Welcome to CaseHug
CaseHug is a legal client intake platform built specifically for law firms. It lets you send one link to a new client, collect every document you need, and get fully onboarded in under 15 minutes — without any back-and-forth.
This guide walks you through the five things you need to do first. You can be up and running with your first intake link in under an hour.
🚀 New firm? Use the Onboarding Wizard
When you sign up, CaseHug launches a guided 6-step onboarding wizard automatically. It walks you through selecting your practice areas, configuring document templates, setting up notifications, and inviting your team — all in one flow. You can also access it any time from Dashboard → Onboarding.
💡 Pro tip
Don't overthink the setup. The fastest path: create a matter, generate an intake link, and send it to one client. You'll learn more in 15 minutes of real use than an hour of configuration.
Set up your firm profile
5 minutes- 1.Go to Dashboard → Settings → Firm Profile.
- 2.Enter your firm name, email address, and phone number. This information appears in client-facing communications and the intake portal.
- 3.Optionally upload your firm logo. Your logo appears in the header of the client portal, giving clients a professional branded experience from their first interaction.
- 4.Set your firm's address if you want it to appear in any generated documents.
- 5.Click Save. Your firm profile is live immediately.
💡 Your firm name and logo are the first things clients see when they open the intake link. A complete profile builds trust from the first click.
Customize your document templates
10–20 minutes (optional)- 1.Go to Settings → Templates to see the pre-loaded document templates for each case type.
- 2.CaseHug comes with 65+ document types pre-loaded across family law, immigration, estate planning, and personal injury. For most firms, the defaults work well without modification.
- 3.To customize: select a case type (e.g., Divorce — Standard) and review the document list. Add, remove, or reorder items using the template editor.
- 4.You can also set document descriptions — plain-language explanations that appear to clients explaining exactly what each document is and why you need it.
- 5.Changes to templates apply to all new matters of that case type going forward. Existing matters keep their original document lists.
💡 You don't need to customize templates on day one. Start with the defaults and adjust based on what you see in your first few real matters.
Create your first matter
2 minutes- 1.Click 'New Matter' in the sidebar or from the Matters page.
- 2.Enter the matter title (e.g., 'Smith v. Smith — Divorce'). This is for internal reference only — clients don't see the matter title.
- 3.Select the case type from the dropdown: Divorce Standard, Divorce with Business, Custody Only, Child Support, Post-Decree Modification, or other available types.
- 4.Select the state (and optionally county). CaseHug uses this to load jurisdiction-specific document requirements automatically.
- 5.Add the client: search for an existing client or create a new one by entering their name, email, and phone number.
- 6.Click Create Matter. CaseHug generates a complete document checklist based on your case type and jurisdiction.
💡 The state selection matters. A divorce in South Carolina requires 1-year separation documentation; North Carolina is the same. CaseHug knows this and adds the right requirements automatically.
Send your first intake link
1 minute- 1.From the Matter detail page, you'll see the Intake Link section. CaseHug has automatically generated a personalized portal link for your client.
- 2.The link contains a unique token tied to this specific client and matter. Only someone with the link can access the portal — no login required.
- 3.Click 'Send Intake Link to Client.' CaseHug sends the link via email (and SMS if you've provided a phone number).
- 4.Alternatively, click 'Copy' and paste the link into your own email, text message, or client communication tool.
- 5.The link expires after 90 days by default. You can generate a new link at any time if the original expires or you need to share it again.
💡 Sending the link within minutes of your initial consultation dramatically increases completion rates. The longer you wait, the more likely clients are to forget or deprioritize it.
Review uploaded documents
5 minutes per matter- 1.When a client uploads a document, you'll receive a notification (via email, if enabled in Settings).
- 2.Go to the Matter page, then click 'Documents' to open the document review dashboard.
- 3.Each document appears as a card showing the filename, upload date, file size, and current status.
- 4.Click on a document to preview it directly in CaseHug (images and PDFs preview inline; Word documents can be downloaded).
- 5.Click 'Approve' to mark the document as received and acceptable. Click 'Request Re-upload' to send the document back with a note explaining why it needs to be resubmitted.
- 6.Once all required documents are approved, the matter intake is complete. If you're connected to Clio, Smokeball, or another PMS, approved documents sync automatically.
💡 Use the 'Approve All' button when a client has uploaded a batch of documents that all look good. It saves time when reviewing matters with many documents.
What to explore next
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