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Best AI Receptionist for Law Firms (2026)
Prices and features checked on vendor sites 2026-10-17. No star ratings.
Law firms live on new-client intake. An AI receptionist can capture name, matter type and contact details and route urgent calls. It should never give legal advice — set it to collect information and schedule consultations only. This page is not legal advice; check your state bar's rules on client communications and confidentiality.
What to look for
- Intake questions and conflict-check details captured consistently.
- Integration with your practice-management software (e.g., Clio).
- Live human backup for distressed callers.
- The AI must not give legal advice — configure scripts accordingly.
Shortlist for law firms
Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you sign up through some links on this site. This doesn't affect our rankings or what we say about a product, and it costs you nothing extra. 3 vendors' links are currently affiliate links (marked "affiliate link" and rel="sponsored"). Affiliate disclosure.
| Service | Type | Starting price (vendor site) | Billing | Free plan / trial | Why it's here | Vendor site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith.ai AI Receptionist | AI + human option | $0/mo Free plan (25 calls/mo, then $3.00/call); Pro from $150/mo (75 calls) | per call | Free plan (25 calls/mo) | Native Clio integration and live receptionist backup; Free plan with 25 calls/mo. | Visit |
| NextPhone | AI only | $199/mo (unlimited calls) | flat (unlimited calls) | 7-day free trial | Integrates with Clio Manage, Clio Grow and MyCase; flat $199/mo unlimited calls. | Visit (affiliate link) |
| Upfirst | AI only | $24.95/mo (30 calls); $20/mo billed annually | per call | 14-day free trial | Books into Clio; from $24.95/mo. | Visit |
| Ruby | Live humans | $250/mo for 50 receptionist minutes | per minute (bundles) | Not stated on pricing page | Live receptionists with intake and lead qualification; from $250/mo. | Visit |
| Quo Sona (formerly OpenPhone) | AI only | Quo Starter $19/user/mo ($15 yearly) incl. 10 Sona calls; credit tiers from $25/mo (40 calls) | per seat + per call credits | 7-day free trial | Quo integrates with Clio; Sona AI answers overflow. | Visit |
| PATLive | Live humans | $49/mo pay-as-you-go ($2.99/min) or $99/mo for 50 minutes | per minute (bundles) | 14-day free trial | Human-only answering from $49/mo + $2.99/min. | Visit |
FAQ
Can an AI receptionist give legal information to callers?
It shouldn't. Configure it to take messages, collect intake details and schedule consultations, and to transfer anything else to your staff.
Which ones integrate with Clio?
Among services we checked: Smith.ai, NextPhone (Clio Manage and Clio Grow), Upfirst (Clio Manage calendar) and Quo (Clio integration).
How did you choose these services for law firms?
We matched published features (booking, integrations, escalation, languages, HIPAA options, price) to the needs listed on this page. We have not tested these services on live calls, we don't use star ratings, and order doesn't mean one is better for everyone. Data checked 2026-10-17.