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Cosmolex Expands CRM with LawRuler Embed

Cosmolex and LawRuler both exist as part of the ProfitSolv family of products. This includes Rocket Matter, TimeSolv, and even Tabs3. But Cosmolex (at least for now) is the only product that can be called a true all-in-one law practice management solution. Recently, though, the table stakes for an all-in-one solution have changed. At this point, a client relationship manager (CRM) is almost required. So, Cosmolex bolstered its position by embedding LawRuler’s functionality directly into its platform.

Yes, LawRuler enhances Cosmolex’s offerings in the CRM sphere. But LawRuler isn’t simply a CRM in name only. This marriage is the unification of two independently robust products. Specifically, two independent products with above-average automation capabilities. Which makes the embed a harmony, rather than a jarring fusion.

Cosmolex Expanded Automations with LawRuler

Although there are still some aspects to work out, the automation capabilities from LawRuler sit nicely in the Cosmolex system. Lawyers can quickly build lead intakes and almost forget about them. They can automate email campaigns, text messages, and task workflows for their teammates. And this automation is done with relative ease, using a simple trigger-action workflow.

Recently, Zack sat down with Erica Birsler, from Cosmolex, to talk about how Cosmolex made this embed happen. Watch the video below to see more.

Demo Video

How to Get It

Ready to learn more? Visit our full review of CosmoLex. There you can compare features, read community comments, and read frequently asked questions. Remember, Lawyerist subscribers get Affinity Discounts from our partners through their full review page.

 

Seasoned Coach Karen Graves Joins Lawyerist Lab

Lawyerist recently welcomed Karen Graves, business coach, to the team. Karen brings over 15 years of business coaching experience. She’ll work primarily with Lawyerist Lab members in “Phase 2” of their business, helping them scale and grow from the foundations they’ve built. Her passion lies in getting businesses past hurdles while setting their infrastructure, then expanding into growth.

“Karen’s seen it all and worked with businesses at every stage of the growth cycle,” said CEO Stephanie Everett. “We are so fortunate to welcome her to the team. She is also a sales powerhouse. If you’re a lawyer intimidated by sales, you’ve found your sales Yoda!”

Karen began her career in pharmaceuticals as a sales rep and hospital sales rep. From there, she transitioned to a sales trainer role, then to sales training manager. After 10 years at Pfizer and facing an impending merger and acquisition, Karen decided it was time for something new.

Her Background Helped Small Businesses Master Sales

So, Karen dove head-first into the world of business coaching. Coincidentally, she was getting her coaching certification at the same time as her departure from Pfizer. “I started asking, ‘what do people really need help with that I have the skill set for?’” said Karen. She soon came back to sales. “Small business owners don’t know how to sell. I wanted to help coach them,” she said.

“If you’re a lawyer intimidated by sales, you’ve found your sales Yoda!”

stephanie everett

Karen soon realized that small business owners needed more than just sales help. They needed to know how to market, identify clients, and understand their budget. “I started learning the whole spectrum,” she said. “I began teaching entrepreneurs how to write business plans and helping get their businesses up and running.”

Karen Helps Businesses Stabilize, Scale, and Grow 

Like many small business owners, Karen’s expertise grew as her understanding of small business pain points expanded. She saw communication as a common breakdown area and started looking at ways to improve customer service and management. She fine-tuned and focused on key levers that help businesses stabilize, scale, and grow.

Karen joined the Lawyerist team in October after resonating with our emphasis on building not only healthy business but healthy people. “I was looking for a team environment and an organization that values the people that they’re serving and that really focuses on what’s important. Those are key pieces of what it takes to run a successful and healthy business,” she said.

She is looking forward to connecting with small law firm owners in Lawyerist Lab because connecting with people is what she does best. She is excited to watch them apply what they’ve learned and watch them grow and thrive. 

Welcome to the team, Karen! 

Want to work with Karen and start your journey to a healthier law firm? Apply to Lawyerist Lab.

 

MyCase Embeds LawPay to Extend ePayment Capabilities

As we noted in a previous article, LawPay (or more specifically, AffiniPay) recently purchased MyCase. This move says a lot about the direction of legal tech investment as a whole. And the implementation of this marriage speaks about the platforms’ direction. MyCase, rather than creating a deep two-way integration (as one might have assumed), went a step further. So, they incorporated the functionality of LawPay directly into the MyCase platform.

Lately, this seems to be where legal technology companies are going—and where users are asking them to go. Integrations are becoming less and less about simply transferring information back and forth. Now, as we see in this partnership, users are asking to be able to use the functions of one platform inside of another.

LawPay Embedded in MyCase

LawPay’s functionality is now fully accessible from within MyCase. Users don’t need to leave to run a transaction, send an invoice, or even save a credit card to the vault. There’s no need to keep both platforms up while working throughout the day. If a lawyer wants to store a credit card to the vault, they can do so through MyCase. Similarly, if they want to create a custom payment page, there is no need to go through LawPay. Simply create the page in MyCase.

Additionally, as an embedded application, the information from LawPay is accessible inside MyCase. This means that lawyers can run higher quality reports and track more specific key performance indicators (KPIs). With MyCase’s built-in client relationship manager (CRM), users can easily track the value of their marketing without resorting to third-party software.

Recently, I sat down with MyCase to get a look at what this embedded functionality looks like. LawPay users will already be familiar with the functionality, it will just be delivered inside the MyCase platform. Check out the video below to see more.

Demo Video

How to Get It

Ready to learn more? Check out our full review of MyCase software. There you will find community reviews, additional demos, features charts, and more. Remember that Lawyerist subscribers get additional discounts through the Affinity Benefits offered by our partners.

Dreyer’s Niching Up Makes a Strong Case for Specialization

Details

Law firm marketing specialist, Chris Dreyer, recently penned Niching Up: The Narrower the Market, the Bigger the Prize. It tells of how a focused practice can lead to a larger client pool, higher value cases, better margins, and clearer marketing spend. Chris, himself, has seen the advantages of specializing and wants to share the pros and cons in his new book.

About Chris Dreyer

Chris has been running Rankings.io since 2013. His marketing firm first specialized in legal marketing. In 2020, he took his own advice and niched up. Now he focuses exclusively on SEO for personal injury attorneys. And has made the Inc. 5000 list for fastest-growing privately held companies four years in a row.

Advantages of Niching Up

In his book, Niching Up, Chris discusses the pros and cons of narrowing a law firm’s market focus. He likes to say, “the riches are in the niches.” He notes that lawyers find more than efficiencies in specialization. They can also focus their marketing dollars more easily on their ideal client. Additionally, as a law firm becomes known as an expert, they can find higher dollar cases and more reciprocity in referrals.

“The riches are in the niches.”

