20 Automations Every Law Firm Should Run with OpenClaw

By Irfad Imtiaz, Director of Technology at My Legal Academy

You've deployed OpenClaw. It's connected. It has a personality. Now what?

This article is a practical playbook — 20 specific automations that deliver immediate value for law firms. Each one includes the Heartbeat task, the SOUL.md snippet, and the expected outcome.

Copy what works. Skip what doesn't fit your practice. This is meant to be actionable, not comprehensive.

TL;DR: Start with Morning Briefing, Lead Follow-Up, and After-Hours Intake. These three automations deliver the most impact for the least effort. Add others as you see ROI.

The 5 Must-Have Automations

These deliver immediate value. Implement all five.

1. Morning Briefing

What it does: Every morning, OpenClaw sends you a summary of overnight activity — new leads, messages, upcoming appointments, and anything that needs attention.

Heartbeat Task:

Schedule: Daily at 7:00 AM
Task: Generate and send morning briefing

Briefing includes:
- New leads received since last briefing
- Messages awaiting response
- Today's consultations and appointments
- Any urgent flags from overnight
- Yesterday's key metrics (leads captured, consultations booked)

Why it matters: You start every day knowing exactly what happened and what needs attention. No inbox archaeology required.

2. After-Hours Lead Response

What it does: When a potential client reaches out after hours, OpenClaw responds immediately, qualifies them, and books a consultation — all before your team wakes up.

SOUL.md Snippet:

## After-Hours Protocol

After [6 PM] and before [8 AM], or on weekends:

1. Respond to all new inquiries within 60 seconds
2. Use the standard intake flow
3. Offer to book consultation for next available slot
4. Flag as "After-Hours Lead" in summary
5. If urgent (safety, imminent deadline), send immediate alert to [PHONE/EMAIL]

Why it matters: Firms lose 50%+ of leads by not responding quickly enough. This automation captures what would otherwise go to competitors.

3. 48-Hour Lead Follow-Up

What it does: If someone inquired but hasn't responded or booked, OpenClaw automatically follows up after 48 hours.

Heartbeat Task:

Schedule: Every 4 hours
Task: Check for stale leads

For each lead not contacted in 48 hours:
1. Send follow-up message: "Hi [Name], I wanted to check in about your inquiry regarding [matter]. Are you still looking for help with this? We're happy to schedule a time to talk when convenient."
2. Mark as "Follow-up Sent"
3. If no response after 7 days total, mark as "Cold" and stop following up

Why it matters: Many potential clients get busy and forget to respond. A gentle nudge converts 20-30% of otherwise lost leads.

4. Consultation Reminder

What it does: 24 hours and 2 hours before a scheduled consultation, OpenClaw sends a reminder to the client.

Heartbeat Task:

Schedule: Every hour
Task: Check upcoming appointments

For each consultation in next 24 hours:
- If 24-hour reminder not sent, send: "Just a reminder about your consultation with [FIRM] tomorrow at [TIME]. Please reply to confirm you'll be there."
- If 2-hour reminder not sent, send: "Your consultation is coming up in 2 hours at [TIME]. We're looking forward to speaking with you."
- Track confirmations and flag no-shows risk

Why it matters: No-shows waste attorney time. Simple reminders reduce no-shows by 60-70%.

5. New Review Alert

What it does: When someone leaves a Google review (or other platform), OpenClaw alerts you immediately and drafts a response.

Heartbeat Task:

Schedule: Every 30 minutes
Task: Check for new reviews

If new review found:
1. Alert [EMAIL/SLACK] immediately
2. If positive (4-5 stars): Draft thank-you response
3. If negative (1-3 stars): Alert as priority, draft diplomatic response, flag for attorney review before posting
4. Log review in tracking system

Why it matters: Response time to reviews affects both reputation and local SEO. Fast, thoughtful responses show potential clients you care.

Lead Generation Automations

6. Website Visitor Engagement

What it does: When someone visits your website and dwells on a practice area page, the chat widget proactively asks if they need help.

Widget Configuration:

Trigger: Visitor on page > 30 seconds
Message: "Hi! I noticed you're looking at our [practice area] page. Do you have questions about how we might be able to help?"

Follow-up if no response after 60 seconds:
"No pressure — feel free to browse. I'm here if you need anything."

