The Lawmatics Blog

You’re a busy lawyer building the best cases for your clients. The last thing you need is to spend hours each week trying to remember which meetings, emails, and research sessions were billable.

Manual time tracking doesn't just create administrative headaches — it costs you money. Every unbilled hour is lost revenue.

Legal time tracking software fixes this with automations, invoice templates, and reporting tools that capture billable moments as they happen. No more memory exercises.

But, not all time trackers are created equal. Here we’ll break down the top options to simplify your search.

Why Does Attorney Time Tracking Matter for Law Firms?

Time tracking is your firm's profit engine. With in-app timers and one-click entries, attorneys record time within their workflow, so no profitable work goes unbilled. More efficient tracking means better utilization and realization, leading to more revenue.

Time management software for lawyers improves billing efficiency and client satisfaction. Office managers and accountants stop chasing attorneys for data since these platforms automatically collect, organize, and generate invoices.

Clients receive bills promptly instead of months later, increasing collection rates. Plus, client portals and e-payments make paying simple, allowing clients to review billing history and pay directly from invoices. A better experience for them means faster cash flow for you.

These tools also simplify compliance with e-billing regulations, including the Legal Electronic Data Exchange Standard (LEDES) and Uniform Task-Based Management System (UTBMS) codes. Instead of manually formatting invoices, the software does it automatically and even suggests correct codes to reduce rejections.

Most platforms include safeguards for ethical trust account maintenance, ensuring proper handling of client funds. Transactions tie to case matters and bank statements for auditable records that meet state bar and government regulations.

See what some of these features look like in action. Explore Lawmatics Time Tracking Software.

Best Legal Time Tracking Software for Lawyers in 2025

Whether you need simplified time entry or detailed billing reports, here are the top legal time tracking solutions.

1. Lawmatics: Best legal time tracking tool + legal CRM capabilities

Lawmatics offers time tracking and billing functionality on top of its client relationship management (CRM) solution. By combining these two tools, you’re able to handle the two main growth drivers for your law firm in one place: client marketing and revenue management.

In particular, Lawmatics' time tracking features prioritize your clients’ needs, such as e-payment options, client portals, and detailed invoices, making it easy for clients to understand and pay what they owe faster.

You also gain visibility into key metrics, such as productivity per staff member, for smarter resource decisions. Attorneys spend less time on administrative work and more time preparing for cases, resolving matters, and building lasting relationships with clients.

Features:

• Legal time tracking.
• Time and billing.
• Expense tracking and invoicing.
• Client intake.
• Custom automations.
• Document automations.
• Flexible billing rates (hourly, fixed, and contingency).
• Integrations with other legal platforms like Clio, PracticePanther, and Smokeball.
• Legal marketing and CRM.
• Custom legal reporting, dashboards, and analytics

Pricing: Contact sales for a quote. Three tiers are available (Essential, Premium, Enterprise) with a three-user minimum. Time and billing software is available as an add-on.

Key differentiator: Create law firm goals that align staff on efficient time tracking and marketing objectives.

2. Bill4Time: Best for transparent legal billing & timekeeping

Bill4Time is a legal software tool offering time tracking alongside expense tracking, billing, and project management features. It lets you manage internal operations, like scheduling clients and collaborating on tasks, from one system.

The starter plan, Time & Billing, is ideal for small firms wanting basic accounting and practice management features at an affordable price.

Features:

• Time tracking.
• Task management.
• Payment processing.
• Invoice templates.
• LEDES compliance and UTBMS codes.

Pricing:

14-day free trial. Afterward (billed annually):

• Time & Billing: $27 per user per month.
• Time & Billing Enterprise: $67 per user per month.
• Legal Pro: $45 per user per month.
• Legal Enterprise: $80 per user per month.

Key differentiator: Transparent and scalable subscription plans for growing law firms.

3. Memtime: Best for automatic background time capture

Memtime is an automatic time tracker that runs passively in the background to record all of your electronic activities. While not law-specific, it's perfect for lawyers who forget timers or constantly switch tasks.

Memtime keeps track of every activity for later assignment to the appropriate case, project, or matter.

Features:

• Automatic time capture.
• 100+ software integrations, including Clio, Asana, and Jira.
• Offline time entries.
• Windows, Mac, and Linux compatible.
• Adjustable time increments (6 minutes to 1 hour).

Pricing:

14-day free trial. Afterward (billed biannually):

• Basic: $12 per user per month.
• Connect: $18 per user per month.
• Premium: $23 per user per month.
• Enterprise: Contact sales.

Key differentiator: Captured time data is stored locally on users’ devices for complete data privacy.

4. WiseTime: Best for lawyers who dislike manual entry

WiseTime by Anaqua is an automatic time tracking application purpose-built for legal teams. Unlike Memtime, WiseTime’s tracker identifies key information from activities and auto-tags them to the correct case. Lawyers spend minimal time sorting entries, dramatically reducing admin work.

Even better: The more you manage, assign, and correct auto-tagged time entries within WiseTime, the smarter its AI machine learning algorithms become. This leads to more accurate billing and faster payment.

Features:

• Autonomous timekeeping and case tagging.
• Team management controls.
• Privacy controls and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance.
• Data lifecycle management.
• Integrations with legal software like Clio and PracticePanther.

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Pricing: 30-day free trial. Afterward, contact sales for a quote for either its Professional or Enterprise subscription plans.

Key differentiator: AI-generated narratives that summarize your recorded activities, providing more detailed descriptions on clients' invoices.

