Free Client Intake & Budget Tools
Most problems on a matter are created at intake
Four tools for the client relationship: a structured intake sequence, a consultation preparation list that works from either side of the table, fee estimates a client can follow, and budget tracking that surfaces variance while it is still a conversation.
Popular tools
The calculators visitors to LegalClientTools open most often.
- Clients & Intake
Client Intake Checklist
A structured intake checklist covering identity, the matter, conflicts, fees and expectations, saved in your own browser.
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Consultation Preparation Checklist
Prepare for an initial consultation so the meeting produces decisions rather than a list of things to find out.
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Client Fee Estimate Calculator
Produce a fee estimate a client can actually follow, broken down by who does the work, with expenses and a stated allowance.
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Client Budget Tracker
Track a matter against the budget the client agreed and project the final figure while a conversation is still useful.
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A conflicts search that was run and never recorded. A fee basis explained verbally and never confirmed. An instruction taken from someone who turns out not to have authority. A budget that was exceeded quietly and discovered on an invoice.
None of these are questions of legal skill, and all of them are cheap to prevent and expensive to fix. These tools cover the client-facing process where they arise: intake, the first meeting, the estimate, and the ongoing budget conversation.
Browse by category
Clients & Intake
Intake, conflicts and consultation preparation.
Why use LegalClientTools
Intake that produces a record
Conflicts searched and the result recorded, authority to instruct established, fee basis confirmed in writing - the items that are hard to remedy afterwards.
Consultations that reach advice
A meeting that starts with a chronology and documents in date order gets to advice. One that starts with recollection does not.
Estimates clients can follow
Hours by level, expenses separate, allowance stated. Most fee objections are about presentation rather than amount.
Variance raised early
Clients accept a revised budget in advance far more readily than an unexpected invoice. Timing is the whole difference.
How it works
- Run the conflicts portion of intake before any substantive discussion.
- Send the consultation checklist ahead of a first meeting.
- Produce the estimate by timekeeper level and confirm it in writing.
- Track against it using phases completed, and raise variance early.
Frequently asked questions
Is this legal advice?
No. This website provides general informational and productivity tools and does not provide legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.
Are the checklists specific to my jurisdiction?
No. Conduct rules, identity verification and anti-money-laundering obligations differ substantially between jurisdictions. The checklists cover the failures that recur everywhere, not any particular rule set.
Should conflicts be checked before or after taking details?
Collect enough to run the search first, and hold substantive discussion until it clears. Taking detailed confidential information from a party you cannot act for creates its own problem.
When should a budget variance be raised?
As soon as the projection is materially over, not when the budget is exhausted. Some jurisdictions require notice before an estimate is exceeded; everywhere else it is simply the difference between a conversation and a dispute.
Is client information stored anywhere?
No. Calculations run in your browser and are not stored at all; checklist progress is saved in your own browser only. Keep actual client details in your practice management system.