Startup Intaker matches prospective client's needs with lawyers' practice areas, using artificial intelligence to gauge a matter before it walks into a lawyer's office.

Intaker was founded in 2018 and is an offshoot of Idemandu, an artificial intelligence company that provides a free virtual assistant through text messages with the aim to connect local service providers, such as fitness trainers and nutritionists, to consumers. While Idemandu is still operating and is offered through Google Assistant, Intaker is a different app that law firms can download from the Intaker website.

When asked about the impetus for launching the app, Intaker and Idemandu co-founder Pooya Abka said face-to-face consultations are draining lawyers of valuable time. “I know for a fact that a lot of law firms are spending a lot of time on things that aren't their core practices. If you think about it, it takes away justice from their clients.”

Intaker leverages AI to match a client's need to an attorney's practice. Attorneys “can train the AI and let the AI know their practice preferences. [Then] the AI analyzes all of that and will set up a [chatbot] for that specific attorney,” Abka explained.

The AI-powered chatbot can be made available through a firm's website or through an Intaker-provided link for clients to access. The chatbot's interview isn't customizable per attorney, but attorneys can set their practice and client communication preferences.

After clients answer the chatbot's questions, Intaker automatically schedules meetings with prospects who meet an attorney's practice areas. If a case isn't a good fit for an attorney, the lawyer can refer the case to someone else.

In addition to these chatbots, Intaker also offers marketing capabilities that include measuring how advertisements are performing. ”It can make the time spent on marketing practices and invest it in actual legal services,” Abka said.

So far, Intaker has garnered the most interest from solo practitioners and boutique firms, he added. However, firms of any size can purchase and use the app. 

Abka said in the future, Intaker also plans to offer AI-powered pricing suggestions for legal matters. A similar tool has been launched by Neota Logic.

To be sure chatbots aren't new to the legal industry, LexisNexis, for example, has paired attorneys with a chatbot to more easily connect them with its data. Legal service provider DoNotPay has also made waves with its ability to appeal parking tickets and other civil court matters.