Use Clio Duo to Draft an Engagement Letter from Your Intake Notes

What This Does

Clio's AI assistant, branded Duo, reads what you've already logged in a new matter record and drafts a fee agreement or engagement letter from it. Instead of retyping the client's name, matter type, and fee terms a second time into a letter template, Duo pulls those facts straight out of the intake notes you entered once.

Before You Start

• You have a Clio account with Duo enabled. Duo sits on top of a core Clio subscription as a separate feature, so check Clio's current pricing page, or your firm's Billing or Subscription settings inside Clio, to confirm your plan includes it
• The intake call notes are already logged in the matter, at minimum the client name, matter type, and the fee structure you discussed
• Your firm's standard engagement letter template is saved somewhere Duo can reference, either uploaded to the matter or in your firm's document template library

Steps

1. Open the matter and find Duo

After logging intake notes, look for a Duo or AI panel inside the matter view. It typically shows up as a chat-style icon near the matter details. Clio has been expanding where Duo appears as it rolls the feature into more of the platform, so if you don't spot it right away, check whether it's listed under your account settings as enabled.

2. Ask it to draft the letter

Tell Duo what to draft, referencing the matter directly. Something like: "Draft an engagement letter for this matter using our flat-fee template. Fee is the amount we discussed for an uncontested divorce." Duo pulls the client name, matter type, and any fee notes already in the record instead of you typing them again.

3. Review and fill the gaps by hand

Read the draft against what you actually discussed on the call. Duo can only draft from what's already logged, so a scope detail you mentioned verbally but never typed into the notes won't appear. Confirm the fee terms, scope language, and any conflicts disclosures yourself before the letter goes anywhere near a client signature.

Real Example

Scenario: A prospective client called about a simple will and power of attorney package, and you agreed on a flat fee during the call.

What you type: "Draft an engagement letter for this new estate planning matter. Flat fee covering a will, healthcare directive, and power of attorney, using our standard template."

What you get: A drafted letter with the client's name, matter type, and fee already filled in from the matter record, formatted in your template's language, ready for you to check scope and add any custom carve-outs before sending for signature.

Tips

• Log the fee structure and any material scope details the moment the call ends. Duo drafts from what's in the record, and a thin intake note produces a thin letter.
• Build a small library of matter-type templates (divorce, will, LLC formation) instead of one generic letter. The draft comes out closer to final when it starts from the right template.
• Don't hand the conflicts paragraph to Duo. Confirm you've actually cleared conflicts before the letter goes out, not after.

New client intake data is personal information about someone who is not yet, but is about to become, a client whose facts fall under your confidentiality obligations. Before turning Duo on across the firm, check Clio's current data handling and AI training policy, and weigh it against ABA Formal Opinion 512 and Model Rule 1.6, plus any state bar guidance requiring informed client consent for this category of tool.

Tool interfaces change. If a button has moved, look for similar AI, Duo, or assistant options near the matter or document view.