Quick cloud-based legal software reviews.

Review of Legal Software Applications. Cloud Based.

Note: I am reviewing “cloud” applications or the cloud versions of known applications based on readily available information on the web and the companies' websites. I - DO NOT-  own or use these applications. I do have a Clio account for testing purposes. Therefore, nothing here should be interpreted as a recommendation. This are just issues I'd like to explore further.  I believe cloud legal management is a trend that is here to stay despite the real privacy and security issues it presents. Because they are cloud-based, it  means all this applications need no software updates and minimize IT. Most legal software packages offer similar capabilities. I am focusing here on what makes these applications different from one another. 

Amicus Cloud.  A product of Gavel & Gown Software Co. established in Canada in 1993. 365 Bay Street, Suite 700, Toronto, ON M5H 2V1 ,Canada. . It has about 250,000 users as of Nov 2012.

www.amicus-cloud.com

It is the version of Amicus Attorney tailored to cloud usage to ensure total portability.

This means, it is not downloadable but a cloud based application like Clio and Abacus Sky, which we review below. You don’t need to download any software and all updates are available on the spot. Abacus Sky requires you to download certain applications.

 Main advantage: Integrated email. What this means is that Amicus holds all email addresses without the user having to worry about the email application (Exchange). So once you attach an email to a file, all incoming and outgoing emails associated to that file are accounted for and recognized without having to depend on the actual email application.

Main Disadvantage:  Being tied to Microsoft Exchange and becoming your only email manager can be very dangerous, you are stuck with that even if another more competitive product comes along

Email:

·         Amicus is email centric. All matters and clients have an email link.

·         It requires you work with Microsoft Exchange. Microsoft Exchange is a business extension of Microsoft Outlook. Most home accounts do not have an exchange account but a POP3 e-mail account with an ISP service provider or a Web based e-mail server like Windows Live mail.

Legal Calendaring and Tasks:

·         Any entry on any calendar, iCal, Outlook… you enter in your device of choice displays in the Amicus calendar.

·         It offers audible reminders.

·         It allows for scheduling privileges, you can have others authorized to schedule something for you.

·         It offers color coded team-wide views to keep track of delegated tasks.

·         It offers date calculators for calendar or court dates and accounts for holidays.

Document Automation.

·         About 10 GB of documents per user are stored in the cloud with the possibility of expansion.

·         It has Dropbox integration. Dropbox is a cloud storage app with less security safeguards.

·         In BETA, it allows to assemble documents quickly by creating fields which allow for conditional entries and template insertion.

Time and Expense Tracking:

·         All time usage is captured within Amicus and can be sent automatically to QuickBooks, PCLaw   or Timeslip.   It allows for task-based billing. It can be enabled to account for it the moment it happens, so you could work on an email and have the time accounted the moment you send it. You can have indefinite billing rates and activity codes including flat rate activities.

 You can just enter the end of a task and it fills the timesheet info automatically.

·         It allows for a “floating timer” device to keep track when you are multitasking.

·         Reminder of time entries missing is generated at the start of every session.

Conflict Checking:

·         It looks beyond names and addresses but even references within documents.

·         Billing, Collections:

·         Automated collection reminders

·         It allows for receipt printing.

·         Automated retainer replenishment requests.

Case, Matter Management:

·         It can display a client’s files in chronological order as events occurred. It can create a file with the chronology of the case events.

Contact and Business Development:

·         It allows for the print of reports and graphics to identify trends, expenses, etc.

Security:

The actual safekeeping of all files is hosted by Microsoft Azure which complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (1996) HIPPA. As well as with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act HITECH (2009).  Major companies use Azure, including NASA, Toyota and the Japanese Ministry of Economy among many others, to safeguard their data with built in redundancies (6 different servers in two Canada or U.S. locations).

All data transmission is 256 bit encrypted. Each firm has its own unidentifiable SQL.  There is no local back-door access which means you cannot hack into a laptop and copy files. 

It allows for a second layer of security beyond the password by having the option to require a  code every time someone enters . Such code is texted you a phone or device.

Other:

It allows for offline work which means you can continue to work even if you lose connectivity. It also keeps offline copies of all your calendars and data.

Amicus Cloud offers the same functionality as Amicus Small Firm Edition.

It costs 35$ per user per month. 21 Day Trial period.

Conclusion: Amicus Cloud seems designed to work remotely from the cloud. The buttons are large to enable easy access with the finger in your iPad or Android or any other device of your choice.  The graphic interface is friendly and uncluttered.  It seems to fulfill every common task that is expected on a legal management software. It offers demonstration videos and free tutorials within easy reach from their website.

Abacus Sky.  A product of Abacus Data Systems . 9191 Towne Centre Dr. Suite 180 - San Diego, CA 92122. Established in the U.S. in 1983. They claim to be used in 64 countries.

http://www.abacuslaw.com/about-us/

Abacus Sky is the cloud application of Abacus Law. In that sense, Abacus Sky  it is supposed to make  all the capabilities  of Abacus Law portable.

Main advantage: The main advantage of Abacus Law seems to be the powerful customization capabilities.   In two areas in particular: a) It allows every case to be customized according to the area of law involved so different menus appear depending on whether the case is within family, worker’s compensation, criminal, business, personal injury, immigration, etc… legal practice.  There are 14 areas of law it can be customized for. All entail a different module or PAL.  However, purchasing different modules that require installation might make the process expensive, cumbersome and endless. B) It takes into account the different court rules from Federal to estate rules. This can be invaluable if it is accurate.

