CRM is a great tool for managing your pipeline, convert new clients & retain the old ones. In this guide, we overview 7 best CRM for lawyers and law firms.
Share in
Here at dNOVO, we don’t claim to be fortune tellers, but we’re fairly certain you’re knee-deep in legal documents, juggling multiple cases, and managing a mix of existing and potential clients.
Navigating the client intake process for new clients, contact management, lead management, and appointment scheduling can be overwhelming. You’re not alone in this struggle; research indicates that a staggering 74% of small law firms feel burdened by administrative tasks. This is particularly concerning for smaller law firms that are already stretched thin.
The time you spend on administrative tasks is likely to increase, especially if you’re using a hodgepodge of programs for client data and legal documents. What happens when you’re ready to invoice but find yourself losing track of billable hours amidst a sea of disorganized files?
You need a more streamlined, accessible solution to maintain legal compliance and efficient operations. This is where a dedicated CRM for law firms comes into play. New all-in-one solution law firm CRM systems are entering the CRM market, offering an end-to-end solution that can serve up to three users in their free version.
The best law firm CRM software can offer an all-in-one solution that revolutionizes your legal practice. It can help you:
Many small to medium law firms are still hesitant to dive into the CRM fray. Don’t be among the 21.6% of professional services organizations that are missing out on the benefits of CRM systems, such as automated workflows, virtual phone lines, and document templates. These key features are essential for retaining clients and attracting more business and managing prospective clients through lead management.
By adopting a CRM system like Zoho CRM, you’re not just investing in a tool but in a strategy that will help your law firm grow. Whether it’s Zoho CRM or any other platform that fits your needs, the right CRM can be a game-changer for your practice.
A CRM (Client Relationship Management) for lawyers is a specialized software designed to streamline the manage for your legal practice. It serves as a centralized database that integrates various aspects like communication channels, scheduling tools, financial data, and real-time updates. While CRM traditionally stands for “Customer Relationship Management,” in the legal sector, it’s often referred to as a “Client Relationship Management” tool. Both terminologies aim to describe a platform that is indispensable for the success of modern law firm marketing efforts.
Statistics reveal that up to 60% of law firms fail to respond to emails, thereby losing potential clients. A shocking 26% of all law firms don’t even bother with lead management. This lack of client relationship management is a significant gap in the sales process of many law practices.
Time management is another concern. If you find yourself “writing down” billable hours to meet client expectations, you’re likely not accounting for the time spent on administrative tasks like data entry. This is where a CRM system with features like automated workflows and revenue tracking can be a game-changer.
Moreover, the risk of human error is ever-present in legal practice. Studies indicate that document errors and missed deadlines are leading causes of malpractice claims. A CRM system can mitigate these risks by automating many aspects of your practice, from document management to deadline reminders.
Moreover, law firms already spend minimal time working on cases:
One of the key features of the new law firm CRM software is the centralization of all client and case data. This single access point makes it easier to manage information compared to using multiple programs and physical documents. It’s particularly beneficial for smaller law firms that may not have extensive administrative support.
CRM systems come with automated workflows that keep every team member updated in real-time. Whether your law firm is traditional, hybrid, or fully remote, features like virtual phone lines and mobile capabilities ensure that everyone is on the same page. This alignment is crucial for retaining clients and securing repeat business.
The time you spend searching for client data or legal documents often goes unbilled. CRM systems consolidate various tools into a single platform, significantly cutting down administrative time. This allows you to focus more on client relationship management and less on mundane tasks.
The legal industry is notorious for being paper-dependent. However, transitioning to a digital format through a CRM can result in substantial cost savings. For instance, European studies suggest that going fully digital can save up to $500,000 each year annually.
Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful legal practice. CRM systems consolidate all forms of communication, whether it’s emails, phone calls, or in-person meetings, ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks. This is crucial for both existing clients and prospective clients.
One often-overlooked benefit of a CRM is its analytics capabilities. From tracking the source of your leads to understanding team performance, the data collected can offer valuable insights. These analytics can inform your marketing strategy, helping you acquire more clients.
By focusing on a CRM system tailored to the legal industry, you can enjoy more customization, specific tracking features, and easy integration with existing legal software. Whether you’re a small law firm or a growing practice, adopting a CRM is not just a smart move; it’s a necessity for your law firm grows.
CRMs also help you track where leads come from and how they perform once “in the funnel.”
