# How to customize Lighthouse to your firm

> [llms.txt](https://www.lighthouselegal.ai/llms.txt)

Choose what Lighthouse asks callers, set your business hours, and route calls to the right people at your firm.

URL: https://www.lighthouselegal.ai/blog/customize-lighthouse-to-your-firm

[Blog](/blog)

October 1, 2026

## How to customize Lighthouse to your firm

Choose what Lighthouse asks and who receives calls.

-   Product walkthrough
-   Intake

 [![](/images/blog/customize-lighthouse/video-poster.jpg) Play video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtd1RmMhp1s)

Your answering service should know what your firm does, what to ask callers, and who should receive a call. Here's how to set that up in Lighthouse.

### Describe your firm

In [**General settings**](https://app.lighthouselegal.ai/settings?tab=general), write a short description of your practice: the cases you handle, where you work, and the matters you don't take.

For example, Canyon Ridge handles car, truck, and motorcycle accidents in Arizona, along with wrongful death matters. It doesn't handle criminal defense, divorce, or employment disputes.

 ![Typing Canyon Ridge's practice description, then clicking Save.](/images/blog/customize-lighthouse/setup-firm.webp)

Explain which matters your firm handles. Play animation

Lighthouse uses this description to answer questions about your firm. Save it when you're done. Your team still decides whether to accept a case.

### Choose intake details

Start with the information your team needs for a callback. Under [**New Clients settings**](https://app.lighthouselegal.ai/settings?tab=new-clients), find **Client Info Collection** and set each available detail to:

-   **Required:** Always ask for it during intake.
-   **Optional:** Collect when the client is willing to share it.
-   **Disabled:** Leave it out entirely.

 ![Setting Date of Accident to Required, Email to Optional, and Referral Source to Disabled.](/images/blog/customize-lighthouse/setup-collection.webp)

Ask for the details your team needs. Play animation

**Client Name** and **Phone Number** are always required. Keep the other questions focused on what helps your team evaluate the call and follow up. If something typically is not helpful to your firm for qualifying cases, we recommend disabling it.

### Set business hours

Open [**Schedule settings**](https://app.lighthouselegal.ai/settings?tab=schedule) and enter your office hours and timezone. These determine when daytime routing applies and when after-hours coverage takes over. Lighthouse continues answering incoming calls 24/7.

 ![Choosing Arizona as the timezone, with weekday hours set to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.](/images/blog/customize-lighthouse/setup-schedule.webp)

Set your office hours and timezone. Play animation

### Choose call recipients

Your paralegal might handle billing and routine case updates, while an attorney takes urgent injury calls.

In [**Daytime Routing**](https://app.lighthouselegal.ai/settings?tab=schedule), choose a team member, check the call categories they handle, and confirm their phone number. Save the contact.

Use [**After-Hours Escalation**](https://app.lighthouselegal.ai/settings?tab=schedule) to choose who receives urgent calls when the office is closed. In this example, Avery Chen receives calls about spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and wrongful death.

 ![Selecting Avery Chen and checking Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Wrongful Death for after-hours calls.](/images/blog/customize-lighthouse/setup-afterhours.webp)

Choose an on-call contact and the urgent calls they receive. Play animation

Keep these assignments up to date as your team's responsibilities change.

### Test your setup

Make a few test calls: a new client inquiry, a question outside your practice, and a call for your on-call attorney. Check the information collected and where each call goes, including when nobody answers.

Next, [see how to review calls in the Lighthouse dashboard](/blog/using-the-lighthouse-dashboard).

Adjust anything that needs work. If you'd like help, [book a demo](/#book-demo) and bring your current intake questions.

[Book a demo](/#book-demo) [See how it works](/#how-it-works)