Why it matters: Many visitors leave without engaging. A proactive (but not aggressive) prompt converts passive browsers into leads.

7. Contact Form Enhancement

What it does: Instead of a generic "Thanks, we'll be in touch" after form submission, OpenClaw immediately engages.

Configuration:

On form submission:
1. Send immediate response: "Thanks for reaching out, [Name]. I'm [FIRM]'s assistant, and I can help get you scheduled while our team reviews your inquiry. Can you tell me a bit more about what's going on?"
2. Run qualification flow
3. Offer to book consultation
4. If after hours, explain follow-up timeline

Why it matters: The fastest response wins. This eliminates the delay between form submission and human follow-up.

8. Missed Call Follow-Up

What it does: If a call goes to voicemail during business hours, OpenClaw sends a text/WhatsApp message.

Configuration:

On missed call:
1. Wait 2 minutes (in case they call back)
2. Send: "Hi, this is [FIRM]. We missed your call. Sorry about that! Can I help you with something, or would you prefer we call you back?"
3. If they respond, run intake flow
4. If they request callback, add to callback queue with priority

Why it matters: Many people who hit voicemail never call back. A quick text captures them before they call another firm.

Client Communication Automations

9. Case Status Updates

What it does: For clients with active cases, OpenClaw can provide status updates when asked, or proactively on a schedule.

SOUL.md Snippet:

## Client Status Updates

When an existing client asks about their case:
1. Check if client identity is verified (matching phone number/email to case)
2. Provide general status from notes: "According to our records, your case is currently [status]. [Brief update if available]."
3. If they need more detail: "For specific questions about strategy or next steps, [Attorney Name] can explain better than I can. Would you like me to have them call you?"
4. Never share confidential strategy information

Why it matters: "What's happening with my case?" is the #1 client question. Automating basic status responses saves hours of attorney/paralegal time.

10. Document Request Reminders

What it does: If the firm is waiting for documents from a client, OpenClaw sends reminders.

Heartbeat Task:

Schedule: Daily at 10 AM
Task: Check outstanding document requests

For each document request > 3 days old:
1. Send reminder: "Hi [Name], we're still waiting for [document] to move forward with your case. Can you send that over when you get a chance?"
2. Repeat every 3 days until received or 3 reminders sent
3. After 3 reminders, flag for human follow-up

Why it matters: Cases stall when clients don't provide documents. Persistent (but polite) reminders keep things moving.

11. Appointment Rescheduling

What it does: When a client asks to reschedule, OpenClaw handles it without staff involvement.

SOUL.md Snippet:

## Rescheduling

When someone asks to reschedule:
1. Acknowledge: "No problem. Let me find another time that works."
2. Offer next 3 available slots
3. Confirm new appointment
4. Send updated calendar invite
5. Log the reschedule in system

Why it matters: Rescheduling is high-volume, low-complexity work. Perfect for automation.

Operations Automations

12. Opposing Counsel Monitoring

What it does: OpenClaw monitors your inbox for emails from known opposing counsel and alerts immediately.

Heartbeat Task:

Schedule: Every 15 minutes
Task: Check for opposing counsel emails

Monitor for emails from:
- [List of opposing counsel email addresses or domains]
- Emails containing case numbers for active matters

When found:
1. Send immediate alert to handling attorney
2. Summarize email content
3. Flag if "motion," "deadline," or "hearing" mentioned

Why it matters: Opposing counsel emails often contain time-sensitive information. Fast awareness prevents missed deadlines.

13. Court Deadline Reminders

What it does: Based on case data, OpenClaw reminds attorneys of upcoming deadlines.

Heartbeat Task:

Schedule: Daily at 8 AM
Task: Check upcoming deadlines

For each deadline in next 14 days:
1. Send reminder to handling attorney
2. Escalate if deadline < 3 days away
3. Provide deadline details and any prep notes

For statute of limitations:
- Alert at 6 months before
- Alert at 3 months before
- Alert at 1 month before (URGENT)

Why it matters: Missed deadlines are malpractice claims waiting to happen. Automated reminders are cheap insurance.

14. Invoice Follow-Up

What it does: When invoices are overdue, OpenClaw sends friendly payment reminders.

