1. technology and computing
2. software

Practice Management Software in 2010
Edition 11.1
By:
Susan Traylor, Practice Management Advisor
Law Office Management Assistance Program
May 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Speaker’s Biography ........................................................................................................... i
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE in 2010
Demonstration of Leading Solutions
A Concise History of Technology in the Law Practice .......................................... 1
Why Do I Need Practice Management Software? .................................................. 3
The Benefits of Organizing Your Practice
Using Some Type of Practice Management Software ............................................ 7
How Do You Know Which Practice Management Software is
Right for Your Firm? ............................................................................................. 7
Screen Shots of Abacus Law, Amicus Attorney, & Time Matters ........................ 9
By 2009, Practice Management Software Had Moved Toward “Integration”
of Software and Services....................................................................................... 17
Practice Management Software in 2010 ............................................................... 19
Foundation Features of a Good Practice Management Software.......................... 21
Distinguishing Features of Practice Management Software ................................. 23
Practice Management Software Products Demonstration..................................... 24
AbacusLaw ................................................................................................ 25
Amicus Attorney ........................................................................................ 29
Time Matters ............................................................................................. 35
Resources for the Practice Management Software Researcher............................. 41
Practice Management Software: Table of Software Products.............................. 43
BIOGRAPHY
SUSAN L. TRAYLOR is the Practice Management Advisor with the
Law Office Management Assistance Program (LOMAP) of the State Bar of Arizona. She
is a certified consultant for Abacus Law, Amicus Attorney, and Time Matters practice
management software. In addition to her 20+ years office management experience, she
has worked for six years in sole practitioner law firms. Susan has extensive experience in
computer technology administration, time and billing, accounts receivable and
collections, database management, and legal-specific practice management software for
the small and solo firms. As LOMAP’s Practice Management Advisor, Susan advises
member attorneys on issues relating to the business of practicing law, including setting up
a law practice, closing a practice, client relations, office management, trust accounting,
efficient office systems, with a particular emphasis on selecting and utilizing appropriate
technology. Susan travels throughout Arizona to help attorneys and their staff members
implement Abacus Law, Amicus Attorney, and Time Matters, including initial and
ongoing training and customizations. Ms. Traylor received her Bachelor of Arts degree
from Arizona State University and completed certificate programs in both legal assisting
from Phoenix College and mediation training from the University of Phoenix.
i
Practice Management Software in 2010:
Demonstration of Leading Solutions
By Susan Traylor, Law Office Management Assistant Program
How might a day in the life of a busy law practice look if the attorney and
staff used the power of practice management software?
This program will explain what practice management software is, why law
firms need it to compete in the field of law today and what practice management
software products are available today. Although this program assumes the perspective
of a solo, small and possibly mid-sized law firms, consideration is also given to the
needs of corporate legal departments and public law offices. This presentation will
conclude with a compare and contrast demonstration of at least three practice
management software products, not from a software vendor’s perspective, but rather
from the perspective of the law firm, based on the most important of the day-to-day
functions in a law practice…case processing, from intake to closing the file 1 .
The best way to fully understand what practice management software is,
is to first review what software solutions came before it.
A Concise History of Technology in the Law Practice
Word Processing Software
In the beginning there was word processing. No longer did the law firm
need carbon copies, onion skin paper and Wite-out. Almost every lawyer’s secretary
gladly learned to use WordPerfect (one of the first word processing software) to
prepare documents. It was not long before lawyers, too, were using word processing.
Then the big question became, “Should we use WordPerfect or Microsoft Word?”
Today, a lawyer would not consider practicing law without using a word processing
program.
Billing Software
If word processing could make lighter work of preparing documents, then
why not use the computer to track time, send bills to clients, and manage the firm’s
cash flow? Along came time and billing software to the rescue: Timeslips, Tabs 3 were
a couple of the first time and billing software. Later came PCLaw, QuickBooks, Billing
Matters, Juris and, more recently, Abacus Accounting, Amicus Accounting and
EasyTimeBill and EasyTrust, to name only a few. Next to word processing software,
billing and accounting software quickly became the lawyer’s next favorite software tool.
Excerpt from the CLE seminar, Systems to Make Your Office Hum, by Susan
Traylor.
1
E-mail
The age of e-mail hit the world like a Tsunami. Now, lawyers not only
could accomplish the task of communicating with clients and other lawyers, but at the
same time they could be documenting that communication. What a marvelous
technological invention for a law firm! It is difficult to find a law firm today that does
not use e-mail. While there are many e-mail service providers, i.e. aol.com, yahoo.com,
cox.net, qwest.net, etc., by far the most frequently-used e-mail software in law firms
today is Microsoft Outlook.
Contacts and Calendar
If a law firm had e-mail, it was likely that they used Outlook as their email software. If the law firm using Outlook for their e-mail took the time to look more
closely at Outlook, they realized that not only could they send, receive and organize email using Outlook, but they could also make use of Outlook’s calendar and contacts.
Imagine that. A computer program that could keep a list of your clients and other
attorneys and, at the same time, keep a calendar! This was especially helpful for
docketing due dates.
PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and Smart Phones
Now, not every law firm used Outlook. Some lawyers discovered there
was a small, handheld computer that could keep track of their contacts, appointments
and task list. Some of these products were Palm, Handspring, and Pocket PCs, to name
a few. The great technology developers must have had attorneys in mind when they
developed the PDA and, later, the Smartphone (cell phone and PDA combined, with
internet and e-mail service), i.e.Treo, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, and later, iPhone
and Droid, among others. So long as the data on it could be backed up and kept
secure, it was the lawyer’s “best friend” technology. They could take it to court, to the
office and even use at home. Their calendar, contacts and e-mail was easily accessible
at all times.
Document Management
By this time, law firms were starting to think, “If there are software
solutions for preparing documents, tracking time, preparing bills, sending e-mail,
tracking contacts and calendaring, there certainly must be a tool to help us organize our
electronic documents.” Enter the document management software (DMS). Products
such as PCDocs, Worldox, iManage, DocsOpen offered the solution. The development
of DMS made it easier to save (put away) newly created electronic documents as well
as to easily locate them (retrieve). As lawyers dared to abandon paper management
altogether and test the waters of the “paper-less” law office, mail and other incoming
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 2
documents could be scanned into the computer, then organized with the DMS.
more franticly searching files, cabinets, inboxes, lawyers’ desks for documents.
No
Document Assembly or Document Generation
Reflecting back on the early days of technology in the law office, that is,
the days of word processing, lawyers and their staff began to think, “Do we really have
to type each document from scratch? Especially if it is a routine form that is used over
and over again, like our fee agreement.” So they demanded more from their word
processing software (WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, and others) looking to figure out
ways to set up “form” (or template) documents. This way only the “variable”
information, such as names, addresses, case reference, case number, etc. would have
to be typed. WordPerfect and Microsoft Word did accomplish this. But what if the
“variable” information was in Outlook or the Palm or the billing software such as
Timeslips? Couldn’t that variable information just be “merged” into WordPerfect or
Word form? And, “Isn’t there some kind of software that specializes in assembling
documents this way?” Along came document assembly software such as HotDocs,
GhostFill, Amicus Assembly.
Additionally, by this time, there were more demands on the software.

“I want to be able to see, in one place, all the attorneys, witnesses, judges, courts,
insurers, etc. who are connected to a client’s file. Isn’t there some way to do that
with a computer program?”

“I need to do a conflicts check.
checking?”

“I do a lot of web research. I would like to save my research on the computer and
somehow organize it with my client’s file.”

“Isn’t there some software that can help me manage my trust account?”

