Our AI virtual law firm receptionist handles legal intake, schedules consultations, and works 24/7
Upfirst was built by an attorney who got tired of overpaying for someone to take a message. If you're frustrated with your call center or if you're still the one picking up every call, we built this for you.
Answer calls, collect intake details, and book consultations so you can stay focused on your cases.
Your phone answering service for lawyers collects the information you need to decide if a call is worth your time. Capture the basics like name, phone, email plus the important details like the opposing party's name for a conflict check. All of it gets sent to you by text and email, or passed directly to your case management software.
Connect your calendar directly to our law firm virtual receptionist. Before booking, your receptionist can screen callers to confirm they're in your practice area, let them know about consultation fees, and even text a payment link so they can pay before getting on your calendar. Callers outside your scope get a polite redirect instead of a wasted time slot.
Nine out of ten times, you're in court, in your car, or in a meeting. If a potential client can't reach someone, they call the next firm on their list. Our virtual law firm receptionist handles your overflow and after-hours calls, collects their information, and sends it to you and your team instantly by email or text. No more leads lost to voicemail.
When a judge calls, or opposing counsel, or a client with something urgent, your receptionist collects some context and transfers the call to you with a warm handoff. You see who's calling and why before you accept. If you're busy, the receptionist takes a message. You set the rules for who gets transferred and when.
Our answering service for lawyers handles calls in multiple languages seamlessly. The receptionist detects the caller's language and switches automatically. No need to pull a second person onto the call to interpret. Your call summaries and transcripts arrive in your preferred language.
"Upfirst has already paid for itself. Our after-hours calls used to sit in a voicemail box for hours. Now the intake happens immediately, as if we had a 24-hour receptionist."
"I love the flexibility. My firm's receptionist is entirely different from someone else's because I was able to customize it with my rules. I love your product. I recommend it all the time."
Easy-to-set-up legal virtual receptionist
Set up your attorney answering service in minutes. Upfirst was built by an attorney, for attorneys.
Tell your receptionist about your practice areas, how to handle new vs. existing clients, and what intake questions to ask. Add your FAQs, office hours, and any details callers commonly ask about.
Want judges or opposing counsel transferred directly to you? Set those rules. Your receptionist gives you a warm transfer with context about who's calling and why. If you don't pick up, it takes a polite message.
Forward all calls, or just overflow and after-hours calls, to your Upfirst receptionist. Works with VoIP systems, landlines, and cell phones. Your 24/7 law firm answering service is ready in minutes.
From your dashboard, see every call with a summary, full transcript, and recording. Track your call volume. Leave feedback on any call and our team will help you fine-tune your receptionist.
Elevate your practice with our virtual receptionist law firm solution.
Our virtual receptionist for small law firms operates 24/7/365, ensuring every call gets answered, even after hours or on holidays.
Our virtual receptionist law firm solution integrates with your calendar for seamless appointment booking and rescheduling.
Our virtual receptionists qualify potential clients and gather essential details, preparing your team for initial consultations.
Get clear, concise, and easily understandable messages from our legal answering services.
Integrations
Whether you need to schedule consultations or pass leads to your CRM, Upfirst has the integrations you need.
Have a question that isn't answered here? Get in touch with our team.
How much does a legal answering service cost?
Our plans are based on the number of calls per month:
- 30 calls — $24.95/month
- 90 calls — $59.95/month
- 300 calls — $159.95/month
- 600 calls — $299/monthIf you go over your plan, we charge per call.
Spam and sales calls never count toward your total, and you can see which calls were marked as spam directly in your dashboard. If your firm needs a higher-volume plan, reach out and we can create a custom option.
How long can calls last?
There are no time limits. Upfirst’s pricing is based entirely on the number of calls, not how long each call takes. We also don’t count spam calls or hang-ups under 15 seconds toward your plan. These are filtered automatically.
Can Upfirst’s answering service schedule appointments?
Yes. Upfirst integrates directly with Clio Manage, Google Calendar, and Outlook. Once connected, your receptionist can check your availability in real time, offer callers the best open times, and book appointments directly on your calendar.
Does Upfirst connect to other apps?
Yes. Upfirst connects to Zapier, which lets you integrate with 1,000+ apps. Many attorneys use Zapier to automatically add new leads to MyCase, Lawmatics, Clio Grow, and other case management or intake tools.
How long does it take to set up Upfirst?
Setup usually takes 30 minutes or less. We also offer complimentary onboarding to walk you through everything.You’ll add your firm’s details, FAQs, and intake questions to your agent’s knowledge base. From there, you can run a few test calls to make sure the receptionist is responding exactly the way you want.
How will Upfirst notify me of calls?
For every call, Upfirst sends a summary by email and SMS. These notifications include the full transcript and call recording. You can also add team members and create custom rules. For example, you can choose to notify only a specific attorney when a new potential client calls.
What if two people call my law firm at the same time?
Upfirst can answer multiple calls at once with no wait times, holds, or busy signals. Whether you receive two calls or twenty calls simultaneously, each caller gets immediate attention.
How does Upfirst handle legal questions?
Your receptionist follows only the instructions and information you provide. It collects details, answers routine questions you’ve approved, and redirects anything outside your scope to you or your team. This keeps every interaction compliant and professional.
Can you handle legal intake?
Yes. You can create intake scripts for different case types, and your AI receptionist will ask each caller the right questions. This helps you gather consistent, structured information before you take a case.
Do you offer service in other languages?
Yes. Upfirst supports 35+ languages, including English and Spanish. The receptionist automatically switches to the caller’s language, and you’ll still receive the full transcript translated into your preferred language so you can review it easily.
Can I forward just some of my calls to Upfirst?
Yes. Every Upfirst account comes with a dedicated phone number. You can choose to forward all calls to this number or only unanswered calls, depending on how you want to use the service. Upfirst can also transfer calls to a human. You can set rules so that qualified leads or existing clients are immediately connected to you or your team, while everyone else is handled by your AI receptionist.
Does Upfirst have experience with attorneys?
Yes. Upfirst was founded by an attorney who originally built the software for his own practice after struggling with the cost and inconsistency of traditional answering services. Today, many firms in the U.S. and abroad rely on Upfirst every day.
Our founder, Gene Sigalov, also started SimpleTexting.com, which was later acquired by Sinch, a publicly traded communications company.
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