Chris dreyer

Contrary to some popular advice, Chris suggests that a lawyer shouldn’t simply dive headlong into a niche. Niching Up suggests that lawyers need experience before they can effectively specialize. Chris notes that a lawyer should select a niche only after they gain awareness of a particular opportunity. Many times, a law office can look at its own numbers to determine what area of law brings them the most benefit.

Finding a Law Firm’s Niche

Niching, when appropriately applied, can help law firms save money and make more money at the same time. Specialization helps firms focus their marketing efforts. It also can make lawyers stand out in a crowd.

When a law firm specializes, it is easier to define its ideal clients. A lawyer who is trying to be everything to everyone often feels that everyone is a potential client. By defining a niche, lawyers can focus on what makes their potential clients special. A law firm focused on high-value estate planning has an easier time defining its clients than one that does probate, business law, and DUIs.

Additionally, a focused practice wastes less money marketing to the masses. Often in the legal marketing space, lawyers feel the need to saturate the market in order to get clients. This is because it’s the only way to stand out. With specialization, lawyers can meet their ideal clients where they are—be it TikTok, Facebook, or even industry publications.

Interview with Chris Dreyer

Recently, Lawyerist Lab Coach and CEO Stephanie Everett sat down with Chris to discuss how a lawyer can benefit from niching. Watch their interview below to learn more.

How to Get It

For lawyers who want to see how specialization can affect their practice, Niching Up is already out on Amazon.com. Better yet, those who want to jump in right away can go to Rankings.io and download the first chapter for free.

 

Lawyerist Announces Field Guide to Legal Technology

Lawyerist’s Field Guide for Buying Products & Services helps lawyers and their staff find their way through the legal tech software landscape. Choosing technology is never easy. Determining how that technology fits into the larger picture is even harder. Tougher still is getting buy-in from the rest of the team. This legal tech buyer’s Field Guide arms law offices with the information necessary to make thoughtful and informed decisions.

Field Guide for Buying Products & Services

The Field Guide helps lawyers determine how to make their purchasing decision. Importantly, it arms users with the information necessary to garner buy-in from the rest of their team. 

“This guide is intended to assist teams in making their big legal technology software decisions,” said Ashley Steckler, Lawyerist’s Product Director. She continues, “We’ve created a tool that organizes relevant legal technology in a way that lawyers will understand. Instead of limiting their search to single areas of legal tech software, law offices can search more broadly and determine how particular technology fits into their overall legal tech stack.”

The Field Guide breaks legal technology software and services into three broad categories: Firm Growth, Service Delivery, and Firm Management. From there, Users can learn about specific types of software like Law Practice Management systems, and discover how they fit into the firm’s overall structure.

The Field Guide joins Lawyerist’s other tools to help law firms demystify legal technology. These include Website Product Reviews, where the Lawyerist legal tech advisor organizes, rates, and reviews software and services on the marketplace. Here, lawyers can easily compare products and learn more about specific pieces of technology. In some cases, they can use the decision wizards to hone in on exactly what they need based on their specific circumstances.

Additionally, the Complete Guide to Legal Tech teaches lawyers and their teams how technology fits into their overall business. The Legal Tech Guide doesn’t specifically look at how something should be done. Instead, it teaches law offices what should be done and why.

How to Get It

The Field Guide for Buying Products & Services is free to download by all Lawyerist subscribers. Lawyerist subscribers can download the Field Guide immediately and get access to other valuable resources from Lawyerist.

Lawmatics Announces Long-Awaited MyCase Integration

Lawmatics is a client relationship manager (CRM) specifically built for law firms. Most lawyers know it for its easy-to-use automation tools and its ability to track marketing efforts on top of client intake. In the current market, however, it is also gaining interest for its ability to remain independent. 

While many CRMs have become entwined with specific Law Practice Management Software, Lawmatics is focusing on broadening its reach. Recently, they have launched integrations with Clio, Filevine, PracticePanther, Rocket Matter, and Smokeball. These integrations, as users are finding out, are not just in-name-only. And now, they are adding MyCase to their growing list.

Sarah Bottorff, SVP of Growth at Lawmatics, says they are building these integrations because they are, “looking to meet the needs of their customers.” Adding that they, “love being agnostic,” to which LPMS their users favor. This allows Lawmatics users to determine which LPMS works best for their practice rather than being pigeonholed into a less-than-ideal platform.

This focus on the customer can be seen in the Facebook groups that have popped up around specific integrations. The Lawmatics team is often engaged in discussions with their customers in forums like the unofficial Smokeball + Lawmatics group. Lawmatics CEO Matt Spiegel even held a live Q&A recently in the Lawmatics Member Group.

Lawmatics Features

From a user perspective, it’s easy to see why lawyers would want Lawmatics to remain as LPMS agnostic as possible. It has very reliable features that one would expect from a CRM. It also offers some hard-to-find features that put it ahead of most of its competitors.

From a standard CRM perspective, Lawmatics sets itself apart with its project management, document creation, and eSignature features. It has a kanban board that is easily automated with a multitude of triggers and actions. And it allows users to easily track what lifecycle stage a particular matter is in at a glance. Additionally, it has a no-code document automation solution built directly into the system. Meaning, users can quickly take advantage of the integrated eSignature functionality to quickly send and receive engagement letters.

Lawmatics, however, is not just a standard CRM solution. They are listening to their customers and consistently adding features that help foster a great relationship between lawyers and clients. They recognized some work and billing is done prior to engaging a lead as a client. So, they recently added a billing and ePayment feature to their system. Similarly, document sharing and correspondence often happen prior to moving a case fully into the firm’s matter management system. So a client portal was woven into the platform earlier this year.

Instead of wandering into matter management, Lawmatics is sticking to what they do best: customer relationship management. They recognize Lawyers manage their cases in extremely diverse ways. So, they continue to launch integrations with some of the more popular LPMS platforms on the market.

Lawmatics Integration with MyCase

For those who know the history of Lawmatics, a MyCase integration has been a long time coming. The CEO of Lawmatics, also started (and sold) MyCase. One would think that their platforms would work and play well together. But neither company throws itself into integrations without plenty of forethought.

Still, this integration makes sense.  MyCase, at its core, is a Law Practice Management System. And Lawmatics, even with its time and billing capabilities, is focused on managing client relationships. Users are increasingly asking for these portions of their practices to mesh. And Lawmatics, for its part, wants to give its users as much choice as possible.

Additionally, and importantly, their ideal clients overlap considerably. If we go back to Lawmatics’ focus on its clients, users have likely been asking for this integration specifically. And these users didn’t want just a one-way integration that limited what was shared. No, they wanted depth.