“I use a time and billing software, but I need something to help me with my
calendar and due dates and my billing software does not do that.”

“We use an electronic calendar at our office, but we can’t share it. We would like
one centralized, electronic calendar that all of us can see.”
Is there some software that can do conflicts
You say, “I have all of the above computer tools I need.
Why do I need Practice Management Software?”
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 3
If you have been practicing law for some time and, during that time, have
accumulated some or many of the above technological tools, you might be asking this
question.
What’s Wrong with this Picture?
Like a house that goes through years of remodeling, each time with a new
add-on or room, software for in the law office was splintered. There was no flow. No
continuity. That is, there was one software for word processing, another for billing,
another for e-mail, another for the calendar and contacts, yet another for the PDA, and
one for the document management system and even more for the document assembly.
To benefit from all these wonderful tools, an attorney and staff had to become
specialists in all these different software products. Not only that, there was duplication
of work. One had to enter the client’s name and address and phone number in each of
the different software products. This not only took more time, but there was more
room for error, not to mention a lot of different software databases to keep up. There
were more software licenses to buy, to upgrade, to keep trained on, to pay for support.
The Effect of “Splintered” Software on Medium and Large Firms
This splintering of software functions was not so much of a drawback for
the large law firms. After all, they most likely had a fully-staffed, full-time Information
Technology (I/T) department, a full-time law office administrator, or at least an office
manager, a designated staff person to do billing, another staff person to do calendaring
of deadlines, and staff dedicated to word processing or putting together documents,
support staff to collect the attorney’s billable time and input it into a billing program. In
short, the functions were splintered, so who cares if the software solutions are
splintered. The attorneys and associates were typically able to focus the majority of
their time strictly on casework, client representation. Except for the managing partner,
they did not have the burden of the day-to-day firm administration.
The Effect of “Splintered” Software on Small and Solo Firms
The smaller the firm, the more that is required of the attorneys and
support staff to be multi-talented in their skills, in particular, administrative and
management skills. When an attorney starts out, with no support staff at all, he/she
must do it all: take calls, do intakes, prepare documents, maintain communication with
clients, track time, do bills, schedule appointments and calendar deadlines, check for
conflicts, open files, close files, everything! To have separate computer software for
each of these tasks is a huge imposition on the small firm lawyer, and decidedly so on
the sole practitioner.
What If There Was One Type of Software that Could
Bring All of These Functions Together?
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 4
Actually, there is such a single software solution for these splintered
functions. It is called practice management software (“PMS”). Previously
referred to as case management software, the term “practice management
software” has come to mean: one software that comprehends all of the day-to-day
administrative and case processing functions of client representation and managing a
practice…with the added bonus of being developed especially for law firms.
What Makes Practice Management Software
Special for Law Firms?
Practice Management Software is a relational database, starting with the
Client’s contact information, then adding a case/matter for that client, and “relating” (or
linking) all contacts, phone calls, time tracked, calendar items, e-mail, documents, etc.,
to the case/matter.
What Is a Relational Database?
Figure 1
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Figure 2
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(client, attorneys, parties, ... people)
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 5
So, being able to create one Contact card or record, then “relate” (or link) it to all the
related matters or cases, means that if that Contact record changes (i.e. the client
moves), that Contact record need only be updated once. Then, all the cases or matters
that Contact record relates to will reflect the updated address.
Likewise, being able to create one appointment or task on the calendar, then “relating”
(or linking) it to a case or matter, means that not only will you see the appointment or
task on the calendar, but you will see it in the linked-to matter or case.
These are small, but important to understand, examples of the power of a relational
database.
Combine the law-firm-specific benefit of a relational database with the
centralizing of all the splintered functions in a law practice and you
get…Practice Management Software!
Word or WordPerfect
E-mail organization
Contacts
(Clients, Attorneys, Parties, People)
Assemble Document
Case
Management
Program
Track time
Phone calls
Organize web research
Document Management
Appointments
Reminders
Calendaring/Docketing
Matters/Cases
Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) Remote access
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 6
The Benefits of Organizing Your Practice
Using Some Type of Practice Management Software are…










deadlines easier to track;
documents are always a few keystrokes out of reach;
conflicts checking is more reliable;
billable work is less likely to slip through the cracks because time keeping is
easier to do;
attorneys can work with case and client files away from the office (remote);
documents and information are easier to share with clients and associate
attorneys, in case of disaster, case and client files can be recreated from
computer file
deadlines and appointments are on a calendar shared by the entire staff
phone communications and e-mail can be saved with the file and with other staff
(if desired)
increased attorney and staff productivity
you go to one software each day to find information and store information
How Do You Know Which Practice Management Software (“PMS”)
is Right for Your Firm?
Choosing a PMS for your firm is like finding the right house for you or your
family. There are numerous PMS products available (see p. 43 for a listing of some of
the products) from which law firms can choose. Most of those PMS products are more
alike than different. Just as all houses have similar foundation features, i.e. bedrooms,
living rooms, bathrooms, kitchen, closets --- places to live in and keep your stuff -likewise, all PMS products have places to keep information like client names, addresses,
phone numbers, case or matter information, appointments, to-dos, events, and notes.
All can accommodate several staff sharing information on the computer network. Most
PMS will help manage your documents, assemble documents, and will work with either
Word or WordPerfect programs. The PMS will synchronize (exchange) data with your
PDA and can “launch” (open) other document types (spreadsheet, graphics) right from
within the PMS. These are considered some of the foundation features of good PMS.
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 7
Selecting case management software
is like buying a...
PMS differ from each other in ways similar to the ways houses differ from
one another. Just as houses can be distinguished by characteristics such as how the
rooms are laid out, where the house is located in relation to people or places important
to you, special features such as a pool, Jacuzzi, family room, outside patio, additional
parking area, a big yard, so can PMS Products be distinguished by how they are laid
out, how they relate (or interface) with other programs, what special features they
offer. The following list of
1.
How each PMS Product performs some of the above foundation features might
be different. In other words, some may allow you to color-code your
appointments, or let you set a priority on your to-dos. Some PMS Products
may limit the flexibility of the program, often in an effort to keep it simple to
learn and operate. Other PMS Products attempt to provide several ways to
accomplish a task to accommodate individual work styles, i.e. in adding a new
contact, you might have the choice of using the point and click of a mouse or a
keystroke, and you might have the choice of creating a new contact from
various places in the program.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 on the following pages, give a comparison example of the
default “Matter” screen from three products that do PMS. Note how differently
the Matter information is presented from one program to the other.
It is
important to remember that all the programs have “default” settings, that is,
layouts and text that ship with the program. To a greater or lesser degree, the
PMS Products can be modified (or customized) to include fields and field labels
better suited to individual firms’ needs. The question you need to ask is, “How
easy will it be for me to modify the default screens for my needs,” and “Will the
end result of modifying truly meet my needs.”
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 8
Figure 3 – Abacus Law “Matter” screen
Note the basic, clean look approach of AbacusLaw. The Matter screen does not come
“shipped” with a lot of fields in which you can input data, i.e. Matter, File/Case#, Attorney,
Case Code, Court, Opened, Closed, etc. Do not misunderstand all the empty space on the
Matter screen to be simplistic. The screen is your palette. You have endless capability to
add more fields, of your own choice. Such as, if you practice personal injury, you may want
to see the insured’s policy # here, the policy limits, the Date of Incident, the Statute of
Limitations, the claims adjuster, etc. All of these fields could be added here.
If you want to see the Client Name, address, phone number or the opposing attorney’s
name, address, phone number, or anyone else who is associated with this Matter, simply
select the “Linked Names” tab to reveal a drop-down list.
