Lawyers have to juggle a lot of responsibilities on a daily basis. From managing cases to meeting with clients to drafting legal documents, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
However, with the right productivity tools, lawyers can streamline their workflow and work more efficiently. In this blog post, we will be discussing the top 10 productivity tools that can help lawyers optimize their time and resources.
Whether you’re a solo practitioner or part of a large law firm, these tools can help you manage your workload, improve your productivity, and ultimately deliver better results for your clients. So, if you’re looking for the best tools to help you stay organized and focused, keep reading!
This is a list of selected apps for lawyers:
2. Clio
3. Evernote
4. Dropbox
5. Trello
6. Grammarly
8. Zoom
9. Westlaw
Time Analytics
Effortlessly track attorneys time and enhance productivity.
Features
With this app, lawyers increase efficiency and profitability by managing your billable and non-billable hours, employee productivity, and time consumption per work activity.
Time Analytics offers a stress-free way to keep track of hours and costs by providing features such as automated cost allocation, set billing and pay rates, and efficient management of all time entries.
With this tool, lawyers can easily track time across projects with just one click, analyze project profitability, and generate insightful reports to identify missing profits and track billing efficiency. This will eliminate the need for micro-management and admin time, allowing employees to focus on growing your business and adjusting client fees and contractual terms fairly.
Time Analytics enables teams to manage both billable and non-billable work, review employee time utilization, track overtime and unused time, and eliminate unproductive behavior. This will improve the usage of team resources and ensure that your employees are always working at their best capacity.
Pricing
Get started with a 14-day free trial for all plans with no credit card required. Choose between monthly or annual pricing plans and save 25% with the annual plan.
Starter plan
The Starter plan starts at $4.99 per user per month and offers time tracking, timesheets, utilization tracking, cost allocation, billing and pay rates, and more. Additionally, it includes unlimited users, clients, and projects, as well as a performance dashboard and mobile app support for Android and iOS.
Optimum plan
Optimize your company’s profitability with Optimum, starting at $6.99 per user per month. This plan includes all Starter features, as well as invoicing capabilities, revenue, and profit reporting, email reminders, and customized onboarding. Increase transparency and accuracy when working with clients, and improve your overall profitability across projects and clients.
Clio
A cloud-based practice management tool that helps lawyers manage their clients, cases, and billing.
Source: Clio website
Features
The software provides a wide range of features, including time tracking, billing, client management, document management, and more. Here are a few ways in which Clio can improve lawyer efficiency and productivity:
Streamlining Daily Tasks
Clio allows lawyers to automate many of their daily tasks, such as time tracking, billing, and document management. This automation saves lawyers a significant amount of time and allows them to focus on more important tasks.
Improved Communication
Clio’s communication tools allow lawyers to easily communicate with clients and colleagues, without the need for email or phone calls. This improves communication efficiency and reduces the time needed to manage client communications.
Access from Anywhere
Clio is a cloud-based platform, which means that lawyers can access their practice management tools from anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility allows lawyers to work from home, while traveling, or from multiple office locations.
Increased Accuracy
By automating many of their daily tasks, lawyers can reduce the risk of errors and improve the accuracy of their work. This can help to improve overall productivity and reduce the time spent on correcting mistakes.
Pricing
Clio offers four payment plans:
- EasyStart: $39/user/month, focused on time tracking and invoicing.
- Essentials: $69/user/month, includes case management, document management, and more.
- Advanced: $99/user/month, offers increased task detail, insights on case profitability and billing, unlimited e-signatures, and live onboarding sessions.
- Complete: $129/user/month, includes all features and add-ons for running a law firm in the cloud.
Evernote
A note-taking app that allows lawyers to organize their notes, documents, and research in a searchable and accessible way.
Source: Evernote website
Features
Evernote is a popular note-taking and organization app that can improve lawyer efficiency and productivity in a number of ways. Here are a few ways in which Evernote can benefit lawyers:
Note-Taking
Evernote allows lawyers to easily take and organize notes on cases, research, and meetings. Notes can include text, images, and even audio recordings, making it a versatile tool for capturing information.
Document Management
Evernote can be used to store and organize documents related to cases, such as pleadings, discovery documents, and client files. Lawyers can easily tag and categorize documents, making it easy to find and retrieve them later.
Collaboration
Evernote allows lawyers to share notes and documents with colleagues and clients, making it easy to collaborate on cases. Users can set permissions to control who can view and edit notes, ensuring confidentiality is maintained.
