The Tech Stack Your Law Firm Needs to Succeed
By Nicole Black
Does your law firm have a tech stack in place that eases your workload by simplifying processes from client intake to final billing? If not, you’re losing valuable time by relying on clunky systems that are both outdated and unrewarding.
Does your law firm have a tech stack in place that eases your workload by simplifying processes from client intake to final billing? If not, you’re losing valuable time by relying on clunky systems that are both outdated and unrewarding.
A robust tech stack will help you run your law firm smoothly. The first step in identifying the technology that will be most useful for your firm is to conduct a tech audit.
If you’re not sure where to start or don’t have an understanding of the tools your firm is missing, here’s a rundown of the foundational tech you need to ensure streamlined productivity and business continuity.
- Computer hardware: Includes desktops, laptops, scanners, printers, and other peripherals.
- Client Intake: Online intake forms simplify client intake and make it easy for potential clients to provide contact information via your law firm’s website at any time, day or night.
- Lead management: Lead management features centralize lead data and hence, help your firm streamline lead intake and tracking processes. Additionally, lead analytics tools track and provide insight into leads as they’re added and converted.
- VOIP software and virtual receptionists: These tools facilitate communication from any location, regardless of the circumstances, and ensure that your law firm never misses a call.
- Contact management: A contact management system associates all contacts to relevant client files in your system, ensuring the client and contact information are readily accessible.
- Legal calendaring: Online legal calendaring tools help in managing deadlines. By providing oversight features and shared calendar access to all firm members, everyone is on the same page and crucial tasks are never forgotten.
- Document management: Legal document management software will provide 24/7 access to law firm documents and a built-in organizational system for your firm’s documents.
- Document automation: Document automation makes it easy to create document templates, which can then be used to create new documents such as intake forms, retainer agreements, pleadings, and more.
- E-signature: E-signature makes it easy to get documents signed online by adding a signature template into a document.
- Automated task management and workflows: Use task management tools to track projects or create case workflows so you never miss important deadlines.
- Time-tracking tools: Capture all of your billable activities by tracking and entering time contemporaneously from any location, any time of any day.
- Online invoicing: Client invoices can be quickly and easily created, and instantaneously shared with clients.
- Online payment processing: With online payment processing tools, your clients can easily pay legal bills via ACH (e-check) or credit card payments.
- Client portals: Online portals offer clients instant access to information about their cases, so they can quickly and easily find answers to their questions.
- Online Fax: Online faxing makes it easy to send and receive documents in digital format. Documents can be exchanged via email, an online portal, or via a smartphone app.
- Real-time chat: This allows lawyers to communicate and collaborate with their colleagues in real-time.
- Video Conferencing: Using these tools you can have secure, encrypted face-to-face video meetings with clients, work colleagues, and co-counsel.
- Law Practice Management Software: Centralizes law firm data, including 1) contacts and calendars, 2) invoicing and time-tracking, 3) documents and other matter-related data, 4) internal and external communications, and 5) financial data.
Which of these tools is your firm missing? Ready to build your tech stack? Get all your tech needs covered, start your MyCase trial today.
