Legal practitioners · client intake and onboarding
Onboard new clients with ID checks and engagement letters in one flow
The problem
Opening a file means ID requests, AML checks, engagement letters and signatures, all chased by email over days or weeks.
What you get
Clients get one link to verify their ID, confirm their details and e-sign the engagement letter. The matter opens once everything is complete.
Three ways to do it
Indicative monthly running costs, not quotes. They exclude VAT and any one-off build or set-up work. Claude usage is based on Anthropic’s list prices for Claude Sonnet 5.5 and Haiku 5.5; other figures are rough estimates prepared in October 2026.
How it’s built
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List what you need for each matter type
ID, proof of address, source of funds, the engagement letter and your terms.
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Send one onboarding link
The client verifies their ID, uploads documents and confirms their details in one place.
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Run AML checks
A certified ID verification provider checks documents against sanctions and PEP lists.
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Draft the engagement letter
AI fills your template with the scope, fees and team, and the fee earner approves it.
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E-sign and open the matter
Once everything is complete, the matter opens automatically in your case system.
How it fits common tools
- Microsoft 365 Outlook, Teams, SharePoint and Excel connect through Power Automate, and n8n, Make and Zapier all support them. Microsoft Bookings is included in most business plans.
- Google Workspace Gmail, Calendar, Sheets and Drive have well-documented APIs and ready-made connectors in n8n, Make and Zapier.
- Zoho Zoho Bookings, Forms, CRM and Sign all have APIs, and Zoho Flow links them together. Make and n8n have Zoho connectors too.
- Clio Clio has an open API and integrations with Zapier and Make, so matters, contacts, tasks and time entries can all be automated.
- Other case management API access varies by vendor and plan (e.g. LEAP, Actionstep, Osprey). Some offer full APIs, some only exports, so check before choosing an approach.
- Xero or QuickBooks Both have open APIs and connectors in Make, n8n and Zapier, so invoices, payments and reminders can be automated.
- Spreadsheets Fine as a starting point. Once the automation is live, move the data into a proper database or list so it doesn’t break when someone renames a column.
- Paper forms Usually the biggest quick win: replacing paper with a phone or web form removes the re-typing entirely.
Watch-outs
- AML checks must follow the Money Laundering Regulations and your firm’s risk assessment. AI doesn’t replace either.
- Check the scope and fees in every engagement letter.
Want this built for your firm?
Blue Tea is a UK-based software partner. We start with the problem, not the software: if an existing system already does the job, we’ll configure it. If it doesn’t fit, we’ll design and build something that does.
- ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified
- Strategy, design and engineering under one roof
- No obligation. Just a conversation about your process.