Recently, Zack Glaser, Legal Tech Advisor, sat down with Matt Spiegel, the CEO of Lawmatics to discuss just how deep this integration goes. He says that, among other things, they will even be able to share custom fields from each platform. Take a look at the video below to learn more.

Interview with Lawmatics

How to Get It

If you’d like to learn more about the Lawmatics + MyCase integration, head to Lawmatics.com. Where, if you’re already a Lawmatics + MyCase user they can help you turn on the integration. If you’re not already a Lawmatics user, you can read more and even get a demo of the platform.

 

LEX Reception Expands to Lead Qualification Services

Sometimes lawyers just need a little help managing their incoming phone calls. No one likes to call their attorney and get an answering machine. Answering services have been assisting with that for a long time. Remote work and distributed offices have increased.  And lawyers are looking to their virtual receptionists for more than just a friendly voice picking up the phones. Companies like LEX Reception are more than happy to expand their offerings.

Yes, virtual reception companies can help with inbound calls. But LEX can assist with outbound calls, qualifying leads, and even setting up appointments. In both Spanish and English.

LEX Reception Beyond Answering

Fielding inbound calls is LEX Reception’s bread-and-butter. But they have been working to increase their offerings and make their services more accessible over the last few years. They have launched a web app, mobile app, and softphone to help attorneys access their services from anywhere. They now have a video conferencing application called Teleport built right into their system. And they integrate with many of the most popular Law Practice Management Systems.

Beyond technological upgrades, though, LEX is also making itself an integral partner in a law firm’s intake process. LEX Reception can easily assist with marketing campaigns by fielding and filtering incoming calls. More importantly, however, they can make outbound calls. So web qualified leads can have a human being help them set up an appointment with the law office.

How to Get It

Ready to learn more? See more features and community comments in our full review of LEX Reception. Don’t forget to claim your Affinity Partner discount. Or, if you’re ready to jump right in, get a custom demo at LEXReception.com.

 

Lawyerist Welcomes Legal Coach Amy Grubb

Lawyerist is pleased to announce the addition of Amy Grubb, Lab coach, to the team. She is a Clio-certified attorney with extensive law firm business coaching experience and Lawyerist’s first international team member. Amy will work with members of the Lawyerist Lab coaching community to build healthier solo and small law firms. 

Amy Brings Empathy to the Lawyerist Lab Community

“Team Lawyerist hit it out of the park with the addition of Amy,” said Lawyerist CEO Stephanie Everett. “As an attorney and entrepreneur, Amy knows what our community members are going through. She approaches calls with a special level of empathy. We’re excited to see how she helps community members break through and find success.”  

Amy knows firsthand what it’s like to be burned out by Big Law. She knew it was time for a change after spending Christmas working while her family celebrated together. So, after years spent working as an immigration lawyer at a large Canadian firm, she walked away.

Unsure of her next steps, Amy took time to reevaluate her career path before starting her own successful solo practice. Working as a freelance attorney for other attorneys gave her a peek behind the curtains into small law firms.

Changing Lanes Led to Coaching

What she found behind the curtain wasn’t pretty. The attorneys she worked with were often overwhelmed, overworked, and unhappy. They didn’t know where to turn to build healthier and more successful law practices. She knew she could help solo and small firm owners build systems, hire help, and find happiness in their firms. Amy changed lanes again and started her own law firm coaching business.

Now, Amy joins Lawyerist as a business coach for the Lab coaching program. She’ll continue to share her expertise with small law firm owners, guiding them as they build and run the healthy law firms of their dreams.

“Team Lawyerist hit it out of the park with the addition of Amy.”

Stephanie everett

Although new to the team, Amy is no stranger to Lawyerist values and resources. “Prior to starting my law firm, I listened to and read everything that Lawyerist put out. Lawyerist’s message about running a healthy law firm really resonated with me,” she said. “Through their resources, I was able to build a successful solo practice. To now coach other lawyers through Lawyerist on how to build a healthy law firm is an absolute dream come true.”  

Welcome to the team, Amy! 

Want to work with Amy and start your journey to a healthier law firm? Apply to Lawyerist Lab.

 

Client Gifts in 2022: Say No to the Jelly of the Month Club

Over the years, law firm gifts have changed. While firms used to rely on large gift companies like Harry & David (remember that jelly of the month club?), now gifts are trending personal and experiential. 

Law Firm Gifts That Remember the Whole Family

A recent trend, especially in family and estate law, is to ensure the client’s whole family can appreciate a gift—not just the client. Lawyerist Lab member Spencer Schmidt will hand out Legos to his client’s children. This gift has the bonus of keeping kids distracted in the office while their parents meet with their lawyer.

Similarly, lawyers are turning away from expensive bottles of scotch and vintage wine and sending cookie baskets and local food items instead. At Rose Law Firm in Napa Valley, Lab member Megan Campbell celebrates completed estate plans by sending mugs that say Grateful. With those, she includes locally-roasted coffee, tea, or dessert baskets. 

The Key is Personalization and Usable Branding

When it comes to law firm gifts for clients, using your logo is fine—as long as the associated product is usable. Lawyerist Lab member Aaron Thomas gives his clients branded Starbucks gift cards. Instead of branded shirts or tote bags, this option may feel more like a thank you or happy holidays gift and less like a sales pitch.

Another example of personalization is gifting experiences. A puzzle-lover client might enjoy a pass to a local escape room.  An avid reader may love a subscription to Audible for audiobooks. Lawyers can often upload their branding to the e-card.

Don’t Underestimate the Value of a Note

More than any other trend, lawyers find that taking the time to send a personalized note to their clients has the most meaningful impact. While a basket of treats will always be appreciated, clients remember what you say, not what you give. Does stamping and mailing a letter tend to get pushed down your to-do list? There are services like Scribeless that will send handwritten notes for you.

Lawyerist has more ideas  to help you  improve your client service game in the Guide to Law Firm Clients.

 

Siskind & Susser Partners with FastCase to Develop Immigration Case Manager

Most lawyers in their careers have thought, “I should build that.” Longtime Lawyerist Lab member Greg Siskind and his team at Siskind Susser, PC, don’t stop at should. They have a habit of following through, which they’re doing with their FastCase partnership. 

FastCase Immigration Partnership

Recently, through their sister company, Visalaw.ai, they announced a partnership with FastCase to turn their immigration cookbook into a case management system. The American Immigration Lawyers Association Practice and Procedures Manual (‘Cookbook’) will be implemented through FastCase’s NextChapter platform.

Siskind, along with partner Ari Saur, published the manual to assist immigration lawyers in the United States in filing their cases. It takes the processes, procedures, and decades of experience they have acquired and organizes it into checklists, questionnaires, and step-by-step processes.

