LAW PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE. Choosing the Right Software for Your Practice

Transcription

1 LAW PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE Choosing the Right Software for Your Practice

2 GOALS FOR THIS PRESENTATION Discussion of traditional software verses cloud based solutions Dispelling some common myths Discussion of major features available Review of specific programs

3 TRADITIONAL SOFTWARE OR CLOUD COMPUTING A Tradeoff Between Features and Convenience

4 DEFINITIONS: Traditional Software Software installed onto desktops and/or a networked server Cloud Computing (aka SAAS) Software that is hosted and maintained by an outside vendor and accessed via a web browser

5 DISPELLING SOME MYTHS Neither Path Is As Troublesome As It Appears

6 COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS Traditional Software Too Expensive For Big Firms Only Impossible learning curve Cloud Computing Unreliable Unsecure Not a serious solution

7 COMPARISON OF FEATURES Time Tracking Back-End Accounting Trust Accounting Invoicing Contact Management Calendar Task Management Conflict Checks Compatibility with Outlook Compatibility with Google Apps Mobile Access Document Management Document Assembly Collaboration with client

8 CATEGORIES OF FEATURES 1. Accounting (Time Tracking, Back-end Accounting, Trust Accounting, Invoicing) 2. Calendar & Contacts Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Conflict Checking 3. Compatibility Outlook/Office, Google Apps, Mobile Access 4. Documents Document Management, Document Assembly, Collaboration

9 Law Practice Management Software for the PC TRADITIONAL SOFTWARE INSTALLATION

10 SOFTWARE EXAMPLES Amicus Attorney Abacus Law Pro Law

11 ADVANTAGES OF PC SOFTWARE Much better integration with PC software Generate Word documents from software Save s from Outlook More robust feature set Data is more portable Data file is within reach

12 DISPELLING THE MYTHS Not more expensive than Cloud Software Open to small firms; some specifically target small firms Not an impossible learning curve

13 Amicus Attorney Two versions: Premium and Small Firm Premium Edition: $999 ($83.25/month) Small Firm Edition: $399 ($33.25/month) Additional Licenses Premium: $599 Small Firm: $299

14 Amicus Attorney Accounting Time tracking function Timeslips Offers separate accounting program Amicus Small Firm Accounting Integrated, full-featured accounting program $399 ($33.25/month)

15 Amicus Attorney Calendar, Contacts, Tasks Two-way synchronization with Outlook Contacts shows all communication with a client Displays last contact with client, will alert you if you have not had contact with a client in awhile Formal Conflicts Check Will generate conflicts report

16 Amicus Attorney Compatibility Generate Word/Word Perfect documents Integrates with Outlook Can view matters from within Outlook Mobile access Requires separate purchase of Amicus Mobile, $149 Requires file server Can sync with smart phone via Outlook

17 Amicus Attorney Documents Document management link documents to clients and matters Document assembly generate document templates with data populated from program

18 Abacus Law Two versions: Abacus Law $699 or Abacus Gold $999 Gold version includes accounting package Payment plan to pay $65/month for 3 years Includes all updates Add on practice area packages $75/each Adds specific intake forms, document templates, and calendar rules for certain practice areas

19 Abacus Law Accounting Separate Abacus Accounting Program Integrated There if you like it or not

20 Abacus Law Calendar, Contacts, Tasks Two-way synchronization with Outlook Syncs via included program called Companion Link Requires launching a separate program Contacts shows all communication with a client Calendar Very flexible rules-based calendar Optional purchase of Ohio-specific court rules

21 Abacus Law Compatibility Generate Word/Word Perfect documents Integrates with Outlook Mobile option instead of regular software Abacus Sky $125/month Includes MS Office, Outlook, MS Exchange Server

22 Abacus Law Same document features as Amicus Document management link documents to clients and matters Document assembly generate document templates with data populated from program

23 Pro Law Owned by Thompson West One Office integrated practice management and accounting Integrates with Westlaw for docket management and research Can access most info from within Outlook Price not listed on website

24 FEATURE MATRIX Amicus Attorney Accounting Calendar/Contacts Compatibility Documents Time tracking, Add-on Rules-based calendar, contacts, tasks Abacus Law Add-on Rules-based calendar (practicespecific add-ons), contacts, tasks Pro Law One Office Rules-based calendar (Rules by Westlaw), contacts, tasks MS Office, Word Perfect, Access matters from Outlook MS Office, Word Perfect, Automatically link Outlook s to matters, Google Apps Sync MS Office, accessible from within Outlook Document Management, Document Assembly Document Management, Document Assembly Document Management, Document Assembly

25 Law Practice Management Software As A Service (SAAS) CLOUD BASED SOFTWARE

26 SAAS EXAMPLES Clio Rocket Matter LexisNexis Firm Manager

27 ADVANTAGES OF SAAS Accessible from any browser, regardless of location or operating system This is the only viable option for Mac users Ease of use Fewer features but more intuitive No maintenance Someone else is in charge of keeping it running

28 DISPELLING THE MYTHS It is reliable Generally more reliable than your internet connection It is secure Far safer than traditional software Someone else is in charge of security Definitely a serious solution Thousands of firms use these programs, probably way of the future

29 Clio $45/month per attorney $25/month per support staff 30 day free trial

30 Clio Accounting Time-tracking application Trust accounting Integrated billing/invoicing Can share bills online with client Integrates with PayPal so client can pay online

31 Clio Calendar, Contacts, Tasks Integrates and syncs with MS Outlook If offline, will keep track of changes made and sync when you are back online Integrates and syncs with Google Apps Mobile access Optimized website for iphone, Android, and Blackberry access

32 Clio Documents Allows unlimited storage of manually uploaded documents Can share some or all documents with client

33 Rocket Matter $59.99/month for first user $49.99/month for next 5 users $39.99/month for next 15 users $19.99/month for all other users 30 day free trial

34 Rocket Matter Accounting Time-tracking Bill as you Work feature Trust accounting Integrated billing/invoicing Will download bills into Word format for further editing Allows complete customization of invoices

35 Rocket Matter Calendar, Contacts, Tasks Syncs with Outlook and Google Apps Conflict checking Integrates with Skype Mobile access

36 Rocket Matter Documents Allows manual upload of documents Syncs with Dropbox.com Any changes made to client folder in Dropbox are automatically added to Rocket Matter

37 LexisNexis Firm Manager $49.99/month/user 30 day free trial

38 LexisNexis Firm Manager Accounting Time tracking Mobile app No billing/invoicing feature

39 LexisNexis Firm Manager Calendar, Contacts, Tasks Synchronize with Outlook and Smartphones Conflicts check

40 LexisNexis Firm Manager Documents No mention of document management on website Only one of the SAAS that doesn t mention it Client intake forms

41 FEATURE MATRIX Clio $49.99 Rocket Matter $59.99 LexisNexis $49.99 Accounting Calendar/Contacts Compatibility Documents Trust accounting, billing Trust accounting, billing Time tracking Outlook sync, Google Apps sync Outlook sync, Google Apps sync Outlook sync One way sync of gcontacts, 2 way sync of gcal Manually upload documents, share with client Automatically links with Dropbox, manual upload n/a

42 Select the Software with the Features You Will Use Most CONCLUSION

43 CONTACT INFORMATION Ben Cramer