role: user

text: actually, i turned 56 two days ago.


role: assistant

text: Updating the in-repo call docs to reflect you’re 56 (and I’ll sweep for any other “55” mentions so we don’t carry a bad fact into attorney calls).


text:
Updated the call docs to **age 56** and committed:

- `records/lawyers/freed/facts_sheet.md`
- `records/lawyers/consult_call_checklist.md`
- `records/communications/draft_retirement_equalization_proposal_2026-02-20.md`

Commit: `7d95fdf`


text: ok - can you write that fact sheet into a nice letter i can send to my prospective lawyers?


text:
```text
Subject: Collaborative divorce consult — brief background + intake questions

Hi [Attorney Name],

Thank you for considering my request. Ahead of a consult, I wanted to share a short, high-level background so you can assess fit and tell me what you need from me next.

Context
- I’m seeking a Missouri attorney trained in collaborative divorce. My spouse and I are aiming to keep this steady and out of litigation if at all possible, and we’re coordinating outreach to avoid conflicts.
- Parties: Karl Stiefvater (56) and Lisa Donahue (for conflict checking: zinch@zizzerzinch.com).
- I’m currently in San Francisco, so phone/Zoom works best.

Immediate practical needs (what I’m hoping you can help structure early)
- Interim cash-flow/support so I’m not cut off while counsel/process is being set up
- Housing in San Francisco (rent is the biggest expense)
- Protect stability for my mom’s assisted living during the transition

Financial notes (high-level)
- I have no personal retirement savings and I’m concerned about retirement runway.
- Trust constraint: the corpus is locked in a trust to which I am not a beneficiary (I can’t access/touch the corpus).

A few questions
1) Are you accepting new collaborative matters right now?
2) Do you have an intake form/questionnaire (or a short list of information you want first)?
3) What are your consult rate / hourly rate(s) / typical retainer range and billing cadence?
4) What’s the normal way to structure interim arrangements (shared accounts, bill-paying, avoiding either spouse feeling cut off) while counsel gets aligned?

If you’re open to it, I’m happy to send whatever intake info you prefer in advance to make the consult efficient.

Thank you,
Karl Stiefvater
qarl@qarl.com
[phone]
```


text: he said "this is not a consult" so i think it would be rude to contradict him.


text:
Agreed. Call it an **“initial call”** / **“intake call”** / **“intro call”** and say explicitly you understand it’s not a full consult.

```text
Subject: Collaborative divorce — brief background + intake questions ahead of our call

Hi [Attorney Name],

Thank you for making time to speak. I understand this initial call is to gather information and determine next steps (not a full consultation yet). To make it efficient, here’s a brief, high-level background and a few questions.

Context
- I’m seeking a Missouri attorney trained in collaborative divorce. My spouse and I are aiming to keep this steady and out of litigation if at all possible, and we’re coordinating outreach to avoid conflicts.
- Parties: Karl Stiefvater (56) and Lisa Donahue (for conflict checking: zinch@zizzerzinch.com).
- I’m currently in San Francisco, so phone/Zoom works best.

Immediate practical needs (what I’m hoping to structure early)
- Interim cash-flow/support so I’m not cut off while counsel/process is being set up
- Housing in San Francisco (rent is the biggest expense)
- Protect stability for my mom’s assisted living during the transition

Financial notes (high-level)
- I have no personal retirement savings and I’m concerned about retirement runway.
- Trust constraint: the corpus is locked in a trust to which I am not a beneficiary (I can’t access/touch the corpus).

Questions
1) What specific information do you need from me first (intake form/questionnaire, or a short list)?
2) What are your rates (initial call/consult rate if applicable, hourly rates) and typical retainer range and billing cadence?
3) What’s a normal way to handle interim arrangements (shared accounts, bill-paying, avoiding either spouse feeling cut off) while counsel gets aligned?
4) What are the next steps/timeline if we decide to move forward (engagement, disclosures, first joint meeting)?

If you have an intake form, I’m happy to fill it out in advance.

Thank you,
Karl Stiefvater
qarl@qarl.com
[phone]
```


text: should i add "i have no employment and no practical opportunities"


text:
Yes, add the **unemployment / income** fact, but I’d phrase it more neutrally than “no practical opportunities.”