Heartbeat Task:

Schedule: Weekly on Monday
Task: Check overdue invoices

For each invoice > 30 days overdue:
1. Send reminder: "Hi [Name], I wanted to check in about invoice #[Number] from [Date]. Please let us know if you have any questions, or if you'd like to discuss payment arrangements."
2. Repeat every 2 weeks
3. After 3 reminders, flag for human collections follow-up

Why it matters: Firms lose significant revenue to uncollected receivables. Automated follow-up collects more while maintaining relationships.

Marketing Automations

15. Happy Client Testimonial Request

What it does: After a case closes successfully, OpenClaw asks for a review or testimonial.

Configuration:

Trigger: Case marked as "Closed - Won" or "Closed - Settled"
Timing: 7 days after close

Message: "Hi [Name], I hope things are going well. We were so glad we could help with your case. If you have a moment, it would mean a lot to us if you could share your experience on Google: [LINK]. No pressure — we appreciate you either way."

Why it matters: Happy clients are willing to leave reviews — they just don't think of it. A simple ask generates steady reviews.

16. Referral Follow-Up

What it does: When someone refers a client, OpenClaw sends a thank-you and offers to keep them updated.

Configuration:

On referral logged:
1. Send to referrer: "Thank you for referring [Name] to us. We really appreciate your trust. We'll take great care of them."
2. After consultation (if appropriate): Update referrer that we're working together
3. After case close (if appropriate): Thank referrer again

Why it matters: Referral sources are golden. Showing appreciation keeps referrals coming.

17. Content Follow-Up

What it does: When someone downloads a guide or whitepaper from your website, OpenClaw follows up.

Configuration:

On content download:
Wait 2 days, then:
"Hi [Name], I hope you found the [CONTENT NAME] helpful. Do you have any questions about [topic]? Or would you like to discuss how it applies to your situation?"

Why it matters: Content downloads indicate interest. Follow-up converts readers into clients.

Advanced Automations

18. Competitive Monitoring

What it does: OpenClaw monitors competitor websites and Google Ads for changes.

Heartbeat Task:

Schedule: Weekly on Sunday
Task: Check competitor activity

For each competitor in list:
1. Check their website for new content/changes
2. Check their Google Ads (visible keywords and messaging)
3. Summarize any significant changes
4. Report in weekly summary

Why it matters: Knowing what competitors are doing helps you respond strategically.

19. Court Docket Monitoring

What it does: For active cases, OpenClaw checks public docket systems for new filings.

Heartbeat Task:

Schedule: Every 6 hours
Task: Check court dockets

For each active case:
1. Query public docket system for new entries
2. If new filing found: Alert handling attorney immediately
3. Download/screenshot filing if possible
4. Add to case notes

Why it matters: Catching new filings early gives you maximum time to respond.

20. Bar Website Research

What it does: When you need info about opposing counsel, OpenClaw researches state bar websites.

On-Demand Automation:

When asked "Research [Attorney Name]":
1. Search state bar website for license status
2. Check for any disciplinary history
3. Find their firm and contact info
4. Summarize findings

Why it matters: Researching opposing counsel is routine but time-consuming. Automation handles the legwork.

Implementing These Automations

Start Small

Don't implement all 20 at once. Start with:

1. Morning Briefing (immediate visibility)
2. After-Hours Lead Response (immediate ROI)
3. 48-Hour Follow-Up (captures lost leads)

Add more once these are stable.

Track Results

For each automation, track:

• How often it runs
• What it accomplishes (leads captured, time saved)
• Any errors or edge cases

This data helps you refine and prioritize.

Refine Continuously

Your first version won't be perfect. Review weekly:

• Did automation run correctly?
• Were responses appropriate?
• Any unexpected situations?
• What should change?

Series Navigation

This is Article 7 of The Zero-Terminal OpenClaw Framework.

1. What Is OpenClaw? — The complete introduction
2. OpenClaw vs ChatGPT vs Copilot — Which AI for your firm
3. How OpenClaw Costs $0/Month — The Antigravity setup
4. Deploy in 15 Minutes — Railway template walkthrough
5. Connect Your Channels — WhatsApp, email, Slack
6. SOUL.md Mastery — Legal compliance templates
7. 20 Automations Every Firm Needs — You are here
8. The MCP Playbook — CRM and tool integrations
9. Token Optimization — Running efficiently with Kimi K2.5
10. Security Done Right — Attorney-client privilege

← Previous: SOUL.md Mastery

Next →: The MCP Playbook