The COVID-19 pandemic has remodeled the whole work process into something more productive than ever before. Every industry is now leveraging technology in one way or another. Law firms and lawyers have embraced new methods and approaches to dealing with daily work and cases in the legal sector. By marrying law with technology, such as AI and machine learning, your law firm can quickly analyze mountains of legal data and free your attorneys from the monotonous task of manually reviewing documents to unravel valuable insights for case management.
Digital transformations are revolutionizing the legal experience for the better. In addition to handling the legal work, you also have to take care of the business side of a law firm. Building a tech stack or solutions stack of suitable legal software can help streamline and optimize some of the processes of managing and running a law firm. Legal software can help automate key workflows, collect better data, create standard outputs, enhance collaboration and transparency, and minimize human error, improving productivity and client satisfaction.
If your law firm is committed to maximizing technology, you should have software covering all core areas of your business. This article highlights some of the leading software categories to include in your law firm’s IT solutions stack.
Case Management Software
Controlling the entire litigation process is often painstaking. However, case management software helps law firms manage different aspects of front- and back-office workflow functions.
What is Case Management Software?
Case management IT solutions for law firms eliminate the need for physical files and enhance information tracking and storage. The software helps attorneys to centrally store and manage all relevant case information on a single, readily accessible platform.
Key Features to Look For
Some of the essential features to look for in a case management software include:
- Calendaring, timekeeping, and billing
- Contact and client management
- To-do-lists, reminders, and scheduling capabilities
- Document/Form assembly
- Data security
- Web-based and accessible
- Email integration and client communication
Benefits of Using Case Management Software
The software serves as the single source of truth, with information that is easy to access and in one place, significantly increasing efficiency and productivity. You can easily track case-related details, documents, and deadlines. The software also simplifies basic but cumbersome administration tasks and makes law firm workflows more seamless.
Document Automation
The right document automation software can help your law firm grow by streamlining the process of creating and drafting documents.
What is Document Automation Software
These are programs that your firm can use to generate documents automatically. Instead of manually creating documents from scratch, you can create templates in the software and reuse them as needed. Document automation software also comes with a predesigned library of legal document templates.
Key Features to Look For
- Ability to prepare standard legal documents in a short time
- Capacity to store a large amount of legal documents
- Search capability to allows lawyers to find files easily
- Supports electronic signatures
- Allows for remote access to documents
- Sync, share, and track documents easily
- Must be secure
- Be able to capture billable time from any document
Benefits of Using Document Automation
Document automation software enhances accuracy by automatically preparing documents and eliminating human errors. It also increases efficiency and makes collaborating and reviewing papers easier by keeping track of version history.
Secure Communication Platforms
Communication tools are essential for enhancing law firms’ efficiency, collaboration, and client service. The right communication platforms streamline the exchange of critical information among teams while ensuring data privacy and security.
What is Communication Software for Lawyers?
Communication software is a solution that helps law firms improve and track their communication and collaboration. A lack of internal communications is estimated to cost small businesses up to $420,000 annually. When choosing a communication tool, your firm must consider internal and external communication needs. Good communication tools help law firm teams, and clients stay on the same page.
Key Features to Look For
When looking for communications software, consider the following essential features:
- High data security
- Easy to use
- Integration with other tools
- Mobile Accessible
- Search and bookmarking
- Shared note-taking
- Secure file-sharing
- Direct and group communications
Benefits of Using Secure Communication Platforms
Secure communication platforms allow law firms to collaborate efficiently. They help break down silos as colleagues from different divisions can collaborate and share information on the go, establishing cross-functional teams. Also, when communications are improved, productivity and efficiency increase, leading to a more successful law firm.
Cloud Storage Solutions
Your law firm handles large volumes of information, and finding a reliable and safe way to store it is critical.
What is Cloud Storage?
These are online storage solutions in which data is stored on off-site servers that a third-party provider usually maintains. The third party is responsible for hosting, managing, and securing the data stored on its infrastructure. The provider also ensures that the data is always accessible via public or private internet connections.
