%20(1).avif)
.avif)
Legal work happens far beyond the office.
Attorneys speak with clients in court, at home, on the road, and in temporary workspaces. Yet, every conversation requires privacy, reliable access, and a professional firm identity.
The right law firm technology gives attorneys a separate business number, secure messaging, scheduled communication, and calling options suited to changing locations.
It also gives reception staff and authorized colleagues access to client inquiries through approved firm channels.
iPlum brings these capabilities to your existing smartphone, allowing firms to protect personal numbers and maintain consistent communication.
Below are iPlum tools for attorneys that make mobile legal work more secure, responsive, and professional, including number porting, encrypted texting, web-based calling, caller ID, and more.
Table of Contents
4. Encrypted client texting channels
6. Automatic replies for missed calls and texts
8. Broadcast and group messaging
9. Firm-wide outbound caller ID
10. Multiple business numbers on one device
11. Get powerful technology built for law firm communication
1. Number porting
A law firm can build years of recognition around one phone number. Clients save it, referral partners share it, and the firm publishes it on its website, in signage, in legal directories, on intake forms, and in advertisements.
Replacing the number would require updates to all those materials. That's a lot of work. Worse, it can create communication confusion, especially with your old clients. You don’t want that.
iPlum number porting lets firms transfer an active mobile, landline, toll-free, or virtual number into an iPlum account. That way, the number your clients already know works as a secure business line on your existing smartphone.
Calls continue through the current provider during the transfer. Once completed, iPlum sends an email, and the ported number replaces the temporary iPlum number.
Transfers generally take one to seven business days after the current carrier accepts the request. Wireless numbers usually transfer sooner than landline numbers.
Port your law firm number to iPlum
2. Dual-mode mobile calling
Attorneys cannot control the internet connection inside courthouses, client homes, hotels, or rural locations. Weak Wi-Fi or congested mobile data can make it difficult to complete a time-sensitive client call.
iPlum dual-mode calling allows attorneys to choose between Wi-Fi, mobile data, and their carrier's voice network for outgoing calls. An attorney can use internet calling when the connection works well, then select voice network mode in locations with limited data coverage.
When voice network mode is active, iPlum routes the call through an intermediate number. The client only sees the attorney's iPlum business number as the caller ID. The attorney's personal mobile number remains private.
Law firms can also route incoming iPlum calls through the carrier voice network. In addition, they can set a distinct ringtone to identify business calls, and can route unanswered calls to the iPlum voicemail system.
You can change your incoming and outgoing call modes through the iPlum app. Moreover, administrators can configure these settings through the online portal, making it easy to select the calling network suited to their current location.
3. Browser-based calling
When you spend much of the day reviewing documents or managing case files on a computer, reaching for your mobile phone for every call can interrupt your work.
iPlum browser-based calling allows you to make and receive business calls through the iPlum web portal. You can use your computer's microphone and speakers or connect a headset for more private conversations.
After signing in, you'll see a floating call panel in your browser. The panel gives you access to the keypad, saved contacts, favorites, recent calls, voicemail, and notifications.
You can enter a number manually or select a client from your contacts. During the call, you can mute your microphone, change audio devices, reopen the keypad, or place the caller on hold with music.
If you have access to several individual or shared lines, you can select the required outbound number before calling. For example, reception staff can call from the main firm number rather than an individual line.
Web calling comes with Professional and Enterprise plans at no additional charge. With iPlum, you can use your firm number from a computer whenever your phone isn’t nearby.
4. Encrypted client texting channels
Texting works well for short case updates, consultation reminders, document requests, and court-date notices. However, standard SMS doesn’t provide the same encryption as an iPlum-to-iPlum conversation.
iPlum secure texting channels allow you to exchange bidirectional encrypted messages with clients. You begin by adding the client as a business contact through the mobile app or online portal.
Next, you send a secure text invitation via SMS or email. The client follows the invitation link and creates a free iPlum account using their mobile number. They can access the conversation through the iPlum mobile app or web portal.
Once the client accepts, a shield icon identifies the encrypted channel. You can then use it for sensitive case updates, meeting details, document reminders, payment notices, or questions requiring a private response.
However, you must select the shield icon when starting the conversation. Choosing the regular messaging icon sends a standard SMS instead.
It is worth noting that clients don't need a paid iPlum subscription for these encrypted conversations. As a result, your firm can introduce secure client texting without incurring additional communication costs per client.
5. Scheduled client messages
Legal work revolves around dates. Consultations, filing deadlines, hearings, payment dates, and document requests all require timely client communication.
Sending every reminder manually can become difficult during a busy week. You could prepare the message in advance, then forget to send it after an urgent matter changes your schedule.
iPlum scheduled messaging lets you write a text through the web portal and select a future delivery time. You can schedule it at least 15 minutes in advance for a single client, multiple contacts, or an established group.
For example, you can schedule:
- Consultation reminders
- Court-date notices
- Document submission requests
- Retainer payment reminders
- Case-update messages
- Follow-ups after client meetings
Scheduling works with standard texts, multimedia messages, broadcast and group messages, and encrypted client conversations. You can also use text templates when you regularly send similar reminders.
And, if the appointment or deadline changes, you can review and delete the scheduled message through the portal before delivery.