5. Rocket Matter: Best cloud-based legal practice management + time tracking

Rocket Matter by ProfitSolv is a scalable practice management suite with time tracking in all of its subscription plans. Time tracking is tied into its billing and matter management features, allowing staff to capture the maximum amount of billable hours without interrupting focused work.

Rocket Matter also includes advanced time tracking capabilities, such as the ability to run multiple timers, multi-device accessibility, and automatic time entries to reduce task oversight.

Features:

• Time and expense tracking.
• Individual, team, and firm-level dashboards and analytics.
• Time tracking within Outlook emails.
• Interest on Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA) trust accounting compliant.
• Mobile capability.

Pricing:

10-day free trial. Afterward (billed annually):

• Essentials: $39 per user per month.
• Pro: $69 per user per month.
• Premier: $99 per user per month.
• Elite: $129 per user per month.

Key differentiator: White glove service with all plans, including a dedicated account manager and support via phone, email, and chat.

6. FreshBooks: Best budget option for small firms

FreshBooks is a small business accounting program that includes features like time tracking, mileage tracking, team management, and payroll. While not legal-specific, solo or boutique legal firms will appreciate managing all financial tasks in one system without the need for extra integrations.

FreshBooks' time tracking features are largely basic, allowing you to stop and start timers and assign projects and clients to each activity.

Features:

• Team collaboration to track time toward the same projects and clients.
• Chrome Timer Google Chrome extension.
• Budget management and automatic billing.
• Expense tracking.
• Business performance dashboards.

Pricing: 

30-day free trial. Afterward (billed monthly):

• Lite: $21 per month.*
• Plus: $38 per month.*
• Premium: $65 per month.*
• Select: Contact sales.

You can add the following to any plan:

• Team members: $11 per month per user.
• Advanced payments: $20 per month (included with Select plan).
• FreshBooks payroll: $40 plus $6 per user per month.

*Note: FreshBooks currently has a 50% off for six months promotion. Check its website for details.

Key differentiator: Time entries connect to invoices, which flow into your general ledger for seamless accounting.

7. TimeSparrow: Best for simplicity & speed

Although purpose-built for legal teams, TimeSparrow’s time tracking software is best for solo practitioners or firms with fewer than five lawyers. This is because TimeSparrow lacks most of the automations, integrations, and billing features of others in this roundup.

TimeSparrow compensates for this with extreme ease of use, such as simple implementation and interface navigation to encourage firm-wide adoption.

Features:

• Manual time entry or in-app timers.
• Enter time entries through email, texts, or Amazon Alexa.
• Phone call time entry transcriptions.
• Integration with DocketBird.
• Colleague reminders.

Pricing:

30-day free trial. Afterward:

• Contact sales for pricing.
• Volume discounts available for firms with more than 10 users.

Key differentiator: No hidden or additional fees for data migration, implementation, or maintenance.

8. Time Tracker by eBillity: Best for LEDES compliance

Time Tracker by eBillity is one of the most versatile time trackers, offering both legal-specific and employee management features. For example, it includes employee scheduling, GPS, and geolocation for non-exempt employee time tracking and payroll purposes.

Time Tracker integrates with case management, payroll, and accounting applications, including Clio, ADP, Gusto, QuickBooks, and Xero. It is also able to convert your time entries into LEDES and LSS-compliant invoice formats.

Features:

• Time tracking and invoicing.
• Client invoice portals.
• Windows 10 desktop app for offline mode.
• Mobile time tracking.
• Trust accounts.

Pricing:

14-day free trial. Afterward (billed annually):

• Time Tracker: $17.60 plus $11.20 per user per month.
• Time Tracker Premium: $24 plus $16.80 per user per month.
• LawBillity: $30 per user per month.*

*Note: Must purchase LawBillity subscription plan for legal-specific features, including legal invoicing formats, UTBMS codes, trust accounts, realization reports, and conflict checkers.

Key differentiator: Photograph receipts to record and attach expenses to invoices on the go.

9. Smokeball: Best for productivity insights + time tracking

Smokeball is a comprehensive legal software that offers case, time, and billing management capabilities. As a result, it’s best for small-to-medium firms looking to centralize all of their business activities in one system.

Smokeball’s reporting and analytics capabilities allow you to monitor team activities and critical deadlines like upcoming court dates, settlement dates, or statutes of limitations. You can even segment data by matter, case type, or attorney to quickly identify which areas are driving the firm’s profits.

Features:

• Manual and AutoTime time tracking.
• Calendaring.
• Profitability reports.
• Automated workflows.
• Staff performance targets.

Pricing: Contact sales for a quote. Four tiers are available (Bill, Boost, Grow, and Prosper+). Add-ons like Intake and Archie AI Assistant are available for the Boost plan and up. The AutoTime add-on is available for the Grow plan and up.

Key differentiator: Workflow automation for task reminders and keeping staff on track with billable work.

10. LeanLaw: Best QuickBooks native time tracking for law firms

LeanLaw is best suited for smaller law firms for its user-friendly interface and no-fuss time trackers. Attorneys can track time using desktop, mobile, or browser timers, and they can edit time entries from bulk-entry or calendar views. This makes it easy for them to record every billable moment and visualize daily responsibilities.

LeanLaw also stands out for its tight integration with QuickBooks Online, which automatically syncs time entries and expenses with clients and matters, eliminating the need for manual client invoicing and accounting.

Features:

• Time tracking.
• E-payments.
• Invoicing and expense tracking.
• Billing increments.
• LEDES compliant invoice format.