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 9
Figure 4 - Amicus Attorney Premium Edition
“File/Matter” screen
Amicus Attorney Premium Edition takes a different approach to the Matter
screen. Notice the “file folder” design and the way the Client (Gary Berwood) and
Opposing Attorney (Douglas Brackman) contact cards are related (linked) up at the
left side of the file. Because Berwood Construction is the Client, and is highlighted,
the Berwood Construction contact card is revealed below to see the address and
phone number. To add more fields of information, Amicus Attorney 2009 provides
“custom pages” and “custom records” capabilities.
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 10
Figure 5 – Time Matters (by LexisNexis) “Matter” screen
Time Matters’ approach is to give you everything, lots of fields for information, then permit
you to hide what you do not want to see/use, edit what you want to change, and allow you up
to 80 fields of information to customize for your own needs or preference. Notice the way
Time Matters’ Matter screen relates/links in the “Primary Contact”, Barry B. Able, showing
his entire address and phone number in Area 2.
If you want to see the Client name, address, phone number, or other persons related to the
file, you may either select the “Related” tab to produce a drop-down list, or you may set up
Time Matters to “link” in the Contact information directly on the Matter form (For an example,
see the Adjuster, Nigel English, his office, address, phone, etc.)
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 11
So, you see how differently each of the three software products handles a Matter
screen.
2.
Billing/Accounting Software: You need to ask yourself, “How am I going
to bill my clients, manage their trust funds, pay the firm bills?” If you are
currently using software such as Billing Matters, Amicus Accounting, Timeslips,
Quickbooks Pro, PCLaw, Tabs3 or Juris, Microsoft Small Business Accounting, to
name a few, then you may to ask yourself, “Do I like using this software?
Does it work well for me? Do I want to keep using it?” If so, then you may
also be wondering if the PMS can “talk” to your billing/accounting software?
Or, you may be asking if the PMS has billing/accounting software “built-in” to
the PMS.
There are pros and cons to each type of arrangement. If your firm has been
using a time and billing program prior to installing a case management
program, you would not need to invest the time and money it would take to
change to a new billing program in order to gain the functionality of case
management. Contrarily, if your firm is not tied to a billing/accounting
program, you may have more options available and may want to consider a
full-service PMS (“Front Office” and “Back Office”) or select a PMS and
billing/accounting software that work well together.
3.
What Other Software or Hardware Devices are Used at Your Firm?
Most up-to-date PMS Products can be linked with other popular software and
devices, i.e. personal digital assistants (PDAs) such as Palm Pilots, Handspring,
Blackberries, Treos; document management systems such as WorldDox or
iManage, DocsOpen; document assembly software such as HotDocs; scanning
software such as PaperPort. For the most part, all PMS will integrate with both
MSWord and WordPerfect, as well as read graphics/picture files, audio files,
and other multi-media type information such as video. Make a note of which
of the above software or hardware your firm uses. Then check to see how
your PMS of choice will work with them.
Microsoft Outlook has become such a standard that most all PMS is compelled
to work with it in some way; however, you should confirm specifically how the
PMS works with Outlook. For instance, if you mainly use the e-mail function of
Outlook, check to be sure the PMS can read Outlook e-mail into the PMS and,
thus, save 2 the e-mail in the PMS. If you also use the calendar and tasks in
Outlook, check to see if the PMS “syncs” with Outlook calendar
2
By 2005, e-mail has come to be a standard mode of documented communication for lawyers.
Likewise, Outlook has grown to become a favorite of many lawyers for organizing e-mail. It is
easy to learn and use. Yet Outlook falls short for the lawyer in that it is contact-specific, rather
than case-specific. When a lawyer wants to save an e-mail message for the file, he/she typically
will save it as a .txt file on the computer network or print it out and put a hard copy in the client’s
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 12
4.
Remote Access Options: Does your firm have branch offices? Do you
and/or your staff wish to work from home at times? Do you wish to have
access to your PMS data while in court? Do you want to use a laptop and take
the PMS database with you on your laptop? If you answer yes to any of these
questions, you will need to ask how does the PMS allow for remote access.
Some PMS can be housed, or hosted, on your computer or server at the office,
allowing you to log on via the web which will take you directly in to the PMS
(this is termed “browser based” access). Similarly, a PMS may be housed, or
hosted, on the web via an application service provider (ASP), where the ASP
maintains the database for you (there are definite pros and cons to this
option). Whereas, some PMS may require you to have your network technician
set up a “VPN” for access to your firm’s computer network. While you still
must go to the Internet to log in, you are actually logging into your firm’s
network, then opening the PMS. It’s as if you are sitting in front of your
computer in the office. Similar to the VPN, are remote access options such as
GoToMyPC, PCAnywhere, or LogMeIn, which allow you to go to log in via the
Internet, taking you directly to your computer desktop as if you were sitting in
front of it, but the difference here is that you set an account with the vendor
and typically pay a monthly fee. In any case, you will need to consult with
your firm’s computer network technician in choosing the PMS and remote
access option.
5.
Special Features (“Bells and Whistles”): A PMS Product may offer
features which set it apart from the other PMS Products. For instance;
a.
a particularly user-friendly way of merging the data into document forms
(document assembly); or
b.
a particularly powerful document searching and indexing capability
(document management); or
c.
a partnership with a legal research vendor which streamlines the
integration of legal research integration; or
d.
a partnership with an online service, such as e-filing, which streamlines
the filing of pleadings; or
file. This is not efficient. What the PMS does that Outlook cannot do, is save the e-mail,
digitally, with the digital case file. If desired, the e-mail can still be printed out, but at minimum
it can always be found. Additionally, the typical means for organizing Outlook e-mail is to set
up folders in Outlook where the e-mail can be dragged and dropped. The disadvantage is that
this typically is a private folder. The e-mail cannot be shared with other members of the firm.
By saving the e-mail into the PMS, the e-mail becomes available for other members of the firm
to access as a part of the client file.
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 13
e.
a partnership or with another software vendor to add rules-based (from
local rules publications) docketing/calendaring capability of the case
management program; or
f.
flexibility for customizing the way data is entered in the PMS Product for
the specific needs of a law firm;
g.
browser-based access option
h.
availability of SQL database, frequently referred to as Enterprise version.
While most solo and small firms may not initially need this, it is a good
idea to consider whether the PMS you select at least has this version
available in the event your firm grows larger, thus placing a bigger burden
on your PMS database.
6.
Practice-Specific PMS: Although many good PMS Products are designed to
accommodate the needs of firms which practice diverse areas of law, some
PMS Products are designed for use by specialized practice areas, such as
immigration law, workers compensation law, family law, plaintiff litigation,
general litigation, public law, personal injury, corporate legal departments,
criminal defense, insurance defense, etc. These specialized case management
programs would also include custom fields for that particular specialty. For
personal injury, for example, it might have a section to include names of
medical providers, medical records, whereas, the litigation-oriented program
might have fields for witnesses, litigation timelines, etc. If you practice one
specific area of practice, it is recommended that you check first to see
if there is a PMS product already customized for your practice area.
7.
Look and feel: While this should not be the sole factor for choosing a PMS
Product, it should be given consideration. A law firm “moves into” and “lives in”
a PMS Product much like a person “moves into” and “lives in” a house. The
PMS Product needs to be a good match to the people in a law firm and they
need to be able to get around in it comfortably. A good way to help people
feel comfortable in their PMS Product is to provide them with training.
8.
