Learn how to leverage the best case management software to operate your firm at its maximum potential.
Today, the legal industry is saturated with tools promising to increase productivity and stimulate growth.
Nevertheless, many modern law firms are still not operating at their maximum potential. Even if your firm is among the 50% using the best case management software, your current solution may not be taking you down the path of success.
Many solutions provide partial fixes to your law firm’s problems but don’t meet all your needs. To succeed in the long term, your practice management software should be the right fit.
To assess case management solutions for your legal practice, we’ve put together a set of guidelines.
At its core, the best legal case management software connects the independent functions of your law practice into one integrated hub.
Lawyers and firms have dozens of legal case management software solutions to pick from. Yet, with so many options, it’s hard to understand what case management software does and what differentiates solutions.
Your firm should set and organize responsibilities and confirm those actions were performed—and how well.
If you’re using an existing system that you want to stick with, consider how compatible the case management software will be with those systems. Talk to each case management software vendor about your firm’s specific needs to make sure they can deliver exactly what you need.
But before you start looking for the best case management software, let’s begin with a simple four-question quiz to determine if you need to start looking.
Have you ever purchased case management software that you were really excited about, only to find out that it doesn’t have features integral to your business two weeks later? With the number of solutions available today, there should be one that meets most of your firm’s needs.
Before you start shopping around, make a list of the features your firm needs. Differentiate between needs and wants. Many features required for case management solutions include:
There may not be a perfect solution, so prioritize your wishlist and figure out which features are most important to you. The case management solution you choose should address all of your needs and many of your wants.
One of the most significant differentiating factors of a case management solution is if they’re cloud-based or not. Cloud-based systems help you run a remote office, but you can still work remotely with a local server and system.
However, if your system is on-premise, you’ll likely need a VPN or a VPC to make your office remote ready.
For cloud-based systems, the hosting service used is essential. Consider what cloud servers they’re using, such as Amazon Web Services, and if the servers are based within the U.S.
Learning how to use case management software should not take more time than you save by using it. No law firm has weeks of spare time to train current employees on a new program.
The ideal solution will be intuitive for your attorneys and case managers, right out of the box. The same applies to new hires or people unfamiliar with your systems.
Training a new hire is inherently an investment of time and money. Your case management software should make employees scale up easier, not harder. Many new hires will be younger than you and accustomed to modern technology.
If your practice management solution looks like it was designed twenty years ago, younger employees will have difficulty adjusting. Find a program that will be advantageous for existing employees and new employees alike.
Small or solo law firms will often start with a solution that works, but as their practice grows, they outgrow it. Look for case management software that will grow with your practice. This is important whether you are a solo practice or a large established firm.
Ask yourself these questions to assess your current set-up or to evaluate a new software solution:
Consider your growth goals and choose a legal program that can stick with you all the way through.
Many law firms adopt a generic case or practice management solution, then tailor that software to fit their needs.
Depending on your firm’s timelines, development, and training resources, this option may work for you. However, a tailored approach is needed for firms that want to get up and running with a case or practice management solution within days.
CASEpeer offers legal practice management software for personal injury attorneys, removing the need for additional development and configurations. In addition, attorneys and their staff are often trained within 2 to 4 hours, and they’re ready to go.
Already using software that passes this five-question test? If yes, your current solution may be the right fit for your attorneys and staff.
If you could not confidently answer “yes” to every question, you may be ready to re-evaluate your existing practice management software.
To identify the right software, you need to identify your firm’s specific needs. Start by listing practice management software requirements into must-have and nice-to-have features.
If you don’t know where to start, lay out your office procedures from start to finish. Then, look for case management software that fits those workflows and processes.
Maybe you need software with robust workflows and processes, or if you need software to integrate with your marketing or document automation software. For Personal Injury firms, you’ll need something that offers an integrated CRM and client intake process.
With your requirements from step one, use these features to narrow down your choices. Browse the product pages, read the community reviews, and narrow down your choices to 1–3 likely options.
If you’re working with a purchasing committee, you can work on this as a group or separately and then come together.
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, it’s time to test the waters. Sign up for a free trial account with each option, test how they fit your needs and workflows and select the one that will work best for your firm.
If a vendor doesn’t offer free trials, ask for a demo walk-through and supporting documentation around the use cases and functionality of the platform.
If you’re ready to find a new case management software, do your research, test demos, and find the program that will help you meet your law firm’s short and long-term goals.
CASEpeer practice management software was intentionally designed to meet these challenges. CASEpeer can help your personal injury firm reach its full potential from virtual files to linked cases to tracking demands and offers.
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