Law Practice Management Tech Center
Which Products Are Right for Me?
Choosing a practice management product relates mostly to how and where you will use it:
Firm size. Some products are designed for larger firms, some for mid-sized firms, and some for small firms. Be sure to look for one that is intended for your size firm and that is compatible with other products you already use.
Cloud or on-premises. Some products are delivered via the cloud, while others are installed locally on your computer or office network. Most modern products are cloud-based.
All-in-one vs. integrated apps. Practice management suites differ in their approach to providing you with the tools you need in your practice. Some are all-in-one products, combining all the essential tools a lawyer needs, including trust and general ledger accounting, for a single subscription. Others provide a core set of tools and then allow customers to integrate with other applications to add other functionality they may need. This latter approach is better for firms with specialized practices or needs, but the added applications usually required additional subscriptions.
Categories of Law Practice Management Products
Within this Legal Tech Center are the following categories of products:
Law Practice Management Suites. A law practice management suite is the operating system of your law firm. It helps ensure you attend to your cases in a timely manner, have ready access to your contacts, keep all your documents organized, get your invoices out regularly, and keep on top of your accounts receivable. Suites typically cover management of cases, contacts, calendars, documents, timekeeping and billing, and may also include features such as accounting and electronic payments. Used properly, practice management software is both a boon to efficiency and a hedge against malpractice.
Accounting/Finance. Law firm accounting and finance software provides general business accounting and/or IOLTA trust fund accounting tailored to law practices and either integrates with general accounting software such as Quickbooks or includes its own complete accounting functionality. Additional features may include payroll processing, billing and payments.
Client Portals. Client portals provide an online interface for lawyers to securely communicate with clients. Among the features portals may include are file sharing, messaging, collaboration, invoicing and payments.
CRM, Marketing and Business Development. Products in this category help law firms automate, track and analyze digital marketing, client pipelines, client intake, and business prospects.
Conflict Checking. This software enables law firms to check for potential conflicts of interest before taking on new clients.
Cybersecurity. Cybersecurity products assist law firms in protecting the security of their firm and client data.
Firm Analytics, KPIs and Reporting Tools. These tools enable law firms and legal organizations to integrate data from various sources and apply analytics for insights on profitability, performance, effectiveness, market trends, marketing and other business considerations.
Matter Management. Matter management software is software used to manage every aspect of a corporate legal practice, both internally and externally.
Payment Processing. Payment processing products allow law firms to receive and track clients’ payments electronically, both by credit cards and electronic checks.
Time and Billing. Time and billing software enables attorneys to track their time and expenses and then create and send invoices. Products may be standalone or part of practice management or accounting suites.
Virtual Receptionist. Virtual receptionist services answer and process phone calls to a law firm. Services may also perform client intake, and some offer chat and text messaging.
Pro Bono Management. Pro bono management software is used by law firms, legal departments and legal organizations to manage their pro bono matters and support attorneys working on those matters.
