Billing requirements for law firms are particularly special, if not complex. Even lone practitioners and small businesses must handle a range of rates and billing choices, account for retainers, track and allocate hours to customers, and maintain time sheets. Additionally, attorneys must adhere to high legal and ethical standards.
You may capture more billable hours and reduce a lot of difficulties by using specialized legal billing software. With cloud-based solutions, you can keep up with how you work while logging hours and managing cases from any location.
To assist you in selecting the best legal billing software for your firm, we’ve analyzed and rated some of the most popular alternatives.
TimeSolv
Since 1999, TimeSolv has provided project management and billing software to businesses of all sizes, including consultants, public relations agencies, independent contractors, accountants, and law firms. Due to the seamless device synchronization, it mostly serves “Mac businesses,” but in addition to its cloud-based software, it also provides apps for Android and PCs in addition to iOS and Macs.
With project management capabilities that help you define goals and generate a budget you can share with customers and workers, TimeSolv is a complete case management solution. In order to ensure automatic payment and avoid having to follow up with clients over unpaid bills, you may gather and maintain payment information from clients upfront.
Project team members may view a daily to-do list, and anybody can use the applications to log time and costs both online and offline.
The legal-specific billing formats LEDES 2000, 1998B, 1998BI, Chubbs, and Litigation Advisor are also included in a TimeSolv Legal package. Additionally, you’ll get access to ABA task codes as well as trust accounting and dispute management.
An annual fee of $431.52 or $39.95 per user each month applies to a Legal plan (for less than five users). Businesses with more than 100 users may qualify for bulk discounts. The program is free to use for 501(c)(3) nonprofit businesses and charity institutions.
Who should use it:
TimeSolv is a suitable choice for smaller businesses with less sophisticated demands because it has a restricted set of reporting and accounting tools. Nonprofit groups may utilize the program without charge, making it a good match for them as well.
Rocket Matter
Rocket Matter is case management and legal billing tool that is mostly cloud-based. It enables you to centrally store all of your information on a subject, including documents, emails, projects, and time-tracking for billable hours.
Kanban boards for organization and matter-organized document storage are characteristics of project management. Clients’ papers may be requested for safe uploads, and you can securely share documents with clients. You may make templates for issues that you can use in all future situations.
You may automate billing in Rocket Matter so that invoices are generated based on your billable hours and outlays and sent to you on a predetermined timetable. Spending less time on manual billing is possible. For the specific requirements of your legal office, the platform offers trust accounting and dispute management.
The program delivers sophisticated reporting, including allocation reports, matter budgets, team and matter productivity, origination reports for new-business incentives, and allocation reports. It will even put you in touch with specialists to create unique reports for your business.
With an Essentials plan, matter management, time tracking, and payment are all included for $39 per user every month. For $69 per user each month, the Pro plan includes more customizations, reporting, templates, document assembling and sharing, a client payment portal, and more.
A Premier upgrade will bring you automatic billing, role permissions, business intelligence, and more for $99 per user every month. If they pay annually, Pro and Premier customers receive a $10 per user per month discount.
Who should use it:
Plans from Rocket Matter are suitable for businesses of all sizes. If you don’t mind taking care of your own billing and have straightforward reporting requirements, pick the Essentials package. To get better business insights and automated billing, upgrade to Premier.
AbacusNext
Since 1983, AbacusNext has been making legal management software. Depending on your requirements and size, it provides three options for businesses:
Amicus Attorney: Legal firm management software with QuickBooks and Microsoft 365 integration.
AbacusLaw: Practice administration program with integrated accounting
Amicus Cloud: Practice administration and billing in a cloud-based solution for small businesses
Software that may be downloaded and used on local servers or over a private cloud for quick access and sharing while maintaining security includes Amicus Attorney and AbacusLaw.
All solutions include case management, invoicing, and billing functionality. With a mobile app or online, team members can keep track of their time and costs while on the road. You can also connect a calendar to schedule court dates and adhere to deadlines with automatic court rules.
Another AbacusNext product called APX PayNow, which enables customers to pay via a link in an emailed invoice, allows you to send invoices and receive payments. The monthly cost for Amicus Cloud is $59 per user. Users claim that the price for AbacusLaw or Amicus Attorney starts at $69 per month, and the firm urges you to book a live demo with a sales professional to find out more about pricing.
Who should use it:
For huge, sophisticated businesses that might profit from its Private Cloud and integrated accounting capabilities, AbacusNext is the best option on this list. It offers software solutions for businesses of all kinds.
MyCase
For law companies, MyCase provides case management and legal billing software. It has capabilities for task and case management, as well as time tracking, invoicing, and online payments.
Using different timers when you go between cases can help you keep track of your billable hours. When you’re away from the office, use the iOS or Android app to log your time and access case information. With a few clicks, you may produce an invoice for unbilled hours, and LEDES billing is supported. Although the program doesn’t include accounting functionality, it interfaces with QuickBooks without any difficulty. Through MyCase Payments, customers may pay bills online.
With case management capabilities, you receive legal calendaring with interfaces to Google and Microsoft Outlook, safe, limitless document storage and sharing, and workflows to automate your repetitive duties. To help you track discussions between your business and potential clients and to help you collect contacts, MyCase also has lead management tools.
The cost depends on the options you select:
- Fundamental: $39 per user per month (if billed annually). You may use the client payment portal, time and cost monitoring, legal calendaring, limitless document storage, and billing to manage your projects.
- Pro: Each user pays $59 per month (if billed annually). Include unrestricted messaging as well as client intake management, document signing, safe document sharing, and connectors with Google, Outlook, and QuickBooks, among other services.
Who should use it:
MyCase is less capable than rivals and works best for small businesses with straightforward accounting and reporting requirements.
Clio
Clio is practice management software that supports your firm’s practice at every stage of the client experience by handling case management, billing, accounting, and client intake.
Everything you need to know about cases, including notes, contact details, documents, tasks, time tracking, and invoicing, can be organized using Clio Manage (case management and billing). Even word processing software is integrated with Clio, allowing you to write and modify documents in well-known applications and save them to Clio with just a single click.
With the assistance of Clio, you can keep track of your billable hours and costs and invoice clients for payment using a safe online payment link for a credit card, debit, or eCheck transactions. Invoices can be configured to automatically discount for timely payments or tack on interest for missed deadlines.
You may control client acquisition with a Clio Grow add-on. You may arrange consultations with its Scheduler and check cases for conflicts of interest. Online papers may be electronically signed, and intake forms can be instantly shared.
The cost depends on the options you select:
- EasyStart: $49 a month per user. Manage case duties and documentation while keeping track of your time and sending bills.
- Essentials: $79 per user each month. Get automated processes, document templates, secure client communication, and connections with QuickBooks, Zoom, and more.
- Advanced: $119 per month for each user. Increase the number of e-signatures, business insights, and enhanced task management.
- Complete: $149 each month for each user. features from Clio Manage and Clio Grow.
Who should use it:
Clio is a fantastic choice for developing businesses focused on establishing a solid customer base because of its client intake capabilities through Clio Grow.
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