Suggested line (drop-in under “Financial notes”):

- **Employment/income:** I’m currently unemployed, have no current income, and don’t have anything lined up in the near term (I’m exploring options).


text: ok - send me the full letter again?


text:
```text
Subject: Collaborative divorce — brief background + intake questions ahead of our call

Hi [Attorney Name],

Thank you for making time to speak. I understand this initial call is to gather information and determine next steps (not a full consultation yet). To make it efficient, here’s a brief, high-level background and a few questions.

Context
- I’m seeking a Missouri attorney trained in collaborative divorce. My spouse and I are aiming to keep this steady and out of litigation if at all possible, and we’re coordinating outreach to avoid conflicts.
- Parties: Karl Stiefvater (56) and Lisa Donahue (for conflict checking: zinch@zizzerzinch.com).
- I’m currently in San Francisco, so phone/Zoom works best.

Immediate practical needs (what I’m hoping to structure early)
- Interim cash-flow/support so I’m not cut off while counsel/process is being set up
- Housing in San Francisco (rent is the biggest expense)
- Protect stability for my mom’s assisted living during the transition

Financial notes (high-level)
- Employment/income: I’m currently unemployed, have no current income, and don’t have anything lined up in the near term (I’m exploring options).
- I have no personal retirement savings and I’m concerned about retirement runway.
- Trust constraint: the corpus is locked in a trust to which I am not a beneficiary (I can’t access/touch the corpus).

Questions
1) What specific information do you need from me first (intake form/questionnaire, or a short list)?
2) What are your rates (initial call/consult rate if applicable, hourly rates) and typical retainer range and billing cadence?
3) What’s a normal way to handle interim arrangements (shared accounts, bill-paying, avoiding either spouse feeling cut off) while counsel gets aligned?
4) What are the next steps/timeline if we decide to move forward (engagement, disclosures, first joint meeting)?

If you have an intake form, I’m happy to fill it out in advance.

Thank you,
Karl Stiefvater
qarl@qarl.com
[phone]
```


text: don't you know my phone number?


text: Yes: your Contacts card for “Karl Stiefvater” lists **(415) 938-7275** (`+14159387275`). Want me to drop that into the letter signature?


text: what do you think?


text:
Yes, include it. Lawyers’ intake teams will want a direct number, and it reduces back-and-forth.

I’d format the signature like:

```text
Karl Stiefvater
+1 (415) 938-7275
qarl@qarl.com
San Francisco (Pacific)
```


text: perfect.


text: Cool. If you want the full letter with that signature block swapped in, say “paste full letter” and tell me which attorney name you’re sending to first (or “generic” if you want `[Attorney Name]` kept).


text: give me the full letter again?


text:
```text
Subject: Collaborative divorce — brief background + intake questions ahead of our call

Hi [Attorney Name],

Thank you for making time to speak. I understand this initial call is to gather information and determine next steps (not a full consultation yet). To make it efficient, here’s a brief, high-level background and a few questions.

Context
- I’m seeking a Missouri attorney trained in collaborative divorce. My spouse and I are aiming to keep this steady and out of litigation if at all possible, and we’re coordinating outreach to avoid conflicts.
- Parties: Karl Stiefvater (56) and Lisa Donahue (for conflict checking: zinch@zizzerzinch.com).
- I’m currently in San Francisco, so phone/Zoom works best.

Immediate practical needs (what I’m hoping to structure early)
- Interim cash-flow/support so I’m not cut off while counsel/process is being set up
- Housing in San Francisco (rent is the biggest expense)
- Protect stability for my mom’s assisted living during the transition

Financial notes (high-level)
- Employment/income: I’m currently unemployed, have no current income, and don’t have anything lined up in the near term (I’m exploring options).
- I have no personal retirement savings and I’m concerned about retirement runway.
- Trust constraint: the corpus is locked in a trust to which I am not a beneficiary (I can’t access/touch the corpus).

Questions
1) What specific information do you need from me first (intake form/questionnaire, or a short list)?
2) What are your rates (initial call/consult rate if applicable, hourly rates) and typical retainer range and billing cadence?
3) What’s a normal way to handle interim arrangements (shared accounts, bill-paying, avoiding either spouse feeling cut off) while counsel gets aligned?
4) What are the next steps/timeline if we decide to move forward (engagement, disclosures, first joint meeting)?

If you have an intake form, I’m happy to fill it out in advance.

Thank you,
Karl Stiefvater
+1 (415) 938-7275
qarl@qarl.com
San Francisco (Pacific)
```


