Yes, AI receptionists can now answer law firm calls around the clock, run practice area intake, collect opposing party names for a conflict check and book consultations into Clio or MyCase. For most small firms we recommend Smith.ai: it has native Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics integrations, conflict checks, live agents you can add for sensitive calls, and a free plan for 25 AI calls a month. On a tight budget, Upfirst starts at $24.95 a month and syncs with your Clio calendar.
Intake, scheduling and after hours coverage work today, but conflict checks usually still finish inside your practice management software, and bar rules on confidentiality and supervision mean a lawyer must set up and review the scripts.Smith.ai: our pick
Best for most small firms that want legal intake, conflict checks and a human backup in one service.
Smith.ai has the most complete legal feature set we found. Its law firm page lists practice specific intake, issue spotting, conflict screening, consultation booking, spam blocking and payment collection, with native integrations for Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics and Zapier for thousands more Smith.ai for law firms ↗. It offers bilingual support and call summaries in English and Spanish Smith.ai for law firms ↗. Its conflict check works by asking qualified leads for the names of opposing parties and searching your CRM or a Google spreadsheet, then noting any match in the call summary; an older Smith.ai post says this runs in Clio, Lawmatics and Google Sheets Smith.ai conflict checks ↗.
You can choose an AI receptionist, a live virtual receptionist, or a hybrid where live agents step in when needed, backed by more than 500 North America based receptionists, according to Lawyerist Lawyerist review ↗. The AI plan has a real free tier: 25 calls a month, plus test and simulated calls, then $3.00 per extra call; paid plans start at $150 a month for 75 calls, month to month with 30 days' notice Smith.ai pricing ↗. CloudTalk lists higher tiers at $270 for 150 calls and $500 for 300 calls CloudTalk, Smith.ai pricing ↗. Lawyerist reports live agent handoff at an extra $3 per call Lawyerist review ↗.
Two cautions. Smith.ai's own attorney page says its AI plans start at $500 a month billed yearly, which conflicts with the $150 pricing page, so confirm which plan your firm needs in writing Smith.ai attorney page ↗ Smith.ai pricing ↗. And reviews are mixed: Lawyerist rates it 4.4 out of 5, while some community reviewers report missed calls, voicemail routing problems and slow support Lawyerist review ↗.
Why we like Smith.ai
- Native Clio, MyCase and Lawmatics integrations
- Conflict checks against your CRM or a spreadsheet
- Live agents available for sensitive or crisis calls
- Free plan with 25 AI calls a month
- English and Spanish call summaries
Where Smith.ai falls short
- Conflicting price statements across Smith.ai pages
- Live agent handoff costs extra per call
- Some user reports of missed calls and slow support
Upfirst: budget pick
Best for solo attorneys who need after hours answering and Clio booking for the lowest monthly cost.
Upfirst is the cheapest way we found to get an AI answering a law firm line that books into Clio. Its Clio App Directory listing says it connects directly to your Clio calendar to schedule and manage appointments, syncs each appointment and client record to Clio, captures new leads, and can be trained to qualify callers before scheduling Clio App Directory, Upfirst ↗. Warm transfers, texting during calls and more than 35 languages are part of the service Upfirst pricing ↗.
Pricing starts at $24.95 a month for 30 calls, with a 14 day free trial that needs no card Upfirst pricing ↗. CloudTalk lists the higher tiers at $59.95 a month for 90 calls and $159.95 for 300 calls, with Starter overage at $1.50 per call, and says calls under 15 seconds and spam calls are not billed CloudTalk, Upfirst pricing ↗. CloudTalk also notes that yearly prepayments are not refundable, so start monthly CloudTalk, Upfirst pricing ↗.
What it lacks is legal depth. The Clio listing does not mention creating matters, and we found no built in conflict check Clio App Directory, Upfirst ↗. Add an intake question for the opposing party's name and run the check yourself in Clio before the consultation; a legal AI roundup notes that this is where most conflict searches actually happen anyway Stork.AI roundup ↗.
Why we like Upfirst
- Lowest published starting price, $24.95 a month
- Books into your Clio calendar and syncs client records
- 14 day trial without a credit card
- Short and spam calls not billed
Where Upfirst falls short
- No built in conflict check
- Clio listing does not mention matter creation
- Yearly prepayment is not refundable
AgentZap: also great
Best for firms that want AI only intake scripts by practice area with deeper Clio and MyCase sync.