Pricing:

7-day free trial. Afterward (billed annually):

• Core: $55 per user per month.
• Pro: $75 per user per month.
• Elite: Contact sales.
• Add-ons: Priority support, Custom reporting, Unlimited invoices, and Compensation tracking.

Key differentiator: Two-way QuickBooks sync for real-time receivables monitoring without leaving LeanLaw.

How to Choose the Best Legal Time Tracking Software for Your Firm

The best attorney time tracking software for you depends on your needs. To start narrowing down your options, answer the following questions:

• What's your firm's budget and size?
• What features matter most to each role?
• What programs will it need to integrate with?

Match by firm size

Your time tracking needs differ based on your firm’s size and budget. While all law firms should be moving away from manual time tracking via pen and paper, small firms typically prioritize in-app timers, simple interfaces, and reminders to boost adoption and control costs.

Larger firms usually focus on advanced workflows and automatic time tracking to reduce administrative overhead for attorneys handling multiple cases. These firms will also want complementary billing features, like trust accounting and expense tracking, to streamline invoice generation and client payments without platform-hopping.

Match by role needs

What time tracking features are most important to your staff will change depending on their role. Attorneys need features that automatically capture billable hours, like auto-capture or daily activity reports, so they don’t rely on their memory.

Meanwhile, administrative staff will look for capabilities that automate billing, accounting, and payroll tasks. Office managers want time and expenses automatically synced to the correct matters and clients, to speed up invoice generation. HR teams want clock-in and out widgets and geolocation features to track and pay non-exempt staff. And accountants want integrations with their preferred accounting platforms for monitoring business finances.

Match by existing tech stack

Choose tools with native integrations for your daily apps, especially CRM and practice management platforms. Connected programs reduce data entry errors and eliminate duplicate work from toggling between systems.

Frequently Asked Questions About Legal Time Tracking Software

What is legal time tracking software?

Legal time tracking software are systems that allow attorneys to record and manage their billable and nonbillable hours and expenses for accurate client invoicing.

Many time tracking platforms include billing and accounting features to create a one-stop shop for managing and monitoring your law firm’s revenue.

Why do law firms need time tracking tools?

Law firms need time tracking tools to minimize the chance of billable hour oversight, which could result in lower realization rates. Time tracking tools provide automations, timers, accounting integrations, and UTBMS code options, so every hour is accounted for and correctly invoiced.

What features should I look for in legal time tracking software?

Top features for legal time tracking software include:

• Access to timers via mobile, desktop, and browser.
• Expense tracking.
• Easy-to-navigate interfaces.
• Workflow automations, such as reminders for critical events.
• Integrations with case management, CRM, accounting, and calendaring systems.
• Billing capabilities, including configurable minimum increments, LEDES-compliant invoice formats, trust accounting, and e-payment options.

Can Lawmatics Time Tracking integrate with my existing systems?

Yes! Lawmatics integrates with popular programs, including Clio, 8am™ MyCase, PracticePanther, QuickBooks Online, iCal, Gmail, and Microsoft Outlook.

Explore Lawmatics’ integration catalog for more.

How much does it cost?

Time tracking software costs vary by firm size, features, and whether it’s a standalone product or part of a software suite. Generally, standalone time trackers cost anywhere from $10-$40 per user per month.

However, standalone trackers often lack features of purpose-built legal time and billing suites, adding unnecessary workflow steps and creating inefficiency.

Check out Lawmatics’ pricing page for an idea of what to expect in a legal CRM platform with time and billing capabilities, and connect with us for an exact quote.

Improve Your Law Firm’s Time Tracking Process With Lawmatics

The right legal time tracking software lets attorneys capture every billable hour and provide detailed client explanations, so your firm gets paid.

It shouldn't leave attorneys racking their brains to recall every filing, draft, and intake from the past week.

Lawmatics is the only platform that ties lead generation with time tracking, providing comprehensive insights into your firm's profitability drivers. You gain data insights into the most productive staff members, reduce the administrative burden of your office managers, and increase the efficiency of your client billing processes.

If you’re ready to streamline your workflows and ensure no billable hour slips through the cracks, schedule your Lawmatics demo today.

Running a successful law firm means juggling countless tasks beyond courtroom appearances, from client intake and case prep to time-tracking and billing. Add marketing your services between meetings and court dates, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed, especially without dedicated administrative support.

The right legal software makes all the difference. According to 2025 Harvard Law School research, legal technology (particularly AI-powered tools) can boost lawyer productivity up to 100 times. This not only leads to better service quality but to a stronger reputation and, ultimately, increased revenue.

But the best legal software for your firm isn't necessarily what your competitor uses. This guide ranks top vendors in each category — CRM, case management, document management, and billing and time-tracking — so you can find the perfect fit.

What Is Legal Software?

Legal software is a broad category of tech applications designed to streamline the day-to-day operations of law firms. It ranges from electronic client intake forms that speed up prescreening to matter management tools that provide a comprehensive view of all your cases.

The main types of software for lawyers include:

• Customer relationship management (CRM): Sources, onboards, and maintains client relationships through email campaigns, drip marketing, and client portals.
• Intake management: Creates custom electronic intake forms based on your specialty and schedules new client appointments.
• Practice (case) management: Handles internal administrative tasks like bookkeeping, document management, deadline tracking, scheduling, and matter monitoring.
• Document management: Creates, organizes, and shares documents securely while complying with regulations like HIPAA.
• Billing management: Generates, sends, and streamlines client invoices, expenses, and payments, including trust account management.
• Time-tracking: Records billable and non-billable hours across multiple projects with easy-access timers on any device.

