How to Set Up a Call Center for Lawyers

Effective client communication and intake management are critical for a law firm’s success. 

And for law firms that receive a large volume of inbound calls and messages, a dedicated law firm call center or contact center platform can significantly enhance efficiency by helping route client inquiries, automate appointment scheduling, and managing legal intake. 

Sure, you could outsource call center work to a third-party legal call center or contracting agency—but having an in-house call center team gives you greater oversight, ensures consistency in client interactions, and is often much more cost-effective.

The key to making this work? Equipping that team with a dedicated contact center platform that offers advanced automation and Ai, seamless integration with your existing tech stack, and robust security and privacy features. 

Keep reading to learn about how call center platforms work, the advantages of using one, and how to set one up for your law firm.

How a call center for lawyers works

A call center for lawyers functions as the backbone of a firm’s client communication, taking inbound calls, scheduling consultations, and managing legal intake. It’s kind of like a law office phone system that can handle a much higher volume of calls, with more advanced functionality. Firms that don’t want to outsource call centers or face overwhelming staffing demands often leverage specialized call center software to automate and optimize client interactions. 

These platforms vary widely in their functionality. While most of them allow agents to make and receive phone calls, more modern solutions can also integrate with case management systems, ensure compliance with legal standards, and provide 24/7 availability—ensuring no potential client is missed.

Legal intake: In-house vs outsource

When setting up a legal intake process, firms have to decide whether to manage calls in-house or outsource to a specialized legal call center. There are advantages and disadvantages to both:

In-house legal intake

Pros:

• Direct control over client interactions

• More personalized approach that’s aligned with your firm’s brand

• Immediate access to case details

Cons:

• Requires dedicated staff and training

• Can be costly to maintain 24/7 availability

• May struggle with handling high call volumes

Outsourced legal intake

Pros:

• Can be more cost-effective if you receive many after-hours calls

• May provide access to experienced legal intake specialists

• Scalable to match firm growth and needs

Cons:

• Less direct control over client interactions

• Often difficult to integrate seamlessly with a firm’s brand, processes, and tools

If you choose to outsource to another law firm or attorney call center, you won't have to worry about the software too much—but what many law firms overlook is the fact that with the right software, running your own law firm call center is quite manageable. 

For example, a dedicated law firm call center platform can automate call routing, streamline legal intake, and integrate with your case management system. These platforms reduce the burden of staffing without sacrificing quality or responsiveness—balancing cost-effectiveness with control over your client interactions.

The benefits of using a law firm call center

Now, let’s take a closer look at the key advantages of having a dedicated attorney call center solution.

Improved client intake

A good contact center platform helps ensure that every inquiry is handled promptly and efficiently. For example, automated features like a multi-level auto attendant, Ai-powered call transcription, and integrations with your case management system can streamline the intake process, reduce the risk of lost leads, and improve the intake process. What’s important to note is that good contact center platforms will keep your transcripts and other conversational data secure—for example, by not sharing this data with a third-party Ai vendor if they use external partners to transcribe calls. Dialpad, for example, gives you control over whether Ai is turned on for calls by default, whether individual users can turn Ai on or off, and more:

Dialpad also integrates with Clio’s cloud-based legal practice management software to let you make calls directly from within Clio, automatically log calls back to the client's profile, access unlimited call recordings, and more:

Increased efficiency and productivity

Because a legal call center platform can automate repetitive tasks like appointment scheduling, note-taking, and call recording, attorneys and staff get more time back to focus on legal work rather than administrative duties.

This not only streamlines daily operations but also reduces the risk of human error, ensuring more accurate and organized case management.

24/7 availability and scalability

With a cloud contact center platform, law firms can provide round-the-clock availability without the need to hire staff to be online around the clock. For example, Dialpad Support comes with Ai Agent, a chatbot that can respond to inquiries outside business hours:

These automations also make it easier to scale up or down with the firm’s needs, ensuring optimal client service at all times without the overhead costs of hiring additional staff. Whether your firm is expanding its practice areas or experiencing seasonal fluctuations in caseload, a cloud-based system can help you adapt to changing demands.

Integrations with other legal software

Some modern call center platforms integrate with other legal case management systems like Clio and LawGro. These integrations ensure that all client interactions are logged automatically, which reduces the administrative burden, improves case tracking—and more importantly, ensures that you never miss a billable minute.

Enhanced security and compliance

As a baseline requirement, law firm call center platforms should include built-in compliance features such as encrypted call recordings, HIPAA and GDPR compliance, and secure client data storage, to ensure law firms meet all regulatory requirements.

Dialpad's Ai features go one step further. For example, Ai Scorecards help keep agents compliant by providing real-time guidance during calls. It analyzes calls in real time and automatically suggests when the scorecard criteria is met:

Let’s say the scorecard behavior is “Agent notified the caller that the call was being recorded.” If the agent did do this, then whoever reviews that call will instantly see the activity was completed—without listening to the entire call recording or reading the whole transcript.

The result: higher adherence rates and reduced compliance risk.

(Ai features like this one are quite unique, and even the best phone system for small law offices may not include this type of functionality. It’s generally best to try different vendors out with a free trial or proof of concept, even if they advertise Ai features, to make sure the Ai capabilities truly meet your firm’s needs.) 

A better client experience

By leveraging a call center platform, law firms can provide a more seamless and professional client experience. Clients get the answers they need right away thanks to features like automated callbacks and automated call routing—and for attorneys interested in setting up a virtual law firm or paperless law office, this functionality is essential.

