Guide
Lawyer referral workflow for mediator practices
When lawyers refer clients, they want progress without daily phone calls. Your office needs a repeatable workflow that treats every party fairly, keeps documents off unsecured email, and shows fee status early. This guide is for mediator practices running referred matters, distinct from what referring firms need on their own systems.
General information only, not legal advice, mediation advice, or a substitute for professional judgment. Neutly is administrative software for mediator practices; it does not host live video or select court neutrals. Mediators and lawyers remain responsible for their work.
Updated
First contact: booking vs enquiry
Some referrals arrive as a firm email asking for dates; others land on your booking page with parties ready to choose a time. Either way, open one matter record early so confirmation, intake, and documents stay connected.
Use your practice CRM and enquiry inbox to capture referrer context before the slot locks, who referred, matter type, and any fee arrangement the lawyers already discussed with clients.
All-party confirmation before you commit
When one party books, non-booking disputants must confirm before the session is fully locked. Equal reminders reduce the appearance of favouritism and cut last-minute withdrawals.
Parties follow branded emails with secure links. They do not create standing Neutly logins; completion and return access work through those links alone.
Coordinate lawyers without double entry
On Practice, enable the lawyer representative portal so referring firms see status, upload briefs securely, and download exports your process allows. You stay the source of truth on the matter timeline.
Set expectations upfront: the portal is read-only for referred matters, hosted in AWS Sydney, and does not replace the firm's file or provide legal advice from the software vendor.
Briefs, position papers, and preparation tracking
Track missing position papers alongside incomplete intake on one screen. Automatic reminders follow your configured timing so staff are not chasing by phone the night before session day.
Document storage limits depend on your plan; confirm retention and download paths with referring lawyers if they need copies for their records.
Fee clarity on referred commercial matters
Lawyer referrals often specify who pays: equal shares, one payer, or custom amounts. Send Stripe Connect payment requests when your agreement allows, with reminders until paid or manually recorded.
Separate platform subscription from party fees in staff training. Connect readiness and an active Solo or Practice subscription are independent checks.
Referrer intelligence over time
Log referring firms and contacts in practice relationships so repeat referrers get consistent service. Enquiry inbox and CRM notes help panels see which lawyers send volume and which matter types need faster turnaround.
Directory listing on Practice can support discoverability, but most commercial referrals still start with relationships, not search.