Many legal platforms integrate with third-party tools, like project management, lead generation, calendar, video conferencing, and accounting software, to create a seamless tech ecosystem.

Legal software can also be as comprehensive or specialized as you need, from all-in-one solutions to standalone products that address specific needs.

Learn more about legal software programs and the difference between legal CRMs and practice management with CRM for Law Firms: Complete Guide.

How to Choose the Best Legal Software

Beyond features, evaluate these factors when selecting the best legal software to fit your needs.

Ease of use & adoption

If finding the settings menu takes 10 minutes, imagine your staff's frustration. Choose platforms with intuitive, modern designs that your team can navigate easily. Familiar interfaces with customization options reduce training time and encourage firm-wide adoption.

Integrations & compatibility

When legal software integrates with the other tech tools you use every day, productivity soars. You and your staff avoid the cognitive strain of constantly switching between applications or the dreaded “toggle tax.”

Look for solutions that already have native integrations with your current business applications. At a minimum, your choice should connect with your CRM, billing, and case management systems.

Lawmatics integrations, for example, include Clio, MyCase, and PracticePanther. This allows you to unite CRM and case management without duplicate data entry.

Security & compliance

Client confidentiality is paramount. With the shift to cloud-based legal software solutions, data breach risks are a serious threat.

Evaluate legal platforms for their data encryption, audit trails, and secure storage capabilities. Verify they support two-factor authentication, role-based permissions, and access controls.

And, ensure they comply with SOC 2 Type 2 or ISO 27001 standards, plus laws like Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

Scalability & cost

Your ideal legal software should meet current needs while supporting future growth.

This might include additional customization options, analytics, reports, automations, AI tools, integrations, and API access as you evolve. Many platforms offer tiered pricing that unlocks features when the time is right.

You’ll also need to consider your budget carefully. Most cloud-based platforms charge monthly subscriptions based on firm size, user count, and feature tier. Watch for hidden costs like storage, support, implementation, and data migration fees.

Best Legal CRM & Client Intake Software

CRM and client intake software are critical for firm growth. Some features overlap with practice management tools, like calendaring and contact management. Meanwhile, CRM adds marketing and nurturing capabilities to keep prospects and former clients engaged.

Lawmatics

Lawmatics is a legal software platform with client intake, CRM, and data analytics capabilities, with an add-on for time tracking and billing. In particular, Lawmatics CRM handles the time-consuming work of organizing, scheduling, and following up with leads — tasks that often pull attorneys away from case preparation.

Lawmatics leads the pack with its powerful client pipeline automations, which sort and progress prospects across stages with minimal direct involvement. Plus, its AI-powered email drafting and SMS/MMS capabilities speed up client communication to enhance their overall experience.

Features:

• Client intake and pipeline automation
• Custom form builder
• Conflict checking
• Appointment booking, including client self-scheduling
• Email drip marketing campaigns
• E-signatures
• Client portals
• AI email drafting
• Custom analytics and reporting dashboards
• Optional time-tracking and billing add-on

Pricing: Contact sales for a quote. Three tiers are available (Essential, Premium, Enterprise) with a three-user minimum. Time & Billing available as an add-on.

Key differentiator: Native integrations with multiple vendors, including Clio, 8am MyCase, Smokeball, and QuickBooks.

Captorra

Captorra offers both lead and case management to support the whole client life cycle. Its intake management is particularly strong. It lets you create custom scripts for your intake specialists and paralegals.

You can even build automated turn-down processes that politely decline unqualified leads while maintaining positive relationships.

Features:

• Lead tracking
• Custom workflows
• E-signatures
• Referral management to determine strong referral partners
• Integrations with live chat and call center providers

Pricing: Contact sales for a quote.

Key differentiator: Automated prospect follow-up emails that keep leads warm and encourage sign-up.

Clio Grow 

Clio Grow, formerly known as Lexicata, is a client intake solution purpose-built for law firms. It centralizes lead capture, intake form completion, and client onboarding within a single interface. Clio Grow includes charts that highlight lead sources and conversion trends over time, along with active intake workflows and upcoming follow-ups. 

Integrating directly with Clio Manage, Clio Grow connects marketing, intake, and case management to create a seamless client experience from first contact to active representation. Clio Grow’s CRM features allow firms to automate reminders, track lead activity, and personalize follow-ups through email, text, or website form. 

Features:

• Custom intake forms
  
• E-signatures
  
• Automated workflows and reminders
  
• Email and calendar sync
  
• Lead source tracking and reporting

Pricing:

7-day free trial. Afterward (billed annually):

• Basic: $49 per user per month
• Advanced: $69 per user per month
• Suite: $89 per user per month (includes Clio Manage integration) 

Best Legal Case Management Software

Case, or practice, management software is essential for your daily case handling. Below are some of the top vendors.

Remember: Case management software boosts productivity, but you'll also need a CRM, like Lawmatics, to source, maintain, and engage with current and former clients. This ensures great experiences from intake to case closure, which strengthens your reputation and drives growth.

8am MyCase

8am MyCase is a legal platform offering native functionality for case management, communications, intake, billing, and time-tracking. Rather than separate products, each subscription tier provides access to some of these capabilities, with more advanced versions unlocked at higher tiers.

MyCase's CRM features allow audience segmentation and communication through email, text, and your firm’s website.