text: maybe add something like "the trust limits on the inheritance came as a surprise to us" so we couldn't have planned for it.


text:
```text
Subject: Collaborative divorce — brief background + intake questions ahead of our call

Hi [Attorney Name],

Thank you for making time to speak. I understand this initial call is to gather information and determine next steps (not a full consultation yet). To make it efficient, here’s a brief, high-level background and a few questions.

Context
- I’m seeking a Missouri attorney trained in collaborative divorce. My spouse and I are aiming to keep this steady and out of litigation if at all possible, and we’re coordinating outreach to avoid conflicts.
- Parties: Karl Stiefvater (56) and Lisa Donahue (for conflict checking: zinch@zizzerzinch.com).
- I’m currently in San Francisco, so phone/Zoom works best.

Immediate practical needs (what I’m hoping to structure early)
- Interim cash-flow/support so I’m not cut off while counsel/process is being set up
- Housing in San Francisco (rent is the biggest expense)
- Protect stability for my mom’s assisted living during the transition

Financial notes (high-level)
- Employment/income: I’m currently unemployed, have no current income, and don’t have anything lined up in the near term (I’m exploring options).
- I have no personal retirement savings and I’m concerned about retirement runway.
- Trust constraint: the corpus is locked in a trust to which I am not a beneficiary (I can’t access/touch the corpus). The trust limits on the inheritance came as a surprise to us, so we couldn’t have planned around access to those funds.

Questions
1) What specific information do you need from me first (intake form/questionnaire, or a short list)?
2) What are your rates (initial call/consult rate if applicable, hourly rates) and typical retainer range and billing cadence?
3) What’s a normal way to handle interim arrangements (shared accounts, bill-paying, avoiding either spouse feeling cut off) while counsel gets aligned?
4) What are the next steps/timeline if we decide to move forward (engagement, disclosures, first joint meeting)?

If you have an intake form, I’m happy to fill it out in advance.

Thank you,
Karl Stiefvater
+1 (415) 938-7275
qarl@qarl.com
San Francisco (Pacific)
```


text: maybe don't say "couldn't".  we could have, but we simply did not.


