How to use AI in call handling, including triage, new client qualification, and summarization, while complying with ethics rules on confidentiality, supervision, conflicts, and technology competence.
AI is rapidly transforming law firm intake. It now powers voice receptionists who complete lead qualification, appointment booking, transcripts, call summaries, and ongoing quality assurance. But intake is not a marketing sandbox. It is the first legally sensitive touchpoint of the attorney–client relationship.
Improper AI deployment at intake can trigger confidentiality breaches, conflicts contamination, unauthorized practice of law concerns, misleading communications, and data retention failures. Lawyers remain responsible for supervision, even when AI tools are vendor-provided or embedded within third-party platforms.
This program provides a focused, compliance-centered roadmap for deploying AI in intake safely, with a focus on smaller firms without dedicated IT departments. We will examine the professional responsibility rules that govern AI-assisted intake; identify common failure points in voice AI tools; present a practical control framework addressing human oversight, design, escalation, and audit; and make practical recommendations for firm owners, managing partners, and intake managers.
Senior Vice President of Growth | Smith.ai
Maddy Martin is the SVP of Growth at Smith.ai, which provides an AI and human workforce for the front office. At Smith.ai, AI and live agents work together as one intelligent intake system — answering, qualifying, and scheduling new clients, so small and midsize businesses can focus on their core work. She has spent the last 20 years growing tech startups from New York to California (and back!). Maddy has expertise across marketing, rev ops, sales, and strategic partnerships. She can be reached at maddy@smith.ai and on LinkedIn.
