If you work in a small to medium-sized law firm, you may not have case management software. Even if your firm does have a client or case management database, it is likely not being utilized to its full potential.
Reasons your law firm should look into case management software, a client database, or a customer relationship management tool:
- Conflicts checking mechanism
- Centralized storage of client data
- Centralized location for all firm contacts
- Remarketing potential
WHAT SHOULD A LAW FIRM LOOK FOR IN SELECTING CASE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE?
Stacey E. Burke has personally worked with and/or reviewed most law firm case management software commonly used on the plaintiffs’ side. We recommend that law firms in the market review multiple platforms before committing. While some features may be crucial to one firm, the same features may not matter at all to another firm.
First, a law firm should look at the age and reputation of the software company to see if their products have been tried and tested over time, or if your firm might become a guinea pig working off of a first-year version of something new and likely less functional. We do not recommend working with a vendor to develop a new or proprietary solution for case management software.
We strongly recommend working with a law firm software industry leader with an established relationship that (1) provides onsite training at your office, (2) remains available for real-time help during business hours, (3) releases regular updates to their programs throughout each year, and (4) has over 100 firms nationally working with them that are equivalent in size and value to your firm.
Second, the firm should price compare its options. Sometimes a very expensive option remains truly is the best choice; but, other times, a cheaper solution can fulfill the firm’s needs.
Third, the available features and functionality must play a large role in determining what product will work best for your business. A few features to ask about when purchasing law firm case management software include:
- Custom field creation
- Document coding
- Functionality in a Mac operating system and a PC operating system
- Interface with accounting software such as QuickBooks
- Interface with calendaring done outside of the database such as Outlook
- Integration with document management software such as Worldox
- Mobile and remote accessibility
- Report writing
- Server-based or cloud-based storage of client data and the associated level of security
SOME OF THE MOST ESTABLISHED AND POPULAR LAW FIRM DATABASE SOFTWARE PROVIDERS INCLUDE:
- Clio (5 years old)
- LawBase (32 years old)
- Needles (31 years old)
- TrialWorks (11 years old)
For more information on how you can work with Stacey E. Burke, P.C. to assess your law firm’s case management software needs, and to audit the efficiency of your law firm’s procedures, please contact us today.
Leave a Comment