To-Do Lists
Lawyers can use Evernote to create to-do lists and reminders, ensuring that important tasks are not forgotten. This feature can be particularly useful for managing deadlines and scheduling tasks.
Mobile App
Evernote’s mobile app allows lawyers to access their notes and documents on-the-go, making it easy to stay organized and productive even when away from the office.
Pricing
- FREE plan (Take great notes, Sync up to 2 devices, 60 MB monthly uploads, 25 MB max. note size, Get organized with Home dashboard and 3 widgets)
- PERSONAL plan: €8.33 / MONTH (Sync unlimited devices, 10 GB monthly uploads, 200 MB max. note size, Customize Home dashboard and access extra widgets, Connect primary Google Calendar account
- PROFESSIONAL plan: €10.83 / MONTH (Save 2x more content with 20 GB monthly uploads, Access to all widgets and customization for Home, Connect both personal and workplace Google Calendar accounts, Create, manage, and assign tasks to others, and easily track their progress)
Dropbox
A cloud storage solution that allows lawyers to securely store and share files with clients and colleagues.
Source: Dropbox website
Features
File Sharing
Dropbox allows lawyers to easily share files with colleagues and clients, even if they are located in different offices or cities. This can improve collaboration and reduce the need for email attachments or physical file transfers.
Document Management
Dropbox can be used to store and organize documents related to cases, such as pleadings, discovery documents, and client files. Lawyers can easily share and collaborate on documents, and Dropbox’s version control features help ensure that everyone is working on the latest version.
Access from Anywhere
Dropbox is a cloud-based platform, which means that lawyers can access their files and documents from anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility allows lawyers to work from home, while traveling, or from multiple office locations.
Automatic Backups
Dropbox automatically backs up files and documents, which can help to prevent data loss in the event of a computer crash or other disaster. This feature can give lawyers peace of mind knowing that their important documents are safe and secure.
Integration with Other Apps
Dropbox integrates with a variety of other apps, such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat, making it easy to work with files and documents across different platforms.
Pricing
Dropbox offers three pricing plans: Plus, Family, and Professional.
- Plus: $9.99/month, includes 2 TB of storage, unlimited device linking, 30-day file and account history, and 3 free eSignatures per month.
- Family: $16.99/month, includes everything in Plus and provides individual accounts for up to 6 people, access to Family Room folder for each group sharing and coordination, and a single bill for the whole family.
- Professional: $16.58/month, offers 3 TB of storage for freelancers and includes all features of Plus, with additional tools for collaboration, such as advanced sharing controls, viewer history, and priority chat support.
Trello
A project management tool that enables lawyers to manage their to-do lists, deadlines, and priorities in a visual and collaborative way.
Source: Trello website
Features
Task Management
Trello allows lawyers to create task lists and assign tasks to specific team members. This can help lawyers stay organized and ensure that tasks are completed on time.
Workflow Visualization
Trello’s visual interface allows lawyers to easily see the status of tasks and projects, and to identify bottlenecks or areas where work is piling up. This can help lawyers to better manage their time and resources.
Collaboration
Trello allows lawyers to collaborate with colleagues and clients on tasks and projects, making it easy to share information and updates. Users can set permissions to control who can view and edit tasks, ensuring confidentiality is maintained.
Deadline Tracking
Trello’s deadline tracking feature helps lawyers to keep track of important dates and deadlines, ensuring that tasks are completed on time.
Pricing
- FREE – Free for your whole team (For individuals or teams looking to organize any project)
- STANDARD – $5USD per user/month if billed annually ($6 billed monthly). For small teams that need to manage work and scale collaboration.
- PREMIUM – $10USD per user/month if billed annually ($12.50 billed monthly). For teams that need to track and visualize multiple projects in several ways, including boards, timelines, calendars, etc.
- ENTERPRISE – $17.50USD per user/month – billed annually ($210.00 annual price per user). For organizations that need to connect work across teams with more security and controls.
Grammarly
A writing assistant that helps lawyers improve the clarity, tone, and correctness of their writing.
Source: Grammarly website
Features
Writing Assistance
Grammarly can help lawyers to improve their writing by providing suggestions for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and style. This can help lawyers to write more clearly and effectively, and to communicate their ideas more persuasively.
Time-Saving
Grammarly can save lawyers time by automatically correcting errors and suggesting improvements as they write. This can reduce the need for manual proofreading and editing, and can help lawyers to produce higher quality documents more quickly.
