INTAKE · BAR RULES
Handling objections without pressure: intake under the Bar rules
Intake trainings borrow from sales. Close on the first call. Beat the objection. Turn “let me think about it” into “where do I sign.” At a law firm, some of those scripts cross a line. Here is what an intake call can say when someone hesitates, and what it cannot.
We are not attorneys and this is not legal advice. It points to the rules that bear on intake calls and follow-up, so your firm knows what to ask its Bar counsel.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Why sales scripts need a second look at a law firm
A sales script is built to win the yes. A law firm’s first call has more rules on it. What the firm says about results and value is governed by Rule 4-7.13 (ABA Model Rule 7.1). Appeals that play on fear or a person’s weak moment are what Rule 4-7.15 is written against. And the person on the phone is often not a lawyer, so the firm must make sure staff do not give legal advice (Rules 4-5.3 and 4-5.5; ABA Model Rules 5.3 and 5.5).
None of that stops a firm from being fast, warm, and clear. It stops a firm from being pushy.
Five objections, and a calm answer to each
- “Let me think about it.” Respect it. “Of course. Is there a question I can answer now? I’ll text you the consultation time we discussed and my direct line.” Then follow up, on a schedule, in writing.
- “How much is my case worth?” Intake should not answer. A number on the first call is a prediction (Rule 4-7.13), and from non-lawyer staff it is legal advice. “An attorney can talk about that once they have reviewed the facts. Can I set that up for you?”
- “What do you charge?” Say it plainly. For a contingency case, explain the percentage and when costs come out. In Florida the agreement is in writing, with the Statement of Client’s Rights (Rule 4-1.5(f)). A clear answer here closes more than a clever one.
- “I’m talking to other firms.” “That makes sense. Here is what happens next with us, and when.” Do not knock the other firms. Unproven comparisons are their own problem (Rule 4-7.13).
- “I’m not sure I need a lawyer.” Explain what the consultation covers and what it costs. Do not say “the insurance company is already working against you.” That is a fear appeal to a person in a weak moment, which is what Rule 4-7.15 is about.
The lines that scripts cross
- A deadline that is not real. “We can only take your case if you sign today.” If it is not true, it is misleading.
- A promise. “We will get you a big settlement.” “You have a strong case.” Both predict results.
- Fear. Pressure built on the person’s injury, money worries, or immigration status.
- Calling after a no. Once a person says they do not want more contact, stop (ABA Model Rule 7.3). STOP, ALTO, and PARE end every text sequence.
- Going to them. Sending someone to a hospital or a home to sign a person who did not ask is in-person solicitation (Rule 4-7.18; ABA Model Rule 7.3).
The three-day right makes pressure a bad trade
In Florida, the Statement of Client’s Rights that goes with a contingency-fee contract tells the client they can cancel within three business days (Rule 4-1.5(f)). So a yes won by pressure is not a signed case yet. It is a case that may cancel on day two. A client who said yes because the answers were clear is a client who stays. Have counsel confirm the current text of the Statement before you train on it.
What the follow-up should say
After “let me think about it,” the follow-up is written, and written follow-up is advertising. So it names the firm and its city (Rule 4-7.12; ABA Model Rule 7.2(d)), predicts nothing, and stays calm. Space it out. A week, then a few weeks, then a monthly check-in, each with a way to book and a way to stop. Persistence is fine. Pressure is not.
Where LegalCRM.pro fits
LegalCRM.pro runs the follow-up after a person says “let me think about it,” so no one has to remember. The sequence is calm by default, spaced out, and ends on STOP. When we build it for you, we write every message to fit Chapter 4-7 and the ABA Model Rules, and your attorney reviews and approves all of it before we turn anything on. A self-serve firm writes its own messages and reviews them against the same rules.
Each rule, with its ABA counterpart and what stays the firm’s, is on the Advertising Compliance page.
Questions we get asked about this
Can intake staff tell a caller what their case is worth?
No. A number on the first call is a prediction (Rule 4-7.13), and from non-lawyer staff it is legal advice (Rules 4-5.3 and 4-5.5). Staff can set up a time for an attorney to review the facts.
Is it a problem to tell a caller they must sign today?
If the deadline is not real, yes: it is misleading, and pressure on a person in a weak moment is what Rule 4-7.15 is written against. In Florida a contingency-fee client can also cancel within three business days under the Statement of Client's Rights (Rule 4-1.5(f)).
How often can the firm follow up after "let me think about it"?
Spaced out, in writing, with a way to book and a way to stop: a week, a few weeks, then monthly. The follow-up is advertising, so it names the firm and its city and predicts nothing. Once the person says stop, stop.
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