AgentZap sells a law firm version of its AI receptionist with structured intake for personal injury, family law, criminal defense, estate planning, immigration and real estate matters AgentZap legal ↗. It collects opposing party names on each call and says it cross references your client database and flags potential conflicts before booking a consultation AgentZap legal ↗. It lists full case management sync with Clio, contacts, matters and calendar with MyCase, and connections to PracticePanther, Smokeball and Filevine AgentZap legal ↗. Its Clio page says the AI opens new contacts and matters and books consultations into your Clio calendar after checking attorney availability AgentZap Clio ↗.
It answers in English and Spanish, escalates urgent matters such as arrests or restraining orders to an on call attorney, and offers live receptionist backup AgentZap legal ↗. Pricing on its main page: Starter $109 a month for 150 minutes with overage at $0.85 a minute, Professional $295 for 450 minutes, and Business $899 for 1,500 minutes AgentZap pricing ↗. A $499 one time setup fee applies, waived on Professional if you commit to six months, and there is a 30 day money back guarantee rather than a free trial AgentZap pricing ↗.
Read the fine print. The legal page calls the price flat with no per call fees while its pricing section says pay per minute AgentZap legal ↗. The Clio page does not say whether caller answers are checked against your existing Clio records, so ask to see a conflict hit in a demo AgentZap Clio ↗. The price of live backup is not listed AgentZap pricing ↗.
Why we like AgentZap
- Intake scripts for six practice areas
- Flags potential conflicts before booking
- Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, Smokeball and Filevine
- Escalation to an on call attorney
Where AgentZap falls short
- $499 setup fee unless you sign for six months
- Mixed wording on flat versus per minute billing
- Live backup price not published
Ruby: upgrade pick
Best for firms that want a real person on every call, with AI working behind the scenes.
Ruby is not an AI receptionist. Its receptionists are live people, and its AI features support them: an assistant that pulls your firm's details during calls, AI transcripts of calls and voicemails, caller sentiment analysis and robocall screening, all included at no extra cost Ruby AI ↗. For a caller in crisis after an arrest or an accident, some firms will want that human voice.
Every plan includes 24/7 answering, including weekends and holidays, Spanish and bilingual call handling, scheduling, payment collection, lead qualification and intake, and HIPAA compliant service options Ruby pricing ↗. A Ruby offer page for law firms says call data syncs with Clio and Rocket Matter, so confirm your practice software in a demo Ruby law firms ↗.
The cost is the trade off. Plans are sold by receptionist minutes: $250 a month for 50 minutes, $395 for 100, $720 for 200 and $1,725 for 500 Ruby pricing ↗. Ruby says there are no fees for activation, onboarding or setup, but its pricing page does not state overage, contract or trial terms Ruby pricing ↗. Intake calls run long, so price your real call minutes before you sign.
Why we like Ruby
- Live people answer every call
- Clio, MyCase and Rocket Matter sync
- Bilingual and 24/7 on every plan
- AI transcripts and spam screening included
Where Ruby falls short
- Far more expensive per call than AI
- Overage and contract terms not published
- No built in conflict check described
Compare them
| Tool | Starting price | Free trial | Who answers | Practice software | Conflict screening | Spanish | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.aiOur pick | Free (25 calls); paid from $150/mo | Free plan | AI, live agents optional | Clio, MyCase, Lawmatics native | Yes, searches CRM or spreadsheet | Yes | Most small firms |
| UpfirstBudget pick | $24.95/mo (30 calls) | 14 days, no card | AI | Clio calendar and client records | Not built in | 35+ languages | Solo attorneys on a budget |
| AgentZapAlso great | $109/mo plus $499 setup | 30 day money back | AI, live backup available | Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, Smokeball, Filevine | Yes, flags potential conflicts | Yes | Practice area intake scripts |
| RubyUpgrade pick | $250/mo (50 minutes) | Not stated | Live people | Clio, MyCase, Rocket Matter | Not described | Yes | Firms that want humans |
| Goodcall | $79/mo (100 unique callers) | Free demo agent | AI | Zapier and APIs | Not built in | Not stated | Long intake calls |
| My AI Front Desk | $99/mo ($79 yearly) | 7 days | AI | Zapier | Not built in | Not stated | Calls, texts and chat together |
Prices and features from each vendor’s site, checked Oct 9, 2026. Prices change often.