Support and Training Available: For the do-it-yourselfers, PMS vendors
typically provide a hard copy manual and/or an electronic form of the same
manual, and free technical support for a limited time after purchasing the
software. After the free technical support period has expired, you would be
charged for calls you make to technical support, either on a per-call basis or on
an annual basis per a maintenance agreement. It is a good idea to consider
subscribing to one full year of technical support at the time you purchase the
software since you can usually receive a discounted price for this if you sign up
at the time you purchase it and you are most likely to need technical assistance
during your first year’s use. The PMS software vendors frequently post
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Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 14
“Frequently Asked Questions” pages on their websites, as well as white papers
addressing particularly difficult-to-learn features of their programs.
Technical Support: The technical support will help you with problems you
encounter, as will any self-study you do, but neither should be thought of as
the only form of training. In order for you to learn to use the full capability of
a PMS Product, proper training is essential, otherwise, the PMS Product ends
up being used as a glorified card index and digital calendar, thereby wasting a
majority of its true benefits.
Online/Web-based Training: Most of the PMS vendors offer affordable,
convenient, online or web-based training. Be sure to inquire about training at
the time you purchase the software, as many of the classes are pre-set
according to a calendar. You may want to plan your PMS software installation
and setup in coordination with the training schedule.
Training Consultants: Most online training/classes are standardized
presentations because the classes often have users from many law firms
attending. Although these classes are well done because they are given by the
vendor who knows the PMS product the best, you are then left with the
challenge of how to interpret that training into the specific needs of your own
firm with your staff and their unique set up skills. This is where a live person,
on site, meeting with you and your staff can be most effective. Many PMS
vendors certify independent persons as consultants for their PMS product.
These consultants are frequently independent of the PMS vendor, although
some PMS vendors train and certify their own employees as consultants. The
certified consultant will come to your firm and typically provides on-site
training, either in a lab format, one-on-one format, or a combination of both,
and will not only teach you how to use the program to its fullest potential, but
can also help you adapt the program to your specific needs (setup and
customizing). The availability in your geographic area of a certified consultant
for your PMS Product is an important factor to consider when selecting a PMS
Product. Those law firms which have hired consultants at the time they
purchased their PMS have been able to implement their software in an
efficient, timely manner with much less stress to employees and attorneys.
Remember, moving from a manual system to an automated case management
system is not too different than moving from one house to the next – there is a
time when procedures are disrupted (even if for but a brief period), everyone
must get used to putting information away in a different place and looking for
information in a different place.
PMS for your firm is also like buying a house in several other ways.
Although the cost of PMS is now where near the price of a house, like a house, you will
expend money and effort up front, taking time to “move into” it. PMS ownership, like
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home ownership, is a responsibility. You will need to maintain it in the form of inputting
data, customizing the design/layout and learning new features. You must either learn
to maintain it yourself or pay others to maintain it for you.
The payoff for your efforts is in the return you get on your investment.
This is not to say that PMS appreciates and you then sell it like a house. This is to say
that, after settling into your PMS product, the money and time you spend on PMS will
be recouped soon by way of easily tracking billable time, finding information quickly,
saving time looking for mislaid documents in the office, automating document
preparation, cutting down on the duplication of data otherwise kept in card files, client
files, in Smartphones or PDAs, or in multiple places throughout your office. You may
even discover an immediate savings in the form of a discount on your malpractice
insurance premiums since some malpractice insurance carriers have been known to a
discount to encourage attorneys to use automated calendaring procedures.
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By 2009, Practice Management Software Was
Moving Toward “Integration” of Software and Services
Fully Integrated Solutions for Practice Management: With the Practice
Management Software as the “anchor” application, the software vendors have set their
sights on integrating with the PMS other routine functions of a law office, such as court
filings, standardizing forms generation solutions by practice areas, making more
seamless the flow of information between the “front office” and “back office.”
Electronic Filing (E-Filing): The courts’ steady push toward electronic
filing keeps the software vendors constantly searching for ways to help the practitioner
meet the demands of the “paperless” practice.
Software such as AbacusLaw and
LexisNexis Front Office powered by Time Matters (“Time Matters”) offer e-filing
features, making it easy to prepare your document for filing, then send it electronically
to the court for filing. (Note: The courts have developed procedures for e-filing that
do not require the purchase of PMS software.)
Practice Area Forms Integration: Software such as Time Matters is
available in a modified package of applications, functions and services such as
LexisNexis’ “Total Practice Advantage” which essentially combines legal research, case
management, forms generation (LexisNexis research, Time Matters, LexisNexis Forms).
Billing/Accounting Integration. By 2009, one could not contemplate
PMS without some discussion of time and billing or accounting software. If you refer
back to the diagram on Page 6 of this booklet, you will notice the absence of a few
important functions of a law firm: billing, invoicing, collections, trust accounts, paying
bills, general financial management.
Yes, the PMS can track time for billing, but
historically the PMS was not actually able to perform these functions. This is where the
terms “front office” and “back office” evolved to make reference to the software. The
front office, or PMS, software was where the entire staff worked on a daily basis:
calendaring, phone calls, e-mails, time tracking, document preparation, etc. However,
because of the sensitive nature of the accounting, billing, collections, trust accounting,
or back office, only select members of the staff (bookkeeper, office manager, managing
attorney) worked there. Consequently, for years PMS, or front office, software was
separate and apart from the accounting, or back office, software. The “bridge”
between these two “offices” was the timekeeping entries or timeslips. The time was
tracked in the front office (PMS), then, by way of a manually setup “link,” the time was
sent digitally to the back office (billing/accounting).
Another reason for allowing the PMS and accounting software to remain
separate was that many law firms had been using their preferred accounting software
long before the popularity of PMS. For example, accounting programs such as
Timeslips, Tabs3, PCLaw, QuickBooks, Juris, Omega, Peachtree, were commonly used
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by many law firms. If a firm decided to add PMS, it was easier to simply add-on the
front office function to their existing back office software, rather than move all of their
existing accounting data from their old software to a new software.
Today, since many law firms are starting out using PMS, there is greater demand now to find
a PMS product that includes back office, or accounting, function built right in with the front
office. Hence, LexisNexis Time Matters/PCLaw; AbacusLaw Gold (front office and back
office); Amicus Small Firm or Amicus Attorney Premium with Amicus Accounting;
LexisNexis Back Office powered by PCLaw (combines accounting and practice management
software capabilities); ProLaw; Trialworks, to name a few.
Just as PMS can add accounting, or back office, function to better
integrate all the software needs of a law practice, likewise, an existing accounting
software can add PMS, or front office, function to do the same. For example, PCLaw,
a legal-specific accounting software which has been in existence for many years, has
taken the approach of doing just that. While its main focus is timekeeping, billing, trust
accounting, general ledger accounting, etc., it now has familiar PMS features such as
calendaring, phone communications, document assembly, document management.
Software Vendor Acquisition by Legal Research Publishers: PMS
has done an excellent job at aiding the law firm in the day-to-day practice management
tasks of calendaring, communications, timekeeping, e-mail management, document
assembly, document management. The next step in its evolution was developing
partnerships with frequently used third-party software such as billing/accounting
(Timeslips, PCLaw, Quickbooks, Tabs3, etc.), document management (Worldox,
iManage, DocsOpen, etc.), document assembly (HotDocs, GhostFill, etc.), PDA’s
and Smartphones (Palm, Blackberry, Treo, Windows Mobile, iPhone, Droid, etc.).
