Legal Tech Series: What makes a good legal software?

Each legal software will market itself as the best choice for the modern law professional. But what should you really be looking for when trying to choose the right one for your practice? Law Technology Today says the best legal softwares include the following four features:

1. Timekeeping

Timekeeping is the process of tracking the amount of time and tasks performed for a specific client. It is important to have a legal software that can do this for you. You do not want to go back to the days of journaling your billable hours on pen-and-paper, or worse, doing so by memory. A good legal software will track your hours and create a detailed record of billable hours that can be sent to the client.

2. Billing

Billing is about more than time--you also need to track expenses, which can be complicated. You will want to find a legal software that generate bills for a case that is easy to review and can be sent to clients virtually. In short, you will want to find a legal software that simplifies the billing process and gets you paid faster!

3. Trust Accounting

Trust accounting involves billing through a retainer agreement. There can be harsh consequences for errors made in trust accounting, as every state has ethical requirements on how to handle them. So, you will want to find a software that simplifies this process, reducing the risk for mistakes, and is compliant with your state's ethical requirements.

4. Reporting

In order to track the actual profitability of your firm, you need to understand your financial data. Without a good legal software, you will need to pay an accountant to create a financial report--and it still may be difficult to understand. So, you will want to find a legal software that can create financial reports for you, which are easy to understand at a glance.

But don't just take my word for it! Check out my references below:

• https://www.lawtechnologytoday.org/2020/04/a-software-buying-checklist/

• http://lextechreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/2017-06-15-12.59-How-to-Shop-for-Case-Management-Software.mp4?_=1

Disclaimer:

The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only, and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice from The Legal Worker or the individual author, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, this Post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s jurisdiction.