The Lawmatics Blog

Chasing down payments? Not exactly the dream when you started your law firm. Whether it’s prospects who never paid their consultation fee or leads dragging their feet on a retainer, the early stages of client onboarding can get bogged down fast. And when payment isn’t built into your intake process, it usually falls on someone’s shoulders to follow up, again and again.In this month’s Deep Dive, Lawmatics Product Manager Devon Butler walked through how to make payments a seamless part of your intake process. Joined by Sr. Director of Customer Success Johnny Bissell, she demoed how to add fees to forms, automate retainer collection, send receipts without lifting a finger, and keep tabs on every transaction along the way.

Time stamps of key takeaways

8:45 — Add consultation fees directly to your intake forms

Devon shows how easy it is to drag and drop a payment block onto your intake form using LMPay. You can set a flat fee, pick the bank account, and even use conditional logic to adjust pricing based on client responses. Johnny points out that this flexibility makes it simple to create one form that works for multiple appointment types.

15:41 — Collect retainers as part of your intake process

Need to collect a retainer before officially taking on a client? Devon walks through how to build that right into your automations — so once someone signs an agreement, the invoice goes out automatically. Johnny jumps in with ideas for customizing this based on package types or service tiers, making the process feel personal and polished.

32:43 — Automatically generate and send payment receipts

As soon as a payment is processed, Lawmatics can immediately send out a receipt. Devon shows how to tailor what’s included, like attaching the original invoice or just the receipt. It’s all handled behind the scenes, and yes, it waits until ACH payments actually clear.

35:07 — Monitor payments received from prospective matters

Keeping tabs on payments is simple with the invoices and activity views. Devon demos how to track what’s been paid, what’s still processing, and what might’ve failed. You can even issue refunds, if needed. Johnny notes that with the Time & Billing add-on, you can go even deeper, slicing your data by team member, payment method, or client type.

Webinar slide deck

It’s not just about landing the client — it’s about what happens next. For most law firms, the biggest growth opportunities aren’t in getting more leads, but in doing more with the ones they already have. From intake to invoicing to ongoing engagement, there are countless touchpoints where firms either build long-term value — or lose it.In this Lawmatics webinar, Brent Harkins, chief marketing officer at US Legal Marketing Group, laid out seven high-impact ways to strengthen the client journey and increase the lifetime value of every relationship. Whether you’re looking to improve your intake process, tighten up billing, or boost referrals, these key takeaways are a blueprint for getting more out of the work you’re already doing.

Time stamps of key takeaways

6:38 — Improving intake & consultation processes

Intake is your first impression — make it count. Brent recommends treating it like a concierge experience: align messaging, set expectations, and automate where you can. The most overlooked step? Simply tell them you want to represent them.

16:18 — Providing exceptional client experience

Clients remember how you made them feel. Consistent updates, clear communication, and a personal touch go a long way. Brent shared how standardized systems and team-wide trainings help his firm deliver that “white glove” experience at scale.

22:09 — Optimizing billing & accounts receivable

Clear, predictable billing builds trust. Brent’s firm uses bi-weekly invoicing and replenishing retainers to keep cash flow steady and clients informed. He also shared creative A/R strategies like third-party payers and managed receivables.

34:24 — Cross-selling & upselling legal services

Clients don’t know what they don’t know — so educate them early. Brent’s team uses newsletters and trained staff to surface relevant services, like estate planning post-divorce. As Brent put it: It’s about adding value, not squeezing dollars.

45:40 — Strengthening client retention & repeat business

Strong client relationships don’t end when the case does. Brent emphasized personal connection and follow-up — even something as small as using a client’s child’s name. Ongoing communication via email or social helps keep your firm top of mind.

49:48 — Referral marketing & reputation management

Your reputation is your silent salesperson. Brent walked through how to turn clients into advocates by sharing success stories (with permission), strategically timing review requests, and staying active with referral partners.

55:25 — Maximizing value with data & CRM automation

Law firm growth runs on data. Brent stressed the importance of clean data, smart automation, and a CRM that keeps everything connected. Just don’t lose the human touch — automation should support relationships, not replace them.

Webinar slide deck

Running a law firm means managing a lot of moving parts — from new inquiries and consultations to signed agreements and onboarding, let alone billable work. The more your pipeline grows, the more important it becomes to have systems that keep everything moving smoothly and nothing falling through the cracks. That’s where automation steps in — not just to save time, but to help you build a more scalable, conversion-ready intake process.In this month’s Deep Dive, Lawmatics Product Manager Devon Roth is joined by Clare Struzzi, manager of the account management team, to walk through how to get even more out of your automations and pipeline setup, so your firm can continue to grow.

