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There are so many critical elements in the development and maintenance of a successful law firm that it’s virtually impossible to imagine running one without the assistance of practice management software. 

Law firm practice management software offers solutions to operations needs and can provide support in daily tasks for employees throughout the firm. Here’s a look at common features available through most practice management options that you might find useful:

• Calendar - Through calendar functions available on practice management software, law firms can keep track of busy schedules and coordinate events between coworkers and clients.
• Bookkeeping - Keeping track of financial transactions is a crucial part of law firm management. Many practice management options provide the capability to perform bookkeeping tasks.
• Client Billing - The base of success for any law firm boils down to how many client hours it can successfully bill for. Practice management software can help with managing, implementing, and maximizing client billing.
• Emailing - Integrated email clients within the practice management software you choose can prove helpful in conducting effective communication synonymously with daily legal processes.
• Case Management - Having the tools available to you and your law firm employees to manage and track your caseload is essential. This element is one of the primary functions of most practice management software options.
• Customer Relationship Management - This is one of the more marketing-based tools available in an increasing amount of practice management software options today. With customer relationship management (CRM) options, you can manage clients, leads, and marketing growth efforts more effectively.
• Document Storage and Assembly - File storage, document creation, and template management are essential aspects for law firms and available with most practice management software.
• Task Tracking and Management - Having the option to track the surplus amount of daily tasks that need completion regularly is crucial. Practice management software can make it easier for individuals and managers to track what needs to get done.

Law firms need to have features available, like the ones above, that are geared towards the legal industry itself. When a law firm uses excellent practice management software, they can see benefits like:

• Enhanced Client Satisfaction - Clients appreciate a well-organized and effective law firm. When firms are able to structure their legal services through a practice management system, results can be seen with their client base.
• Better Security - Security is so important to law firms. When involving practice management software in security efforts, it can enhance those efforts to be more productive with secure document storage, communication, and having IT maintenance support at your fingertips.
• Productivity Increase - When staff can easily access the tools they need when they need it, productivity increases. Practice management software not only helps with performing tasks, such as time-tracking and calendaring, it also improves options for communication between staff.
• Streamlining - When you have specific processes in place within your law firm, practice management software can help you quickly implement those processes firm-wide and ensure management can monitor and assist with operations.
• Easier Collaboration - Many practice management software options available offer chat systems and email that make communication and collaboration between staff members more accessible than ever.
• Mobility - Being able to conduct work anytime anywhere has become an essential component for many lawyers and law firms. 

Once you’ve decided to implement practice management software within your firm, or possibly change from one software to another, the number of options available to choose from can be overwhelming. We’ve put together a list of 10 of the most widely-used and popular choices below to help.

1. Practice Panther

Price: Starts at $39 per user/month

With Practice Panther, law firms can maximize their billable hours through a barrage of services, including invoicing, secure messaging, tasks, calendaring, and more. Practice Panther also syncs fluidly with Quickbooks and allows lawyers to work from anywhere.

2. Lawcus

Price: Starts at $39 per user/month

Through Lawcus, law firms can run most of their daily processes smoothly and efficiently. Expect intuitive case management, time tracking, email, calendaring, and more through Lawcus. This software focuses heavily on day-to-day law firm and case management but does not offer full accounting services.

3. CosmoLex

Price: Starts at $59 per user/month

Through CosmoLex, firms are not only able to get expert assistance with managing their daily processes and caseload needs, but this software option is heavily invested in streamlining the accounting process. There is also a ton of document assembly options offered, and secure file storage with CosmoLex is a breeze.

4. Clio

Price: Starts at $39 per user/month

Clio, one of the most widely-used platforms, offers an easy-to-use system that enhances day-to-day processes through options like document storage, client intake, calendaring, billing, and more. Dropbox and Google Drive integration is also available.

5. MyCase

Price: Starts at $39 per user/month

Invoicing, task tracking, calendaring, and excellent reporting features are all available through this popular practice management option. This software option leans heavily on the firm management aspect of day-to-day but is not as involved with accounting. 

6. Zola Suite

Price: Starts at $59 per user/month

Through Zola Suite, law firms can offer a comprehensive experience to both their employees and clients. Zola offers full accounting processes, an integrated email client, document management, calendaring, time tracking, and more! 

7. Rocket Matter

Price: Starts at $55 per user/month

Known to be extremely customizable, Rocket Matter has steadily held its place in the practice management software area. Email integration, inter-company chat, calendaring, billing, time tracking, and top-notch enhanced security are all features boasted by this software.

8. Legal Files

Price: Upon Request

Legal Files offers customized services for many different industries, including government, insurance, and legal. This experience in various areas certainly lends to their expertise. Customers have come to appreciate the smooth Microsoft Outlook integration through this software, as well as document and data storage, deadline organization, and more.

9. CaseFleet

Price: Starts at $30 per user/month

CaseFleet is definitely feature-packed, including offering great CRM features to integrate your marketing efforts. This software is light on accounting, so you may need to use something like Quickbooks in conjunction with it, but it makes up for that with other features such as document management and their built-in transcript viewer.

10. Smokeball

Price: Upon Request

There’s not much that was left out of Smokeball practice management software. Time tracking and invoicing are a breeze through this software choice, and while it does not offer full accounting, it integrates smoothly with Quickbooks. Auto-time tracking features, document assembly, as well as easy-to-access and secure file storage, are also definite pluses for this option.