Featured Law Practice Management Software
CosmoLex is a cloud-based law practice management software with competitive pricing and a robust feature set that includes full law-firm accounting. Learn more about CosmoLex.- PracticePanther is a good fit for firms that like a clean and easy-to-use dashboard to manage their practice, including at-a-glance finances and calendar. Learn more about PracticePanther.
- Clio Manage is a powerful and innovative law practice platform that offers an array of options to add functionality through its App Directory and open API. Learn more about Clio Manage.
- MyCase is a full-featured and affordably priced cloud-based law practice management software for firms looking for an all-in-one law-firm productivity tool that doesn't require a lot of integrations to make it work. Learn more about MyCase.
- Law Ruler is an AI-powered cloud-based CRM, client intake, and practice management software for law firms. Learn more about Law Ruler.
Law Practice Management Software (Alphabetical List)
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- AbacusLaw is a good fit for firms that want access to a private cloud server and desktop software. Learn more about AbacusLaw.
- Actionstep is a flexible, cloud-based solution that offers growing law firms sophisticated document management, customizable workflows and full accounting. Learn more about Actionstep.
- Amicus Attorney is a good fit for firms that need a wide range of functions and features to manage their practice. Learn more about Amicus Attorney.
- CaseFleet is a good fit for firms looking for law practice management software with a powerful timeline tool to keep track of cases. Learn more about CaseFleet.
- CASEpeer is cloud-based law practice management software for personal injury lawyers, with high-volume intake management and settlement tracking. Learn more about CASEpeer.
- Centerbase is a highly configurable and robust cloud-based law practice management software that offers customizable workflows for each firm’s needs. Learn more about Centerbase.
- Clio Manage is a powerful and innovative law practice platform that offers an array of options to add functionality through its App Directory and open API. Learn more about Clio Manage.
- CosmoLex is a cloud-based law practice management software with competitive pricing and a robust feature set that includes full law-firm accounting. Learn more about CosmoLex.
- Filevine is a good fit for personal-injury firms looking for a straightforward and distraction-free interface, but it lacks full accounting capabilities. Learn more about Filevine.
- Firm Central is straightforward small-firm law practice management software that is tightly integrated with Westlaw and several other Thomson Reuters products. Learn more about Firm Central.
- Law Ruler is an AI-powered cloud-based CRM, client intake, and practice management software for law firms. Learn more about Law Ruler.
- Lawcus is intuitive, workflow-focused law practice management software that's useful for productivity-focused firms using well-defined systems & processes. Learn more about Lawcus.
- Leap is a good fit for small firms looking for a robust desktop solution with mobile apps. Learn more about LEAP.
- MerusCase is customizable, cloud-based law practice management software that's best for small to medium-sized litigation firms. Learn more about MerusCase.
- MyCase is a full-featured and affordably priced cloud-based law practice management software for firms looking for an all-in-one law-firm productivity tool that doesn't require a lot of integrations to make it work. Learn more about MyCase.
- Needles is a good fit for firms looking to work with an on-premise software program, but it isn't cloud-based and its user interface is seriously dated. Learn more about Needles.
- PCLaw may be a good fit for firms looking for powerful billing and accounting practice management software on Windows-based desktops. Learn more about PCLaw.
- PracticeMaster is a good fit for firms who want a well-rounded calendar to keep track of firm-wide appointments. Learn more about PracticeMaster.
- PracticePanther is a good fit for firms that like a clean and easy-to-use dashboard to manage their practice, including at-a-glance finances and calendar. Learn more about PracticePanther.
- Rocket Matter is a cloud-based practice management software with a powerful and easy-to-use dashboard. We explore Rocket Matter pricing and highlights here. Learn more about Rocket Matter.
- SimpleLaw is a unique law practice management software that features a network of clients and attorneys and on-demand paralegal support. Learn more about SimpleLaw.
- Smokeball is desktop-based law practice management software for Windows-based law firms. Its robust document and automation features are tightly integrated with Microsoft Word and Outlook. Learn more about Smokeball.
- Time Matters law practice management software is a good fit for firms looking for hefty, customizable, desktop-only management software. Learn more about Time Matters.
- Zola Suite is a good fit if you need cloud-based law practice management software with mobile apps and fully-integrated email, billing, & accounting. Learn more about Zola Suite.
Law Practice Management Software Feature Descriptions
Core Features. For law practice management software, the following are essential features, and you should therefore expect to see a check in every box in this section.
Case/Matter Management. Matter management is the defining feature of law practice management software, of course. However, some software is targeted at specific practice areas and may implement case management in different ways in order to manage information specific to those practice areas.
Client/Contact Management. Managing clients and other contacts is a core feature of law practice management software.
Task Management. Basic task management includes creating tasks with due dates that can be associated with cases/matters and assigned to different lawyers. Some products stick to pretty basic task management, while others offer enough features to make any Getting Things Done devotee happy.
Calendar. As with email, this feature means a full calendar client, not just an integration with Outlook or Google Calendar.
Timekeeping. Timekeeping is a core feature of practice management software, essential for lawyers who bill by the hour but useful even for those who don't.
Conflict Checking. An actual conflict checker is more than just a search box. This applies to software that actually has a conflict checking feature. Implementation varies, but at a minimum you should be able to search the entire database for matching names. It should check for conflicts accurately and intuitively, allow for a lateral hire to input their conflict database into the system, work quickly when new clients call, and comply with the rules of professional conduct for checking conflicts.
Email Client. Does it include a full email client? (Alternative solutions that don't amount to an email client, like plugins for Outlook or Gmail, do not earn a check for this feature. See software integrations, below.))
Document Management. Basic document management allows you to add documents and associate them with your cases/matters.
Document Assembly. Loading your firm’s document templates into your law practice management software can save time and ensure consistency. This check means basic document assembly suitable for form letters, invoices, etc. For advanced document assembly, you’ll probably need additional software.
Basic Bookkeeping. This means basic checkbook register–style bookkeeping, which is more limited than full accounting. You should be able to keep track of your operating accounts and reconcile your balances, but you may still need full accounting software.
Trust Accounting. This means you can track your client trust accounts, including expenses and payments. It is normal to see trust accounting without basic bookkeeping or full accounting, in which case you will need something else for accounting.
Full Accounting. Some software includes full double-entry accounting features, making additional accounting software unnecessary.
Billing & Invoicing. Does the software allow you to send bills or invoices?
Online Payments. Payment processing is increasingly offered either as an included or add-on feature, especially with cloud-based law practice management software.
How to Choose Law Practice Management Software
There is a lot of law practice management software for lawyers to choose from, and more coming onto the market all the time. Even if you have identified your firm’s specific needs, it’s a challenge to sort through dozens of products to find a good fit.
Whether you are a first-time shopper or considering a switch for your firm, we’ll try to make it easy. Here’s how to choose the best law practice management software for your firm:
- First, know what you should expect from software with our Legal Software Bill of Rights.
- Next, identify your firm’s specific needs. Break down your law practice management software requirements into must-have and nice-to-have features.
- With your needs in hand, browse the product pages.
- Finally, sign up for a trial account with 1–3 likely options, put them through their paces, and select the one that will work best for your firm.