Time Stamps of Key Takeaways

4:50 — Build an intentional pipeline

The webinar kicks off with Devon and Clare outlining how to build a clean, intentional intake pipeline that works across all practice areas. Rather than juggling multiple pipelines, they recommend one universal structure with milestone-based stages. Clare also shares tips from onboarding calls about using filters and tags to keep it flexible without adding complexity.

9:22 — Automate key workflows

In this section, Devon demonstrates how automations can replace manual tasks — like sending emails, changing statuses, or converting leads — so your team can focus on high-touch client work. The takeaway: Automation isn’t just about speed — it’s about setting your firm up to scale responsibly.

27:00 — Using triggers and actions

This section covers the full automation lifecycle, from what sets a workflow in motion to what happens next. Devon breaks down key trigger types like form submissions, document completions, and field updates, then transitions into a demo of how to stack actions such as emails, tasks, delays, and conditionals. Clare adds strategic context around using advanced logic, testing automations with dummy matters, and avoiding common missteps.

43:59 — Exit conditions and next steps

In the final segment, Devon and Clare demonstrate how exit conditions ensure automations stop when a lead hires, is lost, or moves forward, preventing redundant follow-ups. A key example is the engagement agreement: Once it’s signed, Lawmatics can automatically convert the lead to a hired matter, trigger a welcome packet, and end any drip campaigns still running. Your hosts wrap by emphasizing the importance of sub-statuses for tracking lost leads and using conversion actions to maintain clean data and syncs across systems.

Webinar slide deck

When a client needs to send over a copy of their ID or an accident photo, they’re not looking for a complicated process. They don’t want to log into a portal, track down your email address, or dust off the household scanner. They want to do what they already do dozens of times a day: take a picture on their phone and hit “send.”Now, they can — directly to your firm’s text thread.We’re excited to introduce MMS messaging in Lawmatics, a new add-on feature that makes it easier than ever for clients to share what you need. With MMS enabled, your clients can send photos and other media files straight to your firm via text message, no extra steps required. It’s fast, convenient, and designed for the way people actually communicate today.And because it all flows into Lawmatics, your team gets complete visibility — without ever chasing an email or wondering where that document went.

Why law firms need MMS

Law firms have long used SMS in Lawmatics to confirm appointments, send reminders, and streamline the intake process. It’s a fast, reliable way to keep communication moving — especially during those early client interactions where speed and clarity matter most.Now, with the addition of MMS, there’s an even more convenient option when a client wants to share something visual. Whether it’s a photo of a document or an ID, clients can send it directly by replying to a text message — no need to switch to email or upload through another system.For clients who are on the go or not especially tech-savvy, it’s a natural extension of how they already use their phones. And for firms, it’s a simple way to keep all communication in one place. A quick handoff of information is especially useful in early-stage conversations, where momentum can mean the difference between a retained client and a lost opportunity. It also helps prevent small delays from snowballing; when an item isn’t in-hand, you can’t move forward.

How MMS messaging works

MMS is an add-on feature that builds on your existing SMS capabilities in Lawmatics. Once enabled, clients can simply reply to your text with a file.Supported file types include standard formats like .jpeg and .png. You’ll see incoming media directly in the conversation thread within Lawmatics. From there, your team can take whatever next step is needed — whether that’s moving the intake forward, assessing the file in the client’s record, or triggering an automation based on the update.

Where MMS makes the biggest impact

While MMS is helpful across the board, in some practice types, the convenience can be a game-changer.Take personal injury, where documentation often includes real-time photos of injuries, accident scenes, or vehicle damage. Now, they can just text it, and you’ll receive it within seconds. And because Lawmatics is SOC 2 Type 2 and HIPAA compliant, your firm can safely receive even sensitive medical or personal records through MMS without worrying about where or how those files are stored.Alternatively, in immigration law, there’s often a long list of required documents: passports, visas, birth certificates, proof of residency, and more. Clients may not have ready access to email or may be coordinating with family members across borders. MMS lets them send what they have on hand right away, without needing a laptop or scanner.Even in estate planning, family law, or criminal defense, there are plenty of moments where a client needs to share a physical document, handwritten note, or piece of mail. With MMS, they can take a photo and send it through the text thread they’re already using to communicate with your firm. It’s easy, intuitive, and completely in line with how they already use their phones.

