How Attorney Unavailability Destroys Intake

Listen to the full episode here →

Here’s one that makes my blood boil: intake does their job, qualifies a lead, and attempts a warm transfer—only to hear, “No attorney is available.”

And just like that, the client is told, “Someone will call you back.” The opportunity is gone.

Why This Happens

Too often, law firms fail to prioritize intake escalations. Attorneys treat them like interruptions instead of opportunities. But every missed transfer isn’t just a call—it’s potential firm revenue walking out the door.

I’ve seen firms lose 6- and 7-figure cases this way. And the worst part? Intake specialists get blamed when the system failure is actually on the attorney’s side.

How to Fix It

🔹 Create a real-time escalation grid – Everyone should know who’s on deck at all times.
🔹 Have backups in place – Never hinge the system on one attorney being available.
🔹 Build a non-negotiable culture – Qualified leads = drop what you’re doing.
🔹 Set attorney SLAs – Just like speed-to-lead, measure attorney response times.
🔹 Think team-first – Intake and attorneys must operate as one team, not silos.

Final Takeaway

Every missed warm transfer is money lost. It doesn’t always show up in your reports, but the losses are real—and your competitors are picking up what you drop.

Build the system. Build the culture. Make attorney availability non-negotiable. Because when you do, you stop bleeding money and start closing the cases your firm deserves.

Watch or listen to the full episode above. ⬆️