Attorneys and representatives handle a lot of repetitive paperwork and tasks. A great goal for attorneys is to reduce time spent on repetitive tasks so they can sign more claimants, stay on top of files, and manage time effectively. An easy way to achieve this is to have templates ready to go so you don’t have to spend time recreating the same letter for every claimant.

Think of all the time you could save if you had important documents and emails drafted ahead of time! Below are five useful templates that every attorney, regardless of their areas of law, should have prepared.

1. Welcome Letter

If you have a claimant you’re ready to sign up or if you’re still trying reach a claimant, you want to make a good first impression. Because your claimant is actively seeking legal assistance, you should reach out and make a connection as soon as possible. Therefore, set yourself apart by sending a Welcome Letter to the claimant in which you can introduce yourself and help personify the firm.

2. Unable to Reach Claimant

This letter is especially necessary if you’re purchasing case leads from a lead provider. Unfortunately, many claimants are not proactive and it can take several phone calls before you are able to reach them. Successful attorneys connect with their claimants through many channels besides phone calls, such as texting or sending emails.

An easy follow up trick is sending an email to state that you’re unable to get ahold of the claimant, and urge the claimant to contact you first. You can ask to verify that the contact information you have on file for the claimant is correct and reiterate your firm’s contact information as well. The sooner you can get in touch with the claimant, the sooner you can determine if he/she has a case worth pursuing.

3. Fee Agreement

After you’ve spoken with a claimant, you want to sign him/her as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the claimant might lose interest or decide to look for legal help elsewhere. Therefore, have a fee agreement ready to go that you can send for electronic signature. There’s no need to rewrite a fee agreement, and likely the only parts that would need to be customized are the date and the claimant’s name. As soon as that letter is signed, a relationship is formed between yourself and the new client. Even if there is more paperwork, forming that bond quickly will help you receive the other paperwork back faster, and it will help you start working on the new case.

4. Outstanding Paperwork

Unfortunately, some claimants are not timely in returning their paperwork. If you have packets in the mail waiting to be signed, you’ll likely continue following up with your claimant through numerous phone calls or emails. To help speed the process, have an email ready to go that reminds the claimant to return the paperwork as soon as possible. Creating urgency and letting him/her know that you can’t start working on the case without the returned paperwork will help ensure it is signed faster. Also, such an email is a great example of a template that can be sent through mass actions if you have lead and case management software that allows you to do so.

5. Appointment Reminder

There’s nothing worse than carving out time out of your schedule for an appointment only for a client to never show up. Therefore, remind your client of the appointment by sending a quick appointment reminder letter. You can even have a template that’s sent out as soon as the appointment is scheduled, and another sent the day before the appointment.

There are certainly many other letters for which you could have templates, but starting with these five should definitely help you save time, giving you more opportunity to win cases and increase your profitability!

Streamlining the Process with Case Management Software

If you have a lead or case management software, you can most likely have these templates stored online. This will help you send the letters or emails to claimants quickly, and edit your emails and documents so they automatically fill in with client information, ultimately saving you from needing to write out or customize the letter at all. Finally, you can send mass emails that are personalized for each claimant.

If you’re currently purchasing leads from us, remember that your account comes with complimentary access to eLuminate, our online lead and case management software. Call us at 617.800.0089 to find out how you can take advantage of it and create letter templates within it. Or, if you’re not currently a client but are looking for more case leads, contact us as well!