How can I integrate Chatref with my legal CRM?

Chatref’s custom actions are the engine behind your legal CRM integration. You configure them to fire whenever a specific chat event occurs – for example, after a visitor completes a lead capture form or asks about a case status. The action sends a structured payload to any HTTPS endpoint you define, which can be your CRM’s API, an automation tool, or a custom webhook.

Because you control the endpoint, Chatref fits into your existing stack without disrupting your attorneys’ workflows. You can push new client details, update open matters, or log follow‑up tasks from right inside the conversation. Every custom action is scoped to your agent and can include data extracted from the chat, like contact info, case type, or intake answers. There’s no per‑seat fee for custom actions – they’re included on every Chatref account.

Before a custom action even fires, Chatref’s lead capture feature collects the details your CRM for attorneys needs most. The widget can prompt a visitor for name, email, phone, and custom fields – exactly what you ask for during new client intake. Lead capture runs automatically when a visitor starts a chat or hits a specific trigger, turning anonymous website traffic into warm profiles.

Once captured, the lead data can be routed to your CRM through a custom action, eliminating double data entry and making sure your legal client management stays current. For criminal‑defense practices, you can tailor the intake to ask about charge type, court date, or custody status. All captured data is stored in the conversation history inside Chatref, so your team has full context even if the lead isn’t synced immediately.

The shared inbox gives every attorney and paralegal a single place to review, take over, and annotate chats. When a client chat triggers a custom action that updates your CRM, the inbox records the full thread – including what was sent, when, and why. This audit trail reinforces your legal client management by keeping all communication connected to the right matter.

If a situation requires human judgment, your team can step into the same live thread and take over without losing context. The shared inbox also lets you add internal notes, tag conversations for follow‑up, and decide which updates need a manual push to the CRM. In a criminal‑defense firm, where timing matters, this keeps your attorneys in the loop while the chatbot handles routine intake and status checks.

How does Chatref sync with popular legal CRMs?
Chatref doesn’t offer pre‑built integrations with specific CRM platforms. Instead, you set up sync through custom actions that send data to your CRM’s API endpoint. As long as your CRM accepts incoming HTTPS requests (most do, or you can use middleware like Zapier), you can push lead details, case notes, or intake answers from Chatref directly into your system. You define the payload and the trigger – Chatref handles the execution.

Can Chatref update client records directly from chats?
Yes, when you configure a custom action to call your CRM’s update endpoint. For example, a chat where a client provides a new phone number or reports a court date change can fire an action that patches that record in the CRM. The action can include data extracted from the chat, so the record updates automatically. Your team still reviews the update in the shared inbox before it’s committed, keeping you in control.

What data can be captured from legal client chats in Chatref?
Lead capture collects standard fields like name, email, and phone number, plus any custom fields you add during setup. For criminal‑defense firms, this often includes charge type, arrest date, case number, and preferred contact method. Conversations are fully logged, including all messages, attachments, and timestamps. Through custom actions, you can forward exactly the data your CRM needs, such as intake answers, case updates, or notes about client availability.