• Legal Track Case Management Software System
• Time Matters
• CaseMaster - Case Management (STI Also Has T&B, Trust, Acctg)
• Amicus - Case Management
• Abacus - Case Management
• Case and Point - Powerful Matter Management for Corporate Legal Departments
• Corel - WordPerfect Legal Edition
• Needles
• TrailWorks99 by Lawex
• Chief Legal Officer - High End Case Management
• Legal Edge - High End Case Management
• Hot Docs - Document Assembly - Stand-Alone Or W/CM
• The Prevail Case Management System
• ProLaw - Case Management, Billing, Document Management, Accounting
• Gryphon - Case and Practice Management
• CMS Open - Practice Management Software

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  Billing

• TABS Time & Billing - 11,000+ Installations (Includes Trust and General Accounting)
• Timeslips - Time & Billing
• PcLaw - Time & Billing (Trust And Accounting)
• Keystone Professional
• Juris - Time & Billing And Accounting
• CompuLaw - Time & Billing (And Accounting) Note: CompuLaw Is Reportedly Dropping Billing (See Timeslips Page)
• ESI Law Office Management Software
• Dale Tincher's Legal Technology Articles
• Computer Law Systems - Time & Billing, Case Mgt (And Accounting)
• Intuit - Quickbooks and Quickbooks Pro - Low End General Accounting (Sometimes Used For Trust)
• Omega Legal - Time & Billing and Accounting (over 10,000 users)
• Peachtree - Low End General Accounting (Time & Billing Available)
• ProLaw - Case Management, Billing, Document Management, Accounting
• Great Plains Accounting - High End General Accounting - Often Used With Billing Systems

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  Other legal software

  
  For a brief explanation of the difference between document management and case management see below

• Worldox Document Management
• PC DOCS Document Management Software
• CaseMap - Litigation case knowledge manager
• CaseSoft - Case Mapping Software
• Summation Litigation Support Software
• Softpro Corporation - Complete suite of software programs for automating the Real Estate Closing and Title Insurance process - Includes Trust
• Legal Med Ware - Medical-Legal Software for the Review and Analysis of Medical Records for Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Workers' Compensation, Wrongful Death and Products Liability Litigation
• Dovico Software - Tracks Time & Costs of Projects and Activities As Work Is Being Performed
• Zane and Associates - fiduciary accounting for the Trust and Estate
• North Carolina Software - Trial Court Desktop Interactive 32 Version, The Federal Civil Forms Wizard, Summons & Subpoenas (S&P calculates only, plus retains some data)
• CompareRite (look under marketPlace)
• Caere - OmniPage
• Lawex's Ghostfill document automation, NetLizard and TrialPro
• AFAB on-Line - Bates 98 Bates Numbering Program
• Abacus Totality debt collection software
• JS Technologies - CollectMax law office collection software
• Fresh Start - Bankruptcy, Word Indexing/Extracting, Proof of Claims
• Law Firm Software - An industry leader in Legal Software Development
• Equitrac cost recovery software (and hardware)

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  Other lists and tips

• Consultwebs.com's LegalResourceLinks.com - 35 categories, more than 2,000 links
• Law Office Computing
• Alllaw Software Vendors
• Findlaw Software Vendors

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• Randy Singer, Esq.'s MacAttorney.com - The Law Office Software List for the Macintosh Computer
• Consultweb's Word Versus WordPerfect Page
• ZDNet's Small Business Adviser

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  Small Firm Network Systems

• Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server ($1,500 - $2,500 Range) to 50 PC's
• An Easy To Read, Informative PC Computing Review of Microsoft Small Business Server
• NetWare for Small Business ($1,500 - $2,500 Range)
  

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  Software Pricing

• Hot Docs (By Capsoft/Matthew-Bender) Pricing
• Quickbooks Pricing
• Software Technology (TABS, CaseMaster, Acctg) Pricing
• Timeslips Pricing (Sage)
• Capsoft Hot Docs
  