It is one thing to “partner” with a third-party software, where the PMS and
the third-party software can share data or communicate with each other. In some
ways, it is even better 3 if the PMS and third-party software are owned by the same
vendor company. Since about 2003, the PMS industry has seen a move toward vendorintegration. The legal publishing giants, Lexis and Westlaw, both have entered into
the practice management arena. For example, Lexis-Nexis acquired Time Matters
(PMS), PCLaw (accounting software), and Elite (formerly Thomson-Elite aka
Thomson-West aka WestLaw) acquired ProLaw (PMS) in 2003. Currently ProLaw
is under the vendor umbrella of Elite (legal publications and law firm accounting).
3
If a PMS and third-party software have a “link” with or integration with each, and there is a problem with that
integration, the lawyer can sometimes experience difficulty knowing which vendor to contact regarding the problem.
By having both programs under the same vendor-umbrella, the lawyer can look for improved continuity of service
and tighter integration between the applications.
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Practice Management Software in 2010
Software-As-A-Service aka “in the Cloud”
All the PMS software discussed so far in this booklet is installed on
computers in your office. The database is usually installed on the server (a dedicated,
computer which hosts all the data and files shared by everyone in the firm). Installing
software on a server, and all the computers in the office networked to that server,
requires technical skill and time to make sure the software is always current and the
data is secure and backed up.
Additionally, lawyers and their legal professionals have become more
mobile in their work style. Working on client files no longer demands that the lawyer
be in the physical office. So long as the lawyer has a smart phone, a laptop and/or a
desktop computer elsewhere, with a remote connection to the office, they work can still
get done.
Imagine then if the PMS with its database was installed on a server, but
that server was at the PMS vendor’s office, and all you had to do was go to website and
log in as a user with a password, and voila! You are using your PMS software with your
own database. You have complete remote access to your PMS whether you are in the
office, at court, at home, at another office, at the airport, anywhere where you can get
an Internet connection, but the big difference is that the vendor is responsible for
keeping the software up-to-date, making sure it is always functioning properly, and is
backed up. It does not matter whether your computers are laptops or desktops or PCs
with Windows O/S or Apple computers with Mac O/S. All you have to do is pay a
monthly subscription fee to the vendor to use the software. The database belongs to
you. If you are using PMS which is of this type, you can say you are managing your
practice in-the-cloud.
This concept is not new. Ten years ago it was known as Application
Service Provider (ASP). There were several PMS products available as an ASP. But with
the .com bust of 2000, many of the ASP vendors went out of business and, with that,
so did the customers’ databases. Lawyers which had used ASP products found
themselves without their client file data. Because of the bad reputation of the ASP, a
new term was developed. It became known as the “thin client”, where the term “client”
referred to the software installed on the workstation as being minimal or not at all.
(This did not mean your client was skinny.) This term was slightly technical, if not too
abstract, for the consumer. Eventually, the concept became known as Software-As-AService or SaaS, which label is still used today. But the most memorable term is
“software in-the-cloud.”
Despite the many advantages of PMS “in the cloud”, there are obvious
concerns. How is client data maintained confidential? What happens if the PMS vendor
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goes bust as did the .com companies of 2000? It is not the purpose of this booklet to
prove the legitimacy of the “in the cloud” software. Suffice it to say, though, that
lessons have been hard learned from the problems of the ASPs that went bust and, this
time around, the many of the vendors are sure to explain first their care of maintaining
confidentiality and security of client data as well as to provide methods for transferring
your database to you at any time you request, especially should the vendor company
go out of business.
The issue of maintaining law firm data “in the cloud”, is currently a hot
topic in many ethics discussions at the ABA and state bar associations around the
country. In an attempt to address the issue, as well as storing electronic client files
online, the State Bar of Arizona’s Ethics Committee issued an opinion No. 09-04 re
Confidentiality; Maintaining Client Files; Electronic Storage; Internet (12/2009) which
should give you guidance on the question of, is it ethical for me to use PMS “in the
cloud?”
If you are a technology pioneer, and you do your research, you may wish
to investigate further two in-the-cloud PMS products which have been getting good
reviews from the legal community: Clio and Rocket Matter. (See the Table of Software
Products at the end of this booklet.) These applications have most of the basic
functions/features of the traditional PMS products which are installed on your local
computers: contacts, matters, calendar, phone records, notes, time tracking, document
management. As of this writing, the in-the-cloud PMS products do not have document
assembly (document generation) and they are still working to improve the Outlook email integration and calendar synchronization. To their credit, they have integrated
basic time and billing, and trust accounting, function.
Microsoft Outlook “Add-On”to Practice Management Software
Credenza is the name of a new PMS-lite product on the market as of
January 2010. It is not a traditional PMS and it is not PMS in-the-cloud. Rather,
Credenza was developed for those people who are deeply tied to their Outlook
software, for e-mail, appointments, tasks, and the many other functions of Outlook. It
is not a software to be installed on your computer or on the vendor’s computer. It is
what is called a software “add-on”, and it is added on to Outlook. It is like Outlook on
steroids, adding Files records, Timesheet records and Phone records to your Outlook.
In short, it gives Outlook the ability to do something that has always been a
shortcoming for Outlook in a law firm…the ability to organize Cases or Matters or Files.
Credenza is not intended to compete with the full-featured PMS products
such as those mentioned earlier and many of those listed in the table of software
Products at the end of this booklet. Rather, it is more like a starter-PMS. For instance,
it is limited to three users, it does not have document assembly (document generation),
and it does not have automated calendaring.
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FOUNDATION FEATURES
of Good Practice Management Software
Contact database:
Clients’, attorneys’ names, addresses, phone
numbers, e-mail addresses, etc.
Case/Matter information:
Case type, parties, notes, etc.
Grouping/Classification:
Contacts can be classified in more than one
way, i.e. client, attorney, judge.
Calendaring/Docketing:
Appointments, deadlines, reminders, rolling
list of to-dos; automated calendaring
Alerts/Reminders of Inactivity:
Case status notification
Date Calculators:
For example,
“20 days from today = _____” or
“15 days prior to 5/15/05 = _______”
Single-entry data input:
You should only have to enter one type of
data one time only, then link/relate it.
Audit Trail:
Shows changes made to a record.
Multiple Viewing Options:
Calendar view, case view, client view
Customizable Fields:
Allows the program to be modified to fit the
individual attorney’s needs
Timekeeping:
Track time spent on phone calls, events,
appointments, preparing documents, etc.
Document Management:
Associating computer files to clients or
matters for easy saving & retrieval; keyword
and/or full-text searching capabilities
E-mail Integration:
Can save e-mail with contacts/matters
Document assembly:
Merging your data with forms, for easy
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document generation, i.e. with Word,
WordPerfect, or HotDocs.
Report generating:
Printing out the data in various forms, i.e.
address lists, mailing labels, time reports
Integration with standard word processing programs:
For Example: MS Word and WordPerfect
Links to standard time & billing or accounting programs:
For Example: Timeslips, PC Law, Jr., Tabs3,
Quickbooks, Abacus Accounting, Amicus
Accounting, Juris
Synchronization with pocket or palm organizers and smart phones:
For Example: PalmPilot, Pocket PC,
Blackberry, Windows Mobile, iPhone,
Droid
Synchronization with Outlook: Contacts, Appointments & Todos
Import/Export Capability:
Can you easily transfer data from your
current database into this practice
management database? For Example:
import from ascii text or csv format.
Phone System Integration:
Ability to dial phone numbers from within
the PMS using standard modem
Remote access capability:
Allows you to access your database from a
remote location, or can “pack” PMS and
transport out of the office
Security:
Ability to restrict or grant access to specific
parts of your practice management database?
Training and technical support:
What training is offered at the time of
purchase? Are tutorial programs included with purchase? What is the
turnaround time on technical support? Are there certified consultants
available in your area for initial and ongoing training?
