The latest software developments can be a real challenge to keep track of. That’s why I search for comparison charts such as the ones I’m providing below. A side by side comparison is often helpful when deciding what tools to place in the old How to run an effective, profitable, Law Firm tool kit. Sometimes you just can’t find what you need in terms of a comparison though, or don’t trust the source from where the comparison came from. Fortunately, I get to test drive a lot of the popular ones. Sometimes attorneys are reluctant to change and sometimes I get to check them out as we extract the data to move the client off of the current product and into my favorite workflow QuickBooks Online Advanced and LeanLaw or Clio.
Providing a great, professional accounting and data migration service is where I spend the majority of my time. In fact, I was just telling a colleague about the work I’ve been doing… on SUNDAYS!!! I really love what I do, so I wanted to help you by providing a comparative look at the software I’ve reviewed in prior articles.
To see the individual reviews and more pros and cons of each software listed here, simply click on the column title.
Pros:
| Practice Panther | Juris Legal | QuickBooks | Trust Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| It is web-based so you can work from anywhere | All in one product. Trust tracking and accounting | It’s web-based and accessible from all devices. | It’s web-based and accessible from all devices. |
| It does track the trust accounting. | Timer is easy to use (for the attorneys) | Bank feeds, time saving auto workflows (in QuickBooks Online Advanced only). | The dashboard has all the features accessible from it. |
| You can bill hourly, flat rate and contingency | You can look up case law inside the product | You can add a bunch of add on apps to customize the program. | You can import from Clio to Trust Books. (Moving to trust books is easy.) |
| Multi-tiered matter system – searching must be done in PP. | It integrates with Time Matters software | Data metrics tracking, revenue streams tracking and a business performance page. | It syncs with LawPay. |
| There is a connection to bank feeds. | Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable management is smooth | Bank feeds make reconciliation easy. | The three-way reconciliation form is very similar to reconciling in QuickBooks. |
Cons:
| Practice Panther | Juris Legal | QuickBooks | Trust Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| There are separate systems of trust accounting and QuickBooks | Accounting Platform is NOT robust | It is a general accounting platform. Not law specific without an app. | Trust Books does not connect to QuickBooks. |
| QuickBooks integration does not hold well. The sync breaks a lot | Clunky, not in the cloud | There is no way to automatically track trust accounts | It segments the trust outside the accounting platform. |
| Search feature doesn’t work that well. | Rigid and not forgiving; no spellcheck! | No calendaring, no docketing storage. | There’s no calendaring, no docketing storage |
| Too many clicks when doing forensic client trust detangling. | After some updates in windows, the program becomes “glitchy” | If you track trust accounts as sub accounts, you will easily go over the 250 limitation on the Chart of Accounts | It’s only a trust tracking product. |
| Not a full reconciliation process. | You need a server in order to host it. Adds to the cost. | No case management inside the software. | Reports are not that great. |
So, these are the highlights! There are a few tricks when researching the latest software developments. A side-by-side comparison is a great place to start, because it helps you immediately weed out what you don’t want! Once you see potential in 1 or 2 software types, the decision process demands less time and will be more interesting and fruitful in the final outcome. Continue to read reviews. What time you do spend deep diving into the facts will be totally worth it. Get a very specific list going on what you need in your law firm software. Prioritize your list by using the A, B method. Seek out other trustworthy colleagues, who had to make a similar decision as you. Consider using a free trial version first.
Got a question or need further guidance? Contact Us. Also, we’re up to some pretty amazing things with a new company for Data Migration service – check that page out while you’re here. We’ve been excited in our process, helping firms become future-forward.
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