Best Legal Case Management Software & Buyer's Guide
Make sure nothing slips through the cracks again with legal case management software. Implementing this software can speed up the administrative process for your firm, avoiding human error and saving time.
Assuming you aren’t a massive corporation with endless pockets and an appetite to spend, I’ve focused entirely on cloud-based software, as it’s the most accessible and cost-effective.
Before helping you through your buying process, I’ve rounded up 10 of the best legal case management software solutions on the market. Here’s a quick overview of each:
Legal case management software is a specialized software solution designed to assist law firms and legal professionals in managing their cases and related workflows more efficiently. It provides a centralized platform to handle various aspects of case management, such as organizing case information, tracking deadlines, managing legal documents, communication with clients, scheduling, and more.
The software is used to streamline day-to-day operations and enhance overall productivity. It’s a common staple in the tech stack of law firms of all sizes, ranging from solo practitioners to large legal teams.
The primary goals of using legal case management software are:
There are different types of legal case management systems available in the market, with some specific differences between each. Read through this section to learn about the general options you have when looking to implement a case management tool.
Practice Management Software: Practice management software is a comprehensive solution that combines case management features with other practice management tools. It includes features like contact management, client intake, document management, and more. I’ve written a buyers’ guide for legal practice management software as well, if that’s something you want to look further into.
Specialized Case Management Software: Some software providers specialize in specific legal services, such as personal injury, family law, criminal law, or corporate law. These solutions offer tailored features and workflows specific to the needs of those practice areas.
Integrated Suites: Some larger legal software providers offer suites or platforms that integrate case management solutions with other legal software applications that can help with document automation, e-discovery, or timekeeping in order to calculate billable time.
Which option you go with depends on your current web-based or on-premise tech stack and how much you’d like to build it up. Take a moment to consult the necessary stakeholders in your practice before moving forward, in order to understand the best procurement process for your business.
If you’re unsure of the best plan for your firm to move forward, work your way through this next section to discover what your best options are and what you care most about.
Common operators using legal case management systems include:
Solo PractitionersIndividual lawyers or small law offices consisting of one or a few attorneys. They handle a range of case details and need a solution that offers comprehensive case management capabilities while being user-friendly and affordable.
Software Recommendations:
Law firms with a moderate number of attorneys and support staff handle multiple cases simultaneously. They require a robust case management solution to handle matter management with advanced features that can help with efficient collaboration, document management, and reporting.
Software Recommendations:
Larger, industry-leading legal organizations with numerous attorneys and complex case portfolios. They require scalable and customizable software solutions that can handle high volumes of cases, offer advanced analytics, and support collaboration across multiple departments.
Software Recommendations:
If you’re deliberating between different tools, consider what features they have and what’s important for your team – these are some of the most impactful features in legal case management software:
Document Management: Keep things orderly. Efficient document management capabilities are crucial for organizing, storing, and retrieving case-related documents. Features like document categorization, version control, full-text search, and document collaboration enhance productivity and streamline case workflows. This can save paralegals time when carrying out administrative tasks.
Task Management: No more questions around task responsibility. Robust task management features enable the creation, assignment, tracking, and prioritization of tasks related to different cases. This ensures timely completion of tasks, effective team collaboration, and efficient case progression.
Calendar and Scheduling: Stay on top of your appointments. A comprehensive calendar and scheduling system allows users to manage court dates, deadlines, and reminders. Integration with email and notifications helps users stay updated and avoid missing important events.
Time Tracking and Billing: Eliminate the need for day-end, week-end, and month-end bookkeeping for clients. Time tracking features allow legal professionals to record billable hours simply and accurately. This information is essential for invoicing clients and tracking financials. Integration with billing systems simplifies the invoicing process.
Communication Tools: Built-in communication tools, such as secure messaging or email integration, facilitate seamless communication with clients, team members, and external parties. Efficient communication enhances collaboration and ensures effective client engagement.
Reporting and Analytics: Reporting functionalities provide insights into case performance, productivity, and financials. Analytical tools help law firms monitor key metrics, track progress, and make data-driven decisions for process improvement and performance evaluation.
Automation and Workflow Management: Workflow automation features streamline repetitive tasks, automate document generation, and enforce case management protocols. Automation reduces manual effort, minimizes errors, and enhances efficiency.
Mobile Accessibility: Mobile apps or responsive interfaces enable legal professionals to access case information, manage tasks, and communicate on the go. Mobile accessibility increases flexibility and productivity, especially for remote work or when away from the office.
