Legal software when working remotely
It can take months to find the right tool stack for your virtual practice. Not to mention that operating remotely can also incur unexpected communication challenges or late bill payments from your legal firm clients.
67% of legal practitioners would like to continue working from home in the future, even if in a hybrid setting. If you’ve decided to keep your firm working remotely, we’ve prepared a list of the best 6 legal tools that will help you regardless of the task you have — and prevent unwanted struggles.
But first…
What to consider when choosing your next legal software
Before choosing what legal software to opt for, consider the below factors that could impact the way you work with your clients and get paid for your efforts:
- What features you need and if there’s a legal software that meets multiple of your requirements.
- What your long-term budget is.
- What devices your team will use the solutions from.
- Will you need your team to quickly get used to the software or have a functionality-rich solution with involved training
- Experiences of past users regarding the solutions usability and privacy controls
- How extensive the app’s security capabilities are.
Below are the legal software programs to consider once your firm decides to keep working remotely. We selected these as each of these offers a slightly different purpose. These will help you cover a complete range of requirements to ensure success with your clients.
WiseTime
Autonomous timekeeping software to avoid losing billable time
WiseTime is a legal time tracking tool that ditches the classic manual timer for automatic time tracking that lets you gain back hours of billable time. The tool automatically tracks everything you’re working on whether it’s a file, desktop application, or web browser tab. At the end, each task is allocated to a client or matter as the tool uses AI to associated work with tags.
Compared to other similar solutions, WiseTime’s privacy settings are built for the security and comfort of your team who can choose what type of activities they don’t want to be recorded. WiseTime also integrates with other apps on this list like Clio or Quickbooks. This lets you save time and increase firm-wide transparency — no matter where your team is working from.
Clio
Your go-to practice management software
Ditch your spreadsheets for collaborative legal practice management software. Remote legal firms will find cloud-based options handy for accessing information in real-time, collaborating with the team and clients, as well as securely storing their files.
Clio’s legal software offers a complete view of everything that’s going on in your law office: client relationships, tasks that need to be completed, work where someone might be stuck, and so much more.
You can also use it to manage your documents, generate invoices, create reports, and take care of every single matter detail throughout its whole lifecycle. Your team will securely access their work from anywhere and they’ll be able to continue working from home on days when face-to-face interaction or client meetings aren’t needed.
Note: Other cloud-based practice management systems alternatives are Rocket Matter and PracticePanther. WiseTime is able to connect to all of these practice management systems so your time captured can flow seamlessly into your system without disrupting your workflow.
QuickBooks
Billing and accounting for law firms
Don’t let the administrative burden slow down your work. Organize and automate your accounting in a legal billing software like QuickBooks which lets you schedule when you want an invoice to be sent. The tool also lets you easily receive payments from your clients via card or bank transfer. Plus, you’re getting reports and close insights into your balance sheets, profit and loss, cash flow, and more.
Don’t forget to integrate QuickBooks with an automatic legal time tracking tool like WiseTime so you can create accurate invoices in seconds.
HighQ
Document management and collaboration
With thousands of files and documents going in and out of your firm, there’s no way you can simply store them in a practice management tool. Instead, you’ll need a document management tool like HighQ. This allows for easy accessibility, file versioning, and audit trails to guarantee compliance. The extensive collaboration options let your team work together regardless of whether they’re in the same office or not.
This said, HighQ is a document collaboration tool that also works for law firms that have several offices and need to work across multiple time zones, all while sharing files securely.
Legaler
Host secure virtual meetings
Classic video conferencing tools like Zoom or Google Meet don’t provide the security that guarantees the privacy of your clients when collaborating remotely. Legaler is a reliable legal software you can use to schedule and organize meetings with your partners, clients, and team members. The tool also integrates with other legal tech you might be using like Clio or your Microsoft Office suite.
The app is specifically created to allow law firms to connect matters to meetings and other conversations. The visual conferencing option is similar to other platforms you might have used before so there’s no extra time needed to get used to the interface. You can use Legaler as a legal calendar software to send your agenda to partners based on services you’ve set whether that’s a regular meeting or consultancy time.
Everlaw
For managing e-discovery and controlling costs for complex litigations
Everlaw allows for litigation to happen from anywhere as you can review files, create case outlines, edit together with other collaborators or store your transcripts securely. The tool proves an invaluable asset when it comes to facilitating competitive advantage through its easy-to-use e-discovery solution.
The tool’s capabilities extend from the document review stage to preparing a trial. Everlaw provides fast and secure ways of organizing arguments, preparing and conducting depositions, and overseeing the litigation process as a whole.