Features:

• Client intake
• E-signatures
• Document automation
• Mobile app
• Workflow automation

Pricing:

10-day free trial. Afterward (billed annually):

• Basic: $39 per user per month
• Pro: $89 per user per month
• Advanced: $109 per user per month
• Add-ons: LawPay Payments, MyCase Accounting, and Website

Key differentiator: Create a law firm website with embedded intake forms and client portal connections.

Clio Manage

Clio is one of the biggest names in legal software, offering CRM and case management alongside advanced document, time-tracking, and financial management features. Clio Manage is its case management product. It includes calendaring, task, and contact management tools for internal operations.

Clio Manage also provides detailed reports and analytics, including utilization, realization, and collection rates, to help you understand your firm’s overall performance.

Features:

• All-in-one legal software suite
• Custom report builder
• Project-management collaboration tools
• Client scheduler
• Legal aid tools
• 250+ integration partners

Pricing:

7-day free trial (up to Advanced tier). Afterward (billed annually):

• EasyStart: $49 per user per month
• Essentials: $89 per user per month
• Advanced: $119 per user per month
• Complete: $149 per user per month
• Add-ons (Essentials tier and up): Advanced Document Automation, Clio Duo, Clio Grow, Clio Accounting, Personal Injury, and HIPAA Liability Protection.

Key differentiator: Specialty-specific tools like medical management and settlement features for personal injury practices.

PracticePanther

PracticePanther is a powerful practice management platform with calendaring, document management, and task collaboration features.

Its intuitive interface makes it easy to navigate, even for nontech-savvy staff. Integration with platforms like Zapier extends its functionality, letting attorneys and staff boost productivity without leaving the app.

Features:

• Case tracking
• Billing
• Workflow automations
• E-payments
• Unlimited data storage

Pricing:

7-day free trial. Afterward (billed annually):

• Solo: $49 per user per month
• Essential: $69 per user per month
• Business: $89 per user per month

Key differentiator: Military-grade 256-bit data encryption for secure firm and client information.

Smokeball

Smokeball is a legal software that, unlike Clio and PracticePanther, focuses primarily on case management tools to automate time-consuming administrative tasks. This makes it particularly suited for small-to-midsize law firms moving away from manual processes and spreadsheets.

Beyond workflow automation, Smokeball includes basic billing and time-tracking in all subscription tiers for improved financial visibility and productivity monitoring.

Features:

• Document automation
• Case management
• Built-in productivity tracking
• Free software training and configuration
• Legal drafting

Pricing: Contact sales for a quote. Four tiers are available (Bill, Boost, Grow, and Prosper+). Add-ons like Intake and Archie AI Assistant are available for Boost plans and up.

Key differentiator: AI-powered assistant, Archie, enables email drafting, matter and document summaries, and legal document creation.

Best Legal Document Management Software

Legal document management platforms ensure the organization and security of your firm and client information. At the same time, they help simplify document generation and maintain compliance with data privacy laws.

Lawmatics document automation, for example, auto-generates documents from templates to save time and reduce repetitive drafting.

Explore other top legal document management systems below.

iManage

iManage is a document storage, sharing, and team collaboration tool. While not law-firm-specific, its enterprise-grade controls ensure asset protection while eliminating team and data silos.

Features:

• Document and email management controls
• Legal transaction management
• Security and governance protocols, like Threat Manager

Pricing: Contact sales for a quote

Key differentiator: Advanced search capabilities, including natural language searches and conversation with Ask Knowledge, its AI assistant.

NetDocuments

NetDocuments is a document management platform purpose-built for law firms. As such, it designed its tools with the needs of lawyers in mind. This includes search filters for matters and automation workflows for legal document creation, like intake forms and retainer agreements.

Features:

• Legal AI Assistant with agentic AI capabilities
• PatternBuilder for automation and multi-document creation
• Document bundling and delivery

Pricing: Contact sales for a quote.

Key differentiator: Ethical walls and granular access controls that restrict document and workspace access, maintaining client confidentiality.

Clio Docs

As a comprehensive legal platform, Clio includes document management directly within its practice management system. This makes content creation and collaboration seamless. For example, autofilling documents with information stored in Clio Manage.

Features:

• Clio Drive for Windows and Mac
• Integration with other Clio products
• Desktop and mobile support

Pricing: 7-day free trial. Starts at $49 per user per month for document storage and e-signatures. Advanced document automation is an add-on.

Key differentiator: Ability to scan and upload physical documents to move to a completely paperless workspace.

Best Legal Billing & Time-Tracking Software

Billing and time-tracking software is essential for understanding your firm's profitability and growth potential. The right software helps you pinpoint billing bottlenecks, identify lost billable hours, and prevent payment delays.

Lawmatics Legal Billing add-on, for example, lets clients view and pay invoices from their portal, speeding up payment processing.

Check out other great options below.

TimeSolv​

TimeSolv is a time and billing platform designed for solo practices or small-to-midsize firms. Its simple design and integrations with accounting tools like QuickBooks, Xero, and AccountEdge encourage adoption while providing a macro view of your firm’s profitability.

Features:

• Trust accounting
• Budgeting
• Offline time tracking

Pricing:

10-day free trial. Afterward (billed annually):

• TimeSolv Pro: $38 per month.
• TimeSolv Legal: $53 per month.

Key differentiator: Outsourced legal bookkeeping services for firms without in-house billing resources.

Bill4Time

Bill4Time is another popular billing and time-tracking software for lawyers with scalable price tiers supporting solo practitioners to large firms. Features include advanced billing tools like contingency arrangements and customized invoices.