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Auctions On-Line

• eBay
• First Auction
• UBid


Purchasing through the Internet has been a good experience for most people with whom we converse. When purchasing from unestablished auctions or online sources, you can pick up tips and/or check them out with their local Better Business Bureau, BBBOnline, the Internet Fraud Watch, BizRate.com or Consumer Reports. You may also check Internet news boards or listserv archives. Use a credit card (for ease of payment cancellation) and record-keeping. Keep accurate receipts and records. Order using a secure server. Investigate the return policies. Remember that buying from an individual rather than a business restricts your return options. Avoid giving out too much information. Your credit card number, shipping information and password should be sufficient. To report fraud, go to Better Business Bureau or the National Fraud Center. Good luck - we hope you enjoy your online purchasing experiences.

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Mail Order and On-Line Vendors - See Consultwebs.com's LegalResourceLinks.com for more data.

• Amazon.com
• Buy.com
• DealTime
• eCost.com
• PriceSCAN
• Price Watch
• Gateway (NC can also call 919-379-1778)
• The PC Zone
• MicroWarehouse
• MacWarehouse
• PC Connection
• Programmer's Paradise
• ComputAbility
• Software Depot
• Software.net
• Best Buy
• Circuit City
• CompUSA
• Egghead
• Office Depot
• Office Max
• CDW
• Computers.com
• InfoWorld Street Prices
• MicroSource
• CNET Shopper
• Buycomp.com
• ZD Net NetBuyer

See Consultwebs.com's LegalResourceLinks.com for more data.

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Tips On Choosing Time & Billing and Case Management Software

This discussion is directed at the small firm. It is not possible to generalize about a large firm's needs since they have a myriad of needs and ways in which they work.

Important variables in your billing evaluation process include the number of timekeepers, the features needed (e.g., task billing, value billing, split billings, fee allocations, statement formatting flexibility, integration with Case Management (if applicable)), and platform availability. Most systems are now supported on NT, Novell and Peer to Peer networks. Also important is the ability to integrate with Word and WordPerfect (most are), especially for clients who require a uniquely customized statement. Consider the availability of local training and support to avoid unacceptable scheduling waits, initial flight and hotel expense and when turnover occurs. Let us qualify this by saying that sometimes it is far less expensive to pay an out of town expert than it is to pay a local novice.

Consider on-going support (call & try it out), software report writers, conversion availability, "total" price (if applicable), and needed features. 

Installing a time & billing or case management system is an important decision. We recommend that you invest the necessary time.  Ask firms by listserves or phone for their experiences. Go a step further and ask your dealer or vendor to provide the names of firms, of similar size to yours, who are using the software.  Not only call, but visit the firms.   A reason for the visit is that a firm may love their system after having experienced many benefits over their prior manual system.  Your visit, however, may uncover that they perform redundant posting that would be unacceptable to you. Or they have two billing or input clerks where one would suffice, etc.

Also, keep cognitive diffidence in mind. Few people admit their mistake and say, "my, I made a poor decision! I sure wasted a lot of the firm's money." They would prefer to justify, defend and invest in the decision over time.  You should "visit" more than one user and "view" how they use their system.

Watch for the gotcha's. Many systems have a low base price, but when you start adding "steering wheels" such as network modules, additional users, spelling dictionaries, etc., document assembly and integration modules, the price goes up.

We have consulted with many clients.  A majority of our billing clients use Software Technology's TABS for time & billing. They are, almost without exception, pleased with TABS.  STI's support is excellent and their products are very flexible.  STI meets all the discussed criteria.  Timeslips, in my opinion, is not a candidate for a firm with large volumes.  We have several happy Timeslips clients, primarily in small firms. Our size concern may change if Sage, the owner of Timeslips, institutes stated philosophies and makes further acquisitions. Also, be sure to consider integration of accounting modules, not typically a Timeslips' strength.

