Prompt Chain: New Client Intake → Complete Engagement Package

What This Builds

A 4-step prompt chain that takes a new client's intake notes and produces a complete engagement package: welcome letter + engagement letter framework + initial billing file setup instructions + new matter checklist. Each step builds on the previous output — the result is four internally consistent documents that reference the same client description, matter type, and attorney — eliminating the version drift that happens when you write them separately over multiple days.

Prerequisites

• Claude Pro account ($20/month — claude.ai)
• Ideally, a Claude Project set up with your firm's document standards (see Level 4 guide: "Claude Project: Build a Persistent Attorney Documentation Assistant")
• Completed notes from a new client intake call or consultation

The Concept

When you onboard a new client — welcome letter on Monday, engagement letter on Tuesday, billing setup on Wednesday — the documents drift. The welcome letter says "estate planning matter" but the engagement letter says "will and trust" and the checklist says "estate." A prompt chain runs all four documents in one session, each step reading the previous output. The result: four documents that describe the same matter, use the same terms, and reference the same attorney and client description — consistently.

Build It Step by Step

Part 1: Collect your intake inputs

Before starting the chain, organize your notes into a structured input. Bullets are fine — no perfect prose needed:

Matter type: [e.g., personal injury — car accident]
Client situation: [describe in general terms — e.g., injured in rear-end collision, soft tissue injuries, lost 2 weeks of work, vehicle totaled]
Attorney assigned: [first name or identifier only]
Fee arrangement: [e.g., contingency — 33% pre-suit, 40% post-suit]
Urgency/deadlines: [e.g., statute of limitations 2 years from accident date — accident was 3 months ago]
Next steps agreed: [e.g., client signing retainer, sending medical records authorization, we're sending demand letter within 90 days]
Referred by: [e.g., prior client]

The more detail you provide, the more internally consistent the chain output.

Part 2: Run Step 1 — Welcome Letter

Paste your intake inputs into Claude (ideally in your Attorney Documentation Project) with this prompt:

This is Step 1 of a 4-step new client engagement chain. Based on these intake notes, draft a welcome letter from the attorney to the new client.

[Paste your intake notes here]

The welcome letter should:
- Warmly confirm the firm is representing them
- Briefly describe the next steps (in plain English)
- Note that the engagement letter and fee agreement are enclosed
- Invite questions and provide attorney contact information
- Plain English, warm but professional tone
- Do NOT include fee percentages or dollar amounts — those go in the engagement letter

End the welcome letter with: "We look forward to representing you and will be in touch with next steps shortly."

What you get: A warm, plain-English welcome letter ready for attorney review.

Part 3: Run Step 2 — Engagement Letter Framework

Feed the Step 1 welcome letter back into Claude with additional fee details:

This is Step 2 of the engagement chain. Using the welcome letter above as context, draft the engagement letter framework for this matter.

Fee arrangement details:
[Describe the fee structure — e.g., contingency at 33% pre-suit / 40% post-suit / costs advanced by firm and deducted from recovery]

The engagement letter should include:
- Scope of representation (what the firm will and won't do)
- Fee arrangement (describe as instructed above)
- Client responsibilities (cooperate, provide documents, stay in contact)
- Billing and cost provisions
- Termination clause
- Attorney-client privilege reminder
- Signature lines for attorney and client

Note at the top: "DRAFT — Attorney review and customization required before sending."

What you get: An engagement letter framework using the same matter description as the welcome letter — consistent terminology throughout both documents.

Part 4: Run Step 3 — Billing and Matter Setup Instructions

Continue the chain with a quick billing setup memo:

This is Step 3 of the engagement chain. Based on the matter described above, draft a brief internal memo for billing/matter setup.

Include:
- Matter name and type (use general description from the intake notes)
- Fee arrangement to enter in the billing system (from Step 2)
- Billing rate or contingency terms
- Initial retainer received (if any): [enter amount or "none for contingency"]
- Statute of limitations deadline to calendar: [date or "verify with attorney"]
- Initial tasks to add to the matter: [e.g., send medical records authorization, request police report, order property damage estimate]

Format as a numbered checklist for the billing administrator.

