The right phone system for a law firm depends on firm size and complexity, but all firms should expect secure communications, reliable archiving, AI tools, and features that make it easier to track billable hour tracking.
For smaller firms (Unite as the foundation):
Smaller practices need a secure, cloud-based UCaaS platform that supports daily client and team communication without unnecessary complexity. Unite provides:
- Call recording and voicemail-to-email transcription to support case documentation.
- Mobile and desktop apps so attorneys can work from court, client offices, or home without exposing personal numbers.
- Secure VoIP with TLS and AES-256 encryption, ensuring client confidentiality.
- Archiving across voice, email, chat, and SMS to preserve a defensible record of communications.
- AI Meeting Recap and AI Assistant to summarize calls, track action items, and surface relevant information — saving time on notetaking and making it easier to track conversations tied to billable hours.
- Call and meeting history tracking that centralizes interaction records, helping attorneys log activity accurately for billing and client reporting.
For larger firms (adding Contact Center):
Large or multi-office firms often need to handle higher call volumes, manage dedicated intake teams, and complex client service needs. In these cases, Contact Center adds key features:
- Intelligent call routing to ensure clients are connected quickly to the right attorney, paralegal, or intake specialist.
- Omnichannel support (voice, SMS, chat, email) so clients can reach the firm however they prefer.
- Supervisor dashboards and quality monitoring for managing staff performance and ensuring consistent client experiences.
- AI Agent Assist for real-time guidance during calls, objection handling, and faster case intake.
- AI Supervisor Assist to give managers visibility into call sentiment, provide live coaching, and spot potential issues before they escalate.
- Comprehensive archiving and call history logs with legal hold features for eDiscovery, compliance, and accurate billable hour tracking — and to help attorneys and billing teams accurately account for client-related interactions.