Capable billing product candidates include Javelan, Juris, PcLawPro, Elite, FSLI and TABS. All are listed at in the above links. Please see our case management discussion below.

Case Management

Legal Track Case Management Software System

Case management has come into its own.  Case management can rid you of multiple databases and "sticky notes."  Be careful to choose software that provides integration capability with other applications such as time & billing, accounting, document assembly, possibly telephony, document management (possibly), PalmPilot (if applicable), etc.  It is not efficient to allow multiple people to post the same information to several databases if integrated billing and case management will permit one posting.

A blanket statement cannot be made that one case management program is better than another. Variables include the existing time and billing software, areas of practice, whether the software will be used heavily or lightly, the Windows version, the network operating system, availability of local support, the firm's experience and expertise, the firm's willingness to invest in training, existing equipment, and budget.

In general, if you have a small office and need simplicity, Amicus is a decent choice. Amicus, in my opinion, is less desirable for medium to larger firms. Amicus also has some integration capability with TABS. If the firm uses Timeslips or PCLaw for billing, Time Matters' case management system may be a better alternative. Time Matters is a superb choice for most environments. I am extremely impressed with Time Matters' vision, commitment, and support.  It interfaces with most common hardware and software and to our great delight, is Internet aware. Time Matters has evolved rapidly.

If the firm is a heavy Software Technology Inc., (STI) TABS time & billing user, STI's CaseMaster III may be the best choice. While CaseMaster is not as friendly as, e.g., Amicus on the front end, in my opinion, it has a capable back end. By that, I mean that it has reporting and more flexible field structuring.

ProLaw, now a West Group product, is a sophisticated, flexible product. Gryphon has its strengths. Although Abacus is an easy to use product, we fear that they have fallen behind in several areas. Needles is a good choice for firms with a heavy PI emphasis.

Again, all of these comments are generalities.  Your major cost is not the few hundred or thousand dollars for a product. The major expense is your personnel's time and the conversion, adaptation, and training. If the system fails, you must add the lost billable time.

Most vendors have self-running demos. These are typically more "salesy" than substantive, but they often list features & display the flow of the system. Some vendors will allow trial periods of 30 to 100 days. If you are like most busy firms, however, the ninety days expires and the software is still on the shelf. Rather than fumble with software that is foreign to you, you may be better served by obtaining the services of a legal consultant. Legal consultants typically know the reputation and capability of local dealers and products and can do your research. While the consultant analyzes your workflow and needs and protects your interests, your busy attorneys can continue to work and bill.

Consultwebs.com, teaches CLE courses on many of the above categories. We invite you to visit our PowerPoint presentations. We are currently adding Real Audio to the presentations.

Helpful links include Findlaw. A helpful book is Storm Evans' Time Matters in One Hour for Lawyers. Visit the Web sites of the consultants listed below.  Most of them have links and tips sections.

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The difference between document management and case management (brief summary) added 6/18/99

Basically, document management manages documents, versions, security, etc. Case management systems manage cases, including calendars, ticklers, conflict, notes, statute of limitations, etc. They can work together nicely if properly configured. Most firms/agencies need both.

Some systems such as Prolaw have the ability to do both, but in our opinion are not as powerful as individual systems linked together, e.g., WORLDOX and Time Matters. Prolaw is also very expensive. However, nothing is as expensive as a manual system.

Examples of the differences between document management and case management include the fact that document management system will allow you to find every occurrence of the terms e.g., slip and fall + Kansas in every document including contract reviews, legal opinions, etc., but is not designed to tell you when a deadline occurs; a statute of limitations expires; a conflict exists; notes history information; the next meeting with xyz client; successes with experts, judges, opposing attorneys, adjusters, etc.

More information can be found by visiting our above listed case management and document management links.

Please contact us or one of the listed consultants if you wish further delineation of the differences, plus help in deciding which systems fit your needs.

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