Never satisfied with the status quo, however, Siskind and his team wanted to take the cookbook a step further. They determined that no comparable product existed on the market. So, he and his partners at Visalaw.ai decided to turn the cookbook into a case management platform.

Turning an Idea into Reality

One option for Visalaw.ai was to build the software from the ground up. But, a natural partnership appeared in the form of FastCase’s NextChapter product. Using the already existing NextChapter platform will allow the product to get to users much more quickly.

“We are excited that lawyers relying on our Cookbook will now have a case management system customized to match the systems in the book,” said Siskind. 

This appears to be a consistent step for FastCase. As a legal research and intelligence company, they are always looking for innovative new ways to deliver knowledge to lawyers. Recently, expanded NextChapter’s capabilities beyond bankruptcy with Doc Creator, forms automation, and now immigration management. According to Mandy Ballinger, NextChapter’s Vice President, this extension “enables more law firms to benefit.”

NextChapter Immigration beta platform is already open to lawyers who would like to test it out at Visalaw.ai/nextchapter.

Learn More From Lawyerist

If you’d like to learn more about creating the processes necessary to build a platform like this, take a look at our Healthy Firm resources. Or, join Greg and others like him in the Lawyerist Lab coaching program.

 

Everett Hosts Interactive Strategic Planning Session at Alaska Bar Conference

Lawyerist Lab Coach and CEO Stephanie Everett ventured out of the lower 48 last week and headed to Anchorage, Alaska. Once there, she presented at the 2022 Alaska Bar Association Annual Convention. The conference took place on October 26–October 28, 2022, at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center. Stephanie facilitated two interactive sessions during the event. 

Building a Healthy Practice

First, Stephanie led a discussion on Building a Healthy Practice: Considerations and Tools Lawyers Need to Build a Client-Centered, Future-Focused Firm. In this session, she explored how lawyers can compete in today’s market. 

Clients expect a frictionless experience. And yet, the way most law firms have operated in recent memory didn’t prioritize their client’s needs. Stephanie asked the audience to recall times when they received excellent service. They then discussed how lawyers could borrow from those experiences to create memorable moments for their clients. 

For example, one of Stephanie’s clients decorated their family law firm lobby to look, feel, and smell like a spa. This lawyer wanted to ease the burden her clients felt going through a divorce by offering her law office as a place of refuge and relaxation. This was one of many specific examples Stephanie shared about how lawyers are changing the way they approach their business to build a future-focused firm. 

Defining Vision, Values, and Your Next Priorities to Ensure Success

Next, Stephanie facilitated a Strategic Planning Workshop: Defining Vision, Values, and Next Priorities as the Foundation for Success. In this session, Stephanie walked participants through a shortened strategic planning process. A solid law firm strategy should be the driver of many of the smaller decisions firm leaders make. 

In this interactive workshop, participants completed a vision exercise where they answered a series of questions to better define the business they are building. One participant shared how excited he was thinking of the ways he could improve his business. Another participant was excited to realize that her firm could “grow” in other ways besides adding people to the payroll.

Next, Stephanie explained the importance of core values and how to use them in everyday firm life. With that backdrop, the group worked through an exercise to help them discover their firm’s core values. Stephanie took a few participants through shortened coaching sessions on narrowing and defining their values in front of the group. This allowed everyone to see how they started with one idea but eventually ended up with a more nuanced and compatible word that captured the spirit of their culture. 

Finally, the group ended by focusing on strategic priorities to make their firm a reality. Stephanie gave the group time to process and prioritize the ideas they learned throughout the conference. In the end, the participants left with more than just ideas—they had started the first three essential steps needed for their firm’s strategic plan. 

Stephanie shared, “One of my favorite parts of the job is seeing people’s eyes light up when they make the connections about the ideas I’m sharing and how it works in everyday firm life. I had a line of people connecting with me during and after the workshops excited to see the possibilities and know what they wanted to do next. These are wins in my book!”

Bonus: Moose Sightings! 

Stephanie always loves connecting with new lawyers, but this trip for the Alaska Bar Association came with a bonus—Alaska! Stephanie brought her 11-year-old daughter along for the trip (yes, she was excited to miss 3 days of school). Abigail attended the conference as Stephanie’s official photographer and got to see her mom in action. After the conference, they enjoyed a little mother-daughter time exploring some of the amazing sights the area offers. Stephanie’s daughter was delighted to see fresh snow (she is from Georgia, after all), a moose, and the northern lights!

If you are interested in having Stephanie or another member of Team Lawyerist speak at your next event, connect with us to learn more.

 

Digital Notebooks That Will Make You Burn Your Legal Pad

For years, Lawyerist has espoused the benefits of a paperless office. Typically, law firms going paperless focus on client and staff files. Sifting through physical files and needing space dedicated to storage are things of the past. Yet, paperless means going beyond digital case files and handbooks and considering other reasons we reach for pen and paper. It’s time to toss the legal pad and upgrade to a digital notebook. 

We’ve outlined three of team Lawyerist’s favorite digital notebook options below.

Benefits of Digital Notebooks for Law Firms Going Paperless

There are many digital notepads currently on the market to tackle various needs. Compact and easily transportable, note-taking tablets can easily slip into a briefcase or purse for an on-the-go solution. 

With an in-depth file structure, digital notebooks make the organization of information easy. Many have easy document sharing. And, with almost unlimited storage, there’s no need for stacks of notepads lying around.

Remarkable 2

Remarkable 2 is a digital writing tablet boasting “real-feel” paper-like writing and reading capabilities. Designed to lessen distractions, Remarkable 2 is strictly a note-taking and e-reading device. Remarkable offers one screen size (10.3 inches) and weighs less than one pound.

Remarkable 2 offers the writing features tablet users should expect to find. Including multiple writing tool options (pencil, pen, marker, etc.), copy and paste, page insertion and deletion, and in-depth file organization. It also offers easy email and screen sharing, a wide variety of document templates, and two-week battery life.

“I love its simplicity,” said Kyle Harrington, Content and Marketing Manager and article author. “I’m easily distracted, and its straightforward capabilities mean I can’t click into other apps and lose track of time. I don’t suddenly find that I’ve been scrolling Wikipedia for an hour. It also writes like a dream, and I love the built-in pen eraser.”

Notable features include:

  • Left-hand configuration mode
  • Handwriting conversion feature supporting 33 languages
  • Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive integration
  • Built-in eraser on the Marker Plus
  • Quick sheets for easy individual document creation
  • Drag and drop file transfer

Remarkable 2 may work best for law firms going paperless who need to screen-share and email notes. 

Remarkable 2 pricing starts at $299 (tablet only).

Supernote X

Supernote is a digital writing tablet and a Lawyerist team favorite. Marketed “For those who write,” Supernote is designed as a distraction-free note-taking solution. Supernote comes in two screen sizes, 7.8 inch (A6) and 10.3 inch (A5). The tablet can be purchased alone or as a set, which includes a stylus pen and protective folio.