Some contact center solutions, like Dialpad, also have legal conferencing and video chat features, which gives clients more convenient options to talk to their attorney if they can’t swing by your firm’s office:

How to set up a legal call center

Setting up a legal call center requires careful planning to ensure it meets your firm's specific needs. Here are some key steps to help you build a call center that aligns with your goals and operational requirements.

1. Consider confidentiality, security, and compliance requirements

Security and compliance are non-negotiable for law firms handling sensitive client information. A legal call center has to adhere to strict regulations to protect client confidentiality and ensure ethical communication. Not meeting these standards can lead to severe penalties and legal consequences.

Dialpad’s products are certified as SOC2 Type 2, ensuring availability, security, and confidentiality. Dialpad maintains strict confidentiality of customer personal information and gives you the tools to demonstrate your compliance. Dialpad offers custom retention policies. And of course, Dialpad does not share data with third parties other than as required to carry out the services, and we never sell customers for advertising. 

Learn more about how Dialpad ensures the security and privacy of customer data.

You can also set your own preferences for which business units are suitable for Ai training, from offices down to individual users. (This Help Center article on Ai training preferences breaks down the details.) 

Secure call recording and storage are critical for maintaining confidentiality. Many legal call centers record calls for quality assurance and documentation purposes, but these recordings must be stored securely using encryption and access controls. Check with your call center software and ensure the vendor complies with industry standards for data security and offers encryption to prevent unauthorized access.

Beyond technology, also consider providing regular staff training on legal ethics and client privilege. Call center agents handling legal inquiries should understand when to escalate sensitive matters to an attorney and how to handle confidential information appropriately. Implementing strict access controls and ongoing training ensures that your client-facing agents are always operating within legal and ethical boundaries.

2. Determine your goals

Define the primary objectives of your legal call center. Are you looking for after-hours support, bilingual capabilities, or enhanced intake screening? Consider questions like:

• Availability: Do you need 24/7 coverage, or just extended hours beyond the typical workday?

• Languages: Will your firm need bilingual or multilingual support to serve a diverse client base?

• Call handling: Should the call center focus on intake screening, appointment scheduling, or routing calls directly to attorneys? (Or all three?)

• Compliance and security: Are there specific legal or ethical requirements that the system must follow to ensure client confidentiality and data protection?

• Scalability: Do you need a system that can grow with your firm and handle increased call volume as your client base expands?

3. Evaluate different call center software options

Choosing the right call center software is critical for ensuring efficiency, compliance, and a seamless client experience. Not all platforms are designed with legal professionals in mind though, so it’s important to look for features that align with your firm’s specific needs.

One key consideration is integration with legal CRM software like Clio or MyCase. While call tracking is not an unusual feature, call tracking for lawyers is vital because of the need to track billable hours. A system that syncs with your existing client management tools can save hours in manual data entry and ensure that all your call details are automatically logged into client records. This not only improves efficiency, but also helps maintain accurate case histories.

Call recording and transcription are also valuable features, especially for compliance and documentation purposes. Having a secure and searchable record of conversations can help you stay organized when reviewing case-related discussions and maintaining thorough client records. Here’s how Dialpad’s Ai-powered call transcription and summary looks, as an example:

Automated call routing is another critical functionality, as it ensures that clients are directed to the appropriate department or attorney. Whether you need routing based on case type, language preference, or urgency, a well-configured call center platform can improve response times and keep clients happy.

Lastly, analytics and reporting features provide valuable insights into client interactions and overall call center performance. Tracking metrics such as call volume, response times, and client satisfaction scores can help firms identify areas for improvement and optimize their operations.

Dialpad’s Ai CSAT feature can analyze up to 100% of calls and predict their CSAT scores accurately—meaning you don’t need to manually send out CSAT surveys and hope that clients respond to them:

3. Consider security and compliance requirements

Security and compliance are non-negotiable for law firms handling sensitive client information. A legal call center has to adhere to strict regulations to protect client confidentiality and ensure ethical communication. Not meeting these standards can lead to severe penalties and legal consequences.

One of the most important considerations is compliance with data protection regulations such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). If your firm handles health-related legal matters, HIPAA compliance is crucial to protect client health information. Similarly, you must maintain compliance with GDPR if your firm serves clients in the European Union, as it governs how personal data is collected, stored, and processed. (Learn more about call recording and GDPR compliance.)

Secure call recording and storage are also critical for maintaining confidentiality. Many legal call centers record calls for quality assurance and documentation purposes, but these recordings must be stored securely using encryption and access controls. Check with your call center software and ensure the vendor complies with industry standards for data security and offers encryption to prevent unauthorized access.

Beyond technology, also consider providing regular staff training on legal ethics and client privilege. Call center agents handling legal inquiries should understand when to escalate sensitive matters to an attorney and how to handle confidential information appropriately. Implementing strict access controls and ongoing training ensures that your client-facing agents are always operating within legal and ethical boundaries.

Improve your client communications with a dedicated law firm  call center solution

Setting up a call center for lawyers requires strategic planning to balance efficiency, cost, and compliance.

Whether you’re managing calls in-house or outsourcing to reduce lawyer burnout, leveraging the right software and security measures can not only improve your operations and processes, but also help your firm communicate with clients more effectively. 

See why law firms and legal associations use Dialpad to manage client communications.