How you forward your calls to us

When do you want us answering your calls?

One of the first customization options you’ll choose when you get started with Answering Legal is your call forwarding method. Nothing about our service is one-size-fits-all, so we have multiple options for you to choose from to determine how your calls end up ringing at our virtual receptionist’s desks.

Below are our most popular call forwarding options:

1. Manual
2. Time-of-day
3. Rollover
4. Total screen and transfer

It’s important to remember that like every other customization option at Answering Legal, your call forwarding method can be changed at any time. We’re always ready to grow and change with your law firm.

Is manual call forwarding right for your firm?

Manual call forwarding is very straightforward. We’ll help you program a button on your office phone that allows you to start forwarding calls to us. When you press this button, our virtual receptionists will automatically start receiving your calls. If you press the button again, all your calls will be routed back to your office again.

For example:

You’re a criminal defense attorney, and you’re headed to court at 11 a.m., but you want to grab a bite to eat on the way because it’s going to be a long day. You press the button on your phone at 10 a.m. and head out for the rest of your day. From there, any calls that come in will be handled by our virtual receptionists, who will send you a message about every call.

Manual call forwarding is a great option for attorneys who want total control over their phone at all times. Some customers find it inconvenient to have to switch their call forwarding off and on every time they leave their office or return. For those attorneys, the options below are much more hands-off.

How does time-of-day call forwarding work?

Time-of-day call forwarding is perhaps our simplest call forwarding method. You simply tell us when you want us to route calls to our virtual receptionists, and we’ll make it happen! Essentially, your call forwarding will mirror your schedule.

For example:

Your law firm’s hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. An existing client calls for an update at 7 p.m. on a Thursday. Their call is automatically routed to one of our virtual receptionists, who will greet them and take their message. That message will be sent at the conclusion of the call, and from there you can choose how to respond.

This is a great option for firms just looking for night and weekend coverage. If you want to be able to handle calls yourself during business hours, but want to be sure you don’t miss any late-night new leads, this option is for you.

What is rollover call forwarding?

With rollover call forwarding, our virtual receptionists are always available to answer your calls. However, before calls are sent to our call center, they ring in your office, giving you an opportunity to answer them yourself. If you don’t or can’t answer the call, it gets routed to our legal answering service after the third or fourth ring, meaning your callers never get sent to voicemail. By the way, this means you’ll have 24/7 phone coverage, as every call, no matter when it comes in, will get routed to our virtual receptionists!

For example:

A new client, Elizabeth, is calling with a personal injury case. The phone rings in your office first, but you’re in the middle of a consultation with another client, so you don’t answer. After three rings, Elizabeth’s call is routed to our system, where one of our virtual receptionists will greet them, perform a legal intake, and send you a message with the details of the call.

This is a great option for law firms that don’t want to toggle call forwarding manually, but still want the opportunity to answer calls themselves. It’s also a great support option for firms with in-house receptionists that want a safety net ensuring they never miss a new client call.

What does total screen and transfer mean?

Total screen and transfer allows Answering Legal to replace your front office. Our virtual receptionists will answer every call, determine why they’re calling, then ask to place them on hold. Whether it’s opposing counsel, a new client, or an old friend, we’ll then call you up, announce the caller, and see if you’d like us to transfer the call to you. Your personal information stays totally secure during this interaction.

If you’re not available, we’ll take a message. The only exception here, of course, is spam calls, which we will never try to transfer and which don’t count against your minutes package.

For example:

The clerk of court is calling with a change of calendar for one of your cases. Our virtual receptionist will take down their information then ask to place them on a brief hold. Then, they will call you to see if you’re available to take the call. In this case, let’s say you are. Our receptionist will patch the clerk of court through so that you can speak to them directly.

This is a great option for solo attorneys or firms without a receptionist of their own. Your callers will feel like they’ve reached your in-house staff, and you don’t ever have to tell them it was a legal answering service!