Supernote offers robust features for both note-taking and e-reading. Supernote users can expect to find the standard note-taking tablet features. These include pen stroke thickness and grayscale adjustment, erase and undo, and copy and paste. Users can also easily move, insert, and delete pages, organize into files, and pin important items.

“I specifically wanted to remove all paper on my desk,” said Ashley Steckler, Product Director. “And, I wanted to increase my note-taking efficiency without superfluous capabilities or potential distractions. Supernote solves this for me, without subscription costs. I’ve also found other pens integrate seamlessly, so it’s easy to shop around based on features or price point.”

Notable features include:

  • Keyword and star mark global search
  • Organize note pages with title list/table of contents
  • Mark up PDF and export with annotations
  • Kindle integration
  • QR code sharing
  • Handwriting recognition and conversion
  • Sync with Google or Outlook calendar
  • Sync files with Dropbox or Supernote Cloud
  • Companion app for iOS and Android

Supernote may work best for law firms going paperless who don’t want to pay a subscription for cloud storage and data-syncing.   

Supernote pricing starts at $299 (tablet only).

Apple iPad

The Apple iPad is a powerful tablet that provides almost endless possibilities far beyond note-taking. The iPad is offered in four versions, all featuring different tech and size specifications and starting at various price points. For users who need or want to do more than just take notes, the iPad may be the best choice.

For note-taking, specifically, the Apple pencil stylus is compatible with all iPads currently on the market. For users who would prefer to type, Apple currently offers three keyboard options, although non-Apple bluetooth keyboards may work. 

The iPad’s built-in Notes app may suffice for users needing only a simple note-taking platform. The Notes app seamlessly integrates with Apple Calendar and Reminders and works with Siri. It also allows easy note-sharing and document scanning. 

There are also countless note-taking apps to be found in the Apple app store. 

“The iPad can double as a second screen for my Mac and integrates into my current tech environment more seamlessly.”

Zack Glaser, Legal Tech Advisor

The Apple iPad may work best for law firms going paperless who want additional integration potential and more features than a note-taking tool. 

The iPad’s notable features are too many to name and differ between models.

Compare iPad model features and pricing at apple.com/ipad.

Next step: Ditch the legal pad.

CosmoLex Brings Intake and Marketing to its Platform with Internal CRM

Are you thinking about what happens before a lead becomes a client? If you aren’t, you are missing out on a key step of your client’s journey. 

Client Relationship Management software (CRMs) is not something most law firms think too much about or even feel they need. But for firms to scale, and manage and maintain healthy client relationships, attorneys need a solution that can streamline efficiencies. CRMs are an important tool for driving your firm’s growth and relationships. 

CRMs are more than just intake and a fancy Rolodex. They can help boost client satisfaction, strengthen referrals and relationships by keeping client info from being siloed. They also add rich insights into your business development efforts. When used correctly, CRMs can even help make your firm’s marketing (think automation, scheduling, drip campaigns, etc) more effective. 

What if you could take care of your clients from intake to closing, all from a single platform? With the CosmoLex Internal CRM combining with its already powerful Law Practice Management Software (LMPS), you can. 

Details

Start by checking out the modules section to go from the CosmoLex LMPS to the CosmoLex CRM. From there, you can check the inbox for new leads. 

Inbox, Forms, and Fields

The CosmoLex CRM inbox will collect leads from a variety of different sources that you’ve connected to it. This means forms on your website, through email, text, (with phone capabilities coming soon!) or via Zapier integrations. You can also input leads manually. 

Cosmolex CRM lead dashboard screenshot
Screenshot provided by Partner

If you want to collect certain information about potential clients, you can create and design intake form templates based on case-type. You’ll be able to create detailed forms that are completely customizable. Each form can have its unique questions, conditional logic, layout, color, tabs, fields, and more. This means if your firm has different practice areas, you can create an intake form for each one. This is not only impressive from a client perspective. It also helps you focus on getting the information you need to move forward on a particular matter. 

The CosmoLex CRM also utilizes custom fields, allowing your forms to be as straightforward or powerful as you need. With custom fields, you can easily store and track data. You can then use that data entered in custom fields in workflows, automations, and document creation. 

Workflows, Tasks, and Remote Work

But the customization for each practice area doesn’t just stop with intake forms. Based on the case type, you can automate workflows and automatically assign tasks as your potential client moves through the intake process. You can create tasks in workflow templates, and create those tasks on conditional logic. That way, you’ll be able to pivot based on a status change. Was that car accident actually a three-car accident? Click-click. New tasks are updated to that workflow.

In addition to adding tasks to workflows and leads, you can also add relations, related parties, and more to a lead’s data file. This is especially helpful when it comes time for conflict checks or referrals. Creating a custom workflow for types of matters, and specific matters themselves, allows you to set triggers for certain activities. You won’t miss a beat. You can get as detailed as you need. 

For example, after a client completes an intake form for an auto accident, you can set automations so that:

  • Send an automated text message to the client to prompt them to set up a consultation. 
  • Direct the client to schedule a consultation. If a client doesn’t schedule one, you can have a follow-up email sent after a few days.
  • Assign the consultation to an attorney. Is that attorney OOO? Have that consultation sent to someone else!
  • Send any follow-up information to the client before and after the consultation.
  • Assign intake or billing tasks to specific staff at your firm.
  • Email an engagement letter to your new client.
  • Have your new client sign that engagement letter from CosmoLex, and 
  • Set up a meeting with you.

All of the above tasks can be triggered just by the client submitting an intake form. This helps you and your colleagues stay on top of things, eliminate meetings, and reduce inefficiencies. Oh, and by the way, yes, CosmoLex CRM has e-signature capabilities and also integrates with Google and Office365. This means that any consultations or events created will automatically appear on your calendar. 

While automated workflows and tasks are helpful in any setting, for firms that are moving towards remote work, this sort of automation is especially useful. Automatic task assignments and calendar invites help to improve accountability and remote team management. Anyone will be able to check on a lead or matter and see what the status is whether they’re at the office, in court, or working from home.

Demo Video 

Erica from CosmoLex recently gave us a demo of the CosmoLex CRM and how it works. Take a look at the video below to see a walkthrough she provided our Legal Tech Advisor, Zack Glaser.

How to Get It

To learn more about CosmoLex, its CRM features, and how it can help you take your firm to the next level, check out cosmolex.com. Once there you can schedule a demo, or dive into their other educational resources.

Want to learn even more about CosmoLex? Check out our full review, where you can see a features list, other demo videos, and community comments. Remember that Lawyerist readers get an affinity benefit through the review page.

