning, this is Avery. I'm the firm's intake assistant, I'm here to help, and I can get you scheduled with Attorney Morgan Hale even outside business hours.' This is especially important for elderly or grieving callers who may be anxious about reaching an answering service.

2. 2

   Identify urgency level.

   Avery asks: 'Is this regarding a time-sensitive matter, for example, a health emergency, an imminent passing, or a document that needs to be signed urgently?' If yes, Avery flags the call as URGENT and proceeds to immediate escalation (see next step). If no, Avery proceeds with standard after-hours intake.

3. 3

   Escalate true emergencies immediately.

   For urgent matters (e.g., end-of-life document needed within 24-48 hours, hospital-bedside signing request), Avery collects caller name, phone number, and a one-sentence summary, then immediately triggers a same-night text/email/call alert to the attorney per the firm's emergency contact protocol, rather than waiting for the next business day.

4. 4

   Run full intake for non-emergency after-hours callers.

   For standard inquiries, Avery proceeds through the full estate-planning intake questionnaire (contact info, reason for calling, family situation, business succession needs, existing documents, conflict-check questions, and scheduling preference) just as she would during business hours.

5. 5

   Run conflict-check triggers in real time.

   Regardless of the hour, Avery applies all standard conflict-check triggers during after-hours intake and flags any matches for the attorney's morning review before the appointment is finalized.

6. 6

   Offer next available consultation slot.

   Avery offers the earliest available consultation times from the attorney's calendar, prioritizing urgent flags for the soonest possible slot (including same-day-next-business-day if marked urgent).

7. 7

   Send confirmation and summary immediately.

   Even at 2 a.m., Avery sends the client confirmation email right away and queues the attorney summary email to arrive first thing, timestamped with 'AFTER-HOURS CALL' in the subject line so the attorney can triage it first.

8. 8

   Close with reassurance.

   Avery closes every after-hours call with: 'I've got everything noted, and Attorney Morgan Hale will have this waiting first thing. You don't need to call back, we've got this taken care of for you.' This is especially calibrated for elderly or bereaved callers who may feel uncertain calling outside business hours.