Harnessing Note-Taking From Intake to Settlement

As an attorney, you’re probably gifted at memorizing facts. But even the best attorneys need to take notes from time to time. It’s impossible to memorize the intricate details of every case, especially if you have a large caseload. 

Thorough case documentation is essential for successful personal injury law firms. Not only is it simply good case management, but it’s also essential for accountability at large or growing firms. Practice management software like CASEpeer makes building and documenting a case easier than you think.

Documenting Intake Calls

An intake call is the most important conversation with a prospective client. Documenting everything carefully, so it can be referenced later if you sign the case, is critical. CASEpeer’s intake window makes it easy to collect key case details like the date of loss, injuries, and incident location during the initial client call or meeting. You can also create custom fields to capture the case details that matter most to your firm.

An initial intake demands attention also to clients’ nonverbal communication. Train your intake attorneys and staff to note their impressions of the client’s mood – and to respond. Treating clients with compassion and professionalism is your biggest asset if they are evaluating other attorneys. 

Our Pointers for Effective Intake Documentation:

• Customize your intake form by practice area for your firm need
• Ask your client to go over all the facts of the accident and injuries while it’s fresh in their mind

• Take note of the exact accident narrative you can reference later in the incident description on the Home Tab of the case
• Track your reference source type and detail during the intake call, so you can later analyze the Source Performance Report to see what marketing is working
• Set the timeline of the case from the beginning, track case touches, and observe who is proactively attending to clients
• Document the incident through the clients’ eyes, for use when demanding the case or prepping for trial

Documenting the Timeline and Completed Case Work

Moving through a case too quickly can hurt your firm and your client later. Don’t let information slip through the cracks! 

CASEpeer facilitates documentation with our automatic case notes, any time important details are added or changed in a case. This is critical for establishing a case timeline, and for establishing accountability. It’s easy to traceback case files step-by-step.

Attorneys and case managers can also add notes manually to document conversations or calls. Something important comes up? Tag a colleague on the note, instead of sending an email. This keeps key information on the case, instead of buried in your Outlook inbox. 

Harnessing Your Notes for a Successful Case Settlement

When your client’s case is finally ready for demand, the previous notes added by attorneys and case managers will be valuable. The strongest demands have specifics and capture the whole effect the accident and injuries have had on your client. 

In CASEpeer, law firms can easily search or filter on note categories like “injuries” or “client communication.”  Reference the notes you’ve taken throughout the case to write effective demands and track negotiations. 

Were you able to note all of the accident’s particulars, track the medical treatment appropriately, and enter into settlement negotiations confidently? Proper note-taking throughout the lifetime of your cases streamlines the settlement process and can lead to better results for your clients.

Legal Technology 

Is your team working at their highest potential? Give them the technology they need to achieve the best results. Documenting a case may seem straightforward, but it’s the first habit to go when attorneys and staff are busy. At CASEpeer, our case management software automates and simplifies note-taking, so your team can focus on what matters most – client experience and client results.

CASEpeer equips law firms for success. If your firm would like to book additional training, please reach out to our Client Success team. Or book a demo to learn more about how we’re helping firms get to the next level.