 

PracticePanther Brings Texting Directly into Platform

PracticePanther can save lawyers time with two-way texting using a business line. It may also save you an ethics complaint. Lack of communication is often cited as the biggest point of stress with clients. Although not a panacea, SMS texting with clients help lawyers meet their customers where they are—on their phones.

It’s unlikely that clients are sitting at their computers waiting for an email from their attorney. If a lawyer wants to communicate with them, they will have more success through text messaging. We’d like to stress, however, that texting is not generally secure.  Lawyers should keep from sending confidential or privileged information via text.

Business Texting with PracticePanther

PracticePanther ships with two-way text messaging built directly into the platform. This allows lawyers to track communications beyond just email within the system itself. It also makes it more convenient to keep track of the time a lawyer spends on that communication.

Beyond sending notifications and status updates, a lawyer can also send invoices, custom payment links, and documents for eSignature. This convenience may be the difference between signing a client and never hearing from them again. Additionally, since the communication is within the system, it’s easier to use PracticePanther’s tasks and automations to spread communication responsibilities among multiple team members.

How to Get It

Want to learn more? Visit our full review of PracticePanther. There, you can compare features, read community comments, and watch additional demo videos. Or, if you’d like to jump right in, get a demo or a free trial at PracticePanther.com.

LAWCLERK Launches Mobile App for Legal Outsourcing

What’s better than LAWCLERK on your computer? LAWCLERK on the go! You can now do everything from the LAWCLERK website on their mobile app, available for both Android and iPhone.

What is LAWCLERK?

Are you a freelance attorney or an attorney looking to hire another lawyer only for specific projects? Then LAWCLERK needs to be on your radar. 

LAWCLERK is a nationwide legal services marketplace created by lawyers, for lawyers. LAWCLERK offers a platform for attorneys looking or hiring for freelance work to find what they need. Developed in response to the changing legal landscape, LAWCLERK helps solo practitioners and small firms produce a better product for their client. All while reducing client costs and increasing attorney profits. 

Additionally, LAWCLERK connects attorneys to help foster a better and more reliable legal freelance network. LAWCLERK vets all attorneys who join, and continues to vet those who have worked on their platform. You can be sure you’re hiring someone in good standing. LAWCLERK is free to join for both freelancers and those looking to hire. Freelancers just get paid and hiring attorneys only pay when they have a project.

Previously, you could only use LAWCLERK from your web browser. But with the recent launch of their mobile app, you can now use it anytime, anywhere.

LAWCLERK Mobile App 

The LAWCLERK mobile app mirrors the functionality of their web platform. Now, you can do just as much on the go as you can from your office. 

LAWCLERK has developed two apps: one for freelance attorneys and one for hiring attorneys. Both apps will prompt you to create a pin for easier mobile access after login. From there, just use it as you would from your computer. 

For Freelance Attorneys

Freelance lawyers can use the app to get immediate notifications for new projects and apply for work. You can also view the opportunities you’ve applied for, communicate within your pending projects, and enter your time—all without your laptop.

Mobile app view of LAWCLERK app showing "Review Notifications," "Enter Your Time," and "Search for Work."

For Hiring Attorneys

Hiring attorneys can post work or a new project directly within LAWCLERK’s new app. You’ll receive push notifications on the app when freelancers apply to the project or ask questions. You can review applicants on the app and if you find an applicant you like, start working with them then and there. You’ll be able to review projects, documents, and communicate with your freelancer while in court or while waiting for your coffee.

LAWCLERK mobile app image showing "Post," "Review Notifications," and "Project Applicants."

Posting a project to LAWCLERK on the app is similar, and as easy, as posting on the desktop site. Simply enter the details, upload the project, and go!

LAWCLERK mobile app image showing screen with fields for project details, including project name, application period, project deadline, initial draft deadline, project price, rebate code, and areas of law.

Once you’ve posted, you can see what you have in the works, manage your projects, review applicants, communicate with applicants, and hire. Easy peasy. 

LAWCLERK mobile app image showing two examples of job postings listed on the app screen, with project names and due dates.

Demo Video 

But don’t just take our word for it. Kristin from LAWCLERK recently gave us a walkthrough of LAWCLERK and its mobile apps. Take a look at the video below to see a walkthrough she provided our Legal Tech Advisor, Zack Glaser.

How to Get It

If you’d like to learn more about LAWCLERK, reach out to support@lawclerk.legal or visit lawclerk.legal to sign up for a free account or to schedule a demo, or download the app from the Apple or Google Play store. Signing up for a LAWCLERK account is always free, whether you’re posting or searching. Want to learn even more about LAWCLERK? Check out our overview or blog post covering their highlights. Interested in learning more about freelancing as a lawyer? Check out our podcast episode featuring LAWCLERK, where we talk everything about freelance attorneys.

 

McKeen Builds Firm to Support a $100 Million Verdict

Five years ago, attorney Ryan McKeen, heard Mikey Cruz’s story for the first time. How a guy gets up and goes to the plant where he has worked for the last fifteen years. Then how, in an instant, his whole life shattered.  

Connecticut Trial Firm Takes on Major Case

Unsecured Philips light bulbs, weighing 1,300 pounds, fell on Cruz from twenty feet in the air. His injuries were extensive, and the doctors told Cruz there was a 95% chance he’d never walk again. Ryan knew it was an important case. He also knew his small firm would need the resources to support it.

Five years ago, Connecticut Trial Firm, LLC was a team of two lawyers and an assistant who worked nine hours per week. A case like Cruz’s would not be easy or cheap. Ryan knew he’d need to build a firm to support the case.

Big Defendants Try to Kill Cases with Litigation Costs

“It’s easy for lawyers to hear a $100 million verdict and want to jump into the contingency fee business,” said Ryan. “It appears to be ‘easy money’. Nothing is further from the truth.”

It became apparent early on that the four defendants in the case would not settle quickly or easily. The defendants would spend five years vigorously defending the case. In those years, there were over forty depositions, ten experts, and thousands of documents exchanged. As the trial date loomed closer, the defendants filed hundreds of motions. 

“You have to do the work, understand the risks, and put all of your chips on the table.”

Ryan mckeen

Ryan and his law partner, Andrew Garza, knew they would need to invest tremendous time and resources to prosecute the case. And take it to trial if necessary. They also realized that making such a bet could bankrupt their law firm if they weren’t careful. 

“You have to play all in,” said Ryan. “You have to do the work, understand the risks, mitigate those risks, and put all of your chips on the table.”

Connecticut Trial Firm Grew Strategically      

Ryan and Andrew accepted Cruz’s case. But they knew they needed to build a business that could sustain them. They knew the firm had to give them the necessary resources to fight for Cruz. 

