Attorney billing programs are available that can help you save both time and resources if you can find the right law practice billing software to fit in with your operations and your budget. Look for information about lawyer billing software that can easily be integrated into your current operations so as not to create a lag in time while you and your team learn the new law timekeeping and billing programs.

Information about attorney billing software is available online and through industry associations. Look for in-depth reviews of the newest legal billing software programs, including web-based providers of legal billing software. Consider what hardware upgrades you’ll need and bring in a legal billing software system consultant if you are overwhelmed by the options. However you incorporate legal billing software solutions, there are a number of ways that you should begin making the most of legal billing software.

1. Find law practice billing software online

2. Try web-based suppliers of legal billing software

3. Ask for referrals for legal billing software solutions

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Investigate reviews of attorney billing programs

In addition to talking to others who have taken advantage of lawyer billing software, look online for reviews and advice that informs you of the kinds of programs that are available to make your business more profitable and efficient.

I recommend: Keep up with the changing standards in legal billing software through the Legal Electronic Data Exchange. Net Smart provides informational articles that will help you make the most of your programs as well as reviews of the most popular products on the market.

Let employees try demos of attorney billing programs

Most software companies will provide a free demonstration or trial period before you sign on for a lengthy commitment. You should let your staff try the products to get their suggestions since they will be using the programs as well. To get the most out of your IT resources, you need to get buy-in from your team.

I recommend: Find Law is a great resource to find information about the latest IT products available for the legal profession. Read up on the blogs where legal billing software users share their experience at Spellex.

Bring in a legal billing software solution expert

With all the options available today, it may behoove you to let an outsider come in and review your organization and how it works to help you select the best software for your uses. It could be worth the investment to pay a consultant to help you choose the right software so that you can see the results right away.

I recommend: Sign up for the videos and articles produced for lawyers by the Legal Talk Network. Go to the ‘Lectric Law Library for free downloads of legal billing software and read articles about the programs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you sign a contract to get law practice billing software, make sure that the provider includes updates and will send them automatically as they occur.

Law practice billing software is built on the principle that legal services depend upon a system of closely monitored charges in order to bill the client accurately. Attorney billing programs offer different options designed to reduce bookkeeping tasks, leaving more time for you to concentrate on your cases.

Legal billing software solutions must meet the absolute integrity standards of the legal field. Clients want detailed breakdowns of every minute spent on their case and all miscellaneous charges.

Looking for a law practice billing software program among the hundreds on the market is confusing and discouraging. Knowing your legal billing software needs before you purchase a system will save you time and money in the end. Keep your eye out for law practice billing software solutions that include:

1. Top-rated law timekeeping and billing programs.
2. Quality conflict checking features for large law practices.
3. Access to online attorney billing programs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

The bottom line for attorney billing software: Time is money

Depending upon your specific needs, software designers offer stand alone time-tracking software or a law practice billing software program that includes a time tracker as an add-on. Within the time-assessment arena, look for attorney billing software that allows you to choose between hourly rates, flat fees and a pro-rating function for dropped clients. If your firm is large, look for a networked lawyer billing software program that tracks individual attorney time as well as total firm time.

I recommend: CyberMatrix not only tracks the time you spend on cases, it offers scheduling features and invoicing options. Download a free trial. Easy Case & Billing is a user-friendly standalone lawyer billing software that integrates with Microsoft Office.

Depend on lawyer billing software with added conflict management features

Providers of legal billing software recognize the need for thorough conflict checking ability. In large law firms, a good conflict checking system is crucial before you take on a client and later find out you have a conflict. Look for a program that searches not only for plaintiff and defendant names but also for litigation matter categories.

I recommend: Intuit, a global power in financial software programs offers Conflict Checker with “sound like” ability and integration with other Quicken legal and billing programs. Order a free CD. For large practices needing a legal billing program, JustWare is a comprehensive system with powerful features, suitable for public defender offices.

Move your legal billing software to the web

When you want to focus on your clients and leave the details to others, consider an online legal billing software solution. Providers of online legal management services allow you to pay a monthly fee and network your office time tracking and bookkeeping with a centralized database that contacts your clients, offers them online access to their accounts and sends out statements and invoices. Online programs save time and office costs.

