Tools for solo lawyers
As you wind down your firm’s calendar year, now is a good time to review the technology and tools you use to do your job. Below are some resources that can help you manage your law business more efficiently.
Law practice management software
Several software options are available for law practice management, and the American Bar Association has compiled a comparison chart that shows some of the best options for solo lawyers. If cost is a concern, some basic software is available for free from Credenza that includes time-tracking, basic case and task management, and client relationship management features. A variety of other options are available with additional bells and whistles, such as invoicing and document assembly, for monthly fees of $25-$65 or one-time license fees up to $1,000 for one user.
Lawyerist has reviewed several practice management software packages in more depth to help you make the right decision for your solo practice or small firm’s needs. Check out its reviews of Clio, CosmoLex, MerusCase, MyCase and more.
Apps and more
For iPhone/iPad users, iphonejd.com recommends the Microsoft Word app, as well as “TrialPad 4.0, an app that you can use to present evidence at trial from an iPad, and the Transporter Genesis, an enterprise version of the Transporter that you can use to store your documents on a private cloud and access them from any computer or iOS device.”
These recommendations were partially culled from the TechnoLawyer Top 10 and Top 25 lists for 2014, which also included technology for electronic filing, document management, case timeline organization and lawyer-specific online publishing tools.
For Android users, thedroidlawyer.com offers a list and descriptions of more than 50 apps for lawyers.
InsideCounsel also highlights 11 apps that can be especially useful for lawyers. The list includes these free, law-specific apps: WildAboutTrial, a news app that provides updates on high-profile criminal cases; Fastcase, a resource for case research; and Legal Newsance, a once-stop shop for legal news, tools, forms and more.
Marketing tools
Like all other small business owners, marketing your solo practice is a crucial part of your work. From presentations to social media, how you package your message matters. This infographic lists several free tools that can help you polish and manage your marketing messages, and this list from Wix includes suggestions for everything from PR tools to lead tracking.
We’d love to hear from you. What tools can you not live without in managing your solo law practice? Let us know at [email protected].