Built for a client-centered experience

For your firm, MMS means fewer delays, fewer follow-ups, and fewer dropped balls. For your clients, it means a legal process that feels more responsive and modern. Instead of “please send that via email when you get a chance,” they hear: “you can just text it.”And that shift matters. When clients feel like it’s easy to work with you, they’re more likely to follow through, stay engaged, and trust the process. And when your team has the files they need, exactly when they need them, they can serve clients more efficiently and effectively.

Getting started with MMS

At the end of the day, adding MMS support is about reducing friction in one of the most common parts of the legal journey: sharing photos and documents. Your clients expect to communicate with you as easily as they do with friends or family — and now, they can.If you're already using Lawmatics, enabling MMS is a simple upgrade. Once the feature is activated on your account, all incoming client messages will support media attachments, with no extra setup required on your end. To enable MMS for your firm, just reach out to your account manager or use this form to sign up.Not using Lawmatics yet? Get a demo to see how our platform helps law firms streamline communication, automate intake, and deliver a better client experience from day one.

In today’s competitive legal market, it’s not enough to simply have a digital presence — your online footprint needs to be fast, credible, and built to convert. In our latest webinar, we teamed up with the experts at Civille to break down exactly how law firms can strengthen their online presence and turn digital interest into real-world results. From the latest changes in search behavior to practical steps you can implement right away, here’s a recap of the insights.

Panelists

Blake Roberts

Director of Business Development,Lawmatics

Jess Stricklin

VP of Sales,Lawmatics

Eric Giroux

COO,Civille

Wes Lungwitz

Co-founder & Managing Partner,Civille

Time stamps of key takeaways

8:53 — The evolving digital landscape

Eric opened with a look at how the digital game is changing in 2025. The “mobile-first” mindset is more important than ever — but now it’s about fast-loading, lightweight content that works well even on weak mobile connections. He showed how Google’s AI-generated overviews are shifting how search results appear and explained why law firms should aim to be the source of the answers Google displays.

17:00 — Key components of a high-converting digital presence

The panel discussed what makes a website not just visible, but effective. Eric broke down how multi-step forms reinforce that a firm understands a visitor’s specific needs. Wes emphasized the value of regularly publishing useful, localized content and pointed to “E-E-A-T” (experience, expertise, authority, trust) as the standard Google uses to determine credibility. Reviews, case studies, and an optimized Google Business Profile also play a major role in turning visits into leads.

38:41 — Turning digital traffic into clients

This section focused on bridging the gap between traffic and conversion. Eric gave a live demo of an example using Lawmatics, showing how an appointment booked on a website instantly populates in the software. Jess then explained how automated workflows pick up from there, sending intake forms, confirming appointments, and triggering next steps. For firms struggling to keep up with growing lead volume, automation was framed as not just helpful, but essential.

53:11 — Actionable steps for law firms

To wrap things up, the team shared practical takeaways for firms at any stage. Blake and Jess emphasized that while these strategies take effort, they’re designed to scale — and the payoff is worth it. From tightening your Google Business Profile to embedding smarter forms and building automated intake flows, every step helps create a more seamless, client-ready digital presence.

Webinar slide deck

SAN DIEGO, March 25 — Lawmatics, the leading growth platform for law firms, proudly announces its achievement of Service Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type 2 and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance, verified by an independent auditor. This assessment affirms that Lawmatics adheres to the highest standards of data security, availability, and confidentiality.“For firms handling sensitive data, like personal injury practices managing medical records, strong security is mission-critical,” said Matt Spiegel, co-founder and chief executive officer of Lawmatics. “Law firms don’t have to choose between using powerful cloud technology and protecting their clients’ data. Lawmatics makes sure they get both.”Established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), SOC 2 verification requires companies to implement rigorous controls around security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. A Type 2 assessment evaluates the effectiveness of these policies over an extended period, ensuring continuous adherence to best practices.Separately, HIPAA sets strict guidelines for how organizations handle protected health information. HIPAA compliance ensures that any law firm handling medical or health-related legal matters can confidently use the platform while knowing their data is safeguarded to the highest industry standards.“We’ve built our platform with security at its core,” said Krijn van der Raadt, chief technology officer for Lawmatics. “Achieving SOC 2 and HIPAA compliance isn’t just about meeting industry standards — it’s about giving our customers peace of mind that their data is secure, no matter what.”Lawmatics’ SOC 2 report is available upon request for law firms requiring additional security verification.