View source for Law practice management software

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'''Law practice management software''' is [[software]] designed to manage a [[Law Practice|law firm]]'s case and client records, [[Bill (payment)|bill]]ing and [[bookkeeping]], schedules and appointments, deadlines, computer files and to facilitate any [[compliance (regulation)|compliance]] requirements such as with document retention policies, courts' electronic filing systems and, in the UK, the [[Legal cashier#Solicitors.27 Accounts Rules|Solicitors' Accounts Rules]] as defined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

==Purpose==
Because [[law school]]s do not generally teach new [[Lawyer|attorneys]] the business skills to run a law office, many offices have turned to technology to ease the learning curve and reduce clerical errors. The [[American Bar Association]] (ABA) has found that calendar and deadline related mistakes account for most [[legal malpractice]] claims. Therefore, an initial investment in software tools can yield long-term savings in defending against such claims.<ref name="Law.com">National Law Journal (April 18, 2005) - [http://www.law.com/jsp/law/sfb/lawArticleSFB.jsp?id=1113555910154 "How Small Firms Can ward Off Malpractice Suits"]</ref> In fact, the ABA has an entire section devoted entirely to law office management, of which software and related programs are an increasingly important part of its mission delivery. Many state bar associations also provide assistance<ref name="abanet.org">[http://www.abanet.org/tech/ltrc/charts/PracticeCaseManagement-TimeBilling-IntegratedSoftwareChart.pdf Practice Management Software Comparison Chart from the ABA]</ref> and discounts to their members for such software.<ref name="njsba">[http://www.njsba.com/NJSBAstatic/law_office_manage/dsp_software.cfm New Jersey State Bar Association official web site] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070726020851/http://www.njsba.com/NJSBAstatic/law_office_manage/dsp_software.cfm |date=2007-07-26 }}</ref> The main purpose of these programs is to allow a [[law firm]] to run more smoothly.<ref name="Law Office Management Software">Amy Hall, [http://www.articleinsider.com/article/170842 ''Law Office Management Software''], retrieved from ''Article Insider''</ref>

Case Management Software, used properly, improves efficiency, provides for conflict checking, and enables a law office to not have to search for the physical file each time a client calls with questions, thereby helping to reduce the need for callbacks since the client can get answers on an as needed basis at the time of their inquiry. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lawfirmpracticemanagementadvice.com/2016/02/14/cloud-based-practice-management-software/|title=Cloud-Based Practice Management Software &#124; Law Firm Management|date=14 February 2016}}</ref>

==Types of software==
Software applications have become increasingly important in modern law practice. Picking the best software for a law office depends on many variables. Attorneys/Solicitors often buy their software based on their practice area. The New Jersey State Bar Association web site<ref name="njsba"/> lists a variety of applications by substantive law (Bankruptcy, Collections, Estate planning and administration, and Real estate) as well as by practice matter (Calendar/Schedule/Docket Control, Case & Practice Management, Document Assembly, and Document Management).

Regardless of the type of law practiced, practice management software (a form of [[Customer relationship management]] software) is among the most important. Features of practice management software include:
* Case management [[Database|(databases]], checking [[Conflict of interest|conflicts of interest]] and [[Statute of limitations|statutes of limitations]])
* [[Time tracking]] (for billing)
* [[Document assembly]]
* [[Contact management]]
* Calendaring
* Docket management
* Client communication<ref name="abanet.org"/> 
* [[Contract management|Contract Management]] 
* Court Case Status Tracker

Other software systems that are useful for law firms include: [[Password]] security, [[Disk encryption]], [[Mindmapping]], desktop notes, [[word processing]], and [[email management]]. Some firms use modified versions of [[Open-source software|Open source]] software.<ref name="Law Office Management Software"/>

Most law firms also subscribe to a [[Computer-assisted legal research]] database for [[Legal research]]. Such databases provide [[Case law]] from [[Law report|case reporters]], and often other legal resources. The two largest legal databases are [[Westlaw]] (part of [[West (publisher)|West]], which is owned by [[Thomson Reuters]]) and [[LexisNexis]], but other databases also exist, including the free [[Google Scholar]], and the newer [[Bloomberg Law]], as well as [[Loislaw]] (operated by [[Wolters Kluwer]]) and several smaller databases. Some [[bar association]]s and lawyers' organizations have their own software.

==See also==
* [[Paralegal]]
* [[Integrated Electronic Litigation System|iELS]]
* [[Advanced case management]]

==References==
{{Commons|Legal Practice Management Software}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[[New York State Bar Association]] [http://www.nysba.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Law_Practice_Management_Resources&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=43&ContentID=34261 law practice management web site]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070704123319/http://www.wisbar.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Law_Practice_Management&Template=%2FTaggedPage%2FTaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=58&ContentID=34979 State Bar of Wisconsin official web site]
*[http://www.lssa.co.uk Legal Software Suppliers Association official web site]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101227220549/http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/documents/downloads/softwaresolutionsguide2009.pdf Law Society of England and Wales Software Solutions Guide]
*[http://www.washlaw.edu/legalsoftware/ Washburn University School of Law - Legal Software]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Law Practice Management Software}}
[[Category:Legal software]]
[[Category:Application software]]
[[Category:Legal communication|Software]]