I automated a law firm's client onboarding with n8n. Here's the exact flow.

Source: Dev.to

The stack

• Typeform (intake form)
• n8n (orchestration)
• Clio or MyCase (conflict check + case management)
• PandaDoc (retainer agreement)
• Stripe (billing)
• Gmail (welcome packet)

You can swap Zapier or Make for n8n if you prefer. The logic is the same.

The flow

1. Client submits Typeform → n8n webhook fires
2. n8n checks opposing party names against existing Clio contacts
3. If conflict found → notify attorney via Slack/email, stop workflow
4. If no conflict → create new contact in Clio, trigger PandaDoc to send pre‑filled retainer
5. PandaDoc webhook fires when retainer is signed
6. n8n receives the signed event → create Stripe invoice or payment link → send to client
7. On payment → trigger Gmail node to send welcome packet with next steps

The part most tutorials skip

The conflict check is usually treated as an afterthought, but it’s critical. Most bar complaints around conflicts stem from manual processes failing—someone forgot to check, or checked the wrong name variant.

In n8n, make a GET request to the Clio API with the opposing party name from the intake form. If the response returns any matches, branch the workflow to a notification node instead of continuing.

Takes about 20 minutes to set up. Not optional.

What this actually saves

A typical firm handling 15–20 new matters a month spends 2–3 hours per intake on coordination. This workflow reduces that to about 10 minutes of attorney review time per matter. The rest runs automatically.

• The retainer goes out faster.
• Billing is set up before the client forgets they hired you.
• The welcome packet doesn’t depend on anyone remembering to send it.

Code?

n8n lets you export workflows as JSON. If you want the template for this flow, drop a comment — I’ll share it.

aplosai.com — we set up automations like this for small businesses and professional services firms.