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These days, there are countless law practice management software options available. You’ll find many established, premise-based case management systems, alongside numerous newer, cloud-based platforms.
Choosing the right case management software can feel overwhelming because many options look very similar and lack clear, unique features.
At Berry Virtual, we’ve worked with hundreds of law firms across North America for over a decade, learning how law firms operate and how they choose software. Through this experience, one solution clearly stands out from the rest.
That solution is Clio Manage.
What is Law Practice Management?
Law Practice Management (LPM) software is a platform that, to varying degrees, manages each aspect of your law firm. The scope, features and capabilities of any given Law Practice Management application varies from product to product.
Some products provide basic timekeeping and billing, and can also help track non billable time, allowing firms to capture and categorize all activities for better productivity and profitability. Others provide a broader array of functions, including matter management, form/document assembly, calendaring, trust accounting, and more.
Overview of Clio Manage
If you own or manage a law firm, you’ve almost certainly heard of Clio. And you may have evaluated it at one point to run your law practice. Clio Manage may have the largest market share of cloud-based legal practice management products, and there’s a reason for that.
Clio Manage, in our view, has struck a near-perfect balance of simplicity, with modern design sensibilities that make using their software approachable and useful and robustness, with the tools and features that law firms need to manage their practice effectively.
Sidebar: Extend Clio Manage, Complete Your Law Office in the Cloud
Clio Manage lives at the center of your practice. But it’s one piece of an overarching technology platform for your law firm.
Practice Next is a suite of essential practice management and cloud services for your law firm, and includes:
- Clio Manage Software & Support
- Office 365 + Exchange Email
- Secure Cloud Storage
- Collaboration & Remote Meeting Tools
- Data Security & Compliance Tools (with industry leading security to protect sensitive client and case data)
- Unlimited IT Help Desk
Learn More About Clio + Practice Next
Clio Manage – The Hub of Your Practice
Clio Manage is designed to be the central hub for your law practice. Its main functions include managing time, billing, clients, cases, and appointments. But Clio Manage is more than just basic practice management software.
What makes Clio Manage stand out is that it focuses on doing its core tasks exceptionally well, while allowing other specialized software to handle additional features. This approach is better than trying to do everything and doing it poorly.
In their book Rework, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier, the founders of Basecamp, emphasize the importance of focusing on the main part of your product and perfecting it before adding extra features. Clio Manage follows this philosophy, which is clear in how well it performs its key functions.
Next, let’s look at seven key features that make Clio Manage a great choice for law firms.
1. Excelling at the Essentials
All of the many law practice management products competing for your business cover the basics, including:
- Client and Contact Management — Clio Manage makes it simple to view, update, and securely store client information.
- Time and Expense Tracking — Accurately track billable and non billable time, as well as expenses, to improve firm profitability.
- Case / Matter Management — Organize and manage all case details efficiently.
- To-Do / Task Management — Keep track of important tasks and deadlines.
- Billing / Invoicing — Generate and send client bills quickly and accurately.
- Calendar Management — Schedule appointments and deadlines with ease.
What sets Clio Manage apart is how well it executes these essential functions. Whether you’re creating a new client record, generating an invoice, or scheduling a deadline, the process is intuitive, fast, and reliable. These core features work seamlessly, reducing friction and making daily operations smoother. In contrast, many other products still struggle to master these basics, often feeling clunky or unintuitive. By excelling at these fundamentals, Clio Manage helps law firms operate more efficiently and increase their profitability.
2. App Directory – More Than Just Integrations
Clio Manage is well-known for its extensive network of integrations, but calling it “just a lot of integrations” doesn’t do it justice.
While Clio Manage expertly handles the core aspects of running a law practice—clients, matters, billing, calendaring, and tasks—every law firm has unique needs. For example:
- Real Estate lawyers require specialized tools for generating real estate documents.
- Personal Injury attorneys need features for managing insurance carriers and accident details.
- Estate Planning lawyers benefit from tools tailored for wills and estate plans.
Clio Manage seamlessly integrates with hundreds of applications, both specialized and general-purpose, such as QuickBooks for accounting, DocuSign for digital signatures, LayPay for payments, and Office 365 for productivity. These integrations can be easily enabled, customized, and adjusted as your firm’s needs evolve.
By serving as the central hub of your firm’s technology, Clio Manage acts as the operating system for your law practice.
Learn more: The Clio App Directory
3. Clean, Intuitive User Interface
Clio Manage features a clean, minimalistic, and easy-to-learn user interface. This design is crucial because complicated or cluttered software often leads to poor adoption, with users reverting to old, inefficient systems like spreadsheets and notes.
By contrast, Clio Manage presents information clearly and logically, with relevant details displayed on each screen without overwhelming the user. This simplicity makes it easy for your law firm to adopt and use consistently.
