Sample call

A 7:40 PM call, answered and booked

An adult daughter calls about her mother's estate plan after the office has closed. Below is every word the AI receptionist says, what it puts on the firm's calendar, and the rule behind each step. It answers only the calls your office misses and the calls that come in after hours.

Sample call. A written example for a fictional firm and caller, to show how the receptionist works. Your firm's script is written with you and approved by your attorney before it goes live.

The call

Firm: Example Estate Law, a fictional estate planning firm in Los Angeles County, California. Office hours are 9 to 5 on weekdays.
Settings in this sample: After-hours calls forward to the receptionist. Texting is on, because the carriers have approved the firm's registration. After-hours urgent transfers are off.
Caller: Jessica Rivera, calling about a will or trust for her mother.

7:40 PM - Tuesday. The office is closed, so the call forwards straight to the receptionist, as the firm set it up. The receptionist answers.

Receptionist (AI)

Thanks for calling Example Estate Law. I'm an AI assistant that answers calls for the firm through an outside phone service, and this call is recorded. Esta llamada se graba. How can I help you today?

AI and recording, in the first sentence. Before the caller says a word, she hears that this is an AI, that it answers for the firm through an outside phone service, and that the call is recorded. California requires every party's consent to record a call, so the notice comes first. Firms in counties with many Spanish speakers can add the short Spanish notice. If a caller says no to recording at any point, it asks nothing more. It says someone from the office will call back during business hours (or gives the office number and hours, if caller ID is hidden), and ends the call so nothing more is recorded.

Caller

Hi, yes. This is Jessica Rivera. I'm calling about my mom. She wants to finally get a will or a trust done, and she asked me to find someone.

Receptionist (AI)

Thank you, Jessica. I can help you set up a consultation with an attorney. I'll ask a few quick questions first. Please don't share private details yet; the attorney will go over those with you. I have your last name as Rivera, R-I-V-E-R-A. Is that right?

Only what's needed to book. It collects names, a callback number, the kind of matter, the county, a few yes-or-no basics and the names of others involved for your conflict check. It asks one question at a time. It never asks for Social Security or account numbers, asset values, health details or what's in anyone's documents. If a caller starts sharing those, it stops them gently and doesn't repeat them.

Caller

That's right. And my mom is Maria Rivera. Same spelling.

Receptionist (AI)

Thank you. The attorney will need to speak with them directly, so please plan for them to join the consult. Is the number you're calling from the best one to reach you?

An adult child calling for a parent. The consult is booked in Maria's name, because she is the prospective client. Jessica is noted as the caller, and the booking is flagged so your staff see who called for whom. Whether the parent must join the consult is your firm's rule. This line is the default, and your attorney can change it.

Caller

Okay, that's fine. I'll sit in with her. And yes, this is my cell. After 4 is easiest, if anyone needs to call me.

Receptionist (AI)

Thank you. Which county does your mother live in?

Caller

Los Angeles County.

Receptionist (AI)

Is she married or in a registered domestic partnership?

Caller

No, she's a widow. It's just her, and then me and my brother. We're both grown.

Receptionist (AI)

Thank you. Does she own a home or other real estate? Is any of it outside California?

Caller

Just her house. Nothing out of state. Can I ask you something, though? Does she need a trust, or is a will enough? And what does a trust cost, roughly?

Receptionist (AI)

That's a good question for the attorney. I can't give legal advice, but I can set up a time for you to ask them. The attorney will go over fees with you at the consultation. The firm checks names before every consult. Besides you and your mother, who else is involved? For example a spouse, other family members, or anyone on the other side.

No legal advice, even on a simple question. It won't say whether someone needs a trust, a will or probate, and that includes "just in general" and "what would you do." It gives the approved line and offers the consult instead. The question is flagged in the summary, so your office knows it's on the caller's mind.

Fees: only the line your attorney approves. Here the firm's line is "The attorney will go over fees with you at the consultation." No ranges, estimates or discounts. If your firm publishes a flat fee or offers a free consult, your attorney can approve a line that says so. It never takes payments.

Caller

Um... my brother, I guess? He's not really part of this. But he's her son. Daniel Rivera.

Receptionist (AI)

Thank you. Daniel Rivera, her son. Is anything time-sensitive? For example, a court date coming up, or someone in the hospital who wants to sign documents soon.

Caller

No, nothing like that. She just wants it done.

Checking for urgency. In this sample the firm added this yes-or-no question to its intake questions. If Jessica had said yes, the receptionist would take her name, number and a few words on the reason, mark the call urgent and alert the people your firm named, right away. If your firm allows after-hours transfers, it tries one transfer to the number you named in writing. If not, it says someone will call as soon as the office opens, tells her not to wait for a call back if there's a court date or deadline, and offers the earliest consult. Anyone in danger is told to hang up and call 911. It never decides whether something is legally urgent or what deadline applies.

Receptionist (AI)

Okay. How did you hear about Example Estate Law?

Caller

I searched online and found you on Google.

Receptionist (AI)

Thank you. One moment while I check the calendar. I have Thursday, December 3 at 10 a.m., or Monday, December 7 at 2 p.m. Does either work?

7:45 PM - The receptionist checked the firm's live calendar and offered the two open times it returned, word for word.

Caller

Thursday at 10. At the office, if that's possible. I'll drive her.

Receptionist (AI)

To confirm: a consultation for Maria Rivera, Thursday, December 3 at 10 a.m., at the office. Shall I book that?

