Recently, I have had many calls and emails from other lawyers asking how we set up our IT systems. It’s true that our current hardware, software, VOIP phones and web site enable us to practice very efficiently and also remotely.
What is also true is that it was expensive and time consuming to set up. The costs of the hardware, software, consulting fees and time spent building our IT infrastructure were significant. The fact that I am also married to a highly technical electrical engineer whose hobby it is to keep our systems running is also something people should know. This is not an endeavour every solo or small firm lawyer should necessarily jump in and do.
If I was just starting out, I would seriously consider using a web-based SaaS application like Clio. Clio can be accessed from Macs, PCs and iPhones. It provides matter management, time tracking, billing, contact and document management, task scheduling and trust accounting. Clio is priced by monthly subscription. Pricing is US$49/month for lawyers and $25/month per support staff member. This cost includes all technical support, maintenance and upgrades.
Yes, it won’t be as customizable as our system is. That said, the set up time is minimal and the price is pretty amazing. In contrast, costs to build our systems approach 6 figures. Particularly in this economic environment, I think it’s worth a serious look.