Features:

• Trust accounting
• Expense tracking and invoicing
• Basic CRM and case management tools

Pricing:

14-day free trial. Afterward (billed annually):

• Time & Billing: $27 per user per month.
• Time & Billing Enterprise: $67 per user per month.
• Legal Pro: $45 per user per month.
• Legal Enterprise: $80 per user per month.

Key differentiator: Task, client, and document management tools included in all subscription plans.

LeanLaw

LeanLaw's intuitive interface makes it great for small and midsized firms seeking quick implementation.

While it has fewer native integrations than platforms like Lawmatics and TimeSolv, it compensates with user-friendly features like invoice templates and in-app timers for more accurate client invoicing.

Features:

• QuickBooks integration
• Invoicing and expense tracking
• Time tracking

Pricing:

7-day free trial. Afterward (billed annually):

• Core: $55 per user per month.
• Pro: $75 per user per month.
• Elite: Contact sales.
• Add-ons: Priority support, Custom reporting, Unlimited invoices, and Compensation tracking.

Key differentiator: Dynamic analytics dashboards providing real-time actionable insights into firm performance.

Choosing the Best Law Firm Software

When you’re ready for your next law firm technology, ask yourself:

• What kind of legal software does my firm need: CRM, practice management, document management, or time-tracking and billing?
• Does the platform create a great experience for my clients?
• How easy is the platform to use?
• Can it integrate with my current tech tools?
• What security protocols does it have?
• Will it adapt as my firm grows?

The best way to futureproof your firm? A CRM and intake platform that keeps prospects engaged with powerful marketing features and automated workflows that increase efficiency.

Don’t let leads slip through the cracks. Request a demo of Lawmatics, the leading legal CRM and client intake software. See how it integrates seamlessly with tools like Clio, 8am MyCase, and PracticePanther to power your firm’s growth.

Frequently Asked Questions About Legal Software

Is cloud-based legal software secure?

Yes, when providers implement proper security and data governance policies. Look for compliance with data privacy laws like the CCPA and the SHIELD Act, plus information security standards like SOC 2 Type 2 or ISO 27001.

Legal software should also comply with HIPAA and, for billing and payments, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

When choosing a platform, research its security standards. Ask vendors about confidentiality features, especially during file transfers. Features like 256-bit encryption, multi-factor authentication, privacy settings, access controls, and independent security audits indicate they take your data protection seriously.

What is the difference between legal CRM and practice management software?

While there's some feature crossover, legal CRMs focus on sourcing, engaging, and nurturing relationships with future and past clients. Practice management platforms focus on handling cases with existing clients.

Think of it this way: CRMs are for external marketing and maintaining client relationships. Practice management tools are for controlling your internal operations.

How much does legal software cost?

Most cloud-based legal software uses subscription pricing. Overall costs typically depend on features and user count, usually ranging from $30 to more than $200 per user per month.

You’ll also want to be on the lookout for hidden fees, such as costs for implementation, data migration, priority support, or customized reports and workflows.

What legal software is best for small vs. large law firms?

Small firms typically prioritize case management features that support their existing client base. These features may include matter management, document management, billable work tracking, and accounting software integrations.

Large firms often seek more advanced software, particularly CRM platforms, to automate repetitive tasks, engage prospects, and develop their brand and reputation for continued growth.

What features should I look for in legal software?

The features to look for in legal software largely depend on what’s important to you, whether it’s CRM, case management, document management, or billing and time-tracking.

Generally, look for platforms with automated workflows that eliminate manual administrative processes. These can give you more time for your clients’ cases. Features like client portals and appointment self-scheduling also free up your time while improving client experience.

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Sorting leads takes time, and too often that time goes to incomplete info, inconsistent review, and opportunities that stall. Deciding which cases to pursue, refer, or reject can slow intake and leave firms guessing about where to focus their efforts.

QualifyAI is Lawmatics’ newest beta feature, bringing artificial intelligence into the intake process in a way that’s practical, transparent, and built for law firms. Using your firm’s own data, it evaluates new leads and recommends next steps with clear reasoning, helping teams move faster and focus on the cases that matter most.

This session, hosted by Lawmatics co-founder and CEO Matt Spiegel and CTO Krijn van der Raadt, pulls back the curtain on the new beta feature and how it fits into the Lawmatics platform. Matt shares Lawmatics’ vision for building AI that supports real firm workflows, while Krijn demonstrates how to create a scoring model, review recommendations, and fine-tune results with feedback.

Time stamps of key takeaways

3:50 — Lawmatics’ approach to AI

Matt opens with Lawmatics’ broader vision for AI and why it’s critical to build automation that’s targeted and relevant. Rather than bolt-on tools, he explains, AI should live within the platform itself: aligned to real law firm workflows and transparent about how decisions are made.

14:48 — Setting up your lead scoring model

To kick off the demo, Krijn walks through how to create a qualification profile using the data already in your account. At setup, the system reviews past leads, pipelines, and forms to suggest criteria for what defines a qualified lead in each practice area. From there, QualifyAI references those firm-defined standards to recommend next steps — whether to pursue, reject, or refer a matter.

21:40 — How QualifyAI makes its recommendations

Next, Krijn shows how the tool evaluates incoming leads in real time. Each recommendation includes a confidence level and a short explanation of why — factors like case type, location, or claim details — so firms can see the reasoning before deciding how to proceed.

