Erica Temcheshen
Erica Temcheshen helps lead the client-intake process at Ratliff Jackson LLP, serving as an important connection between prospective clients and the firm's legal team. Her background in criminal-defense investigation and nearly two decades of professional experience give her a practical understanding of how to identify, organize, and communicate the information lawyers need to evaluate a potential matter.
Where Client Relationships Begin
Erica Temcheshen serves as Director of Client Intake & Engagement at Ratliff Jackson LLP. She is often among the first members of the firm to speak with an individual seeking legal representation and helps guide prospective clients through the firm's initial review and consultation process.
Erica brings nearly two decades of professional experience to the role, together with an Associate's degree in Criminal Justice and prior experience working as a criminal-defense investigator. That investigative background gives her a practical understanding of how facts, documents, timelines, and client accounts come together at the earliest stages of a legal matter.
Her work at Ratliff Jackson LLP includes communicating with prospective clients, gathering preliminary information, coordinating consultations, organizing intake materials, assisting with engagement documentation, and helping transition newly retained clients into the firm's case-management process.
Because the firm handles matters across multiple practice areas, Erica routinely encounters individuals facing very different legal problems. Her role requires identifying the nature of the issue, obtaining the information necessary for lawyer review, and helping connect the prospective client with the appropriate member of the legal team.
Client Intake, Screening, and Case Coordination
Client Intake
Initial communication with prospective clients, gathering information about the legal issue, and coordinating the next stage of the firm's review process.
Matter Screening
Organizing the facts, documents, parties, deadlines, and other preliminary information necessary for the firm's lawyers to evaluate a potential matter.
Consultation Coordination
Scheduling consultations, communicating with prospective clients, and helping ensure that relevant information is available before lawyer review.
Client Engagement
Helping prospective clients move from initial inquiry through engagement documentation and the beginning of the firm's representation process.
Case Transition
Coordinating the transfer of retained matters to lawyers and staff and helping establish the administrative foundation for the client's representation.
Investigative Perspective
Prior criminal-defense investigative experience that informs her approach to interviewing, factual organization, document review, and identifying information relevant to lawyer review.
Helping Clients Navigate the First Steps
People rarely contact a law firm when everything is going well. They may be facing a criminal allegation, a school or university dispute, a licensing problem, litigation, a business issue, or another situation with serious personal or professional consequences.
The first interaction therefore matters. Erica helps prospective clients explain what has happened, identify the documents and information that may be relevant, understand the firm's intake process, and connect with the appropriate lawyer when further review is warranted.
Her role also continues after a prospective client decides to retain the firm. Erica assists with the transition into representation, including engagement-related communication and coordination with the lawyers and staff responsible for the matter.
Criminal Justice and Investigative Experience
Erica holds an Associate's degree in Criminal Justice and previously worked as a criminal-defense investigator. That experience exposed her to the practical process of developing cases from the ground up, including the importance of obtaining accurate facts, asking focused questions, organizing information, and maintaining discretion.
She brings that perspective to her work with prospective clients at Ratliff Jackson LLP, where effective intake often begins with understanding what happened, what documentation exists, what deadlines may be approaching, and what the client is seeking to accomplish.
As a mother, Erica also brings patience, empathy, and clear communication to conversations that may involve stressful, sensitive, or deeply personal circumstances.
Professional Background
Education:
Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice
Prior Experience:
Criminal Defense Investigator
Current Role:
Director of Client Intake & Engagement
Ratliff Jackson LLP
Start the Conversation With Our Team
If you are dealing with a legal problem and want to determine whether Ratliff Jackson LLP may be able to assist, contact our intake team to discuss the nature of your matter and the appropriate next step.