Who this is for
This guide is for solo attorneys and small firms, roughly one to fifteen lawyers, whose phones go unanswered while lawyers are in court, in depositions or asleep. For a law firm, almost every new caller is a potential client, and many call several firms in a row.
Law firms need things our general small business guide does not weigh. The receptionist has to ask practice area screening questions, collect the opposing party's name for a conflict check before the caller tells their whole story, avoid anything that sounds like legal advice, and push the lead into Clio, MyCase or another practice management system. After hours calls also matter more: arrests and protective orders do not wait for business hours.
If you mostly get calls from existing clients about scheduling, a general AI receptionist will do. If you get new matters by phone, read on.
Why you should trust us
We read each vendor's law firm pages, integration pages and pricing pages, checked prices between October 9 and October 12, 2026, and read Lawyerist's review of Smith.ai and a legal AI receptionist roundup Lawyerist review ↗ Stork.AI roundup ↗. We also read the ABA's guidance on lawyers' use of AI and the Florida Bar's opinion on generative AI ABA Formal Opinion 512 ↗ Florida Bar Opinion 24-1 ↗. Every fact links to its source.
No vendor paid for placement, and our picks were chosen on merit.
How we picked
We started with the AI receptionists in our catalog and kept those that describe legal intake or a practice management connection. We added Ruby, a human service, because many firms still compare AI against live receptionists.
Conflict screening and practice software sync carried the most weight. A receptionist that books a consultation without collecting adverse party names can put a lawyer in a meeting they should never have taken.
- Practice area intake questions you can customize
- Collects opposing party names for a conflict check
- Syncs leads and bookings with Clio, MyCase or similar
- Live transfer or escalation for urgent and emotional calls
- Spanish or other languages your clients speak
- Clear pricing per call or per minute
- Independent reviews where they exist
What an AI receptionist can and can't do for a law firm
It can answer every call, screen by practice area and location, book a consultation and send the details to your practice software Smith.ai for law firms ↗ AgentZap Clio ↗. Smith.ai says roughly 75 percent of calls on its AI plans are fully resolved by AI, with the rest escalated to a person; that is the vendor's figure Smith.ai attorney page ↗.
Conflict checks are only half automated. Most tools capture the adverse party's name during intake, and the search itself usually happens in your practice management system across your matter history Stork.AI roundup ↗. Smith.ai searches your CRM or a spreadsheet and reports a match in the call summary Smith.ai conflict checks ↗; AgentZap says it flags potential conflicts before booking AgentZap legal ↗. Ask each vendor where the search happens and what it searches.
It must not give legal advice or promise representation. Script the AI to say it cannot advise on the caller's case, that no attorney client relationship exists yet, and that a lawyer will follow up. Keep a human path for callers who are distressed, in custody or facing a deadline.
Ethics rules that apply
Bar guidance treats AI tools as something lawyers must understand and supervise. The ABA's Formal Opinion 512, issued in July 2024, says lawyers using generative AI must consider competence, confidentiality, client communication and reasonable fees, and must protect client information unless the client gives informed consent ABA Formal Opinion 512 ↗. The Florida Bar's Opinion 24-1 says lawyers may use generative AI but must protect confidentiality, avoid improper billing and comply with lawyer advertising rules Florida Bar Opinion 24-1 ↗. Check your own state bar's guidance too.
Treat the greeting and intake script as client communications that a lawyer approves. Ask vendors who can listen to recordings, how long transcripts are kept and whether your calls train their AI. Also know your recording law: federal law needs one party's consent, but states including California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Washington require consent from everyone on the call DMLP recording law ↗.
What it costs for a small firm
Take a three lawyer firm that sends 120 calls a month to its receptionist, and assume intake calls average four minutes, or about 480 minutes. Here is what published prices work out to.
Upfirst would be about $89.95 a month on its 90 call Premium plan plus 30 extra calls at $1.00, using CloudTalk's figures CloudTalk, Upfirst pricing ↗. Smith.ai's AI plan would land on its $270 tier for 150 calls CloudTalk, Smith.ai pricing ↗. AgentZap's Professional plan would be about $317.50, which is $295 for 450 minutes plus 30 minutes at $0.75, and the $499 setup fee unless you commit to six months AgentZap pricing ↗. Ruby's 500 minute human plan is $1,725 a month Ruby pricing ↗.
