This true standalone practice management experience by MyCase focuses on the modern law firm experience with lead intake, collaboration and payments.
During the course of the last 18 months, it’s become clear that the practice of law has been changed irrevocably. Lawyers, the latest adopters of technology around, have been forced to innovate their practices in short order, as the convenience economy has blitzed every single law firm that was running a traditional business. There has never been a prior point in the history of the legal professional when so much change has changed so quickly.
In particular, law firms have focused on three areas for updating old school systems: 1) Intake, 2) Collaboration, and 3) Payment models.
In each instance, law firms have been updating analog processes and swapping in digital ones. In the realm of intake, Zoom calls and esignatures have replaced signing meetings. Online document collaboration replaces the sit-down meeting in a partner’s office. Cash and checks turn into electronic, automated payments. Certainly, law firms can’t accommodate these upgrades all on their own — a technology partner is needed to manage the transition at this scale.
Now, finding that technology partner in an open sea of choices can leave law firm managers feeling set adrift. In a perfect world, simplicity rules the day: A law firm would be able to access one software product to perform all major functions while also accessing features to fulfill needs as they arise — without having to chase down the next shiny object and the next one … and the next one after that.
It’s a difficult gap to bridge — that is, meeting current needs and anticipating the new ones — within a single interface.
But of all the major legal technology software providers, MyCase is most committed to that notion and has pulled off the feat in spectacular fashion. The thesis behind the product is that it’s a one-stop-shop for legal practice needs. With MyCase, you can intake a lead, convert the lead to a client, take the first and last payment … all within the same suite. MyCase only integrates with other providers when absolutely necessary (for example, for email archiving and calendar management), which largely eliminates system complications that may arise when the web of technology surrounding your primary software product becomes too large and tenuous.
When MyCase adds a new feature, they’re not relying on another software provider to build it and link it to their system. Instead, MyCase is building everything in-house and loading it into its already robust law practice management software.
That has a (probably obvious) effect on pricing, in at least a couple of different ways:
- The more features already included in your case management software, the fewer additional tools you have to buy to integrate.
- There aren’t any hidden fees or volume charges. For example, if an esignature tool is already included in the software you’re using, you don’t have to worry about how many esigns you can request before you accrue extra charges or get bumped into a new tier. There’s only one tier — just one price for everything.
MyCase may have the most robust and the most cost-effective case management software tool in legal.
Three-Point Line: New MyCase Features Focus on the Modern Law Firm
MyCase is focused on the customer experience. Certainly, there is an emphasis on their law firm clients; but, the company also takes great care to curate the client experience on behalf of law firms, by providing them the tools needed to generate and maintain effective attorney-clients relationships, from start to finish.
Recent MyCase updates have been wholly tied to the new normal in law firm business management regarding intake, collaboration, and pricing.
Lead Intake
MyCase supports a modern digital intake program for law firms.
Users can easily add new leads while relying on useful default fields, and they can add custom fields to boot. New integration with MailChimp (one of those necessary partners and a longstanding player in the email marketing and list-building space) allows law firms to sync new leads to MailChimp, utilizing its email marketing and automation features. Pipeline management is accessible via a visually compelling dashboard within MyCase and users can easily update leads to client status.
And, when it comes to adding new clients, MyCase makes it a simple process to get virtual pen to virtual paper on an engagement agreement with its built-in esignature tool. Users can send out esignature requests from templates, including to multiple signers. MyCase law firms can also collect epayments, including retainers, via (wait for it) the proprietary MyCase payment tool.
Collaboration
MyCase supports a distributed workforce model for law firms.
Working remotely via MyCase is a snap, as the system focuses on optimizing internal and external communications. Its internal communications platform gets your staff banter out of your email and archives it via your case management system. The Slack-like tool is accessible via the Communications tab (and elsewhere in-system) and features direct messaging and channel-based communications, with various notification types. Tools like these ensure that your inbox can remain mission-critical.
For communications with clients, the two-way texting feature is a game-changer. It allows users to exploit the usefulness of texting with clients (this is the communication method that gets the best response rates). It also archives those communications, which helps generate a full case record and reduces malpractice risk.
Lawyers can even text an invoice for payment using MyCase.
Payments
MyCase supports modern law firm payments architecture.
MyCase has its own proprietary payment system, which means, in part, that law firms can manage PCI compliance simply and easily through one program. But, there are lots of other benefits, too. There are many invoicing options, and it’s a breeze to save and manage payment information.
MyCase Payments also supports payment plans and subscription billing. Users can set payment amounts and terms or have the system perform calculations to establish same. This is a powerful tool for attorneys who want to provide cost certainty to clients. The system can also generate alerts when trust balances run low.
It’s also easier than ever to send out multiple invoices with MyCase’s new, streamlined batch billing process.
The batch billing feature allows for lots of functionality, including the ability to easily make granular changes to invoices globally. Users can add invoices and edit prebills in-system and adjust payment options and workflows on the fly.
With all these features in one place, what more do you need?
You can make MyCase yours. Start with a free trial.
Attorney at Work’s sponsored Product Reviews and Product Spotlights showcase news and features from legal technology industry leaders. For more information, click here.
Illustration ©iStockPhoto.com
Subscribe to Attorney at Work
Get really good ideas every day for your law practice: Subscribe to the Daily Dispatch (it’s free). Follow us on Twitter @attnyatwork.