28:00 — Giving feedback to your AI model

Users can review QualifyAI’s recommendations, mark them as accurate or off-base, and add notes for context. That feedback feeds directly back into the system, refining future results. Krijn demonstrates how updating a single “Chase” call to “Refer Out” instantly adjusts how similar leads will be handled going forward.

40:00 — Q&A

The session wraps with questions on multi-practice support, privacy safeguards, and how QualifyAI fits into the client experience. Matt and Krijn also share a glimpse of what’s next for AI in Lawmatics, including tools designed to further enhance intake and lead management.

Webinar slide deck

Legal analytics transforms how you handle the mountains of court records, client information, and case documents competing for your attention. Instead of drowning in data, it allows you to organize it, spot trends, and work smarter.

And the numbers speak for themselves: A 2024 Lex Machina survey notes 68-70% of law firms use legal analytics, with 70% of those users citing improved litigation outcomes as the primary driver. If you're not using it yet, you're missing out on opportunities to increase your operational efficiency.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about legal analytics, from the key benefits to the challenges of its applications.

Types of Legal Analytics Measurements

Legal analytics uses large datasets to draw insights, identify patterns, and predict outcomes. Often powered by AI algorithms, analytics tools parse court records, client data, and internal firm information to make connections that would otherwise take weeks or months to do manually.

Legal analytics come in three types:

Law firm analytics is different from traditional reporting. Reporting is purely descriptive. It organizes historical data into a structured format, like a table or graph, to show what happened during a given period of time.

Legal analytics can be used to dig deeper and answer questions like why and how certain outcomes happened, and what we should do now. It does this by segmenting, comparing, visualizing, and making connections to help you act proactively, not reactively.

For example, Lawmatics data reporting might reveal that 80% of your clients come from referrals, even though you spend most of your marketing budget on social media ads. Armed with that insight, you can shift resources to prioritize referrals, potentially cutting costs and attracting more clients.

Why Legal Analytics Matters for Law Firms

Legal analytics is a strategic tool that allows law firms to do more than simply manage existing caseloads. It enables firms to foster client relationships, maximize profitability, and drive data-driven growth.

Smaller firms use analytics to evaluate client risk by predicting resource needs, time commitments, and litigation outcomes. This ensures they only take on clients they can serve well, protecting their reputation and generating steady referrals.

Larger firms use analytics to anticipate industry shifts. If data shows a surge in discrimination lawsuits, they might hire more employment law attorneys and adjust marketing to meet rising demand.

In short, legal analytics gives you a competitive edge. It allows you to stand out in a crowded market by improving case strategies, paying careful attention to clients, and adapting to the changing legal landscape.

A key part of futureproofing your law firm’s success is determining its key performance indicators (KPIs) and objectives. Check out Lawmatics goal tracking to start monitoring your internal operations.

Key Benefits of Legal Analytics

Some of the key benefits of data analytics for law firms are:

• Boosts profitability: Identifies cost-reduction opportunities, tracks productive staff, and optimizes billable hours to maximize revenue.
• Increases efficiency: Analyzes internal operations to pinpoint process bottlenecks and recommend solutions.
• Enhances client satisfaction and trust: Equips attorneys with winning strategies and strengthens client relationships, which can boost your firm's reputation.
• Reduces administrative workload: Speeds up time-consuming tasks, like e-discovery, legal research, and document drafting, by providing data-backed insights.

Lawmatics Data Reporting and Visual Analytics

Effective legal analytics requires tools that uncover trends and suggest strategies faster than manual analysis. The best platforms enhance the entire client lifecycle to support a steady flow of ideal clients.

Lawmatics offers a complete solution. Instead of static reports showing only your current status, Lawmatics provides real-time, interactive data reporting and visual analytics for deeper analysis.

With Lawmatics, you can:

• Create custom dashboards and reports to refine workflows and marketing efforts, which can allow you to focus on top lead sources and eliminate process bottlenecks.
• Track KPIs like conversion rates, lead sources, and billable hours in real time.
• Set goals, such as targets for billable hours, new clients, or utilization rates, to help scale your practice and keep staff productive.
• Monitor profitability by identifying your most profitable clients, practice areas, or matter types to optimize lead generation and billing.

Lawmatics is also a client relationship management (CRM) platform that empowers you to act on your data analysis. This enables you to adjust marketing campaigns and billing policies based on client sentiment and outcomes to improve intake and revenue.

Applications of Legal Analytics in Law Firms

You can apply law firm data analytics to virtually every aspect of your practice, including:

• Litigation strategy: Discover the best arguments for various matters, and accelerate e-discovery and research.
• Resource allocation: Dedicate more staff and time to high-profitability clients, matters, or practice areas.
• Contract analysis: Quickly review contracts for compliance risks, obligations, and opportunities for favorable terms.
• Compliance tracking: Identify regulatory obligations and risks within matters and contracts.
• Client intake optimization: Spot intake inefficiencies and potential conflicts of interest.
• Revenue forecasting: Predict settlement amounts, billable hours, and case profitability to improve client hiring and matter assignments.
• Internal performance and staffing efficiency: Automatically measure progress toward firm, department, or team goals to boost productivity and identify staffing needs.

Legal Analytics Challenges and Considerations

Legal data analytics is powerful, but it's not perfect.

AI algorithms can make mistakes or reinforce biases. Flawed historical data can perpetuate discriminatory practices.

Data quality matters. Your sources should be reputable and extensive. The more data you have, the more accurate legal analytics’ forecasts and analyses become.