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DISTINGUISHING FEATURES of Practice Management Software
Flexibility for Customization: Ability to easily adapt the PMS to
individual practice styles or areas
Word Processing Interface to PMS database: Ability to retrieve or enter
data into PMS from within Word or
WordPerfect
Integrated Online Research: Ability to directly integrate with online
research such as Lexis-Nexis, Westlaw
Research Materials Management: Ability to easily manage the rules,
case law, procedures, manuals maintained in
a law office
Rules-Based Calendaring:
Provide and maintain regional rules for
calendaring/docketing, or linking with
vendors who can do so, i.e. CompuLaw and
Legalex
Front Office/Back Office:
Practice management features (front office);
AND billing and accounting functions (back
office) built-in.
Integrated Electronic Filing: Integration with online electronic filing
service to streamline the electronic filing of
documents with the courts
Operating System Compatibility: Windows NT/XP/Vista/Windows 7;
(some are Novell; MacIntosh compatible)
Browser-Based Option:
Ability to upgrade to browser-based version
to access practice management program
database via the Internet
Mobile Access:
Ability to access the database remotely, i.e.
via PDA or smartphone
Remote Hosting: Database and software are installed and managed offsite
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Practice Management Software Products Demonstration
For the demonstration portion of this seminar, I have selected three
practice management software products, AbacusLaw, Amicus Attorney Premium
Edition (or Small Firm Edition), and Time Matters because these programs are:
 Competitive in foundation features required for the modern law firm
 Popular with many practicing attorneys and legal services organizations
 Designed to be used by firms practicing diverse areas of law
 Affordable pricing for small firms and sole practitioner firms
The purpose of the demonstration is to show the power of practice
management software system and, at the same time, introduce the audience to the
individual “styles” of the practice management programs. It will begin by showing how
each program performs routine law firm functions such as entering contacts and matter
information, phone calls and notes, calendaring of routine deadlines, appointments,
reminders, to-dos. The demonstration will go on to show the more advanced routine
functions of a law practice, such as automated calendaring, document assembly (using
data from stored in the practice management program), document management, e-mail
and internet research integration.
The following list of three practice management software programs being
demonstrated in this seminar gives a brief bulleted description of each product which,
although perhaps not unique to the product, at minimum indicates capabilities.
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Page 24
AbacusLaw
 Full-featured practice management system 4
 Easy-to-learn menus and screens
 Unlimited customizable user-defined fields and screens
 Local and Federal rules-based calendar/docketing modules available
 Powerful query-type system for unlimited database reports
 E-mail your calendar
 Work in Word or WordPerfect, and “Save and Log to Abacus”
 Seamless integration with time/billing, accounting, Abacus Accounting (available only
with Abacus Law Gold Edition); also can link with Timeslips
Figure 6 - Save and Log to AbacusLaw
While working in Word or WordPerfect, you can save (link) your document to
your Client Matter in Abacus
4
Full-featured describes the foundation features required of a modern law practice, i.e. contact and matter
management, automated calendaring, document assembly and document management, integration with Word and
WordPerfect, e-mail and on-line research, links with popular personal digital assistant software, billing software,
remote office capability.
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AbacusLaw
Distinguishing Features - “Bells and Whistles”
Outlook Integration: E-mail (sent/received) can be linked/saved in AbacusLaw
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AbacusLaw
Forms Library – Can easily convert a .pdf document to a form/template for
merging; store the variable data in a Matter profile for future forms; “Do Group”
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AbacusLaw
Intake Forms – Can create form, which when filled out, will back-fill into the
Client’s Name, Matter, Events or Notes records. May be used on firm website.
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Amicus Attorney
 Full-featured practice management system3
 Communications Center to organize phone records and e-mails
 Graphical interface --- looks like a real law office
 “Library” feature for organizing law firm resources
 Rules-based docketing link with CompuLaw
 Link with QuickBooks Pro or Premier and other popular billing/accounting software.
Now Amicus has its own accounting software called “Amicus Accounting”
 Work in Word or WordPerfect to set up merge for document assembly
 Work in Word or WordPerfect, and “Save to File” in Amicus Attorney
Figure 7 - Save to File
While working in Word or WordPerfect, you can save (link) your document to your
Client Matter in Amicus Attorney
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Amicus Attorney
Distinguishing Features or “Bells and Whistles”
Two (2) Choices of Amicus Attorney:
1)
Amicus Attorney - Premium Edition:
a. Designed with the larger firm in mind (<10 users)
b. SQL database;
c. Run Amicus as a Service;
d. Browser-based: Allows you to access your Amicus from anywhere
with Internet connection to your Amicus server.
e. Many-to-many record relations
f. Amicus-managed documents; or user-managed documents
g. Custom Records
h. Full Outlook synchronization of Contacts, Appointments and Todos
i. Full Outlook e-mail integration; can work in Outlook and save e-mail
back to Amicus
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Amicus Attorney (Small Firm Edition)
2)
Amicus Attorney – Small Firm Edition:
a. For firms with up to <=10 users
b. Retains the familiar Version V+ look and feel, with the exception of
the navigator bar at the left-hand side of screen
c. Retains the familiar Faircom database
d. Tasks Module
e. Full Outlook synchronization of Contacts, Appointments and Todos
f. Full Outlook e-mail integration; can work in Outlook and save e-mail
back to Amicus
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Amicus Attorney (Premium Edition)
Amicus Attorney Premium Edition:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Form firms of any size, but particularly beneficial to those of >10 Users
SQL database
Multi-relational database
Other features beneficial to both small and large firms
Amicus-Managed Documents: Do you have staff who like to save client documents on their
C:/ Drive? Fear no more. If a document is saved in (linked in) Amicus, and you have opted to
let Amicus control where documents are to be saved, then that document will be moved to the
Amicus-designated file location. (When setting up Amicus, you tell Amicus where you want
shared documents to be saved.)
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Amicus Attorney Premium
Have you ever wanted to track some information in Amicus and
discussed there was no place to put it? For instance, maybe you want to track
exhibits in a litigation or medical records requested or expenses incurred. You can
create a custom record.
Custom Records:
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Amicus Attorney Premium
Amicus Mobile: Add-on to Amicus Attorney 2009 (Premium Edition) that runs
Amicus on any PDA or Smartphone that uses Windows Mobile 5 or higher. A
miniature version of Amicus Attorney which uses your cellular or wireless network
to connect real-time all-the-time to your Amicus Attorney server. If you are ever
out of range of a cell phone signal, you could always work with Amicus mobile
offline.
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Time Matters
 Full-featured Practice management Program3
 Powerful customization of menus, screens and fields
 Powerful document management capabilities
 Powerful automated calendaring capabilities, with “Outline” feature
 Link with PCLaw and other popular billing/accounting software
 Partnership with Lexis-Nexis is available for fully integrated online legal research
 Work in Word or WordPerfect to run document assembly
 Work in Word or WordPerfect, and “Save to Time Matters”
Figure 8 - Save to Time Matters
While working in Word or WordPerfect, you can save (link) your document to your
Client Matter in Time Matters
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Time Matters
Distinguishing Features - “Bells and Whistles”
Data Entry Wizards: When creating new Matters and Contacts, you may choose
to use the “data entry Wizard” which prompts you to fill in data for the most
important data fields.
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Time Matter
Newsreader: You can set up RSS feeds to download into Time Matters.
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Time Matters
Journal Views (Case, Contact or Personal): Select a Case/Matter, then select
Matter Journal view. You can see all related contacts, calendar, communications,
notes, billings, etc. in one desktop view.