A streamlined interface not only improves user satisfaction but also boosts productivity by reducing the time spent navigating the software. This helps your law firm operate more smoothly and efficiently.
4. Work Anywhere
The past year has shown the importance of a flexible workforce. Members of your law firm may travel, work from home, or be temporarily displaced. Clio Manage provides secure access to critical case, client, and billing information from any location, helping your team stay productive and connected.
Clio Manage delivers a consistent work experience in the office, at a client site, or at home. The Clio mobile app lets lawyers manage cases, communicate with clients, and track billable time right from their smartphones, making remote work easy.
By integrating with cloud-based tools like Office 365 and QuickBooks Online, Clio Manage creates a technology platform that is not tied to any physical office. Secure file access and sharing, along with phone integration for streamlined client communication, give your firm the flexibility and resilience it needs.
5. Eliminate Servers, Simplify Your IT
Managing servers can be costly and complicated, especially for small and midsize law firms. Traditionally, servers were essential for hosting practice management software, file storage, and email systems.
Clio Manage, combined with other cloud-based tools, removes the need for physical servers entirely. This shift simplifies IT management, reduces expenses, and eliminates downtime related to server maintenance.
With Clio Manage, your firm can securely accept and record payments online, streamlining the payment process and ensuring timely, accurate billing.
Cloud storage solutions like Clio Manage, OneDrive, or LexWorkplace replace traditional file servers, while Office 365 and Exchange handle email hosting.
By moving to a fully cloud-based setup, your firm can avoid server upgrades, technical issues, and the need for IT consultants, freeing up resources to focus on your legal practice.
6. Client Communication
Being a skilled lawyer is essential, but client communication often plays a major role in client satisfaction. Clio Manage recognizes this and offers features that enhance communication between attorneys and clients. These include logging communications and correspondence to maintain accurate records.
Coming soon is Clio for Clients, a secure client portal that allows clients and lawyers to communicate, share documents, and access case information remotely. This portal improves both accessibility and security.
Clio for Clients will support secure messaging, easy document sharing from clients to lawyers, and will be accessible via web browser or mobile app. Additionally, Clio Manage enables sending and receiving text messages for quick client communication and notifications.
7. Reputation (Matters)
Lawyers rely heavily on precedent when making decisions. Most law firms prefer solutions with a strong reputation and proven track record over untested options.
Clio Manage is one of the most recognized legal software platforms today. It is recommended by over 66 bar associations and law societies worldwide. Additionally, Clio has a large and loyal user base, including law firms of all sizes.
This strong reputation makes Clio Manage a reliable, low-risk choice for law firms seeking dependable practice management software.
When Law Firms Should Use Clio Manage
Clio Manage is ideal for law firms seeking a modern, cloud-native practice management solution.
It suits firms that prefer a streamlined, user-friendly product over complex alternatives that try to do too much. Clio Manage can be set up quickly and easily.
This solution is particularly valuable for firms that use other cloud-based tools like Office 365, DocuSign, OneDrive, Dropbox, QuickBooks, and more, ensuring seamless integration and efficient workflows.
Complete Your Law Office in the Cloud
If you are considering Clio Manage for your law firm or already using it, Berry Virtual can help. We have assisted hundreds of law firms in moving to the cloud and optimizing their technology.
Our expertise goes beyond just adoption; we help law firms build a fully integrated, efficient cloud-based office. Reach out to Berry Virtual, and one of our legal technology specialists will guide you in selecting the right case management software and complementary tools tailored to your firm’s needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is Clio Manage and how does it help law firms?
Clio Manage is a cloud-based law practice management software designed to streamline essential law firm operations such as client management, billing, case tracking, and scheduling. It helps law firms increase productivity, improve client communication, and simplify administrative tasks.
2. Can Clio Manage be used on mobile devices?
Yes, the Clio mobile app allows lawyers and staff to access client information, track billable time, communicate with clients, and manage cases securely from anywhere using their smartphones or tablets.
3. How does Clio Manage improve client communication?
Clio Manage offers features like secure messaging, communication logs, and an upcoming client portal called Clio for Clients. These tools enhance transparency, enable easy document sharing, and keep clients informed throughout their case.
4. Is Clio Manage secure for storing sensitive client data?
Absolutely. Clio Manage uses industry leading security measures to protect sensitive client and case data, ensuring compliance with legal standards and safeguarding your firm’s information.
5. What types of law firms are a good fit for Clio Manage?
Clio Manage is ideal for law firms of all sizes that want a modern, cloud-native practice management solution. It suits firms that prefer an intuitive, easy-to-use platform that integrates well with other cloud tools like Office 365 and QuickBooks.
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