The Client Care Challenge
Clients want to know what is happening with their matter. They want updates without having to chase. They want to understand costs before invoices arrive.
SRA standards require this level of client care. But delivering it manually is time-consuming and inconsistent.
Communication automation helps solicitors meet client care standards systematically—freeing time for substantive legal work.
SRA Client Care Requirements
Code of Conduct Paragraph 3.4
You must ensure clients receive the best possible information about how their matter will be handled, including:
- Who will handle the matter and their experience
- How you will communicate with them
- The likely overall cost, or how costs are calculated
- How and when costs may vary
Code of Conduct Paragraph 8.6
You must have systems and controls for supervising client matters and ensuring client care standards are met.
The Transparency Rules
From 6 December 2018, specific transparency requirements apply to certain services:
- Price information
- Service descriptions
- Regulatory status
- Complaints information
What Communication Can Be Automated
Matter Status Updates
Traditional approach: Solicitor remembers to email when something happens. Sometimes they do, sometimes they do not.
Automated approach:
- Milestone-triggered notifications (exchange, completion, filing)
- Scheduled status summaries (weekly, fortnightly)
- "No news" updates (still waiting for X)
- Key date reminders (completion date approaching)
Costs Communications
Traditional approach: Client sees costs on invoice for first time. Shock and queries follow.
Automated approach:
- Initial estimate communication
- "Approaching estimate" warnings (75%, 90%, exceeded)
- Pre-invoice cost summaries
- Costs transparency at each stage
Document Notifications
Traditional approach: Solicitor sends documents when they remember.
Automated approach:
- Automatic notification when documents added to portal
- Read receipt tracking
- Reminder if documents not accessed
- Secure delivery without email attachments
Onboarding Communications
Traditional approach: Engagement letter sent. Then silence until work begins.
Automated approach:
- Welcome message with process explanation
- Team introduction
- Document request with clear guidance
- Regular progress updates during setup
Complaints Signposting
SRA requirement: Clients must know how to complain.
Automated approach:
- Complaints process included in engagement letter
- Periodic reminder of complaints procedure
- Response templates if complaint received
What Should NOT Be Automated
Substantive advice: Legal guidance requires solicitor delivery.
Difficult conversations: Unfavourable developments need human handling.
Fee negotiations: Sensitive discussions need personal touch.
Complaint responses: Human engagement for complaint resolution.
Relationship-sensitive communications: Some clients require personal approach.
Building the Communication System
Communication Templates
For each automated communication:
- Clear identification of the matter
- What has happened or is happening
- Any client action required
- Contact details for questions
- Consistent firm branding
Trigger Points
Time-based triggers:
- Weekly status summary
- Monthly costs update
- Quarterly relationship check-in
Event-based triggers:
- Milestone reached
- Document received/sent
- Key date approaching
- Costs threshold reached
Absence triggers:
- No communication in 3 weeks
- No client response in 2 weeks
Client Preferences
Allow clients to specify:
- Preferred communication channel
- Update frequency
- Types of updates desired
- Secondary contacts
Document and respect preferences.
Conveyancing Communication Automation
Conveyancing has predictable milestones, perfect for automation:
Pre-Exchange:
- Instruction acknowledgment
- Searches ordered notification
- Title issues summary
- Exchange date proposals
Exchange to Completion:
- Exchange confirmation
- Completion preparation checklist
- Fund requirement confirmation
- Completion confirmation
Post-Completion:
- Registration submitted
- Registration complete
- File closure summary
Each stage can trigger automated communication with appropriate content.
Commercial Work Communication
Less predictable than conveyancing, but patterns exist:
Matter setup:
- Engagement confirmation
- Team introduction
- Project plan overview
During matter:
- Milestone completions
- Document delivery
- Meeting summaries
Matter close:
- Outcome summary
- File retention explanation
- Feedback request
Measuring Communication Performance
Compliance Metrics
- Matters with client care letter: 100%
- Costs information provided at outset: 100%
- Regular updates per policy: 100%
Service Metrics
- Response time to client queries
- Proactive update frequency
- Portal engagement rates
Client Satisfaction
- NPS or satisfaction scores
- Complaints about communication
- Positive feedback rate
Integration with Practice Management
Matter Status
Communication triggers based on matter status changes:
- Status moves to "Exchanged" → Exchange notification sent
- Status moves to "Complete" → Completion confirmation sent
Billing
Communication triggers based on billing activity:
- WIP reaches 75% of estimate → Warning sent
- Invoice generated → Pre-invoice notification sent
Documents
Communication triggers based on document activity:
- Document uploaded for client → Portal notification sent
- Client document uploaded → Acknowledgment sent
Common Implementation Pitfalls
Pitfall 1: Over-Communication
Flooding clients with automated messages. Important messages lost in noise.
Fix: Curate carefully. Quality over quantity.
Pitfall 2: Impersonal Tone
Messages that obviously came from a system damage relationships.
Fix: Write in firm voice. Include personalisation. Have solicitors review templates.
Pitfall 3: No Human Escalation
Automated system loops without reaching a person.
Fix: Clear paths to human contact. Easy escalation.
Pitfall 4: Wrong Audience
Automating for clients who want personal contact.
Fix: Preferences matter. Some clients opt out of automation.
LEXCEL and Client Care
If pursuing LEXCEL, communication automation supports:
Section 3: Client care requirements
Section 4.1: File management (communication records)
Build with LEXCEL standards in mind.
The Supervision Aspect
SRA expects firms to supervise client care. Automation provides:
- Dashboard showing communication status per matter
- Alerts for matters with no recent communication
- Audit trail of all communications
- Management reporting on client care compliance
COLP can see at a glance whether client care standards are being met.
The Bottom Line
Client care is an SRA requirement, not an option. Automation makes consistent client care achievable at scale.
The best systems make good service the default, not dependent on individual solicitor diligence.
Build communication automation that serves clients well and creates the compliance evidence the SRA expects.