Ryan and Andrew intentionally built Connecticut Trial Firm to provide better client services than what they heard other PI firms did. They designed every part of the client’s experience—from the first phone call to how they closed their cases—with the client in mind. They even hired a Client Happiness Coordinator to ensure every client felt cared for throughout the entire representation. While other firms invested thousands of dollars in marketing, Ryan and Andrew invested in their team and their client’s experience. 

Their work paid off. They found client referrals were their best source of new business. And they quickly found more and more potential clients calling to hire them. They continued to grow their team to keep up with their growing caseload. Today, the Connecticut Trial Firm has a team of 29 people. 

The firm’s exponential growth allowed them to have the cash and attorney time to invest in Cruz’s case. In fact, for the last ten months, Andrew has worked almost exclusively on Cruz’s case. That amount of attention would have been impossible if the firm still had two attorneys.

They made space for what was really important.

The Firm’s Investment Paid Off

On Wednesday, October 5, 2022, Ryan and Andrew sat at the counsel’s table with Cruz and his wife and heard the words “$100 million.” It was the highest verdict in state history. 

“It was the greatest honor of my career…”

ryan mckeen

Ryan sobbed. It was the result of five years of not just hard work but many sleepless nights worrying about his clients. It was five years of fretting about his business and agonizing if the jury would appreciate the severity of the situation. Five years of brooding on the hundreds of other unknowns that pop up and make business owners question everything. 

“In the end, justice was served,” said Ryan. “It was the greatest honor of my career to have stood next to our clients and said ‘Ryan McKeen for the plaintiffs, Mikey and Emily Cruz’.” 

Beyond showing Ryan and Andrew’s legal prowess, the verdict is a testament to their business skills. They successfully built Connecticut Trial Firm to litigate the case to a jury verdict. And through appeals and collections, if necessary. It isn’t easy money. Years of managing an extensive pipeline of cases and strategically building their business led to this amazing result.

McKeen Shares His Wisdom with Lawyerist Lab Members 

Now, McKeen also works as a business coach for Lawyerist Lab, a paid business coaching program for solo and small firms. But his success story isn’t straightforward.

Ryan started his firm with $2,500. He had a previously failed partnership and years when his taxable income was negative. One morning, while watching his wife cry after learning they had $50,000 in credit card debt, everything changed. That was the moment Ryan decided to go from being a solo to operating Connecticut Trial Firm as a business. 

“I love being able to share what I learned along the way with other attorneys who are just starting or still building their practices,” said Ryan. “I have benefited from the sage advice of mentors and colleagues. But I also invested in paid business coaching at different stages of my business. My coaches have helped me prioritize, define my strategy, and have kept me accountable. I’ve had 20-minute coaching sessions that have unlocked six-figure changes in my business.” 

If you are interested in learning more about Ryan’s coaching or Lawyerist Lab, tell us a little more about your business, and we’ll connect for a quick call to see if Lab is right for your firm. 

 

Postali Makes Sense of Law Firm Social Media Management

Social Media is an integral part of most law firm marketing efforts. Even if they aren’t doing it well, most law firms have some sort of social presence. Most, however, don’t have a thoughtful management plan in place and posts are often reactionary or sporadic. 

Postali wants to help law firms make social media work for them.

Managing Social Media for Lawyers

In order to leverage social media, a firm first needs to have a plan. They need to ask themselves questions like, who is my ideal client, and where are they most likely going to be? What type of information will speak to them, and what is it I want to convey to them? They need to write these things down so they can be more deliberate in their efforts.

Postali guides law firms to effectively work social media management into their overarching digital marketing strategy. They help attorneys understand which platforms will work best for them. They also help firms determine what type of posts will appeal to their clients and how often they should post content.

Postali can also educate the attorney and help them manage their own social media. They have multiple blog posts on their website, and their internal experts are always happy to help. 

Better yet, Postali can manage a firm’s social media for them. This means that a comprehensive solution is in place to connect with potential new clients. This solution can integrate into other aspects of a law firm’s marketing. A firm’s public relations efforts can reflect its social media, and its content marketing can lead directly to a significant place in its funnel.

With Postali’s social media management, firms can focus on what they do best, and leave the marketing up to capable professionals.

How to Get It

Want to learn more about how Postali’s marketing agency can help you manage your social media? Check out our full review, where you can compare features, read community reviews, and see other demo videos. Alternatively, if you’re ready to dive right in and connect with Postali, get a free consultation at Postali.com.

 

Retiring Attorneys see a Bright Future in Booming Firm Sales

Today’s senior attorneys are realizing they have more options for transitioning their law firm when they are ready to retire. In the past, many attorneys assumed they had two options. They could either find an associate willing to assume the practice or shut the doors and turn off the lights. Fortunately, the marketplace for buying and selling law firms continues to grow. And retiring attorneys are discovering new options for capitalizing on the value they have built with their law firm businesses. 

In the 2022 Law Firm Buying & Selling Legal Trends Report, law firm broker, Tom Lenfestey, recalled a brief market pause in early 2020. Since then, the marketplace for buying and selling a law firm has recovered, and sales continue to increase year over year.

Lawyers ready to exit will find solace that there are more buyers in today’s market than ever before. More buyers means more opportunities to sell the firm and realize a tangible return on their investment of building a practice. 

More Lawyers Are Looking to Grow Through Acquisitions

Attorney Erik Pelton runs an intellectual property law firm outside Washington, DC. He sees huge potential to expand his practice by acquiring practices of senior attorneys ready to retire or transition from full-time practice. 

“I’ve been talking with lots of senior lawyers who are ready to scale back and enjoy the fruits of their labors,” said Pelton. “I can offer them a road to retirement and ensure that all of their clients continue to receive exceptional legal services. It’s really a win-win-win for everyone.”

“Now is a great time for retiring attorneys to see what the market will bear.”

tom lenfestey

Lenfestey agrees. He has seen more lawyers looking to grow their existing business through acquisitions of smaller practices from retiring attorneys. “We are seeing firms of all sizes looking to acquire firms and client rosters from retiring attorneys,” said Lenfestey. “Now is a great time for retiring attorneys to see what the market will bear.”

Sellers Structure Transitions to Suit Their Needs

Many times, attorneys considering retirement struggle with the idea of not working anymore. Fortunately, it is typically in everyone’s interest for the selling attorney to stay on after the closing to ensure a smooth transition. 

“Buyers want to make sure there is an effective hand off after the sale. It is not uncommon for a retiring attorney to stay on for some period of time. They slowly ramp down their work as part of the process,” said Lenfestey. 

Bottom line is there is no reason for a retiring attorney to close the doors and walk away in today’s market. Instead, retiring attorneys should explore how they might sell and transition their business to the next generation eager to jump in. For more information on the selling process, interested parties can connect with law firm broker, Tom Lenfestey, at info@thelawpracticeexchange.com or by visiting The Law Practice Exchange.

