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Assessing Your Law Firm’s Software Solutions Needs
(Current as of August 2020)
Outfitting your law firm with the proper software can make your life a whole lot easier from both a legal practice and office management perspective. Below are some software solutions to consider when starting your law firm.
Practice Management
From an administrative standpoint, successfully managing a law firm will require you to keep track of lots of moving parts for each client matter you handle—from document and case management, to time keeping, invoicing, billing, trust accounting, and calendaring. Consider subscribing to a law practice management software that can do it all.
CLIO is the most widely used practice management software available in the marketplace today for solo and small firm practitioners. PracticePanther and MyCase are popular competitors. Most practice management platforms offer free trials, so consider testing a few and subscribing to one that fits your needs.
Legal Research
If you’ve already been practicing for some time, you probably have a decent grasp of the online legal research tools you’ll need for your day-to-day practice. But if you’re unsure which one’s right for you, or you’re contemplating a switch, most research tools offer free trials so you can try before you commit.
Westlaw and LexisNexis are the industry standard for online legal research (they’re also the priciest). Fastcase and Casetext are popular lower-cost options for solo and small firm practitioners.
Bear in mind that many online legal research providers are willing to negotiate on price, so don’t be afraid to push back on your sales rep and test how firm their initial price quotes really are.
Bookkeeping And Accounting
Maintaining an accurate account of your law firm’s finances is absolutely critical. Consider using a software solution to help you track income and expenses, capture and organize receipts, and maximize your tax deductions.
QuickBooks Online is the gold standard accounting solution for small businesses. It also integrates with many law practice management softwares, allowing you to sync your invoice, collections, expense, trust account and other financial records across platforms.
File Sharing
Law firms commonly handle electronic files that are too big to be sent or received via email. Whether it’s a closing binder for a client or an electronic discovery production for opposing counsel, you’ll need some sort of large file sharing capability.
Box and DropBox are widely used cloud-based file sharing solutions.
Online Payment Processing
Clients are increasingly expecting lawyers to offer flexible payment options. You’ll want a secure online payment processing service that allows your clients to pay invoices electronically—using a debit card, credit card, or eCheck—according to their preferences. (Accepting online payments will also help you get paid quicker!)
LawPay and Headnote are online payment processing platforms that are designed specifically for law firms to ensure ABA and IOLTA compliance.
Productivity
Your productivity software—word processing, presentations, spreadsheets, etc.—will drive your day-to-day practice. The Microsoft 365 Office Suite is the most widely used productivity software solution on the market today.
PDF Reading And Editing
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is the gold standard PDF reader (and it’s free!). If you need to create, edit, convert, or electronically sign PDFs, you can upgrade to Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Antivirus
You’ll need to keep antivirus software installed, running, and updated at all times. Norton and McAfee are popular options.
OTHER ARTICLES ON THE LAW FIRM LAUNCHPAD:
Choosing A Business Entity Structure
Getting An Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Getting A Business Credit Card
Opening Law Firm Bank Accounts
Buying Legal Malpractice Insurance
Assessing Your Furniture And Office Supply Needs
Setting Up Internet, Phone, and Fax
Assessing Your Computer And Technology Hardware Needs
Fortifying Your Electronic Data Security
Setting Up Mailing And Shipping Accounts