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Time Matters
Outline View: If you prefer to view timelines and deadlines, docket dates, case
progress, etc., but you are uncomfortable with the “database-like” presentation,
you may instead warm to the “Outline” view for monitoring your case. As items
are marked done on the calendar, they appear stricken on your outline.
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Time Matters
Lexis Research Linked/Saved with Case File: Not only is the website
address/URL memorized and saved with your Client’s File, the web page itself is
displayed in a preview screen.
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Resources for the Practice Management Software Researcher
There are a significant number of practice management applications available for
the attorney who wishes to invest some time in researching before choosing. The table of
applications at the end of this booklet represents a good cross-section of legal-specific practice
management software. The following resources may provide you with even more software
options. IMPORTANT RESEARCH TIP: Inquire about initial and ongoing training. Vendors
may differ significantly on how they help you to learn and implement your software.
ABA Legal Technology Resource Center: Phone: (312) 988-5465
Web site: http://www.abanet.org/tech/ltrc/
Your ABA is on top of the latest in technology for law firms. The Legal Technology
Resource Center is chock full of articles, tables of software vendors by category,
podcasts, blogs, and archives.
TechnoLawyer, e-newsletter
Web site: www.technolawyer.com
E-newsletter comprised of content submitted by practicing attorneys, consultants
specializing in legal specific software, vendors of legal-specific software. You can sign
up to receive the free, e-newsletter. For a nominal fee, you have the option to subscribe
annually to their online archives, organized by topic area.
University of Florida Levin College of Law, Legal Technology Institute
Web site: http://www.law.ufl.edu/lti/
See page entitled Computerized Case Management Systems from which you
can access many articles by leading consultants/authors in legal-specific case
management software.
State Bar of Arizona, Sections
Web site: http://www.myazbar.org/SecComm/sections.cfm
For practice-specific software, contact the Section of the State Bar of Arizona for your
practice area, i.e. Bankruptcy, Family Law Section, Probate Section, Tax Law, Trial
Practice Section, etc. Some practice-specific software products are intended to replace
practice management software; however, others are intended to supplement practice
management software. Do your research. Ask questions.
Practice management Software Products and Training:
For information on a variety of practice management software, other legalspecific software and, specifically, training on Abacus Law, Amicus Attorney
and Time Matters, call:
Susan Traylor, Practice Management Advisor
Certified Consultant for Abacus Law, Amicus Attorney, Time Matters
Law Office Management Assistance Program
State Bar of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ
Phone: (602) 340-7355; E-mail: [email protected]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 41
_____________________________________________________________________________
Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 42
Practice Management Software
Table of Software Products
(as of 05/01/10)
Software
Name, Phone and URL
Type of Software
(According to web site)
Price
(Check web site for
up-to-date pricing)
“Simplify Your Practice: AbacusLaw is an
ABACUS LAW 2010
(800) 726-3339
www.abacuslaw.com
AMICUS ATTORNEY 2010
(800) 482-9227
www.amicusattorney.com
CLIENT PROFILES
(Case Management
Or
CRM4Legal)
(770) 640-0300
www.clientprofiles.com
all-in-one, easy to use solution designed
specifically for law firms. With our fully
integrated practice management software, you
will be able to work more efficiently, lower
risk and improve client service” …”legal
calendaring software, contact management,
case management, document handling,
document production, conflict checks, phone
messaging, time capture, law office billing
and accounting — so you can do anything
and retrieve anything from one location”
…AbacusLaw is the only software that can
combine multiple practice areas so easily”
“Amicus Attorney is designed to help legal
professionals improve the efficiency and
profitability of their firms and to help them
get the most out of the time they spend
practicing law.” …”Designed by lawyers for
lawyers, this world leading software provides
a comfortable, familiar environment”
…”Manage every aspect of your practice
from Files, to Contacts, to Calendaring, to
Time Tracking, E-mail to Phone Calls,
Documents to Research…”
“…providing solutions that span a suite of
product offerings including Case
Management, Financial Management,
Document Management, Client Relationship
Management (CRM) and Document
Imaging…Whether your law firm’s area of
practice is Personal Injury, Workers
Compensation, Insurance Defense, Litigation
or Transactional, to name just a few, Client
Profiles is ready to provide a technology
solution that is tailored to meet your specific
needs. …built to run on the latest Microsoft
technology standards, and is designed to
integrate closely with Microsoft Office and
Outlook…”
Versions available in:
Classic: front office only
Gold: front and back office
Enterprise: Fortress version
Specialty Versions for different
practice areas;
Rules Modules (automated
calendaring)
See vendor website for price
quote
Small Firm Edition (<10 Users)
$499/1st User
$399/Ea Add’l User
Premium Edition (>10 Users)
$999/1st User,
$599/Ea Add’l User
Amicus Accounting
$399/1st User
$299/Ea Add’l User
Amicus Mobile
Server: $499/User
Licenses: $149/User. (Does not
need to match the total number
of licensed users for Amicus
Premium Edition)
See Vendor Website
_____________________________________________________________________________
Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 43
Software
Name, Phone and URL
Type of Software
(According to web site)
Price
(Check web site for
up-to-date pricing)
SaaS (Software as a Service)
CLIO
www.goclio.com
COMPLETELAW
(877) 283-9035
www.completelaw.com
CREDENZA
www.credenzasoft.com
CONSTELLATION
JUSTICE SYSTEMS
(also Damion and CourtView
Justice Systems)
(585) 218-0420
www.damion.com
GRYPHON LEGAL
SOFTWARE
(805) 456-2050
www.grysoft.com
“Web-based Practice Management.
Clio makes practice management easy with a
full suite of tools targeted specifically at the
needs of sole practitioners and small firms.
Stay organized, on top of billings, and in
control of your practice with Clio. Best of all,
it's web-based so there's nothing to install.
Your practice is wherever you are”
“from case management, client files, contacts,
and calendars to time tracking, billing and
accounting…integrates all major
functions…syncs with Outlook …server or
web-based document management…Law
Web in the cloud…also available for Workers
Comp…Personal Injury…”
(Microsoft Outlook Add-on)
“…turns Outlook into a professional practice
management system…organize client,
matter…e-mails, contacts, appointments,
tasks and notes…keep time entries…organize
documents…make notes of phone
calls…practice management utilities and
reports…”
“Software solutions for the American
Criminal Justice Market…Prosecutors, Public
Defenders, Civil Attorney, Social Attorney,
Victim Witness Advocate, Investigators, Law
Enforcement and Jail Management agencies.
Designed around the principle that data
should only be entered once and at the earliest
opportunity possible, DAMION allows users
to efficiently store and retrieve all
information related to a crime and the
individuals involved.”
“…complete case and practice management
software for solo practitioners and small to
mid-size firms. Every aspect of the program
is fully functional without any
add-ons or extras” … “…between litigation
and transactional mode…”
Monthly Subscription Fee:
$49/mo per attorney
$25/mo per non-legal staff
For purchase or lease
or subscription
See Vendor Website
Limited to 3 Users;
$9.95 per user/per month
See Vendor Website
See Vendor Website
(for purchase or subscription)
_____________________________________________________________________________
Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 44
Software
Name, Phone and URL
JUSTWARE
(New Dawn Technologies)
(877) 587-8927
www.justware.com
LAWBASE
Synaptec Software
(800) 569-3377
www.lawbase.com
Type of Software
(According to web site)
“The unique design and flexibility of our
JustWare | Solution Suite programs offer
standalone or combined case management
and workflow solutions that can be used
individually by your courts, prosecutors,
probation and parole, pretrial services and
public defender agencies. “
“LawBase is a computerized Case and Matter
Management System designed to increase the
productivity and profitability of your office.
