You can choose a law practice management system with those features built directly into the software, or alternatively, you should ensure that the software will integrate with the accounting tools your firm’s bookkeeper and/or accountant already use. One issue to keep in mind is that you have options when it comes to reconciling general accounting data.
#SIMPLE LEGAL BILLING SOFTWARE TRIAL#
Of course, each program is unique and offers a different mix of features, so it’s very important to use the invoicing tools extensively during your free trial of the software. Most reputable providers also include trust accounting reconciliation features, along with options to incorporate your law firm’s general accounting information into your billing system. When it comes to cloud-based legal practice management software, all the leading companies, including Clio, Rocket Matter and M圜ase, have the ability to generate invoices from time entered using the software’s time-tracking tools. Cloud-based legal practice management software This feature was discussed more fully in my May article on electronic payment processing options for law firms. Some systems will also allow you to include a payment link in the invoice so that your clients can immediately pay you electronically upon receipt of the invoice. That way you avoid the costly, inefficient and time-consuming process of creating, printing out and mailing paper bills.Īnother important feature to look for is the ability to customize invoices by including your firm’s logo, contact information and more. First, it’s important to ensure that the invoices created by the software are editable, easy to read and can be easily shared with your clients in an electronic format. There are a number of issues to think about when considering these products for your firm. This includes ensuring that you understand how the data will be handled by that company where the servers on which the data will be stored are located who will have access to the data and how and when it will be backed up, among other things. No matter which one you choose, it’s important to note that whenever you entrust your law firm’s data to a third party-as you do when you use an online word processor-you have an ethical obligation to thoroughly vet the technology provider that will be hosting and storing your data. When it comes to cloud-based legal billing software, you have two choices: You can use standalone versions or rely on the billing tools built into law practice management software. When your firm is in the cloud, working-and billing-remotely has never been easier. As long as you have internet access, you’re able to log in and access the software and your firm’s data, no matter where you’re located. That’s where cloud-based legal billing software comes in. This is because remote access tools tend to be clunky and very unreliable, making it difficult, if not impossible, for your firm’s employees to effectively invoice clients.
And if your firm’s billing software is premises-based, then the transition to remote working has undoubtedly been a challenging one for your firm. After all, if you don’t invoice your clients, you won’t get paid. This inefficiency is likely most evident when it comes to your firm’s billing processes, since efficient and accurate legal billing is essential for law firms. If, however, your firm has not yet transitioned to cloud-based law firm software, your remote working processes have probably not weathered the storm very well. If your firm is using cloud-based software to get work done, it’s much more likely that your team has been able to keep things running smoothly throughout the current crisis, no matter where it happens to be located at any given time. Many of these factors are outside of your control, but not all of them are.įor example, one thing that you are uniquely able to control during this pandemic is the effectiveness and efficiency of your law firm’s remote work processes. The inability of many lawyers to maintain a stable income stream is undoubtedly due to a host of issues related to the pandemic, including court closures, financial difficulties faced by law firm clients and interrupted law firm workflows. According to a June survey from M圜ase, one of the biggest struggles lawyers have encountered due to the pandemic is maintaining financial stability. The impact on businesses, including law firms, has been dramatic. It has affected all aspects of our lives, from personal to professional. COVID-19 has been an unwelcome part of our reality for more than four months now.
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