The Most Common Problem: Too Many Fields
In almost every initial conversation with law firms, we see the same pattern: The contact form has 10-15 fields. Practice area, case description (500 characters required), case number if available, preferred contact time, budget range, how they heard about you, and so on.
The result: 60-70% of prospects abandon before submitting.
Every additional field is a decision point. Every decision point is an exit opportunity. The math is brutal: a 10-field form with 90% completion per field yields only 35% overall completion. A 5-field form at 90% per field yields 59%.
Why Less Is More
An intake form isn't an engagement letter. It's the first step in a process. All you really need is enough information for a qualified response.
What "qualified response" actually means:
- You can address them by name
- You can contact them back
- You know roughly what they need help with
- You have permission to do so
That's it. Everything else is noise at this stage.
The 5 Required Fields
1. Name
Why it matters: Personalization starts here. "Dear John" vs. "Dear prospective client" is the difference between feeling seen and feeling processed.
Best Practice: Just one "Name" field, not first and last name separated. Let people enter what they want to be called. "Dr. Smith" and "Sarah" are both valid inputs.
Common mistake: Requiring title, middle name, or suffix. Nobody wants to fill out a government form to ask about a divorce.
2. Contact Method (Email or Phone)
Why it matters: You need one reliable way to reach them. Which method depends on their preference, not yours.
Best Practice: Offer both fields, but only require one. Some people hate phone calls. Others don't check email. Let them choose.
Validation tip: For email, basic format check only. For phone, accept any format – your staff can parse "(555) 123-4567" and "5551234567" just fine.
3. Practice Area/Category
Why it matters: Routing. The bankruptcy attorney doesn't need to see personal injury inquiries. Practice area determines who responds and how quickly.
Best Practice: Dropdown with 5-8 clear options + "Other" with optional text field.
Label examples that work:
- "What type of legal matter?"
- "How can we help?"
- "Practice area"
Avoid: Legal jargon in options. "Dissolution of marriage" → "Divorce/Family". "Employment litigation" → "Workplace issues".
4. Brief Description (max. 3 sentences)
Why it matters: Context for the response. The difference between "I need help with a contract" and "I need help with a contract because my business partner is trying to force me out" is substantial.
Best Practice: No minimum character requirement. Maximum ~500 characters (about 3 sentences). Placeholder text with example: "Example: I received a demand letter from my former employer about a non-compete agreement."
Why no minimum: Some matters are simple. "I need a will" doesn't require 100 characters of explanation.
5. Consent/Privacy
Why it matters: GDPR, CCPA, and professional responsibility requirements. Also: filtering out bots.
Best Practice: One checkbox with link to privacy policy. Clear language: "I agree to the privacy policy and consent to being contacted about my inquiry."
Don't combine: Consent to contact, newsletter subscription, and marketing should be separate if you offer them. But for intake, you often only need contact consent.
What You DON'T Need as Required Fields
These fields seem useful but kill conversion:
Phone Number AND Email
Pick one required, offer both. Requiring both signals distrust.
Full Address
You're not mailing them anything yet. If you need jurisdiction info, ask for city/state only.
Case Value or "What Is Your Case Worth?"
They don't know. That's why they're contacting you. This question creates anxiety.
Detailed Case Description
A multi-paragraph text box with minimum requirements is an essay assignment, not an intake form.
Document Uploads
Most people don't have documents ready when they first reach out. This becomes a barrier, not a filter.
"How Did You Hear About Us?"
Useful for marketing, but save it for the follow-up call or confirmation email.
Preferred Contact Time
Nice to have, but adds friction. Your staff can work around schedules.
Budget or Retainer Range
Way too early. This question belongs in the consultation, not the initial contact.
Conversion Numbers from Practice
Case Study: Employment Law Firm
Before (12 fields):
- Name (2 fields: first, last)
- Email (required)
- Phone (required)
- Address (required)
- Employment status
- Employer name
- Issue type (dropdown)
- Case description (min. 200 chars)
- Preferred contact time
- How did you hear about us
- Budget range
- Consent checkbox
After (5 fields):
- Name
- Email or phone (one required)
- Issue type
- Brief description (optional)
- Consent
Results after 90 days:
- Form completion rate: 23% → 51%
- Qualified inquiries/month: +120%
- Time to respond: Unchanged (same staff)
- Conversion to client: Slight increase (better first impression)
Why It Works
The shorter form doesn't lower lead quality – it increases lead volume at the same quality level. The detailed information still gets collected, just during the follow-up call instead of the form.
Advanced: Progressive Disclosure
If you genuinely need more information, use progressive disclosure: show additional fields after the first few are completed.
Example flow:
- Name + contact method
- "Thanks! What can we help with?" → Practice area dropdown appears
- Selection made → Optional brief description appears
- "Almost done!" → Consent checkbox appears
Each step feels manageable. The prospect is already invested by step 3.
Form Placement and Design
Above the Fold
The form (or clear link to it) should be visible without scrolling on your main pages.
Mobile-First
50%+ of initial inquiries come from mobile. Test your form on phones. Dropdowns should be easy to tap. Text fields should be sized for thumbs.
Clear Submit Button
"Submit" is generic. Better: "Send My Inquiry" or "Request Consultation" – action that matches their intent.
Confirmation
After submission: clear confirmation message, expected response time ("We typically respond within 24 hours"), and what happens next.
Connecting to Your Intake Process
The form is step one. What happens after matters more:
- Immediate acknowledgment: Automated email confirming receipt
- Routing: Form data goes to correct team/attorney
- Response SLA: Define and track time to first response
- Follow-up: If no response in 24h, automatic reminder to assigned staff
- Qualification: First call/email qualifies the lead and collects additional info
The form feeds the process. The process converts leads. Optimizing the form without fixing the process just gives you more unhandled inquiries.
Testing Your Form
Before Launch
- Fill it out yourself on mobile
- Time how long it takes (target: under 60 seconds)
- Check error messages – are they helpful?
- Test the confirmation email
After Launch
- Track completion rate (Google Analytics or form tool)
- A/B test field labels and order
- Review abandoned forms – where do people drop off?
- Survey new clients: "How was the contact process?"
Conclusion
A good intake form is short, clear, and leads to a process – not a data graveyard. Five fields is not lazy design; it's conversion-optimized design.
The information you think you need upfront can wait for the first conversation. What can't wait is capturing the lead before they move on to your competitor's simpler form.
Want to optimize your intake form and the process behind it? In an initial consultation, we'll look at what makes sense for your practice.