When was the last time you measured your firm’s productivity or had complete visibility into your team’s daily activities?
Like any other business, running a law firm can be incredibly challenging. Personal injury attorneys like you have to keep track of finances, your team’s productivity and your ever-growing caseload.
Without the proper systems in place, clients may end up falling through the cracks, and over time, your firm may lose its ability to maintain a competitive edge. Today, if you want your firm to come out on top, that’s where looking for the right legal case management solution may come in.
However, not every legal case management solution is created equal. You’ll need to conduct the proper due diligence to find a solution that's built just for personal injury firms, integrates with all of your favorite tools, and streamlines your workflows.
Checking off all of these boxes isn’t easy, that’s why we’ve narrowed down the top 6 red flags to look out for when choosing a legal case management solution.
What is a legal case management solution?
A legal case management solution is a tool designed to help law professionals streamline their daily operations. It can help you store, track, and manage cases and tasks across your firm. From medical treatment tracking to negotiation tools a legal case management solution should give you everything needed to optimize your firm’s case outcomes.
Choosing the Right Legal Management Solution for Your Law Firm
Choosing the wrong legal management software for your law firm can be costly, not to mention wasting a significant amount of time and effort. But how do you know which legal management software is best for you with all the options out there? Below are a few musts we recommend.
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The solution is server-based
One factor to keep in mind is whether the application is server-based or cloud-based. Experts recommend cloud-based legal software over on-premise, server-based solutions, and here's why:
- Cloud-based solutions allow access to information from anywhere, at any time
- You can access cloud-based solutions remotely from any device, including smartphones and tablets, as they operate via internet browsers
- A cloud-based solution will update automatically with little to no interference on your firm’s end
A cloud-based legal case management solution allows you to be as mobile as you need to be. Whether you are at home, in the courthouse, or in another city, you'll be able to access the information you need to work as long as you have an internet connection. A server-based software solution is extremely limiting in that aspect and should be considered a red flag should your firm come across it as an option.
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The interface is difficult to navigate
The user interface (UI) is another red flag to look out for when choosing legal case management software for your organization. Navigating an outdated and disorganized interface will be difficult for you and your employees to learn, which only hurts your clients in the long run.
Keep in mind that the user interface isn't just concerned with aesthetics; it can also maximize your legal case management solution's responsiveness, efficiency, and accessibility.
The right legal case management software features an intuitive design, which makes it easier for users to stay organized and complete administrative tasks effortlessly. To gauge the efficiency of the software, consider the daily tasks you need to complete when managing cases and run through how you'd complete them using this particular solution.
You should also request a demo of every software you consider. This way, you will get an accurate representation of the interface’s flow and functionality. Consider inviting multiple members of your team to the demo and collect their feedback to get a feel for the onboarding experience.
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There is limited due diligence in security
Security should be one of the first things you should take into account before investing in your solution. Law firms are increasingly becoming frequent targets of data breaches, ransomware, malware, and other cybersecurity threats. You need to make sure that the adoption of such software doesn't increase the risk of an attack on your firm or even your client’s data.
According to a recent study from the American Bar Association, the number of firms that experienced security breaches increased from 26% in 2019 to 29% in 2020 alone.
Before you make any decisions, have a conversation about security with the software providers that you are considering. A lack of a robust security infrastructure could lead to disastrous effects for your law firm, clients, and reputation should something go wrong.
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The solution has little to no reviews available
It's impossible to learn everything you need to know about a piece of software solution from the product description and website. You need more information to make an informed investment, and there's no better place to get this info than the reviews section on platforms like Google or Capterra. While you should keep an eye out for negative reviews, it’s the lack of reviews that should be the most alarming.
Few reviews are a cause for concern because it either indicates users were not happy with their experience or the solution is newer and still improving.
Be sure to read both positive and negative reviews critically. By reading reviews, you may understand whether the legal case management solution you are evaluating will suit your particular situation. Reviews can help you discover the key benefits and potential drawbacks of the solution you are considering.
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Limited Opportunity for Integrations
When shopping for a legal case management solution, the lack of opportunity for integrations should be a cause for concern. As a personal injury lawyer, you need to be able to manage the entire lifecycle of a case, and that's not possible if your software doesn't offer the opportunity to integrate with the calendar, cost tracking solutions and document management software you already know and love.
Solutions that don’t allow you to integrate with other tools will set your firm up for failure, as it yields a steeper learning curve and a longer time for your team to adapt. This can decrease your firm’s productivity, increase costs spent on IT resources and limit your ability to scale for future growth.
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Lack of Onboarding Support
With support from your provider, integrating and onboarding a legal case management platform into your workflows shouldn't be complicated. That’s why it's imperative to find a software provider who will be a committed partner during the entire process as you integrate the software into your daily operations.
Legal case management software delivers plenty of benefits for both attorneys and clients in terms of efficiency, productivity, and outcomes. However, navigating the world of legal case management software can be tricky, particularly for personal injury attorneys and their firms.
After all, you went to law school to be a lawyer, not a business professional. Ensure the software you choose is backed by expert support and a customer success team that will resolve your issues quickly and effectively.
About CASEpeer
CASEpeer is the leading cloud-based case management solution built for personal injury attorneys and their firms. With a turnkey solution tailored for the unique needs of personal injury law and backed by industry-leading support, your firm can onboard and hit the ground running that day. Gain visibility across your entire firm’s operations, from case management and calendaring to employee performance, pipelines, and profitability. Built around the feedback of successful personal injury law firms nationwide, CASEpeer provides everything your PI firm needs to succeed.
Whether you’re a personal injury law firm or hoping to become one, you need the best practices and tools to sustain profitability and foster productivity. Click here to download The Ultimate Guide to Personal Injury Practice Management.