1. Start with Montclair’s actual service area
Montclair is recorded as a municipality in San Bernardino County, California. The Census estimate for the city is 37,810 people, with a margin of error of 61, for the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year period. It does not establish how many people are seeking counsel, which practice areas are active, or whether your firm needs more intake capacity. It does give you a precise geographic boundary for the first review: decide whether the intake is intended for Montclair visitors only, for a wider San Bernardino County service area, or for another area your firm actually serves.
Recommended approach
Use the consultation to define geographic eligibility before writing questions. If location affects whether you can accept a matter, make it an explicit intake question rather than assuming that a visitor in Montclair is automatically eligible. Review how location should affect ownership, escalation and follow-up.