Main disadvantage: Too many levels of ownership and customization for a fee, including installation fees.  Not pleasant in its interface design.

Email:

·         Unlike Amicus, the email integration uses and is linked to Outlook. Also calendar and contacts are linked, not local to Abacus until linked. Like Amicus. Emails can be billed as soon as they are sent.

·         You will need a subscription to Abbacus Sync ($90 annually) to be able to synch your Outlook email from your mobile device.

Time Capture and expense Tracking:

·          Like Amicus, it offers a time capture interface even though it doesn’t have the “floating timer” application or the multiple timer application.

Legal Calendaring and Rules: 

·         Offers similar capabilities to Amicus. Not sure about color coding. But it offers drag-and-drop capabilities. Interface is a lot less pleasant.

.     What abacus seems stronger at, and this is a big issue, is the fact that it is customized to local Court rules with pre-programed Generic Federal Rules , State Rules, District within the state Rules and jurisdictional differences which , by itself, is a very important selling point. All these rules are purchased independently though. 

Document Automation.

·         Unclear on what is the storage capacity of documents for the cloud application. It is important to know that the connection has to be fast in order to allow for several people to check documents simultaneously.

·          It has Legal Solutions integration, able to import files from Legal Solutions.  No mention of Dropbox or Google Docs integration.

·         It allows to assemble documents by importing already input data. Not sure about conditional fields and rules like the ones in Amicus.

Conflict Checking:

·         It looks beyond names and addresses but even references within documents.

·         Offers “sounds like” capabilities. 

Security:  Like Amicus Cloud it guarantees access to your data 99.99% of the time. The extra .01% accounts for maintenance or upgrades.  However, the website is a lot less clear on the actual details of the security as compared to Amicus Cloud. This doesn’t mean they are less secure but there are no links to the standards claimed in their website.  It offers SAS 70 Type II certified data centers and other measures like redundant power supplies. It is not clear whether it is also georedundant.

Abacus Law can  be purchased in one installment of $900 (for ABA clients) or as Abacus Gold for $1400.

Also available on a subscription basis for $45 per month or $65 per month (Gold) 

Conclusion:

Abacus Sky  interface does not seem to be designed to work remotely. This doesn’t mean that it does not have the  powerful capabilities of Abacus Law but only that it just enables Abacus  Law to be accessed remotely without any enhancements  to the already cluttered  interface to make it easier to navigate. Moreover, all these modules require installation of additional software  with a fee cost attached.

In general the Abacus interface is not friendly with every button and  pop-up window looking pretty much the same .

Abacus Sky is a separate module. Abacus Law seems to rely too much on the purchase of separate modules  to  create customization. For example, you must subscribe to Abacus  Gold if you want integrated billing, check writing, payroll, financial reports, past due notices, etc…. Other modules or PALS are Abacus Forms (50 sets of different forms, i.e. California family Forms, Massachusetts Family Forms, Illinois (Cook County) Forms, etc…) , Abacus Sky, Abacus Sync, Abacus Mobile, etc… They are all different. The website doesn’t offer simple explanations relying too much on requesting DEMOS.

That said, Abacus Law is still the preferred software with detractors and fans of all stripes.

Clio. A product of Themis Solutions Inc. Suite 404, 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6C 3E2. Started in 2007. They claim 25,000 users worldwide.

www.goclio.com

Note: In order to really understand Clio I obtained a free student account, which allowed me to navigate and get a better sense of the application.

Clio’s management software is designed from the start to work remotely regardless of platform and is compatible with Mac or PC. It is also web based. Unlike Abacus, it can also work in the BlackBerry OS 6-based devices.

Main Advantage. Designed to be mobile from the start. Very open and accessible company with good training and service. Very clear and well-designed dashboard.

Main disadvantage: Limited to small and medium firms. User provides all the customization which, even when easy, is not tailored to some practices from the start. Doesn’t compartmentalize legal areas.

Email.

·         It synchs with Outlook, Google Documents and Dropbox.

·         You can use multiple email servers.

Document Automation.

·         Intuitive Person, Matter or Event centric access.

·         In Clio you can create custom-field instead of using pre-existing one.

·         Templates can be uploaded form existing Word document templates.

Time and Expense Tracking:

·         It does provide a timer and regular time entry

·         It does allow flat rates for expenses and activities.

Legal Calendaring and rules:

·         Common calendar tasks.

·         No court date calculator it seems.

·         Allows you to give others a privilege to see your calendar but not create your appointments.

Conflict Checking:

·         Simple search provides all instances of one name, case number, etc…

Case, Matter Management:

·         Regular case management as available in all three software packages.

Security: Clio uses SLL 256 bit encryption to transmit data, It is also SAS 70 Type II certified and undergoes daily McAfee security audits. McAfee is the world leader in virus detection and security protection.  It is also georedundant (storage in different distant facilities)

Other: 
Pricing is $50 a month for attorneys and $25 per month for non-attorneys. There is no difference but  for giving attorneys the ability to oversee and be responsible for any matter.

Other cloud based software apps are MyCase and Rocket Matter.