I recommend: Small law offices with one or two practitioners find TimeSolv Legal to be an affordable, user-friendly web-based program with account integration. Download a free detail sheet. Backed by a 100-day guarantee, AbacusLaw handles every function a law office can dream up. With auto-fill court forms, billing and integration with popular office software, this program almost practices law by itself. Get a free demo.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Ask about individual modules if you need only one or two features, such as time tracking or conflict checking that will integrate with your current system.
• •  Inquire about additional training charges. You can save a bundle on a 'bargain' software program but quickly spend additional money in training charges if they are not included in the program price.

Law practice billing software can save you time and money with all the latest advancements in attorney billing programs development. From costing out jobs to managing your human resources and billable hours, attorney billing software can help to eliminate errors and improve cash flow.

Use a lawyer billing software system to follow every aspect of a project. Get your entire team involved in law timekeeping and billing programs by making sure they know how to apply the legal billing software solutions. Find quality providers of legal billing software online and through peer referrals. Begin using legal billing software in a number of ways to make your company more profitable.

1. Use law practice billing software to manage entire cases

2. Use a web-based lawyer billing software for estimating costs

3. Use attorney billing programs to keep track of resources

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Communicate better with attorney billing software

Rather than rely on lengthy meetings and staff reports that often are late or incomplete, utilize the latest information on legal billing software to keep managers and workers in the loop. You can get software that runs remotely and is updated in real time to run on desktop dashboards or through mobile units.

I recommend: Use Software Finder by Forbes to see in-depth reviews of the most popular software programs in use. Try a free demo of the software programs provided by Abacus Law.

Go live with legal billing software systems

With web-based systems you can make and send reports directly from a site while updating information as it comes to you live from vendors and clients. Integrate an Internet software system into your company to make quicker and more accurate decisions on the spot.

I recommend: Perfect Practice offers a number of specialty software products for different phases of your law practice. Take advantage of the free downloads and training when you use the software put out by Caselode.

Stay in touch with web-based legal billing software solutions

Keep track of your time in real time so that you can contact clients and support staff to keep your team equipped with the record keeping information they need to get the job done in a timely manner. Hours also can be tracked with the software programs you can get online and for your desktop.

I recommend: Read Law Technology News to find out the best ways to use your new software and to keep up with the fast-changing updates that are made available through the various vendors. Get free downloads to try various products while keeping up with the latest applications for the products at Law.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Let your managers and other key employees try out the free demos of law practice billing software before you make a final commitment to get their feedback and suggestions.

Whether your law firm is small or part of a corporation, legal billing software can help you to keep track of the time you spend on client cases, bill clients appropriately, print bills in mass quantity and keep track of payments or past due balances. All of these elements are essential to making sure your law firm is a success, as you can only continue to operate if clients pay their bills.

There are a few terms and program options you should be aware of as you look into the legal billing program that best fits your needs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Accounts receivable

Accounts receivable is the generation of billing records for your company and the management of payments and funds received in regard to those bills. Legal billing software makes an accounts receivable job much easier, as it will often notify the user of past due payments and remaining balances that would otherwise be difficult to track.

I recommend: Obtain more information on the role of accounts receivable from Wisegeek so that you can better understand the benefits of legal billing software.

Law Technology News (LTN) awards

Law Technology News recognizes several legal billing software programs each year for several reasons, such as best new software and best software for various sized firms. An LTN award means a quality billing program.

I recommend: Learn more about Law Technology News awards, including past recipients.

Legal electronic data exchange standards (LEDES)

In today's technological age, many law firms are able to provide bills to their clients by electronic transmission. When doing so, the legal electronic data exchange standards must be followed. The LEDES Oversight Committee creates and maintains open standard data formats for electronic transmissions.

I recommend: Learn more about LEDES on the Legal Electronic Data Exchange Standard website.

Tabs3

Tabs3 is the number one source of legal billing software. The company has more than 30 years of experience, giving them a strong knowledge base of the billing services that legal firms need and desire. Among the many features included in the programs offered are easy time tracking, billing and recording of payments, productivity and profitability reports for your law firm and quick and easy access to client information.

I recommend: Discover more information on program features from the Tabs3 website.

AbacusLaw

AbacusLaw is another time and billing software designed specifically for law firms. The company website notes that attorneys who log time on a computer program, rather than by hand, are much more likely to track more hours.

I recommend: Visit the Abacus Data Systems website to discover the features the program provides.

Timesolv Legal

Timesolv Legal is an online law firm billing program. This means that Timesolv stores all of the data you enter, including client information, logged hours, bills and payments received, on its server. Online billing programs allow you to salvage information if your business network crashes.

I recommend: The Timesolv website provides more information about the features of Timesolv Legal.