Sometimes I ask myself, "How would it feel to only have access to one legal practice management software?" Imagine, every single office having access to the same features? It is possible that this would eliminate the need to train the new employees, which would probably save a lot of time and money. In addition, this may help the providers enhance their platform instead of worrying about the competition and focus on growth rather than on client retention. Fair enough, but then you will say "this is not how the market works". I get it! Fortunately, or unfortunately that it not an option. The journey into all of the existing legal practice management software is quiet intriguing and one may say that we need to have all of these options because one platform just cannot meet all of the clients' needs. Also, the competition is what drives markets and eventually our growth as a country, community and world.
So, what differentiates Clio from Leap and Smokeball and what makes it a leading legal management software, at least in the US?
Similar to other mentioned legal software, Clio has a number of features such as case management, document management, billing, and time keeping.
Having had a chance to use this software in my day to day practice, I can say that in terms of the visual aspect Clio is the winner for me. I find it a bit overwhelming to deal with Leap or Smokeball platforms due to their interface. On the opposite, Clio is more appealing to the eyes. In addition, Clio makes it very easy to create and manage a matter. So, if you are someone who is very visual and prefers an easy navigation through the platform, then Clio is the one for you. However, if you are looking into a platform that would offer a more enhanced document management, then you would probably have to opt for Leap or Smokeball, because Clio's Document Management is not quiet innovative. Although, the platform will allow you to store all legal documents in its cloud storage, and all archived documents are readily available whenever needed, there are other legal practice management software that will allow you to do more with it.
Not to mention that there are many other amazing features that Clio offers like accounting, Clio payments, documents automation, client intake management, Clio app, interface and easy of use and the Clio Dashboard, which allows you to have a quick overview of everything that's going on in your law firm.
If I were to choose a legal practice management software for my firm, I would first take a look at what my firm's needs are and which one of those would be a priority for me. So far, the most challenging areas of practice that I would like to see improvements on would be: dealing with billable hours, track and eliminate time wasters and provide resources and training to legal assistants. What type of improvements would you like to see in your legal practice?
by Galina Barbascumpa