What you get: A billing setup memo that matches the fee terms described in the engagement letter — no transcription errors or mismatched percentages.

Part 5: Run Step 4 — New Matter Checklist

The final step produces the complete new matter opening checklist:

This is Step 4 — the complete new matter checklist. Based on the welcome letter, engagement letter, and billing memo above, generate a complete new matter opening checklist for [matter type, e.g., personal injury] matters at this firm.

The checklist should include:
- Documents to prepare: [from Steps 1–3 outputs — list each document]
- Signatures needed: [engagement letter client signature, medical authorization, etc.]
- Information to enter in case management system: [from billing memo]
- Deadlines to calendar: [from intake notes]
- Initial communications to send to client
- Standard investigative steps for this matter type

Format as a checkbox list grouped by category.

What you get: A complete new matter checklist that is internally consistent with all three prior documents — same matter type, same fee terms, same attorney, same next steps.

Real Example: Personal Injury New Client

Starting inputs:

• Matter: car accident, rear-ended at stoplight
• Client: passenger, soft tissue neck and back, 6 weeks of physical therapy, missed 2 weeks of work
• Fee: contingency, 33% pre-suit / 40% post-suit, firm advances costs
• SOL: 2 years from accident date — accident was January 2026
• Next steps: client signing retainer, we're ordering police report, medical records authorization

Chain output after 4 steps (30 minutes total):

1. Welcome letter: Plain-English welcome confirming representation, next steps (sign retainer, provide medical records, firm investigates), warm close.

2. Engagement letter: Scope (personal injury claim arising from January 2026 accident), contingency fee terms (33%/40%), cost provisions, client responsibilities (cooperate, provide documents, notify us of any changes), termination clause, signature lines.

3. Billing memo: Matter type: personal injury / contingency; fee: 33% pre-suit / 40% post-suit; retainer: none; SOL deadline: January 2028 — calendar immediately; initial tasks: order police report, send medical authorization, create medical treatment log.

4. New matter checklist: 22-item checkbox list covering document preparation, system entry, initial investigation, calendar items, and first-week communications — all consistent with the terms in the engagement letter.

Consistency check: All four documents reference "personal injury," "33%/40% contingency," and the same January 2026 accident date. No drift between documents.

Time: 30 minutes of Claude interaction + 15 minutes of attorney review = 45 minutes total. Manual equivalent: 2–3 hours across multiple days.

What to Do When It Breaks

• Step 2 engagement letter doesn't match Step 1 matter description → Paste the Step 1 output explicitly at the start of your Step 2 prompt. Claude retains context in a single conversation but loses it in a new one.
• Billing memo has wrong fee percentages → Your Step 3 input didn't specify the fee clearly. Add: "Fee terms exactly as stated in Step 2: [paste the exact fee paragraph from Step 2]."
• Checklist is generic and doesn't reflect this matter type → Step 4 prompt needs more specificity about the practice area. Add: "This is a [state] personal injury matter — include jurisdiction-specific investigative steps and documentation requirements."
• Engagement letter is missing required clauses → Add to your Step 2 prompt: "Also include: [specific clauses your state bar or firm requires — fee dispute resolution, withdrawal provisions, etc.]."

Variations

• Simpler version: Run only Steps 1 and 2 — welcome letter + engagement letter. The middle steps are most valuable for complex matters with multiple checklist items.
• Extended version: Add a Step 0 before the chain — "Draft 5 follow-up questions for the attorney to ask at the next client meeting based on these intake notes." Full matter intake to first client meeting prep in one chain.

What to Do Next

• This week: Run the full chain on one current new matter intake. Compare consistency and time to your prior process.
• This month: Use the chain for all new client engagements; keep a log of which steps need the most editing — that's where your Project Instructions need refinement.
• Advanced: Combine with Clio Grow intake automation — once the Clio intake form is complete, pull the data into the chain as Step 0 input.

Advanced guide for legal secretary professionals. Attorney review of all engagement letter content is required before sending.