The system allows you to prepare routine communications in advance and reduce missed client updates during demanding workdays.
6. Automatic replies for missed calls and texts
A client can call while you’re in court, meeting another client, reviewing evidence, or traveling. If you cannot answer, the caller has no indication of when your firm will respond.
iPlum automatic text replies allow you to send an immediate message after a missed incoming call or text. You can activate the feature through the iPlum app or online portal.
You can also choose when the reply applies. For example, you could activate it after business hours, during weekends, or throughout a period when you’re unavailable.
A suitable response could read:
Thank you for contacting Miller Law. We have received your message and will respond by 10 a.m. on the next business day.
The message comes from your iPlum business number. And because iPlum sends it from its cloud network, your mobile app doesn’t have to remain open.
Pro tip: Use a general reply that confirms receipt and provides a realistic response window. Avoid adding case details or other confidential information, as the incoming number may belong to a new contact.
7. Text-to-email delivery
Client texts can arrive while your phone is silent, charging, or being used for another call. If only one device receives those messages, an urgent inquiry could wait longer than expected.
iPlum text-to-email delivery sends incoming business texts to selected email addresses. That way, you continue receiving the message in the iPlum app, while an email notification gives you another opportunity to review it.
You can activate the feature through the online portal for a specific iPlum number. Firm administrators can also add authorized iPlum users as recipients. For example, a receptionist or case manager could monitor incoming messages sent to the firm’s main number.
iPlum also allows you to suppress the sender’s phone number, message content, or both from the email notification. Such privacy settings reduce the amount of client information displayed in inbox previews and device notifications.
As a rule of thumb, you should send these notifications only to firm-managed email accounts with appropriate access permissions. Personal or shared public inboxes could expose confidential client details.
Text-to-email comes with iPlum Professional and Enterprise plans.
8. Broadcast and group messaging
You sometimes need to send the same update to several clients, staff members, co-counsel, or case participants. However, writing and sending every message separately takes time and increases the chance of inconsistent wording.
iPlum broadcast and group messaging give you two options for communicating with multiple recipients.
Broadcast messaging sends a separate text to every person on your list.
Recipients cannot see who else received it, and their replies return only to your firm. You can use broadcasts for office closures, appointment changes, general deadline reminders, or policy updates.
Meanwhile, group messaging creates a shared two-way conversation. Participants can see the other members and respond to everyone. Group messages work well for internal staff, co-counsel, expert witnesses, or other case participants who need to discuss the same issue.
You can create and manage recipient groups through the iPlum app or online portal. Both options work with regular and secure messages. Group conversations can also contain audio, photo, and video attachments.
That said, choose carefully between broadcast and group messaging. A broadcast protects recipient identities from one another.
Group messaging, on the other hand, reveals names or numbers to all participants, so confirm that disclosure is appropriate before adding clients or witnesses.
9. Firm-wide outbound caller ID
Clients can become confused when every lawyer, paralegal, and receptionist calls from a different number. They might ignore an unfamiliar number or save several contacts for the same firm.
iPlum firm-wide outbound caller ID lets an administrator display the firm’s main iPlum number when users call from their assigned lines.
You still make calls through your individual iPlum account. However, the recipient sees the main office number rather than your assigned number. If the client misses the call, they can return it through the firm’s established intake or reception line.
Administrators configure the caller ID through the secure online portal. Each user can choose either their assigned number or another iPlum number under the same firm account.
A consistent number also makes it easier to match outbound calls with the number shown on your website, legal directories, advertisements, and client documents.
iPlum also allows administrators to update the caller ID name in the carrier profile. Some carriers require approval, which can take 24 to 48 hours. Toll-free lines generally display "Toll-free," and some Canadian carriers transmit only the phone number.
With iPlum, your firm can present a recognizable callback number even when several staff members make outbound calls.
10. Multiple business numbers on one device
Your firm could use separate numbers for different offices, practice areas, lawyers, or intake campaigns. However, carrying a separate phone for every line would create unnecessary expense and inconvenience.
iPlum's multiple business numbers allow you to receive calls on several lines from the same mobile device.
The iPlum app holds one primary number. You can then add other numbers under the firm account and forward their incoming calls to the primary line.
Forwarding the caller ID shows which iPlum number the client dialed. Consequently, you can identify whether the call came through your main office number, family law line, criminal defense line, or a specific advertising campaign.
You can also give every additional line its own voicemail greeting. If you don't answer, iPlum routes the caller to the voicemail assigned to the original number rather than the primary line's greeting.
For texting, you can send and receive messages for the primary number through the mobile app. You can manage texts for additional lines through the online portal.
However, outgoing mobile calls require you to sign in to the account associated with the number you want to display. Alternatively, you can assign the additional line to another phone or tablet.
Such a setup gives your firm several distinct contact numbers, with calls routed to a single primary device.
Get powerful technology built for law firm communication
Secure legal communication requires more than a personal phone number and a standard messaging app.
You need tools that protect client conversations, preserve your professional identity, and give authorized staff access when required.
iPlum brings calling, encrypted texting, number porting, scheduled messages, browser calling, and shared communication settings to your existing smartphone.
With iPlum, you can work from court, home, or the road while clients continue reaching a recognizable firm number.
Click the link below to get started with iPlum.