 

Lawmatics Expands Robust CRM with New Timekeeping & Billing Features

Lawmatics’ new billing feature may make lawyers think twice about purchasing a practice management solution. The already robust Client Relationship Manager now boasts features like custom invoice reminders and trust account transfers. This, added to Lawmatics’ strong automation features, is likely enough to run most law practices. 

Lawmatics Timekeeping & Billing Features

Although Lawmatics does not compete with the likes of TimeSolv (at least, not currently ), their basic features will probably do the trick for most law firms. Their timekeeping has a built-in timer, centralized time tracking, and—in true Lawmatics fashion—real-time reporting.

Their billing features include standards like customized invoicing and online payment processing. Yet, they take it a step further with more advanced functions like invoice reminders and trust account transfers. All of this means Lawmatics timekeeping and billing are more than just in-name-only.

How to Get It

To learn more about Lawmatics and its other features, read our full product review. Or, you can get a free demo at lawmatics.com. Remember that Lawyerist subscribers get an affinity discount through our product review page.

 

Clio Cloud Conference Returns Live to Nashville

Clio users, legal professionals, and legal tech aficionados will gather in person in Nashville, Tennessee and virtually online this fall for Clio’s annual Clio Cloud Conference. After two years as a virtual event, Clio is excited to bring people together in person once again.

This year’s theme, Make Your Mark,  features a variety of speakers focused on law firm marketing, business management, client-centered experiences, and transformation in action. Event workshops will teach users how to level up their business with Clio or specific areas of their business. The product pitch stage allows Clio’s partners to showcase how their products help law firms. 

One not-to-be-missed feature of the Clio Cloud Conference is the fantastic lineup of keynote speakers. This year, Clio welcomes Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering, Dr. Robert Cialdini, author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, and Neal Katyal, former Solicitor General of the United States and Saunders Professor of Law to the main stage.

Lawyerist is always proud that many past and present Lab community members share their knowledge and expertise as featured speakers. This year is no exception. Be sure to check out the following sessions:

  • Justie Nicol on How to Convert More Leads into Clients
  • Iffy Ibekwe on The Benefits of a Legal Blog
  • Erin Levine on How to Use PR to Build Your Law Firm’s Brand
  • Erin Gerstenzang on The First Call Close: Marketing to and Retaining your Ideal Client

Finally, attendees can always expect great fun and entertainment at Clio Cloud Conference. With the event traveling to Nashville, Tennessee, participants may want to pack their favorite hat and boots. Monday’s Clio After Dark party will allow participants to experience Iconic Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry House. On Tuesday, the party shifts to Nashville Underground. Luckily, there is always a great mix of events and networking opportunities to match every person’s speed. 

Lawyerist is excited to once again partner with Clio as a media partner. Stephanie and Zack from team Lawyerist are excited to attend the event and connect with lawyers from the community. 

If you haven’t registered yet, use this link to secure a $300 discount on your registration fee. 

NetDocuments Breaks Into Document Assembly with PatternBuilder

As an attorney, you probably have a template library. It’s filled with contracts, wills, complaints, NDAs, business formation forms, or even employee onboarding forms. Those templates probably have blanks or highlighted texts to remind yourself where to plug in that new client information. While a “mail-merge” style approach to generating new forms and documents works, it’s slow and inefficient. Automating documents helps high-performing and fast-paced practices become even more efficient.

What is Document Automation, and Why Do You Need it?

Generally, document automation is software that uses predefined templates to generate completed documents with previously input data. It allows you to auto-fill data into designated places on the form, then save completed templates to your client files. 

Automation allows you to complete dozens of files in just a few minutes. Not even Barbara Blackburn, the world’s fastest typist (212 wpm), could complete that many documents that quickly. Even if you have a fillable Word, PDF, or Excel file, document automation can save you hundreds of hours annually. 

In addition to saving time, document automation also saves you money and helps you scale. Less time spent on document generation means more time spent on billable hours. Document automation also enables practices to streamline new employee training, allowing them to ramp up to higher-value work quicker. Plus, document automation is a key practice to running a paperless firm. 

So How Do I Automate My Documents?

Unless you have familiarity with coding or Excel formulas, it’s best to use automation software. But even with some of those, having a basic understanding of coding or logic helps. Especially if you’re uploading your own templates to the platform. 

It can get complicated quickly. But, document automation can be a powerful tool in your arsenal when integrated with other document management platforms. 

Introducing PatternBuilder, by NetDocuments

PatternBuilder is a no-code document and workflow automation tool, allowing you to automate your legal processes and effortlessly generate custom documents. And because PatternBuilder is natively integrated into the NetDocuments platform, you’ll be able to use it with all NetDocuments’ features, including all of the security and compliance tools. You’ll be able to build and run automations while retaining all the benefits of NetDocuments’ existing document management capabilities. A powerful combination!

With PatternBuilder, you can translate your expertise into workflows by automating document templates and apps to better support your day-to-day work. For example, you can create apps to intake requests, deliver NDAs, draft sales contracts, and more. You can even streamline business operations like engagement letters.

Next Level Automation

Level up from “find and replace” or looking for highlighted texts in Word documents. In seconds,  PatternBuilder lets you populate user inputs or even enter them into Word or PDF documents. You can even automate completion of third-party PDFs for commonly used government and corporate forms. This means you can scan any government form and PatternBuilder will turn it into a template to be populated automatically (this is particularly useful for those in immigration law). Creating document sets in a single workflow generates document packages in just a few clicks.

Conditional Logic

PatternBuilder uses conditional logic, giving you options to include specific text in your assembled document if certain conditions are met. This allows you to incorporate your rules and logic into auto-populating documents, saving even more time. Instead of using separate templates for specific scenarios, you can just create a decision tree for templates. PatternBuilder will then create repeatable and error-free drafts for any situation.

Demo Video 

Jake from NetDocuments recently gave us a demo of PatternBuilder by NetDocuments and how it works. Take a look at the video below to see a walkthrough he provided our Legal Tech Advisor, Zack Glaser.

How to Get It

NetDocuments is a cloud-based content management platform with over 20 years of experience in helping secure, organize, and collaborate on your documents and matters. NetDocuments offers an end-to-end platform for document organization, management, and so much more. If you’d like to learn more about NetDocuments and how PatternBuilder can help you automate your documents, visit their website to read more or to schedule a free demo. If you’d like to learn even more about PatternBuilder, check out their press release.

Curious about what else NetDocuments can do for you? Check out our full review, where you can see a features list, other demo videos, and community comments. Remember that Lawyerist readers get an affinity benefit through the review page.