Types of Software Designed for Legal Professionals

In the legal profession, having the right tools at your disposal isn’t just helpful—it’s crucial. Lawyers can now deploy an arsenal of software solutions to simplify their daily grind.

Whether it’s case management, billing, or client communication, the right tool is just a click away.

Let’s break down the main types of software that are making the lives of lawyers a lot easier.

Legal Practice Management Software

Lawyers no longer have to juggle multiple systems to run their practice.

With law practice management software, they can efficiently manage tasks, schedule appointments, and handle accounting and document management all in one place.

For one, it keeps all client information, case details, documents, and deadlines organized and easy to access. This helps lawyers avoid wasting time looking for files or dealing with scattered data.

Additionally, practice management software comes with scheduling tools. By consolidating all your appointments, meetings, and court dates in one spot, it sends reminders that help you stay prepared and on schedule.

Financial tasks are also made simpler with legal practice management tools. It allows you to efficiently manage your project’s financials by providing an easy way to log hours and create professional-looking invoices.

Lawyers can log their hours directly into the system and then quickly generate accurate invoices to send to clients.

Legal Document Generation Software

Legal document generation software simplifies the whole process of creating legal documents, including discovery documents.

For example, Briefpoint.ai uses data extracted from court documents and a pre-trained AI to generate discovery document drafts that are pretty much complete.

Instead of starting each document from scratch, lawyers can upload their discovery requests, let the AI extract information and fill out the routine sections, and then finish up with their own objections or responses.

Time Tracking and Billing Tools

For law firms, time is literally money. That’s why they need to get time tracking and billing right.

With the right tools, firms can focus on what matters most: providing excellent service to clients while confidently collecting every dollar earned.

Lawyers can now track their time as they go, eliminating the need for tedious recaps at the end of the day. This could be on a desktop at the office or via an app if they’re out and about. The best part? It eliminates the guesswork and potential errors of trying to recall hours and days after the work’s done.

They’re capable of so much more than just logging hours like payroll, benefits, and performance tracking too.

Expenses tied to cases can add up quickly, but they provide a way to keep them in check. This also makes it easy to total them up and add them to client invoices.

When it’s time to bill clients, these tools can generate detailed invoices with just a few clicks.

They pull in all the logged hours and expenses, lay everything out clearly, and make sure that the invoice looks professional, which can help speed up the payment process.

Legal Research Tools

A comprehensive legal research platform provides a vast library of legal resources right at your fingertips. These platforms gather the essential resources⎯, case law, legal journals, you name it⎯, and make them effortlessly searchable, saving you time and headache.

Instead of digging through physical law books or bouncing between different websites, lawyers can use one comprehensive platform to find everything they need.

Another big plus is the depth of resources available. Whether you’re looking for a rare case precedent or the newest articles on a legal topic, these platforms have it all.

Client Relationship Management Software

Client Relationship Management (CRM) software helps simplify client interactions and keeps all client-related information in one neat package.

At your fingertips, you’ll find a centralized platform housing a wealth of info, including client contact info, case backgrounds, conversation records, and meeting recaps, all in one convenient spot.

CRM software shines in improving communication.

It automates follow-ups and reminders and can even handle marketing emails based on past client interactions, which helps make sure that the firm maintains a steady and professional connection with clients.

Incoming queries can overwhelm even the most organized teams. But with this system, you can gather calls, emails, and web form submissions into one neat pipeline, guaranteeing every client question gets a response.

The Benefits of Legal Software Solutions

Managing a law firm is like juggling many tasks at once. But what if you could offload some of that weight?

Legal software can help take care of administrative tasks and let attorneys focus on what they do best: serving their clients. Here are some of the key advantages:

Increased Efficiency

Legal software really kicks efficiency up a notch. By shouldering the burden of paperwork, case management, and billing, lawyers are left with more time and energy to really dig into the legal nitty-gritty.

Paperwork used to be a necessary evil, but now it’s finally taken a backseat. With more time on their hands, firms can seamlessly scale up their operations and keep their competitive edge.

