Capturing client phone calls across a multi-office law firm, not just Zoom
Summary: Most AI notetakers join Zoom, Teams or Meet as a bot, so they never hear a phone call. A firm with several offices and heavy phone volume needs capture that works on the phones each office already has. Astrid captures recorded calls automatically from Zoom Phone and Dialpad lines, and from any desk phone or cell phone through a dial-in number the attorney merges into the call. There is nothing to port and no hardware to buy, and each call is matched to the matter and written up as a note in your firm's format.
We make Astrid, so weigh what we say about it accordingly. Features change; confirm with any vendor before you buy.
Why "not just Zoom" matters
In most law firms, the calls that matter are phone calls: a client returning a call from their car, an adjuster, opposing counsel, a new intake. A meeting bot needs a meeting link. If your notetaker only joins Zoom, everything said on the phone stays in someone's memory or a handwritten note.
With three or more offices, the problem grows. Offices often run different phone setups: one on a cloud system, one on an older desk system, attorneys who work from their cell phones. A tool that requires one phone system means a migration before it records anything.
Three ways to capture phone calls, without changing phone systems
| How | Which calls | What the attorney does |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom Phone | Recorded calls on the firm's Zoom Phone lines, in any office | Nothing. Calls arrive in Astrid on their own |
| Dialpad | Calls on the Dialpad lines the firm picks, including the Dialpad mobile app | Nothing. Captured from the recording or Dialpad's own transcript |
| Dial-in | Any call on a desk phone or cell phone, on any carrier | Calls Astrid's number, enters the call code and merges it into the call |
An office on Zoom Phone or Dialpad gets automatic capture. An office on any other system, and any attorney on their cell phone, uses the dial-in. All three feed the same matters and the same review screen.
Receptionist firms and a shared main number
Many multi-office firms route calls through a receptionist, so every attorney's calls show the firm's main number. Tools that identify the attorney by caller ID break in that setup. Astrid's dial-in uses a six-digit code for each call instead of caller ID, so it works whichever number the call shows.
What happens after the call
- The call is matched to a matter by the client's phone number or name. Calls that cannot be matched wait for a one-click confirmation rather than being filed to the wrong matter.
- A note is drafted in your firm's format, with a template for each call type, speakers identified and action items split by who owes what.
- An attorney approves the note, and it files to Clio, Smokeball, Lawcus, 8am MyCase or 8am CasePeer.
- A recap email is drafted for the client, which someone at the firm reviews and sends.
- For matters billed by the hour, a time entry is drafted with the call's measured length, for the timekeeper to approve.
Every office's calls end up in the same matter timeline, searchable by phrase across the matter or the firm.
Recording consent across offices
Offices in different states can be under different recording laws, and a call between a client in one state and an attorney in another may bring in both. Astrid lets the firm set a consent mode, plays a recording notice on the dial-in once everyone is on the line, and keeps a consent record for each call. See our state-by-state guide to recording consent. This is not legal advice; confirm the rules with your own counsel.
What to ask any vendor
- Which phone systems do you capture from automatically, and what do we do for calls on other phones?
- Do we have to port our numbers or change carriers?
- How do you tell which attorney and which matter a call belongs to when calls come through the main number?
- How are callers told they are being recorded, and is that recorded per call?
- Is pricing per person, or per call or minute?
See how Astrid captures phone calls, or start a 14-day free trial and test it on calls from each office.
Frequently asked questions
Can an AI notetaker capture phone calls, not just Zoom meetings?
Some can. Most AI notetakers join video meetings as a bot and never hear a phone call. Astrid captures phone calls three ways: automatically from Zoom Phone and Dialpad lines, and from any desk phone or cell phone through a dial-in number the attorney merges into the call.
Do we have to switch phone systems or port our numbers?
Not with Astrid. It connects to Zoom Phone and Dialpad, and the dial-in works with any carrier, so each office can keep the phones it has. Some competitors, such as VXT, capture calls only through their own phone system.
How does the dial-in work when calls come through a receptionist?
The attorney calls Astrid's number, enters a six-digit code for that call, and merges Astrid in. Because it uses a code rather than caller ID, it works when every attorney's calls show the firm's main number.
How are callers told they are being recorded?
The firm sets a recording consent mode, and the dial-in plays a recording notice once everyone is on the line. Each call keeps a consent record. Check your states' consent rules with counsel, since a call between offices in different states can bring in both states' laws.
How much does it cost?
Astrid is $40 per person per month, or $400 per person per year, with no per-call or per-minute charges and a 14-day free trial.