text:
```text
Subject: Collaborative divorce — brief background + intake questions ahead of our call

Hi [Attorney Name],

Thank you for making time to speak. I understand this initial call is to gather information and determine next steps (not a full consultation yet). To make it efficient, here’s a brief, high-level background and a few questions.

Context
- I’m seeking a Missouri attorney trained in collaborative divorce. My spouse and I are aiming to keep this steady and out of litigation if at all possible, and we’re coordinating outreach to avoid conflicts.
- Parties: Karl Stiefvater (56) and Lisa Donahue (for conflict checking: zinch@zizzerzinch.com).
- I’m currently in San Francisco, so phone/Zoom works best.

Immediate practical needs (what I’m hoping to structure early)
- Interim cash-flow/support so I’m not cut off while counsel/process is being set up
- Housing in San Francisco (rent is the biggest expense)
- Protect stability for my mom’s assisted living during the transition

Financial notes (high-level)
- Employment/income: I’m currently unemployed, have no current income, and don’t have anything lined up in the near term (I’m exploring options).
- I have no personal retirement savings and I’m concerned about retirement runway.
- Trust constraint: the corpus is locked in a trust to which I am not a beneficiary (I can’t access/touch the corpus). The trust limits on the inheritance came as a surprise to us, and we did not plan around access to those funds.

Questions
1) What specific information do you need from me first (intake form/questionnaire, or a short list)?
2) What are your rates (initial call/consult rate if applicable, hourly rates) and typical retainer range and billing cadence?
3) What’s a normal way to handle interim arrangements (shared accounts, bill-paying, avoiding either spouse feeling cut off) while counsel gets aligned?
4) What are the next steps/timeline if we decide to move forward (engagement, disclosures, first joint meeting)?

If you have an intake form, I’m happy to fill it out in advance.

Thank you,
Karl Stiefvater
+1 (415) 938-7275
qarl@qarl.com
San Francisco (Pacific)
```


text: Lisa is also 56, so maybe add that for consistency.


text:
```text
Subject: Collaborative divorce — brief background + intake questions ahead of our call

Hi [Attorney Name],

Thank you for making time to speak. I understand this initial call is to gather information and determine next steps (not a full consultation yet). To make it efficient, here’s a brief, high-level background and a few questions.

Context
- I’m seeking a Missouri attorney trained in collaborative divorce. My spouse and I are aiming to keep this steady and out of litigation if at all possible, and we’re coordinating outreach to avoid conflicts.
- Parties: Karl Stiefvater (56) and Lisa Donahue (56) (for conflict checking: zinch@zizzerzinch.com).
- I’m currently in San Francisco, so phone/Zoom works best.

Immediate practical needs (what I’m hoping to structure early)
- Interim cash-flow/support so I’m not cut off while counsel/process is being set up
- Housing in San Francisco (rent is the biggest expense)
- Protect stability for my mom’s assisted living during the transition

Financial notes (high-level)
- Employment/income: I’m currently unemployed, have no current income, and don’t have anything lined up in the near term (I’m exploring options).
- I have no personal retirement savings and I’m concerned about retirement runway.
- Trust constraint: the corpus is locked in a trust to which I am not a beneficiary (I can’t access/touch the corpus). The trust limits on the inheritance came as a surprise to us, and we did not plan around access to those funds.

Questions
1) What specific information do you need from me first (intake form/questionnaire, or a short list)?
2) What are your rates (initial call/consult rate if applicable, hourly rates) and typical retainer range and billing cadence?
3) What’s a normal way to handle interim arrangements (shared accounts, bill-paying, avoiding either spouse feeling cut off) while counsel gets aligned?
4) What are the next steps/timeline if we decide to move forward (engagement, disclosures, first joint meeting)?

If you have an intake form, I’m happy to fill it out in advance.

Thank you,
Karl Stiefvater
+1 (415) 938-7275
qarl@qarl.com
San Francisco (Pacific)
```


text: is "intake" the correct word when speaking to lawyers?


text:
Yes. “Intake” (and “intake form” / “intake questionnaire”) is standard lawyer terminology.

Alternatives that also fit: “initial information,” “new client questionnaire,” “conflict check + intake.”


text: ok.  i new it was standard for therapy.  just checking lawyers use it too.


text:
<turn_aborted>
The user interrupted the previous turn on purpose. Any running unified exec processes were terminated. If any tools/commands were aborted, they may have partially executed; verify current state before retrying.
</turn_aborted>


text: knew.


text: Yep, lawyers use “intake” the same way therapists do.


text: Want me to save this lawyer-intake email template into the repo (e.g., `records/lawyers/templates/intake_email.md`) so you can reuse it verbatim?


text: yes please!!!


text:
Saved and committed as `records/lawyers/templates/intake_email.md`.

Commit: `f4ffcf1`