If you weren’t yet certain about what this software could help you with, consider the following functional advantages you could gain from implementing legal case management software. When you’re speaking with vendors, ask them questions pertaining to the advantages that are most important to your team.
Improved Organization and Information Management: By providing a centralized repository for storing client details, case documents, court dates, and other crucial information, the software ensures easy access and retrieval when needed. This advantage prevents time-consuming searches, reduces the risk of misplaced or lost documents, and enhances overall organization and efficiency in managing cases.
Enhanced Task and Deadline Management: Case management software allows for effective task management by creating, assigning, tracking, and prioritizing tasks related to different cases. Automated reminders and notifications ensure that important deadlines are not missed, improving productivity, accountability, and reducing the risk of errors or omissions.
Streamlined Document Management: Legal case management software offers features such as document categorization, version control, full-text search, and document collaboration, which enable efficient document handling, minimize the risk of document loss or duplication, improve document security, and reduce time spent on manual filing and retrieval.
Efficient Communication and Collaboration: The software helps you avoid the disadvantages of fragmented communication and collaboration. It provides built-in communication tools, such as secure messaging, email integration, or secure client portals. This facilitates seamless communication with clients, team members, and external parties. Efficient communication enhances collaboration, eliminates the need for multiple platforms, ensures quick access to case-related discussions, and improves client engagement.
Accurate Time Tracking and Billing: This software tends to offer time tracking features that accurately record billable hours, ensuring that clients are billed correctly for the services rendered. This advantage prevents revenue leakage, improves financial accuracy, and simplifies the invoicing process.
If you have a few top contenders in mind, start asking questions about the business, not just the software, to ensure that you’re going to be working with the right vendor. You should be considering all of the following variables before landing on a final option:
Cost and Pricing Model: Evaluate the software’s pricing structure, including any upfront costs, licensing fees, subscription plans, or additional charges for modules or users. Compare the pricing model against other software providers and shop around for the best rates for similar quality products.
User Interface and Ease of Use: Assess the software’s user interface for its intuitiveness, ease of navigation, and overall user experience. A user-friendly interface reduces the learning curve, encourages adoption by staff members, and enhances productivity.
Training and Support: Consider the availability of training resources, documentation, tutorials, and customer support provided by the software vendor. Adequate training and responsive support can help address any issues, ensure a smooth implementation process, and provide assistance when needed.
Integration Capabilities: Determine if the software can integrate with other essential tools or systems used by the law firm, such as document management software, billing systems, accounting software, or email platforms. Integration capabilities facilitate seamless data exchange and improve overall workflow efficiency.
Data Migration and Data Ownership: If transitioning from an existing case management system, evaluate the software’s data migration capabilities and associated costs. Additionally, consider data ownership rights and data export options to ensure the firm has control over its data.
Vendor Reputation and Stability: Research the software vendor’s reputation, industry experience, and financial stability. A reputable vendor with a track record of providing reliable software and ongoing support instills confidence in the software’s quality and longevity.
Customization and Scalability: Assess the software’s ability to be customized or configured to match specific workflows, terminologies, or practice area requirements. Additionally, consider whether the software can scale to accommodate the firm’s growth and increasing case volume.
Data Security and Compliance: Evaluate the software’s data security measures, such as encryption, access controls, and data backup protocols. Consider if the software complies with industry regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) to ensure the protection of sensitive client information and maintain compliance.
User Reviews and References: Read user reviews, testimonials, or case studies to gain insights into the experiences of other law firms or legal professionals who have used the software. Additionally, request references from the software vendor to directly connect with existing users and gather their feedback.
Considering these purchase considerations in addition to the technical features helps ensure that the chosen legal case management software aligns with the firm’s needs, goals, and operational requirements, ultimately leading to a successful implementation and improved case management processes.
You should have a firm understanding of what you’re looking for, some options to consider, and a host of questions for vendors; in case you’ve forgotten anything, here’s a quick summary:
Legal case management software can help you stay organized, streamline processes, and ensure that you do not have additional administrative headcount when it’s unnecessary.
Organizations of all sizes use this software; however, many combine it with comprehensive legal software options.
There are specific tools built for different types of legal practices – look for one that focuses on your area of law.
Don’t skimp on features: ensure that the tool you’re evaluating has what you need. If it doesn’t, there are numerous others that will.
Think about how this software should improve your day-to-day operations, then focus on that. Flashy features are great and all but real use cases are more important.
Once you know how a tool is going to work, evaluate the vendor and their operations before you buy. You don’t want to end up in a working relationship with the wrong operator.
Best for comprehensive legal research and information management.