For example:
Not all legal CRM systems are created equal, particularly when it comes to meeting the specific needs of law firms. To make an informed decision, it’s crucial to prioritize certain key features in your legal CRM software.
| Feature | How a CRM helps you |
| Automated lead intake | Saves you time by entering new client data from scratch and integrates directly into online forms and emails, meaning leads “land” ready to track and warm up |
| Automated marketing | Delegates emails, SMS, and push notifications; pulls data from online media and creates prospect profiles to target |
| Scalable features and costs | Provides flexible features based on your firm’s size, needs, and available budget – can be scaled up or down in cost and feature richness if required |
| Advanced security | Protects all your sensitive and confidential information – adds additional login requirements, encryption and multi-factor authentication to prevent outside parties from accessing data |
| Training support and responsive customer support | Eases you into your new software with helpful guides and ticket/phone support |
| Software integrations | Helps you pool all your third-party data into one place – for example, existing spreadsheets, email flows, calendar syncing, and client contact details |
| Analytics and reporting | Gives you an oversight of team performance, billable hours per case, lead generation statistics, and potential niching |
| Case and client tracking | Categorizes clients and cases into simple, accessible channels that are easy to find and manage |
| Document management | Stores and retains paper documents as permanent digital files, either in-house or in the cloud |
| Ease of use and training | Allows multiple staff to train quickly from one clear set of instructions, with intuitive interfaces and customer care available |
| Mobile apps and functionality | Provides remote and hybrid workers with the ability to manage client accounts and cases from afar |
Now that you’re well-versed in the essential features, let’s delve into some of the best CRM solutions available for law firms.
| CRM | Most valuable features | Pricing from* |
| Clio | Premium security features, email automation, cloud functions, and storage | $39 USD per user per month |
| Law Ruler | Simple client intake and sign-up system, built-in dialer, extensive automation | $57 USD per user per month (with a minimum of three users) |
| Lawmatics | Intuitive intake process automation, email marketing hub, open API software integration | $83 USD per user per month (with a minimum of three users) |
| Captorra | Built specifically for personal injury (PI) firms, end client portal, extensive sort and filter functions | Quotable on contact |
| InterAction | Business development suite, highly intuitive and feature-rich, scalable mobile features | Quotable on contact |
| CASEpeer | Exclusive personal injury features and extensive reporting tools, ideal for large intakes | $69 USD per user per month |
| LawGro | Automated billable hour tracking with AI that integrates with multiple third-party apps and has multiple versions and packages | $29 USD per user per month |
*Pricing accurate as of October 2023
By considering these options and their respective features, you can make a more informed decision when choosing a CRM system that best suits the unique needs of your law firm.
What is Clio?
Clio is a CRM system specifically designed for law firms, doubling as legal case management software.
Unique Features
What sets Clio apart is its ease of customization across various legal specialties.
Functionality
Clio is rich in automation features, including time recording, online forms for automated, online intake forms, e-signature capabilities, and billable hour tracking. It operates in the cloud and offers industry-leading security measures.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
Pricing starts from $39 USD or $53.10 CAD per user per month.
Pricing and conversion rate accurate as of October 2023
What is Law Ruler?
Law Ruler is a veteran in the field of law-specific CRMs, with a primary focus on client intake.
Unique Features
It is renowned for its automation capabilities and exceptional customer care.
Functionality
Law Ruler offers a user-friendly dashboard with a built-in dialer. It allows for automated lead intake through personalized maps and custom fields. The CRM tool also offers various customization options depending on your legal practice.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
Pricing starts from $57 USD or $77.61 CAD per user per month, based on a minimum of three users.
Pricing and conversion rate accurate as of October 2023
What is Lawmatics?
Lawmatics positions itself as the only legal CRM solution offering complete client intake software and automated marketing tools specifically for law firms.
Unique Features
It stands out for its extensive customization options, app flexibility, and easy-to-set-up client intake form templates.
Functionality
Lawmatics offers a range of features including file digitization, automated intake, smart scheduling, and two-way SMS. It is designed with user accessibility in mind and is highly rated for its regular updates and responsiveness to feedback.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
Pricing starts from $83 USD or $113.01 CAD per user per month, based on a minimum of three users.
Pricing and conversion rate accurate as of October 2023
What is Captorra?
Captorra is a specialized CRM and legal intake system designed primarily for personal injury law firms. It offers workflow management, task automation, and document handling features tailored to this niche.
Unique Features
Captorra excels in contact and lead management, document tracking, custom client portals, e-signature integration, and marketing analytics.