Caller

Yes, please.

7:46 PM - Consult booked on the firm's calendar in Maria Rivera's name, marked "conflict check pending."

Receptionist (AI)

You're booked for Thursday, December 3 at 10 a.m. Just so you know, setting up a consult doesn't make you a client of the firm yet. The attorney will go over that with you. Is there anything else I can help with?

Real open times, confirmed before it says "booked." It checks your live calendar, offers up to two open times, and says them exactly as the calendar gives them. It never works out dates on its own. It reads back who, when and where, waits for a clear yes, and says "You're booked" only after the calendar confirms. One booking per call. Every booked caller also hears that a consult doesn't make them a client yet.

Caller

Could you text me the time, so I don't lose it? Otherwise, that's everything.

Receptionist (AI)

I'm not able to send a text for this call, but the office has your information, and the consult is on the calendar for Thursday, December 3 at 10 a.m. Thank you for calling Example Estate Law. Goodbye.

7:47 PM - No confirmation text. The caller booked for someone else.

Texts only with a yes, and not on this call. When a caller books for themselves, it asks: "Would you like Example Estate Law to send you one text confirming this, at the number you're calling from? Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out." Only a clear yes counts, and the yes is logged in your firm's records. It doesn't offer texts when someone books for another person, or on dispute, conservatorship, guardianship or elder-abuse calls. On those calls, a text with even just the firm's name can reveal contact with a law firm to someone else who sees the phone. Texting starts only after the carriers approve your firm's registration.

7:47 PM - Call ends. A summary goes to the firm's intake inbox.

The receptionist follows the script your attorney approves. Fixed lines, like the greeting and the answers on legal advice, fees and client status, are said word for word. The fee line, on-behalf rule, urgent rules and intake questions shown here are defaults your firm can change. The AI and recording notice in the first sentence stays on every call.

What your firm sees afterwards

By the time the call ends, the consult is on your calendar. A few minutes later, a short summary is in your intake inbox.

On your calendar

Thursday at 10 a.m.: "Consult – M. Rivera – New estate plan – AI-booked – CONFLICT CHECK PENDING." The calendar sends the caller nothing. Any change goes through your office.

In your intake inbox

A short summary, sent to the inbox your firm chooses. The subject line has no caller name, because it shows on lock screens.

The recording and transcript

They belong to your firm and are kept for the period your firm sets. Only your intake and conflicts staff can open them, and the summary tells them to wait until the conflict check clears.

The summary email

Field	What it says
Subject	[AI intake] Consult booked – New estate plan – Thu 12/3 10:00 AM
First line	DO NOT OPEN THE RECORDING OR TRANSCRIPT UNTIL THE CONFLICT CHECK CLEARS.
Outcome	Consult booked (calendar confirmed)
Next step for staff	Run the conflict check on the names below before Thu 12/3.
Urgent	No
Caller	J. Rivera · (555) 010-0142 (caller ID) · best time: after 4 PM
Calling for	M. Rivera (mother) · booked in the name of M. Rivera
Matter	New estate plan · County: Los Angeles (in area: yes)
Basics	Married or partner: no · Children: yes, minors: no · Real estate in CA: yes, other state: no
Conflict-check names	M. Rivera – prospective client; J. Rivera – caller (daughter); D. Rivera – son
Message	"Mother wants a will or trust; daughter will join the consult."
Booking	Thursday, December 3 at 10 a.m. · at the office
Text confirmation	Not offered (caller booked for someone else)
Heard about the firm	Google (caller's words)
Flags	Legal question asked · fees asked · calling for someone else
Call	7:40 PM · 7 minutes · after hours: yes
Version	Script v1.0 · approved in writing by the firm's attorney
Recording and transcript	Link to the firm's receptionist account, login required (intake and conflicts staff only)

Sample summary for the call above. Fictional firm, caller and number. Names are shortened on this page; the real summary shows them in full.

What I see: counts and tags only, for your Monday report. This call shows up there as one consult booked after hours. I don't receive names, numbers, recordings or transcripts. See the sample Monday report.

If a caller doesn't book: the call is still in the call log with their number and what they asked about, and your intake person gets a notice to check it. Your staff make any call back. The receptionist never calls anyone.

What it will never do

These rules are written into the script your attorney approves. Before launch I test every rule with scripted calls designed to break it, and your firm can review the calls afterward.

Give legal advice, even "just in general."
Quote fees, unless your attorney approves a line for it.
Place outbound calls. It only answers.
Text anyone without a clear yes on the call.
Pretend to be a person.
Keep recording after a caller says no. It ends the call.
Say that anyone is a client, or that the firm will take a matter.
Ask for Social Security numbers, account numbers, asset values or health details.

More on bar rules, data and ownership is in the FAQ.

Call it yourself

Reply "demo" and I'll set up a demo line that answers as your firm, so you can call it yourself. It's switched off after 7 days.

It opens by saying it's a demo line built by Willstone for your firm, not your firm's real line, and then that it's an AI and the call is recorded.
Only you get the number.
Use made-up names and details. It books nothing and sends no texts. It tells you what would happen on the real line.
It uses only the practice areas and counties listed on your firm's public website, and it quotes no fees.
Demo recordings expire after 7 days.

Email me "demo"

Want to see how it would answer your phone?

In 20 minutes I'll ask how calls reach your office today, walk you through how the receptionist would handle them, and tell you straight whether it fits. Nothing goes live until your attorney approves it in writing.

Email me to set up a call

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