Key Features to Look For
The best features to have in a cloud storage solution for law firms include the following:
- Easy integration with other programs
- File sharing options
- Sync files/folders to a local drive
- High-level security and privacy
- Server and client-side encryption
- Unlimited or expandable storage capacity
- Access
Benefits of Using Cloud Storage
Cloud storage solutions enable law firms to store, access, and maintain data without owning or operating their data centers—saving them capital and operational expenditures and allowing law firms to focus on other core functions. The solution is also easily scalable, reliable, and easy to use.
Cybersecurity Measures
The client-lawyer relationship cannot exist without confidentiality and privacy, including safeguarding digital assets and information. If you are a tech-savvy law firm, you must take necessary cybersecurity measures to protect your IT solutions.
What are Cybersecurity Measures?
Cybersecurity measures encompass all the technological tools and services your law firm has adopted to protect against cyber-attacks. A wide range of tools is essential to safeguarding the cybersecurity of your law firm’s IT solutions. Standard cybersecurity solutions for law firms include detection software, cloud backup software, anti-virus and anti-malware software, firewall, and Public Key Infrastructure(PKI).
Key Features to Look For
Some features of cybersecurity tools or services include:
- Advanced threat protection
- Compliance and governance
- Zero-trust cybersecurity
- Privacy-enhancing computation
- DDoS protection
- API security
- Data risk analysis
- Attack analytics
- Client-side protection
Benefits of Implementing Cybersecurity Measures
Implementing a cybersecurity measure ensures that law firms keep their infrastructure and systems secure. It also helps them stay compliant with regulatory requirements like HIPAA and GDPR. Law firms with a cybersecurity measure can use it as a selling point to show clients that they are committed to maintaining confidentiality and privacy with the information they are entrusted with.
Time Tracking Software
Time management is critical for law firms that want to bill clients accurately. Therefore, time tracking software for lawyers takes the hassle off the processing of tracking and billing hours.
What is Time Tracking Software?
This program helps lawyers track and classify the amount of time spent on each task for every client. The time can then be appropriately shared with and billed to clients. Time tracking software tracks, records, and manages the time spent on various tasks and client matters to ensure lawyers are appropriately compensated, and clients are fairly and accurately billed.
Key Features to Look For
Essential features that time-tracking software for lawyers should have include:
- Integration with other solutions
- Billable vs. non-billable hours
- Automated time tracking
- Shareable reports
- Collaboration features like shared calendars, task assignments, and real-time updates
- Easy to use
- Project and team planning
- Customizable reporting and configuration
Benefits of Using Time Tracking Software
Effective time tracking allows for accurate billing and ensures efficient resource allocation and better decision-making within law firms.
Billing and Invoicing Software
Billing and invoicing programs help law firms eliminate guesswork and the tedious processes of invoicing and billing clients.
What is Billing and Invoicing Software?
Billing and invoicing software refers to any programs that lawyers use to automatically track consulting time, calculate billable hours, and generate invoices. This makes the billing process faster, more accurate, and more effective.
Key Features to Look For
The best features that billing and invoicing software should have include the following:
- Time tracking
- New invoice creation
- Electronic payment processing
- Predefined templates
- Multiple currency setting
- Invoice, payment, and tax report
Benefits of Using Billing and Invoicing Software
Billing and invoicing solutions help attorneys optimize workflows to save time and money while improving billing accuracy—and when you can prepare invoices faster, accurately, and conveniently send them to clients, you get paid faster.
Why Choose We Solve Problems IT for Your IT Solutions
Law firms can leverage various IT solutions to streamline operations and improve their bottom line. It is likely that your firm already has some of the above technologies in place. However, if you are uncertain about what solutions to include or are struggling to make the best use of what you have, then it’s time to turn to managed IT services for legal professionals.
At We Solve Problems IT, we are dedicated to helping legal professionals align their legal and business needs with the best technology solutions. Contact us today for custom IT solutions that will fulfill the specific requirements of your law firm. You can also book a meeting or sign up for a free consultation.