Improved Accuracy

When it comes to the law, accuracy is non-negotiable. That’s where legal software comes in—it cuts down on human errors through automated calculations and standardized templates for documents.

Savvy businesses focus on accuracy to prevent mistakes and avoid dealing with the consequences. Errors can be costly, and having reliable information is the best way to prevent them.

Better Organization

Legal software keeps everything in one place and makes sure all case-related info is easy to access and up to date.

Whether it’s quickly pulling up documents or checking a client’s history, everything is well-organized and easily available, so you don’t miss anything important.

Enhanced Client Service

With tools like CRM systems and practice management software, staying connected with clients is smoother than ever.

With automated follow-ups and schedule updates, your clients will never feel left in the dark. This approach has a profound impact on their satisfaction levels, leading to greater loyalty and referrals.

Cost Savings

Investing in legal software might seem like a large upfront investment, but it can save a lot of money over time.

It reduces the need for administrative staff by making operations more efficient, which lowers costs and increases profits.

What Software Do Lawyers Use?

Modern law firms take advantage of technology tools to maximize their legal workflows in terms of efficiency, accuracy, consistency, and profitability. But if you’re new to legal software, it can be challenging to figure out which ones will work best for your practice.

That said, we’ve compiled some of the best legal tools you can start your tech stack with:

1. Briefpoint.ai: Discovery Document Generation

Perhaps one of the most tedious tasks of discovery is preparing the documents, such as discovery requests and responses.

But what if you could automate that process and spend no more than a few minutes on each document?

Litigation attorneys know the drill: hours spent drafting discovery documents, only to end up with a stack of repetitive papers.

Briefpoint.ai is here to change that, taking the tedium out of the process with automated document creation.

Best Features:

• Automation: Briefpoint.ai cuts down on manual effort by automating the entire document generation process. With just a few clicks, you can generate comprehensive discovery documents, saving hours of work and reducing the chance of errors.
• Accuracy: This software helps make sure all your documents meet current legal standards and requirements. Precision is crucial in legal proceedings, and with predefined templates and standardized fields, Briefpoint.ai keeps everything accurate and reliable.
• Efficiency: By streamlining document creation, Briefpoint.ai allows your legal team to focus more on case strategy and less on administrative tasks. As your case workflow becomes more agile, your team’s productivity surges. You’ll start resolving cases in record time, and suddenly, you’ll have the bandwidth to tackle new challenges head-on.
• Client responses: Briefpoint Bridge automates the process of collecting client responses and plugging them into discovery documents. With this feature, you no longer have to go through the tedious back-and-forth trying to collect and process your clients’ responses.

Test Briefpoint yourself by scheduling a demo here.

2. Clio: Practice Management

Source: Clio

What if you could manage most,⎯if not all⎯, aspects of your practice using only one platform?

Clio is an all-in-one case management software designed to help law firms stay organized and efficient.

It’s packed with features that simplify the daily operations of legal practice, from managing cases and clients to handling billing and scheduling.

Best Features:

• All-in-one solution: Clio covers everything from case management and document storage to billing and invoicing. It centralizes all your important information and tasks in one place, so it’s easy to stay organized.
• Cloud-based: Accessible from anywhere, Clio allows you to manage your practice whether you’re in the office, at home, or on the go. This flexibility is great for remote legal work and accessing files from multiple locations.
• Client portal: Clio offers a secure client portal where clients can access their documents, communicate with you, and stay updated on their case status.
• Time tracking and billing: Track billable hours effortlessly and generate detailed invoices with just a few clicks. Clio’s billing features help make sure you get paid accurately and on time.

Limitations:

• Cost: Clio can be a significant investment, especially for smaller firms. The pricing may be a bit steep for solo practitioners or small practices with limited budgets.
• Feature overload: For smaller firms or solo practitioners, Clio’s extensive features might feel overwhelming. It has a lot of capabilities, which might be more than what a small practice needs.
• Learning curve: While Clio is user-friendly, getting the hang of all its features and functionalities can take some time.

