If you’ve recently tried to sync your phone calls into Clio using Dialpad, you’ve probably hit a wall.

Calls not showing up. Notes missing. Time entries you didn’t create. Confusing pop-ups. Support tickets that go nowhere. You’re not imagining things — this is happening across dozens of firms. We’ve spoken with enough Clio users to know: people are fed up.

Because when you rely on phone calls to run your firm — whether it’s client updates, new intakes, or coordinating with co-counsel, you need those calls logged, accurate, and in the right place. And when the tools that promise to automate that process actually create more work?

That’s not just frustrating. It’s risky.

You miss a note? That could affect your next hearing. You lose a transcript? That’s billable time gone. You spend half your week fixing broken logs? That’s money down the drain.

So, what’s going on with Clio + Dialpad right now?

Here’s the backstory:

The integration between Clio and Dialpad was deprecated. Now, if you want to connect Dialpad to Clio, you’re sent to Ion8 directly. There’s no longer a native Clio experience — just a third-party tool you now have to sign up for separately, with its own dashboard, support team, pricing tiers, and setup process.

And for many firms, that’s where the trouble starts. Here’s a breakdown of where some users are reporting challenges.

Set up that feels like another full time job

Most people hit serious friction just trying to get started. It’s not just one account to sign up for — every user in your firm has to go through setup individually. That’s a lot of time spent chasing logins, waiting for Clio to sync with Ion8, resetting passwords, and managing onboarding instead of actually practicing law.

Time entries that don’t reflect reality

Yes, Ion8 logs time entries. But they’re generic with only time and phone number added — missing context, mismatched matters, or not assigned to the correct Clio user. Firms end up deleting or rewriting them anyway, adding in admin work.

SMS messages that clog up Clio

Every single text — whether it’s “ok thanks” or a full update — gets logged as a separate communication entry in Clio. That turns a short back-and-forth into a chaotic, scroll-heavy mess.

No usable follow-up or summaries

Despite what’s advertised, the summary are generic and there is no follow-up email. There’s no meaningful automation that helps you close the loop, create tasks, or draft emails — just raw logs and manual work.

It all adds up to more cleanup, more confusion, and more admin work you didn’t sign up for.

A Smarter, Simpler Way: LegalMate

If you’ve made it this far, there’s a good chance you’re tired of patching together tools that are supposed to save time but just make things messier.

That’s exactly why LegalMate exists.

We built LegalMate specifically for law firms using Clio and Dialpad (or RingCentral) who want call logging and automation that actually works — quietly, reliably, and without changing how you operate.

LegalMate connects directly to your phone system. You keep using the tools you already know — no pop-ups, no forced dialers, no retraining. Behind the scenes, LegalMate syncs your calls into Clio automatically.

That means:

• Call logs appear in Clio as soon as the call ends

• Contacts are matched using fuzzy logic — even if they’re not saved perfectly

• Matters are assigned automatically, based on your real workflow

• Time entries are created (only if you want them), with accurate descriptions

• AI call notes created, because you’re on the run and now your team is up to speed

• Call summaries and email follow-ups are optional, editable, and styled in your firm’s tone

It’s not flashy. It’s just dependable.

Most firms are up and running in a day. And once it’s in place, LegalMate becomes the part of your workflow you forget about — in the best way possible. No dashboard to babysit. No gimmicks. Just clean, accurate data where it belongs.

If you’re feeling the friction with Ion8, you’re not alone.

LegalMate offers a smoother, quieter alternative that fits the way legal teams actually work — so you can stop fixing call logs and start focusing on your clients.

Want to take a look? Let’s walk you through it.