Client intake form builder

Starting template only. This generates a general question set for the practice area selected. Review and customize it for your specific jurisdiction, firm workflow, and matter before use. See our full disclaimer.

Intake form generator

Practice area

Client type

Your intake question set

Want a fully built, hosted intake form?

A legal tech consultant can help you build this question set into a live, hosted intake form with conditional logic, e-signature, and direct case management integration.

What makes an effective client intake form?

A good intake form captures the specific facts an attorney needs to evaluate the matter and spot early issues, not just generic contact information. Practice-area-specific questions matter because a personal injury intake needs insurance and medical treatment details that a business formation intake never would, and a criminal defense intake needs charge and custody status details that an estate planning intake never would.

Intake is also the first opportunity to screen for conflicts and confirm timing, so pairing your intake form with our conflict of interest checker and statute of limitations checker at the start of the process catches issues before significant time is invested in a matter that can't be taken.

Should intake forms be different for individual versus business clients?

Yes, generally. Business clients need entity structure details, authorized signatory information, and often a different conflicts analysis since the entity itself, its officers, and its affiliates can all separately create conflicts. Individual clients need personal identifying information and household details that don't apply to an entity. Using the same generic form for both often means important fields are missing for one type or the other.

How much detail should an intake form collect versus save for the first meeting?

Intake forms work best when they capture enough detail to let the attorney meaningfully prepare and screen the matter, typically the who, what, when, and why, without trying to replace the full initial consultation. Overly long intake forms risk losing prospective clients before they ever reach a phone call, while overly thin forms waste the attorney's prep time and can miss an obvious early red flag.

Should intake forms be reviewed and updated periodically?

Yes. As rules change, as your practice evolves, and as you notice recurring gaps in the information you're getting from new clients, your intake form should evolve too. Many firms review their intake forms at least once a year or after any significant change in the types of matters they handle.

Frequently asked questions about client intake

Many firms do include a general question about expected fee structure or budget expectations, since it helps set realistic expectations early and avoids an awkward conversation after significant time has already been invested. How directly to ask varies by firm culture and practice area, particularly for contingency-based practice areas where it matters less upfront.

It can be, if the form and its transmission aren't properly secured. Any intake process collecting sensitive personal, medical, or financial information should use encrypted transmission and secure storage, and firms handling medical information in particular should understand whether any HIPAA-adjacent obligations apply to how that data is handled and stored.

Yes, capturing the names of all parties involved in the matter, including adverse parties, at intake makes it possible to run a conflicts check before the consultation even happens, rather than discovering a conflict after time has already been spent on the matter.

Most effective intake forms take a prospective client somewhere between 5 and 15 minutes to complete. Shorter forms tend to have higher completion rates, so many firms use a shorter initial form followed by a more detailed questionnaire once the client has actually retained the firm.

Generally intake forms are attorney work product or protected by privilege rather than something opposing counsel could obtain, but this depends on how the form is used and stored. Regardless of evidentiary questions, an intake form filled out inaccurately by the client can still meaningfully affect case strategy if the attorney relies on incorrect early information.