Neotask turns a new-matter request into a properly opened file — conflict check run, matter number assigned, folder structure created, engagement letter drafted — without an associate manually stepping through each piece. A new matter request comes in via form, Neotask checks it against the conflicts database, opens the matter in the docketing system if clear, sets up the Google Drive folder structure, and drafts the engagement letter for review. What used to take an hour of administrative setup takes minutes of review.
How it works today vs. with Neotask
Opening a new matter is procedurally simple but has enough discrete steps — conflicts check, matter numbering, file structure, engagement letter, initial docket entries — that doing them by hand invites the exact kind of small omission (a skipped conflicts check, a missing docket entry) that causes real problems later. The conflicts check specifically is the step most likely to get rushed under deadline pressure, which is precisely the step that can't be rushed. Neotask runs the mechanical steps in a fixed, reliable sequence every time: conflicts check first and blocking, then matter setup only once clear, so the one step that actually matters for risk never gets skipped for the sake of speed on the steps that don't.
The agent flow
Capture the intake request - A new matter request — client name, matter type, related parties, referring attorney — comes in through the intake form and Neotask normalizes it into a structured record. (google-forms)
Run the conflicts check - Neotask checks the client and all named related parties against the firm's conflicts database and existing matter list, and this step blocks all subsequent steps until cleared. (backdocket)
Surface conflicts for review, not auto-clear - Any potential match — even a fuzzy name match — is routed to the conflicts partner for an explicit clearance decision; nothing proceeds automatically past a flagged hit.
Open the matter and assign a number - Once cleared, the matter is opened in the docketing system with a matter number, responsible attorney, and billing arrangement recorded. (backdocket)
Build the file structure - A standardized Google Drive folder set (correspondence, pleadings, discovery, billing) is created and shared with the assigned team, matching the firm's existing organizational convention. (google-drive)
Draft the engagement letter - Neotask drafts an engagement letter from the firm's template, pre-filled with client name, matter scope, and billing terms, and routes it to the responsible attorney for review before it goes to the client.
Notify the team - A summary posts to the practice group's Slack channel confirming the matter is open, with a link to the new file structure and the engagement letter draft status. (slack)
Variations
Firms with outside conflicts-check software integrate that system directly instead of the internal database, keeping the blocking-gate behavior identical.
In-house legal teams skip the engagement letter step entirely and instead auto-generate an internal matter charter for stakeholder sign-off.
High-volume practice areas (e.g. collections, standard contract review) add a fast-track path that skips the custom engagement letter draft in favor of a pre-approved standard terms document.
Frequently asked questions
Can the conflicts check be bypassed under deadline pressure?
No — that's the point of making it a hard gate. Nothing downstream (matter number, folder, engagement letter) is created until conflicts clearance is explicitly recorded.
What counts as a conflict "hit" that needs review?
Any exact or fuzzy name match against existing clients, adverse parties, or related entities in the conflicts database — matched hits go to a human, they are never auto-cleared by the system.
Does this replace our conflicts database?
No — it reads from your existing conflicts database and automates the check-and-block workflow around it; the database itself remains your system of record.
How long does intake take end to end when clear?
Typically minutes for the automated steps once conflicts clearance is recorded; the engagement letter still needs an attorney's review and client send, which is intentionally kept as a manual step.
Multiple workspaces and capacity for larger teams.
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