Functionality
The CRM aims to provide personal injury lawyers with a comprehensive overview of their firm and potential clients.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
Pricing is available upon request.
What is InterAction?
InterAction is a CRM solution tailored for large and midsize law firms, focusing on leveraging data for client retention and business development.
Unique Features
The CRM stands out for its extensive business development features and capabilities.
Functionality
InterAction offers a pipeline management-style overview of legal intake, tracking prospective clients from cold leads to paying customers. It aggregates data from both existing and potential clients, eliminating the need for multiple software suites.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
Pricing is available upon request.
What is CASEpeer?
Like Captorra, CASEpeer is a CRM designed exclusively for personal injury law firms. It focuses on intake management and on data entry and reporting.
Unique Features
CASEpeer is a cloud-based solution that streamlines case management from start to finish, offering specialized tools for personal injury law firms.
Functionality
The CRM aims to simplify intake and client relationship management workflows with a turnkey approach, meaning it’s ready to use right out of the box. It offers treatment tracking, expense monitoring, and several reporting tools.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
Pricing starts from $69 USD or $93.95 CAD per user per month.
Pricing and conversion rate accurate as of October 2023
What is LawGro / MagicTime?
LawGro and its MagicTime system stand out in the law firm CRM landscape by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to assist lawyers in daily administration and secure document management.
Unique Features
The platform stands out for its AI-driven capabilities, which help in reducing administrative tasks and enhancing secure digital document management.
Functionality
MagicTime by LawGro automates billable hour tracking through app integration. The free version offers extensive customization options, document autofill features, and seamless integration with various programs like Clio, Rocket Matter, FastCase, and Office 365.
Pros and Cons
Pricing
Pricing starts from $29 USD or $39.48 CAD per user per month.
Pricing and conversion rate accurate as of October 2023
Approximately crm for law firms: 78% of lawyers utilize CRM software tools to manage and organize their client relationships and cases. This number is on the rise as law firms aim to reduce administrative time and increase billable hours.
While not mandatory, CRMs can significantly benefit law firms, especially smaller ones that spend only about 60% of their time on cases. CRM tools can help reclaim a substantial part of the remaining 40%.
Some law firms may avoid CRMs due to budget constraints, alternative priorities, or a perceived lack of need for legal services. However, with the increasing availability of law-specific CRMs with flexible pricing, these excuses are becoming less valid in the legal industry.
There’s no specific “right time” to adopt a CRM tool. However, if administrative tasks are consuming a significant portion of your time, or you need help managing new clients, it’s likely time to consider a CRM solution.
If you work with “covered entities” in the healthcare sector, your CRM must be HIPAA compliant. This includes health plans, clearinghouses, and care providers. If you have access to “protected health information” (PHI), a HIPAA-compliant CRM like PracticePanther should be considered.
By addressing these FAQs, law firms can better understand why a CRM could be a crucial addition to their practice, helping them manage clients more effectively and streamline administrative tasks.
The interest in CRMs among lawyers is on an upward trajectory, parallel to the growing needs of clients. As law firms expand and client bases diversify, the demand for clarity, marketing analysis, client management, and administrative support also increases.
If your law firm has a stunning website, employs marketing automation, and optimizes for SEO, a CRM can provide all the data and insights needed to elevate your practice to the next level.
Selecting the right CRM can offer numerous benefits, including:
It’s crucial not to rush into choosing just any one CRM for law firms. There are numerous options specifically tailored for lawyers, and we’ve highlighted the best ones in this guide.
Moreover, dNOVO can help you get started and set you up once you’ve chosen one.
Before you download anything, however, ensure to arm yourself with our complete guide to law firm lead generation.
Before you proceed with downloading any CRM software, it’s advisable to equip yourself with comprehensive resources like our complete guide to the best law firm CRMs to lead generation. This will provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to make an informed decision and maximize the benefits of your chosen law firm CRM move.
By carefully selecting a CRM that aligns with your law firm’s needs and objectives, you can significantly transform your practice, making it more efficient, client-centric, and profitable.
We were able to redesign the website and increase lead flow
As a lawyer, how do you measure success? You know you’re an expert and you’re great at winning cases, but how do you know you’re hitting targets, making a profit, and providing the best possible service to your clients? Going data-driven is a great way to help your law firm or in-house legal department identify […]
Learn moreLearn all you need to know about building a landing page for attorneys and law firms.
Learn moreCheck out our guide on starting attorney podcast and top 13 legal podcasts to learn from.
Learn more
416 912 1101