How to Enhance Productivity with Legal Practice Management Software

How would you sum up the environment within a growing legal practice? Chaotic is pretty apropos. Between client meetings, due diligence, court appearances, administrative tasks, document analysis, and contract creation, the average firm runs at a frenetic pace. That takes a toll on many things, including overall efficiency. 

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Thankfully, you’re not alone in this fight. Access to critical tools can change the paradigm. The right technology can make a big difference in your firm’s productivity, efficiency, and overall success. 

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We’re talking about legal practice management software. But what is it? And how can it help you transform your practice’s productivity? 

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What is legal practice management software?

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Legal practice management software (LPMS) is designed to help you handle all the various moving parts of your practice from a single digital location. Rather than using multiple software platforms, juggling handwritten records, and adding in best guesses when it comes to time tracking, bills, and communication, you get a streamlined experience with a single interface. 

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Legal practice management software can enhance your ability to track time, keep accurate client records, and spend more time doing what you do best — practicing law.

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The technology shift for today’s law firms

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The legal industry has historically been slow to adopt new technology. Things are finally beginning to change as more attorneys realize that digital solutions can make major differences in their day-to-day lives. According to the ABA, 64% of law firms are now budgeting for technology-related costs. The purchase of legal practice management software should be one of your considerations. 

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Why the seismic shift in perceptions? Technology is finally wearing down the natural hesitancy with proven capabilities. For instance, Clio’s 2023 report shows that solo law firms are 62% more likely to have happy client relationships if they use legal practice management software. 

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What benefits does legal practice management software deliver?

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What does LPMS do to change the paradigm? Let’s dig into some of the most important benefits.

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Automated workflows

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Automation is a game-changer for all industries. It takes time-consuming, error-ridden manual processes and automates them. With legal practice management software, you benefit from automated workflows that enhance task management and ensure the right person is handling each task from the beginning. 

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In many cases, the software will handle major portions of each workflow, helping to eliminate human error and free your people to handle more important tasks. For instance, you can change due dates at any point within a workflow, which then automatically adjusts other time-dependent tasks tied to the due date, all without having to do it manually.

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Streamlining operations

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How much time does your team waste each month through convoluted tasks? Within a law firm, time is the most important commodity. Each wasted minute counts against your overall profitability. If you can’t bill for a task, it’s eating into your bottom line. 

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Legal practice management software can help streamline operations, removing hidden and not-so-hidden costs that sink your productivity and profitability. Features like Kanban boards, file tracking, and staff accountability features all help here.

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Building stronger client relationships

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A law firm is nothing without its clients. They’re the reason you exist in the first place. It makes sense that you’d want to build strong relationships with them, but the “usual” way of doing things might be eroding their trust and satisfaction. 

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Think about it this way. If your team is constantly asking for the same information or your clients are receiving generic communications, how much faith will they have that your firm can successfully represent them? 

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Legal practice management software helps you build stronger relationships by keeping important client information front and center. That reduces redundant information requests, but it also helps you tailor the client experience at each touchpoint, boosting satisfaction and building trust.

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Secure client portals

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How do your clients check the progress of their cases? What hoops must they jump through to get important details? How much time does that cost them? What about your staff members who must communicate with those clients? Chances are good that this is a huge part of your productivity problem.

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Legal practice management software can help here, too. Many software options provide secure client portals that allow your clients to log in, check their case progress, provide supplemental information, and more — all from one location. And they can do that without having to speak to one of your staff members. That eliminates hurdles for your clients, but it also means your team members can focus on more billable work.

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Expanding your capabilities

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No matter your firm’s area of focus, there’s only so much that you can do. Your team members can only work so many hours per day and can only support so many clients. That creates a hard ceiling that’s tough to reach beyond. 

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Legal practice management makes it easier to smash through the ceiling and achieve measurable success beyond what would be possible otherwise thanks to automation, always-on capabilities, improved accessibility, and other features.

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Building on your LPMS

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Legal practice management software can be a game-changer for your law firm’s productivity and overall success. However, it’s not the only tool that you need to harness. A legal answering service can also provide automation, and time-savings, and help you build stronger client relationships. 

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At Smith.ai, our virtual receptionists can offer 24/7 answering, appointment booking, payment processing, and other critical services. With our ability to integrate with all the leading legal practice management software, we provide a seamless solution to help you manage client communication with ease.

To learn more, schedule a consultation or reach out to hello@smith.ai.