Consistency
Grammarly can help lawyers to maintain consistency in their writing by identifying and correcting inconsistencies in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. This can help to ensure that documents are professional and polished.
Confidence
Grammarly can help lawyers to feel more confident in their writing by providing feedback and suggestions for improvement. This can help lawyers to write more effectively and to communicate their ideas more clearly.
Pricing
- Free – Basic writing suggestions and tone detection.
- Premium – Starting at $12.00 USD/month
- Business – Starting at $15.00 USD/member/month
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Source: Dragon Naturally Speaking website
A speech recognition software that allows lawyers to dictate their documents and emails, improving their typing speed and accuracy.
Features
Voice Recognition
Dragon NaturallySpeaking uses advanced voice recognition technology to transcribe spoken words into text. This can be a major time-saver for lawyers who need to create written documents, such as briefs, memos, or emails.
Custom Vocabulary
Lawyers can create custom vocabularies in Dragon NaturallySpeaking that include legal terms, names of clients, and other relevant terms. This can help to improve the accuracy of transcriptions and reduce the need for manual corrections.
Navigation Commands
Dragon NaturallySpeaking includes a variety of navigation commands that allow users to navigate within a document or on a webpage using voice commands. This can be particularly useful for lawyers who need to quickly locate specific information within a large document or online resource.
Pricing
Pricing is customized.
Zoom
A video conferencing tool that allows lawyers to conduct virtual meetings, depositions, and court appearances.
Source: Zoom website
Features
Remote Communication
Zoom allows lawyers to communicate with clients and colleagues remotely, eliminating the need for in-person meetings. This can save time and reduce travel costs, allowing lawyers to be more productive and efficient.
Screen Sharing
Zoom includes a screen sharing feature that allows users to share their computer screens with others during a video conference. This can be particularly useful for lawyers who need to present information or documents to clients or colleagues.
Recording
Zoom allows users to record video conferences, which can be useful for lawyers who need to review information discussed during a meeting or share information with others who were unable to attend the original meeting.
Breakout Rooms
Zoom includes a breakout room feature that allows users to create smaller, private meetings within a larger video conference. This can be useful for lawyers who need to have private conversations with clients or colleagues without disrupting the larger meeting.
Integrations
Zoom integrates with a variety of other software programs commonly used by lawyers, including Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendar. This can make it easier for lawyers to integrate Zoom into their existing workflows and maximize productivity.
Pricing
- Free plan – up to 40 mins per meeting
- Pro € 139.90 /year/user
- Business: € 189.90 /year/user
Westlaw
A legal research platform that provides lawyers with access to legal documents, cases, and statutes, allowing them to conduct thorough and efficient legal research.
Source: Westlaw website
Features
Here are a few key features of Westlaw that can be particularly useful for lawyers looking to improve productivity:
Advanced Search
Westlaw’s advanced search function allows users to search for legal materials using a variety of filters, including jurisdiction, date range, and document type. This can save time and help lawyers find the information they need more quickly and easily.
KeyCite
Westlaw’s KeyCite feature allows users to check the status of a case or statute, including any subsequent case law or legislative changes. This can help lawyers ensure that the information they are relying on is up-to-date and accurate.
Foldering and Tagging
Westlaw allows users to save and organize search results by creating folders and adding tags. This can help lawyers keep track of relevant materials and easily access them in the future.
Alerts
Westlaw’s alert feature allows users to set up notifications for new case law, regulations, or other legal materials that meet specific search criteria. This can help lawyers stay up-to-date on developments in their practice areas without having to constantly monitor legal publications.
Pricing
Westlaw offers three pricing plans: Precision, Edge, and Classic. These plans are designed to meet the needs of legal professionals and provide access to a vast database of legal materials. There is no standardized prices, you may ask them for an offer.
Final Thoughts
The right productivity tools can make a significant difference in a lawyer’s workday. From practice management tools to note-taking apps, time tracking, cloud storage solutions to project management software, these tools can help lawyers stay organized, improve their productivity, and ultimately deliver better results for their clients.
While there are many productivity tools available, the 10 tools we have reviewed in this article are among the best in their respective categories.
We recommend that lawyers evaluate their workflow and identify the areas where productivity tools can make the most impact.
Bojan Radojičić
Bojan Radojicic, Master Degree in Economics, is a financial performance consultant with more than 15 years of experience. He is responsible for adding value services based on innovative solutions.