But most analytics programs use your firm and client information as data sources, raising confidentiality and privacy concerns. This is especially true for cloud-based tools, which are more susceptible to data breaches.

Compliance with regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and audits like Service Organization Control (SOC 2 Type 2) are essential. The American Bar Association offers guidance on ethical AI use, including client consent and transparency standards.

Ultimately, it's best practice to use legal analytics as a tool and not a final decision-maker. 

Train your staff to cross-check results and balance data insights with professional judgment. And, choose legal analytics software trained on quality datasets with strong security protocols that protect confidential information.

How to Get Started With Legal Analytics

If you’re ready to use legal analytics to start scaling your practice, follow these steps:

1. Use your CRM data: If you have a CRM system, you already have valuable data at your fingertips. Tap into your intake, marketing, billing, and time-tracking information.
2. Invest in the right tech: Select legal analytics software, like Lawmatics custom reporting and analytics, that fits your needs and budget. Prioritize criteria like data privacy safeguards, AI transparency, regulatory compliance, and ease of use.
3. Train your staff: Teach your team to use legal analytics ethically and critically. Provide hands-on training with real-world examples.
4. Integrate and iterate: Foster a data-informed culture by encouraging daily usage, from fixing workflow inefficiencies to finding new client opportunities. Gather feedback from clients and staff; then, refine your approach.

Improve Law Firm Performance With Legal Analytics

Let’s face it: To stay competitive, legal analytics is essential. After all, most firms have already adopted it.

If you haven't embraced this technology yet, now's the time. Lawmatics aims to unite reporting, analytics, and tactical implementation in one platform. Its custom reporting and visual analytics monitor your firm's trends and provide CRM tools to help your firm turn insights into action.

Ready to make smarter, data-driven decisions? Explore Lawmatics legal analytics with a tailored demo.

Frequently Asked Questions About Legal Analytics

How do law firms use legal analytics?

Law firms use legal analytics in multiple ways: developing marketing strategies, streamlining legal research, and predicting case outcomes. The goal is to improve a firm’s productivity and profitability.

What are the benefits of legal analytics?

Key benefits include:

• Improved client attraction and retention.
• Increased revenue from smarter billing and hiring practices.
• Enhanced reputation from favorable case outcomes.
• Greater process efficiency through faster legal research and drafting.

How does Lawmatics provide legal analytics?

Lawmatics offers holistic legal analytics to track metrics like conversion rates, cost per lead, and task completion rates.

Its custom dashboards, reporting, and visual analytics also provide granular insights into revenue, time-tracking, and client intake. This information can help you better allocate resources, improve process efficiency, and meet growth goals.

What is the best legal analytics software?

The best legal analytics software depends on what’s most important to you.

Generally, look for customizable, comprehensive platforms like Lawmatics that integrate with existing tools (case management, accounting, productivity software). These programs foster seamless data flow to enable faster, data-informed decisions.

Can small law firms use legal analytics?

Absolutely! While larger datasets improve accuracy, small firms can use legal analytics to enhance client service by identifying trends in intake, marketing campaigns, and billing.

Just remember to combine data analysis with human judgment, especially with predictive tools that are less precise with limited data.

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About the session

Behind every great client experience is a system quietly keeping things on track. The newest automation updates in Lawmatics build on that foundation, making it even easier to build and manage their automated workflows.

In this session, Devon Butler and Clare Struzzi walk step-by-step through what’s new. They cover trigger-based automations, appointment workflows, shared entry rules, and a simple way to organize everything in folders. Together, these improvements give firms even more control, flexibility, and time back in their day.

Webinar slide deck

Booking a consultation might seem like a small step in the client journey, but it’s often where momentum is either gained or lost. When scheduling feels smooth, clear, and personalized, it sets the tone for everything that follows.

This month’s Deep Dive webinar focused on how to use Lawmatics to streamline scheduling, reminders, payments, and event registrations. Hosted by Product Manager Devon Butler and Clare Struzzi, manager of the account management team at Lawmatics, the session covers everything from customizing availability to collecting payments through booking forms.

Time stamps of key takeaways

8:19 – Appointment scheduling options

Devon walks through how to set up your calendar, including working hours, buffer times, and rolling booking windows. She also explains the difference between general availability and appointment-specific settings. Clare clarifies how two-way sync works and when to use appointment-type-specific rules to better control your calendar.

21:51– Using appointments with forms

This section focuses on how clients book appointments through forms. Devon shows how to embed booking blocks in custom forms, with options like selecting hosts, adding additional attendees, and applying conditional logic. Clare shares examples of firms using location- or attorney-based fields to dynamically display the right booking options.

33:20 – Setting up confirmations and reminders

Next, Devon and Clare show how to create personalized confirmations and reminders using appointment-specific emails or texts. They walk through how to assign emails based on appointment type, location, or practice area, and explain when to use general messages vs. detailed ones with merged info like Zoom links or physical addresses. They also break down the differences between confirmation and reminder timing.

40:25 – Collecting payments for appointments

Devon demonstrates how to add payment fields to forms using LMPay, including setting fixed fees and applying conditional logic based on form answers. Clare explains common use cases, like toggling payment fields based on consultation type or practice area. This lets firms collect fees at the time of booking and avoid chasing payments later.

46:23 – Building and managing events from within Lawmatics

Webinar slide deck

Devon explains how to create and manage group events, like webinars or workshops, directly in Lawmatics. She walks through setting up event types, adding registrants manually or through forms, applying registration caps, and using automations and tags to track registrants or trigger follow-ups.