PCLaw is LexisNexis’s turn at Law Practice Management Software (LPMS). It allows lawyers to track matters, cases, time, and billing all in one place, with a focus on making sure they get paid for the time they expend for a client. PCLaw is legacy software, and this review finds that it is behind most cloud-based law practice management software in accessibility, and, increasingly, in necessary features.
Starting Cost: $39/user/month
Customer Experience & Support
Featured RatingFor Law Practice Management Software, the following are essential features, and you should therefore expect to see a check in every box in this section.
Matter management is the defining feature of law practice management software, of course. However, some software is targeted at specific practice areas and may implement case management in different ways in order to manage information specific to those practice areas.
Managing clients and other contacts is a core feature of law practice management software.
Basic task management includes creating tasks with due dates that can be associated with cases/matters and assigned to different lawyers. Some products stick to pretty basic task management, while others offer enough features to make any Getting Things Done devotee happy.
As with email, this feature means a full calendar client, not just an integration with Outlook or Google Calendar.
Timekeeping is a core feature of practice management software, essential for lawyers who bill by the hour but useful even for those who don't.
An actual conflict checker is more than just a search box. This applies to software that actually has a conflict checking feature. Implementation varies, but at a minimum you should be able to search the entire database for matching names. It should check for conflicts accurately and intuitively, allow for a lateral hire to input their conflict database into the system, work quickly when new clients call, and comply with the rules of professional conduct for checking conflicts.
Does it include a full email client? (Alternative solutions that don't amount to an email client, like plugins for Outlook or Gmail, do not earn a check for this feature. See software integrations, below.)
Can you send and receive text messages and associate them with your matters?
Basic document management allows you to add documents and associate them with your cases/matters.
Loading your firm’s document templates into your law practice management software can save time and ensure consistency. This check means basic document assembly suitable for form letters, invoices, etc. For advanced document assembly, you’ll probably need additional software.
This means basic checkbook register–style bookkeeping, which is more limited than full accounting. You should be able to keep track of your operating accounts and reconcile your balances, but you may still need full accounting software.
This means you can track your client trust accounts, including expenses and payments. It is normal to see trust accounting without basic bookkeeping or full accounting, in which case you will need something else for accounting.
Some software includes full double-entry accounting features, making additional accounting software unnecessary.
Does the software allow you to send bills or invoices?
Payment processing is increasingly offered either as an included or add-on feature, especially with cloud-based law practice management software.
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PCLaw is an on-premises platform. Users must install it on either a computer or network server. Importantly, it is difficult to access this type of system from anywhere other than within the network. Although they do have a mobile app, only critical information is accessible in each case file.
What is the price of PCLaw?As of this review, their packages require contacting them to get a quote specific to individual law firms.
Is PCLaw secure?On-premises products, like PCLaw, are as secure as the user makes their own network.
Does PCLaw integrate with Microsoft 365?No. PCLaw does not have an integration with Microsoft 365, or any other Microsoft product.
Does PCLaw integrate with Google Workspace?No. PCLaw does not have any Google integrations.
Can PCLaw handle my Trust Accounting?Yes. PCLaw has billing, time tracking, and accounting features built-in, including trust accounting capabilities. Additionally, since the platform is usually installed on a local computer or network, users can control where their client trust data resides.
Can I accept online payments with PCLaw?No. PCLaw does not have any integrations or built-in features that allow for users to accept online payments.
Does PCLaw integrate with Zapier?No. PCLaw does not integrate with Zapier.
Can I automate documents with PCLaw?Yes. PCLaw has basic mail-merge style document assembly built-in.
Is PCLaw compatible with both PC and Mac?According to PCLaw's system requirements, it will not work on a Mac computer, nor will it work on Thin clients or Virtual Servers.
PCLaw is a law practice management software program designed for Windows desktop. Lawyers who review PCLaw will want to be very thoughtful about their future state and how this software will fit into their legal tech stack in the future.
Its focus is on the billing and accounting side of a law practice. Lawyers can manage vendor payments and business expenses as well as write and print checks from bank or trust accounts. Additionally, users can balance accounts and quickly pinpoint any outstanding balances. One can even see profit and losses in real-time, useful for both startup and established firms who need to stay on track to grow their firm’s revenue.
With the built-in calendar, attorneys can stay on top of important meetings and deadlines. Their dashboard is built to give a lot of useful information at a glance—toggle between My Practice, My Clients, and My Business tabs to see practically everything PCLaw is capable of.
Even though the software is Windows desktop-based, there is a mobile version users can access via the web when they’re on the go. Lawyers can keep track of billable hours and all business expenses while they’re away from the office. The web interface also lets users access critical matter information and search using client number, matter number, matter description, and type of law.
PCLaw is a good fit for firms looking for powerful billing and accounting practice management software. It’s also great for generating detailed business reports. Although it has some case management features, the platform is probably not a good fit for lawyers looking for full accounting and in-depth case management capabilities in one software solution. Furthermore, it’s not a good sign with PCLaw’s webpage devotes substantial space encouraging customers to consider LEAP, PCLaw’s would-be web-based successor.
Take the guesswork out of researching, purchasing, and implementing the right legal tech products and services for your law firm. Our Field Guide answers your essential questions and breaks down the features most important to your business, so you can buy with confidence.