One retained matter usually covers a year of any AI plan here, so the deciding factors are intake quality and conflict handling, not the monthly fee.
Before you sign up
Run a demo as a mock caller from a practice area you take and one you do not. Give the name of an existing client as the opposing party and see whether a conflict is flagged, and where.
- Ask where the conflict search runs and which records it reads
- Confirm it creates contacts and matters in your software, not just calendar events
- Have a lawyer approve the greeting, disclaimers and intake questions
- Set an escalation path for arrests, protective orders and court deadlines
- Ask how long recordings are kept and whether calls train the vendor's AI
- Add a recording notice to the greeting
- Start on monthly billing and review transcripts every week
The competition
GoodcallStarts at $79/month for 100 unique callers
Goodcall never meters minutes and bills by unique caller instead, starting at $79 a month for 100 callers, $129 for 500 and $299 for 2,000, which suits long intake calls Goodcall pricing ↗. It does not describe legal intake or name practice management integrations on its pricing page Goodcall pricing ↗.
My AI Front DeskStarts at $99/month ($79/month billed yearly)
My AI Front Desk bundles 200 voice minutes, 400 texts and 100 web chats for $99 a month, or $79 billed yearly, with a 7 day trial My AI Front Desk pricing ↗. Its pricing page names only Zapier for integrations, so plan on building your own Clio connection My AI Front Desk pricing ↗.
RosieStarts at $49/month for 250 minutes
Rosie starts at $49 a month for 250 minutes in English and Spanish, with direct calendar booking and warm transfers from the $149 plan Rosie pricing ↗. A legal roundup lists its Clio connection as working through Zapier Stork.AI roundup ↗.
Questions people ask
Can an AI receptionist do legal intake?
Yes. Smith.ai lists practice specific legal intake, issue spotting and consultation booking for law firms Smith.ai for law firms ↗, and AgentZap offers intake scripts for personal injury, family, criminal, estate, immigration and real estate matters AgentZap legal ↗. Have a lawyer approve the questions and keep the AI from giving legal advice.
Can an AI receptionist run a conflict check?
Partly. Smith.ai collects opposing party names and searches your CRM or a spreadsheet, noting any match in the call summary Smith.ai conflict checks ↗. AgentZap says it flags potential conflicts before booking AgentZap legal ↗. A legal roundup notes the actual search usually happens in your practice management software, so ask where it runs Stork.AI roundup ↗.
Which AI receptionists integrate with Clio?
Smith.ai has a native Clio integration, along with MyCase and Lawmatics Smith.ai for law firms ↗. Upfirst connects to your Clio calendar and syncs client records Clio App Directory, Upfirst ↗, AgentZap lists full Clio case management sync AgentZap legal ↗, and Ruby syncs call data with Clio Manage and Clio Grow Ruby law firms ↗.
How much does an AI receptionist for a law firm cost?
Published prices start at $24.95 a month for 30 calls at Upfirst Upfirst pricing ↗, free for 25 AI calls at Smith.ai with paid plans from $150 Smith.ai pricing ↗, and $109 a month plus a $499 setup fee at AgentZap AgentZap pricing ↗. Ruby's live receptionists start at $250 a month for 50 minutes Ruby pricing ↗.
Is it ethical for a law firm to use an AI receptionist?
Generally yes, with supervision. ABA Formal Opinion 512 says lawyers using generative AI must consider competence, confidentiality, client communication and fees ABA Formal Opinion 512 ↗, and the Florida Bar says lawyers must also follow advertising rules Florida Bar Opinion 24-1 ↗. Approve the script, protect caller information and check your state bar's guidance.
Should a law firm use an AI receptionist or a live answering service?
Use AI for volume and after hours coverage, and humans for sensitive calls. Smith.ai lets you mix both, with live agent handoff at about $3 per call Lawyerist review ↗. Ruby uses only live receptionists, from $250 a month for 50 minutes Ruby pricing ↗.
Where this comes from
Checked Oct 9, 2026. Vendor pages describe their own products; independent sources add outside views. Built from 22 sources: the makers' own pages plus independent reviews and user reports. We have not run our own hands on test yet; if we do, the results will appear here.
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