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Tech Report

ABA TechReport 2024

How Law Firms Can Use Motion.io to Automate Client Onboarding and Streamline Collaboration

Sam Chlebowski

Summary 

  • Law firms can use Motion.io to automate repetitive tasks, collect client information, and streamline the entire onboarding process using customizable templates and smart forms.
  • Motion.io’s loginless client portals centralize documents, tasks, and communication, reducing friction and improving the client experience from first contact through engagement.
  •  By integrating with existing tools and automating follow-ups, Motion.io helps law firms boost efficiency, reduce delays, and onboard more clients without added admin work.
How Law Firms Can Use Motion.io to Automate Client Onboarding and Streamline Collaboration
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In the legal world, first impressions matter. From onboarding new clients to managing ongoing communication, law firms must juggle extensive documentation, secure information exchange, and timely task execution—all while delivering a professional, seamless experience. Enter Motion.io: a powerful client onboarding and collaboration platform designed to streamline the entire client journey in a centralized, automated, and easy-to-use environment.

Whether you're a solo practitioner or part of a multi-partner firm, here's how Motion.io can revolutionize the way you bring on new clients and manage collaboration.

The Legal Industry’s Onboarding Challenge

Law firms face unique onboarding challenges: legal intake forms, signed agreements, KYC documentation, conflict checks, and engagement letters are just the beginning. Each step often involves tedious back-and-forth over email, lost attachments, and inconsistent processes across clients.

These inefficiencies are not just annoying—they’re costly. Delays in onboarding slow down revenue realization and erode the client experience. Miscommunication increases liability. And manually tracking tasks means that important deadlines might be missed.

Motion.io: Built for Service Businesses Like Law Firms

Motion.io was designed specifically to help client-service businesses like law firms reduce friction in client interactions by combining automation, task tracking, file management, and communication into one centralized platform. But unlike generic project management tools, Motion.io focuses exclusively on client-facing workflows, making it an ideal solution for legal professionals​.

Automating Client Onboarding: A Game Changer for Law Firms

1. Customizable Onboarding Templates

Every legal practice has its own onboarding flow depending on the area of law—whether it’s estate planning, business formation, litigation, or immigration. Motion.io’s customizable templates let firms create standardized onboarding workflows for each practice area.

With templates, you can:

  • Pre-load forms, documents, and tasks specific to each service type.
  • Automatically assign responsibilities to team members.
  • Ensure every client receives the same high-quality experience​.

This not only saves time but also ensures compliance with internal protocols.

2. Smart Intake Forms and Automation

Collecting client information no longer requires manually sending PDFs or chasing responses via email. Motion.io enables you to:

  • Build drag-and-drop forms that clients can fill out online—no design or coding skills required.
  • Flag incomplete answers and request updates directly from the portal.
  • Automatically kick off downstream tasks (e.g., conflict check, contract preparation) based on form completion​.

Plus, with pre-filled forms and CRM integrations, law firms can eliminate repetitive data entry—saving hours each week​.

3. Loginless Client Portals

One of Motion.io’s most appreciated features in the legal industry is its loginless client portal. Clients receive a magic link to access their portal—no account creation or password management needed. In the legal context, this is huge: busy or tech-averse clients can still easily engage with your firm, upload documents, review contracts, or complete tasks without hurdles​.

Streamlining Collaboration During Engagement

Onboarding is just the beginning. Law firms also rely on smooth communication and collaboration once work begins. Here’s how Motion.io helps firms stay organized and in sync with clients:

4. Document Collection & Secure File Sharing

Say goodbye to the “Can you resend that attachment?” emails. Motion.io:

  • Lets you create file collection tasks where clients upload W-2s, contracts, IDs, or financial disclosures.
  • Supports eSignatures directly within the platform—great for engagement letters or NDAs.
  • Organizes everything by project, so documents are easy to find when you need them​.

5. Task-Based Collaboration

At the heart of Motion.io is its task engine. Each project (e.g., “Smith v. Acme Corp”) is a series of tasks assigned to either the client or firm staff. Tasks can include:

  • Uploading evidence.
  • Completing disclosures.
  • Approving draft filings.
  • Scheduling consultations.

Each task has clear due dates, reminders, and auto-notifications. This keeps everyone on track and eliminates unnecessary calls or emails​.

6. Built-in Automations for Follow-ups

Motion.io automatically follows up with clients who haven’t completed required steps. For instance:

  • If a client hasn’t signed a contract within 48 hours, Motion.io sends a gentle reminder.
  • If a file upload task is incomplete, the system keeps nudging until it’s done.

These automations reduce the need for manual outreach and ensure clients stay engaged​.

Integration with the Legal Tech Stack

Motion.io isn’t meant to replace your entire legal toolkit—it’s designed to integrate with the tools you already use. This includes:

  • CRMs like Clio or Lawmatics.
  • Accounting tools for billing and invoicing.
  • Calendar software for scheduling consultations.

Motion.io can connect via Zapier or native integrations, making it easy to build a tech stack that works for you​.

Real Results from Law Firms

Law firms using Motion.io have seen major improvements. For example, one firm cut its onboarding time from over 10 days to just three, thanks to automated workflows and centralized file collection​. Another solo attorney reported that using Motion.io’s loginless portal and task builder allowed clients to complete onboarding steps “in such a clear way”—delivering a better user experience and reducing friction​.

Final Thoughts: Why Motion.io Is a Perfect Fit for Law Firms

Motion.io provides more than just onboarding automation—it delivers a client-centric workflow platform built for the realities of modern legal services:

  • Boosts operational efficiency by automating repetitive tasks.
  • Enhances client experience with intuitive, frictionless portals.
  • Improves accountability through task tracking and centralized documentation.

In an industry where time is money and client satisfaction drives growth, Motion.io offers the tools law firms need to work smarter, impress clients, and scale efficiently.

If you’re looking to modernize your firm’s onboarding and collaboration processes, Motion.io might just be your next competitive advantage.

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