LawBase is currently being used by
thousands of law office personnel across the
country, from solo practitioners to law firms
with 750-plus attorneys to the legal
departments of Fortune 500 companies to
governmental agencies. … Case Notes, Smart
Folders, Docketing, Document Assembly,
Contacts, Conflicts, Workflow”
Price
(Check web site for
up-to-date pricing)
See Vendor Website
See Vendor Website
(for Mac and Windows/Vista)
LAWSTREAM
(250) 247-9999
http://www.lawstream.com/
“…integrated computer program for
managing time, money, contacts, and other
information in law offices”
$800 per 1st user
(package pricing for more users)
“Since its inception in 1989, LegalEdge has
LEGALEDGE
(610) 975-5888
www.legaledge.com
been providing legal case management
software to Law firms, Corporate Legal
Departments, Prosecutors (including adult
and juvenile), Public Defenders, Juvenile,
Attorneys General, City and County
Attorneys and State and Local Government
agencies. … knowledge
management…Cross-Platform suite of Case
Management Web Applications. These easyto-use Case Management applications are
built on an n-tier, J2EE core platform, which
is highly scalable and fully customizable and
offers full .NET support”
See Vendor Website
_____________________________________________________________________________
Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 45
Software
Name, Phone and URL
LEGALFILES
(800) 500-0537
www.legalfiles.com
LexisNexis PC LAW
Version 10.0
(800)-328-2898
www.pclaw.com
LexisNexis TIME MATTERS
Version 10.0
(800) 328-2898
www.timematters.com
NEEDLES
(410) 363-1976
www.needleslaw.com
Type of Software
(According to web site)
“… full-featured case and matter management
system lets you organize all your contacts,
documents, deadlines and data within a
proven, flexible set of practice-specific
windows and workflow that can be easily
customized to your office. Our premier legal
software offers exclusive, seamless two-way
integrations with Microsoft Outlook , Lotus
Notes and Novell GroupWise, so you can
save all your file related e-mails, calendars
and tasks in one place, sharing this
information with others and dramatically
improving workflow management.”
“PCLaw™ 10 is an easy to use foundational
solution for managing matters, helping ensure
compliance with trust accounting rules,
tracking time and expenses, billing, payroll
and more. PCLaw is a flexible tool fine-tuned
for law professionals, and is the most widely
used practice management software in North
America. Join 30,000 firms just like yours
who trust PCLaw to manage their practice”
“Time Matters® software provides new ways
to help law firms, legal departments and other
organizations streamline operations to save
you time and make your firm more efficient.
Time Matters allows you to manage cases,
contacts, your calendar, documents,
communications, time tracking and other
daily activities. Time Matters has been the
choice of Law Firms, Legal Departments and
other organizations for the past 20 years”
“… customizable Case Management Software
for law firms. Whether your law office
consists of a solo practitioner or is a large law
firm, Needles provides you with the tools
necessary to manage matters efficiently, thus
decreasing delays and increasing
accountability and productivity….Needles'
legal case & practice management solution
delivers the technology required to transform
your firm into a more efficient and profitable
law office
Price
(Check web site for
up-to-date pricing)
See Vendor Website
See Vendor Website
See Vendor Website
Priced by number of concurrent
users; price includes support
and training
See Vendor Website for
calculator by number of users
_____________________________________________________________________________
Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 46
Software
Name, Phone and URL
PERFECT OFFICE
ADC Legal Systems
(407) 843-8992
www.adclegal.com
THE PLAINTIFF
(877) 202-0235 ext. 101
www.theplaintiff.com
PRACTICE MASTER
Version 15
(402) 423-1440
www.tabs3.com
PROLAW
(Elite)
(800) 977-6529
www.elite.com/prolaw/
PROSECUTOR II
(800) 237-0723
www.microfirm.com
ROCKET MATTER
www.rocketmatter.com
Type of Software
(According to web site)
“…offers a legal software solution for your
firm starting at $23/month…Case
Management software adapts to your firm,
not the other way around. …billing and
accounting…Bankruptcy/Foreclosure,
Litigation, Insurance Defense, Personal
Injury, Corporate Counsel, Social Security,
Other Specialty… ”
“Plaintiff’s Attorney Software – Accounting
and Case Management…integrates with
QuickBooks…case management, document
management, accounting, time and
billing…calendar…forms”
“PracticeMaster is a practice management
system, in use since 1988, that is recognized
for its flexibility, integration and
customization capabilities. …Integrates
with Tabs3 Billing Software, QuickBooks®,
Outlook®, Microsoft Word®, WordPerfect®,
WORLDOX®, CompuLaw®, iManage® and
HotDocs® Blackberry (using Outlook),
Palm, Paperport.”
“.. ProLaw software suite is designed to
automate the practice and manage the
business of law. Comprehensive features
simplify, streamline and coordinate the work
of attorneys and staff in small and mid-size
law firms, corporate legal departments and
government law offices. Built from the
ground-up on a unified database, ProLaw
combines case and matter management as
well as time entry, billing and accounting
capabilities within a single integrated solution
“…District Attorneys, County Attorneys,
Criminal Prosecutors, States Attorneys,
Commonwealth Attorneys and other
prosecutors performing criminal and civil
case management”
Price
(Check web site for
up-to-date pricing)
See Vendor Website
See Vendor Website
Standard:
Starts at $150/1st User
And $50/ea. Add’l User
-----------------------Premier:
Starts at $295/1st User and
$150/ea. Add’l User
$65-130/ 1st User Ann’l Support
Telephone Support $25/15 min
See Vendor Website
$1,100 per PC
SaaS (Software as a Service)
Monthly Subscription Fee:
“Rocket Matter is a web-based, practice
management and time & billing solution
designed exclusively for the legal industry.”
$59.00/mo/1st user
$49.99/mo/2-6th users
$39.99/mo/7-20th users
20+ users – contact vendor
_____________________________________________________________________________
Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 47
Software
Name, Phone and URL
SAGA PRACTICE MANAGER
Version 9.1
(800) 222-3066
www.sagasys.com
DE NOVO CaseMgr
(formerly Trial de Novo)
Version 2.0.9
(800) 755-9744
www.denovosys.com
TRIALWORKS
(800) 377-5844
www.lawex.com
Type of Software
(According to web site)
“…highly advanced practice and case
management software program, using the
latest and most robust technologies. From the
ground up, the program was designed for
Windows 2000/2003/XP/VISTA. It uses the
award winning Microsoft SQL Server as its
database engine, and allows scalability from a
single user to 1001…including but not limited
to Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice,
General Negligence, Litigation, Real Estate,
Matrimonial, Business Transactions,
Criminal, and Collections.”
”… designed by attorneys for attorneys; it’s
easy to learn, setup and use
immediately…from intake through
depositions and discovery to settlement or
trial…allows legal professionals to do
valuable work from the day of installation,
and they need NOT become computer
experts.”
“…solutions are designed to help law offices,
government agencies, and insurance
companies in managing data. We invite you
to browse our website and learn more about
the exciting offerings from our company…
SQL version...integrates with Quickbooks,
Juris, PCLaw, Sanction, Summation”
Price
(Check web site for
up-to-date pricing)
See Vendor Website
$399 / 1st station license
$150 / add’l stations each
$199 / add-on stations (add later
after original purchase)
FREE PHONE SUPPORT!
$2,995 database license
$495 per User License
For information on practice-specific case management software i.e. for
bankruptcy, immigration, or other practice areas, contact:
Susan Traylor, Law Office Management Assistance Program,
State Bar of Arizona
(602) 340-7355 or [email protected]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Practice Management Software in 2010
By Susan Traylor, LOMAP, State Bar of Arizona
Page 48