3. FastCase: Legal Research

Source: FastCase

One of the most tedious parts of litigation is due diligence or, more specifically, legal research.

Imagine having a hyper-powered legal research partner that cranks out results in seconds. That’s what FastCase delivers⎯fast, reliable access to a massive cache of legal knowledge. 

Picture this: you’re wading through stacks of legal texts, searching for that one key precedent. This research process serves as your guide, leading you straight to the relevant case law, statutes, and legal building blocks you need.

Best Features:

• Comprehensive database: FastCase offers access to a wide array of legal documents, including case law, statutes, regulations, court rules, and legal journals.
• Advanced search functionality: The platform includes robust search tools that help you find relevant legal information quickly. You can use keywords, citations, or natural language to conduct your searches, making it easy to locate the documents you need.
• Visualization tools: FastCase includes unique visualization features, which help you better understand the relationships between cases and the development of legal doctrines.

Limitations:

• Subscription costs: While FastCase offers a range of pricing plans, accessing the full suite of features can be expensive.
• Limited annotations: FastCase might not have as extensive annotations and editorial content as some other legal research platforms. This could require users to supplement their research with additional sources for deeper insights.

4. DocuSign: Signatures

Source: DocuSign

DocuSign is a popular electronic signature platform that allows lawyers to get documents signed quickly and securely.

Modern law firms can’t imagine life without this tool, which effortlessly streamlines document signing and abolishes the need for a paperwork pileup.

Best Features:

• Legally binding: DocuSign ensures that electronic signatures meet legal standards and are legally binding.
• Ease of use: The platform is user-friendly, making it easy for both lawyers and clients to sign documents electronically. With just a few clicks, documents can be signed and returned, saving time and reducing hassle.
• Secure: DocuSign uses advanced security measures, including encryption and secure storage, to protect sensitive information.

Limitations:

• Internet dependency: DocuSign requires a stable internet connection to function. This can be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity or during internet outages.
• Cost: The pricing for DocuSign can be a consideration, especially for smaller firms or solo practitioners. The cost may add up if the platform is used frequently.

5. LeanLaw: Accounting

Source: LeanLaw

For law firms, managing finances can be a minefield, but LeanLaw is here to guide them through it, accuracy being its top priority.

Legal accounting just got a whole lot easier. This platform simplifies the process with features that cater specifically to the demands of legal professionals.

Best Features:

• Legal-specific features: LeanLaw includes features designed specifically for law firms, such as trust accounting, which is crucial for managing client funds separately from the firm’s operational funds.
• Integration with QuickBooks: LeanLaw integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks so that financial data is synced between the two systems, reducing manual data entry and the potential for errors.
• Time and expense tracking: The software allows for easy tracking of billable hours and expenses. Lawyers can log their time and associated costs directly into LeanLaw, which then integrates this data into invoices.

Limitations:

• Cost: For smaller firms or solo practitioners, the cost of LeanLaw might be a consideration. While it offers valuable features, the pricing could be a barrier for those with limited budgets.
• Dependence on QuickBooks: LeanLaw is most effective when used in conjunction with QuickBooks. Firms that don’t use QuickBooks might find it less useful or may need to invest in additional software.

Make Discovery Less Tedious Today

Every litigator knows that discovery is one of the most time-consuming phases of a case. And within that process lies a huge bottleneck: discovery document drafting.

Manual drafting can take hours out of your or your paralegal’s day–hours that you could otherwise spend on more substantial work.

Where’s the way forward?

Briefpoint.ai, is a document automation software that lets you create discovery documents within minutes. Schedule a demo today and see the magic for yourself.

Maximize Your Profitability With Briefpoint

Discovery responses cost firms $23,240, per year, per attorney. $23,240 estimate assumes an associate attorney salary of $150,000 (including benefits – or $83 an hour), 20 cases per year/per associate, 4 discovery sets per case, 30 questions per set, 3.5 hours spent responding to each set, and 1800 hours of billable hours per year.

Under these assumptions, you save $20,477 using Briefpoint, per year, per attorney.

Test Briefpoint yourself by scheduling a demo here.