Law Technology

Mac Practice Management: A Short/Quick Answer

By Ross

The question of what to look for in Mac practice management systems came up on the ABA Solosez listserve the other day. Several have asked me for my short response, so here it it. Let me first say that while some will suggest general purpose PIMs like Daylite, I’m a strong believer that the best practice management system is an actual, purpose-built, legal-focused fully integrated (case info management, docketing, billing/bookkeeping) system.

Your legal-focused options are:

• Mac OS X-based: look at Lawstream (solid, established - ask for Bill Pope - a very nice guy)
• Windows on a Mac: anything (subject to my must read cautionary points about getting software tech support - if you do this, then Parallels 4 and its jaw-dropping “Coherence Mode” are the way to go)
• SaaS products: RocketMatter.com (talk to Larry Port - knows his stuff), CLIO (Jack Newton’s your man - enthusiastic and a great guy), VLOtech (Stephanie Kimbro’s your contact - a real pioneer) (subject to my own concerns about lack of any offline accessibility, with lots more discussion of that particular issue to be found in the Solosez achives at www.solosez.net (search for “SaaS” and “offline”)

LOTS of options. Best advice? Find an independent consultant (in other words, not the software publisher and not “consultants” who are really just product resellers and not objective) who can help you weigh the pros and cons relative to YOUR specific practice.

P.S. (While I don’t often use this forum to self-promote, this is exactly what MicroLaw has been doing and helping practices with for almost 24 years - we may not be the right folks for everyone, but we know our stuff cold and we’re really nice/fun people to work with!)

Full post as published by Ross Ipsa Loquitur on March 27, 2009 (boomark / email).