How Better Matter Intake Lays the Foundation for an Effective In House Function

In house legal teams today are managing increasing workloads, tighter compliance expectations, and a growing volume of requests from across the business. As matters come in from across the business, how work is received influences how well the legal team can respond. 

Matter intake is often treated like a basic administrative step, but it quietly shapes everything that happens next. When the process is inconsistent or unclear, lawyers spend time chasing details, digging through email threads, and making sense of incomplete requests. When intake is done well, workflows become smoother, visibility improves, and the team operates with confidence and control. 

Understanding the Role of Matter Intake 

Matter intake is the moment a request officially reaches the legal team. It is where context, urgency, complexity, documents, and stakeholder information all come together. 

Without a structured intake process, legal teams often rely on scattered emails, chat messages, forwarded documents, or ad hoc conversations. A clear intake pathway creates a single, predictable way for the business to submit work, helping legal teams start every matter on the right foot. 

A well-designed intake process also lays the foundation for effective legal matter management and supports the use of in-house legal software that keeps all information organised in one place. 

How High Performing Teams Approach Matter Intake 

• A Single, Standardised Entry Point 
  Define one clear method for raising matters to reduce confusion and avoid requests coming in through multiple channels. 

• Complete Information Collected Upfront 
  Capture all relevant details at the start so lawyers can begin with full context and minimise unnecessary follow up. 

• Automation of Initial Steps 
  Automate early actions like routing, categorisation, notifications, or document setup to save time and reduce errors. 

• Secure and Centralised Access to Information 
  Store documents, communications, and matter details in one organised location so authorised team members can easily access what they need. 

• Continuous Learning From Intake Data 
  Use incoming data to understand trends, resourcing needs, and recurring issues, and to continually improve processes and alignment with the business. 

How Legal Operations Platforms Support Matter Intake 

Most modern matter management software includes built in matter intake as part of a broader system. When a request is submitted, the platform captures all relevant information and links it to a digital matter record. Documents, emails, notes, and context land in a central, accessible location. 

From there, intake drives the entire lifecycle of the matter. It connects to workflows, reporting dashboards, document management, and collaboration tools. This integration ensures nothing is lost, every request is traceable, and the team operates from a single source of truth. 

Legal operations platforms help teams work faster, make better decisions, and maintain full visibility across their workload, all supported by strong intake. 

A Strong Foundation for a Stronger Legal Function 

Matter intake is more than an administrative step. It influences how well legal teams manage risk, collaborate with the business, and deliver value every day. A well-structured intake process reduces administrative work, improves visibility, strengthens risk management, and increases the legal team’s ability to operate strategically. 

For teams looking to modernise their operations, adopt in house legal software, or improve their overall legal matter management, strengthening matter intake is one of the most immediate and impactful steps available. 

If you're curious about a simple yet more powerful way to manage matter intake, we’d love to show you around. Book a demo here.