Legal Case Management Software
The best legal software should be the ones that are widely used since their popularity with lawyers and law firms is not without compelling reasons.
Key features to look out for when choosing legal software
- Case management: it enables access to a database of cases, judgments and decisions, and laws and statutes. It should help you with the task of organizing cases and handling procedures.
- Document management: it allows for creating, crafting, and assembling legal documents. Many law solutions automate the task with word processing capabilities as well as pre-built templates ranging from simple letters and forms to more complex documents.
- Time tracking and billing: Accurately tracks the time you render for your services, whether it’s hourly or any other agreed-upon billable time.
- Calendar or scheduling: It organizes your schedules, appointments, court hearings, meetings, and other important events. It should be able to give you reminders and notifications via phone or email and set up tasks and appointments with an online calendar.
- Contact management includes CRM functionalities that allow you to collect details and information about clients and contacts and track this information from your phone calls, emails, social media, and other channels.
- Data storage provides a centralized cloud repository for all your vital documents, files, and information, with access permissions and security protocols.
- Accounting manages the financial processes of your law firm, such as trust accounts, cash flows, billing, and payroll, among others. It should also be able to produce financial statements and reports.
Key Criteria for Choosing Case Management Software for Your Law Firm
- Reputation: Is the product provider or company well-established and has a solid background? RocketMatter was one of the very first to offer online legal billing and practice management software in 2007. Meanwhile, FirmCentral is a product of Thomson Reuters, one of Canada’s leading corporate brands that operates in more than 100 countries.
- Complete solution: Does it have all that you need in one package? Several legal case management platforms, such as MyCase and ActionStep, are offered as all-in-one solutions with numerous features and functionalities, as well as integration with leading office apps.
- Affordability: Is it easy on the pocket and ideal for solo practitioners and small law firms? Aside from having a free version, the lowest-paid plan of CaseFox goes for $10/month, while its highest-priced plan is pegged at $35/month.
- Support: Dependable and reliable support is vital. CosmoLex provides a ticket system and a comprehensive knowledge base with how-to articles and training videos. Also, a call to the company lets you talk directly with the product expert.
Finally, here is a list of the top law firm software currently available on the market, including some of the most popular among lawyers and law firms.
Legal Practice Management Software: Top 10 Legal Software
- Clio
- CaseFox
Commonalities between the above legal software
There are many commonalities among the listed 10 law software programs when it comes to features and functions. These 10 are dedicated legal management cloud solutions that provide the following capabilities:
- Legal Practice/Case Management
- Document Management
- CRM/Client Management
- Calendar and Scheduling
- Cloud Storage
- Time-tracking and billing
- Accounting
- Payment Processing
- Integration
Preference is based not only on features and capabilities but also on ease of use, intuitive navigation, reliable support, access from any device or browser, data security, and many other attributes. Aside from being budget-friendly, the plans and packages offered should also be customizable (get features you need for now) and scalable (expand features and functions when the time comes).
However, the preferred legal case management software ultimately boils down to what works for you. There are several cloud-based solutions available today, all promising top-level performance and capabilities.
Over to you!
Yes, we have provided some facts that will guide you in choosing the best legal case management software, but that is not all there is. It’s time to do your home assignment: study the offerings of these legal case management services based on your law firm’s needs. While lawyers and law firms may have the same general requirements, yours may have some particular needs when it comes to workflows and processes.
Make sure the software is equipped to handle them. There are demos and free trials offered by vendors, and it’s good to get a first-hand feel of the product and personally check how the features work out. A preferred cloud solution may not always be the best, but if it has all the essentials for your profession and business, then it’s the right one for you.