When searching for the best legal practice management software, you need to consider which application will best improve your firm’s efficiency. One factor to look at is whether the software can take care of all your firm’s needs from a single platform. Many practice management platforms integrate with multiple third-party applications as a means to increase functionality for their users and draw in prospects. Although it may seem as though your firm would benefit greatly from software that integrates with many other applications, this may not be the case.

A User Interface, or UI, is the series of visual elements that you interact with in a software program such as buttons, icons, screens, and pages. All of these elements contribute to the functionality and usability of the application. A successful UI has to be equally appealing to the eye and easily navigable, especially for those who would not consider themselves “techies” (perhaps this sounds like someone you know?). A well-designed interface can shorten the learning curve of an application, helping you perform tasks easier and faster without wasting billable time. For this very reason, some of the country’s most gifted designers, lawyers and technologists have been collaborating to apply legal design and innovation to legal products and services.

“All anyone asks for is a chance to work with pride” - William Edwards Deming The principles of total quality management (TQM), spearheaded by William Edwards Deming decades ago, continue to be exceptional tools for practicing attorneys. Given the competitive landscape currently facing the legal community, it is essential for any law firm to offer best-in-class service. After all, the name of the game is client satisfaction and their happiness drives referrals. These principles are not for rainmakers only, however, and it is critical for your entire team to buy into TQM.

What are the unique steps your firm takes to complete tasks? By now you’ve processed hundreds of new clients. You perform the same steps for every new client, but have no way of knowing their status in the process. With all the work you have on your plate, there is no time to run around the office, figuring out which member of your staff was in charge of each task and if they are on track.

There are so many benefits to keeping track of your time: efficiency, organization, and responsibility. Once you figure out where specifically you are spending your time, you can then determine where improvements in your time management need to be made. Budgeting your time and allotting more time for higher priority tasks, will lead to fewer distractions, better organization, and more responsibility (and accountability).

Unless you’ve been living off the grid, by now you’ve most likely heard the term that has been catching fire around the world: “the cloud.” But what is it exactly and how are these “tech-savvy” people using it? As it turns out, you are probably using “the cloud” on a daily basis without ever taking notice. Popular platforms for cloud computing include Google Drive, Office 365/Microsoft 365, Apple iCloud, and Dropbox, to name a few. These applications store and access information through the Internet, in contrast to the traditional, physical, in-house servers that interact with a computer’s hard drive to manage data.

At long last, the legal sector is getting with the program. Adoption of legal technology is on the rise. Lawyers are starting to use legal practice management software to enhance the productivity of their practices. With cloud-based applications, lawyers can easily store and access all of their legal documents and client information in one portable device in any location at any time of the day.

As an attorney, you are trained to keep track of every minute and bill accordingly. But what if you decide that you don’t want to bill your client for the extra time it has taken your new associate to research a topic related to their case? Or perhaps you’re feeling super generous and want to write-off the 20-minute conversation you had with your client updating them about their case. While you should be aware of every second spent sending emails, following up on payments, and learning a new skill, every second spent on a case may not be worth a check from your client.

Have you ever woken up from a late night panic wondering if you sent an email to the right Susan? Scenario: It’s a busy Friday afternoon. You have so many emails to get to before you go away for the weekend (which you’ve been looking forward to all week). There are so many contacts in your address book, it’s hard to remember which contact is related to which matter. You’re supposed to email Susan Smith but you have three Susans (plus a Sue and a Suzanne) in your contacts, all related to different matters. It’s absolutely crucial to keep track of the right parties and the right matters to maintain client confidentiality…