A free legal software is a management tool for lawyers that provides, at no cost, control of deadlines and processes, client information and activity management. The free model is a great ally of early career lawyers and professionals and offices that want to grow professionally.
At the moment of hitting the hammer – with the forgiveness of the pun – the price factor ends up having a relevant weight in the choice of a legal software. After all, starting and maintaining a business involves a series of expenses and investments, right?
Thinking about the economy and financial control, many lawyers and lawyers end up opting for a free system. To meet this need, the market has increasingly offered free or low cost options. This movement has brought new alternatives with different proposals.
So, how to choose the best free legal software? And what criteria to take into consideration besides free? That is what we will answer in this text!
How to choose a free legal software
The first tip is to choose the system that best meets your needs and goals. But to better explain this guidance and help you make the right decision, we highlight the 4 most important criteria to evaluate before hiring a free legal software.
You can browse through each of them by clicking on the menu below.
1. Have a goal
What questions do you want to solve or improve with the help of legal software? Some people come to this solution in search of ways to increase productivity. There are those who need to adapt to remote performance and reduce the volume of physical files and papers. Some people hire legal software to professionalize customer service and highlight their competitive edge. Others seek a system to ensure compliance with deadlines and automated monitoring of processes.
And you, why do you want or need a legal software?
Understanding your motivation will help you a lot to filter the available options and find the best option for the reality of your business.
It is important to remember that, even if the system is free, adaptation to use may take some time. Therefore, making the best choice tends to avoid you having to restart the search further ahead.
2. Think about the future of your business
When thinking about the objectives you want to achieve with the help of a system for lawyers, it is important to take into account the planning of your business for the medium and long term. Ideally, the tool you choose should be compatible with what you want. This way, you start executing the plans in a structured and safe way!
In this sense, it is worth considering both the development of your office and your law practice. In other words, think about the acquisition of clients, the increase in demands and information to manage, the growth of the team, the greater financial movement.
This is because the permanent or temporary free of legal software is related to the limitation of functionalities. Therefore, it is very common that professionals at the beginning of their careers or in the process of transition in business choose free systems and then migrate to paid options. After all, in theory, the higher the delivery, the higher the value, right?
So, when the digits and the amount of your contracts increase, it’s very likely that you’ll need to include in your budget the subscription of good legal software. That’s why it’s recommended that you dedicate yourself to choosing a system that offers plans and features that adapt to the growth of your business.
Free legal software that accompanies your growth
Besides being a complete online system to manage processes, cases, clients, tasks, teams and the financial one in an integrated way. In practical terms, the software helps, with the free plan, lawyers and lawyers to structure their business without compromising the budget. Thus, it makes them automate bureaucratic and repetitive activities and have more organization and productivity.
In addition, it accompanies the growth of professionals and offices from the beginning of their structuring to their exponential growth. After all, without requiring large bureaucracies and changes.
3. Think before you commit
At first glance, committing to a free system doesn’t seem to offer any risk, right? However, some software ties the contract to some fidelity.
Therefore, before starting to use a free legal software, it is worth investing a little time in knowing the conditions offered. After all, the time and attention you devote to the choice can represent a saving of time and stress in the future.
Here, the golden tip is: before you define your choice, try the system before you link to it! One suggestion is to do this with your favorites.
Simulating a scenario close to the real thing will help you get to know the system for real. This way, the evaluation of the proposal, the tools and the ease of use of the product will be more assertive and you will realize if the free legal software really meets your needs. Take advantage of this moment to get to know the functionalities and clear your doubts.
What to take into consideration?
Observe the usability of the system. Is it intuitive? Is it possible to find information easily? Can you see yourself using the software in your routine? Can you explain to new employees how to use the tool?
Raising these questions during the trial period can greatly clarify ideas. After all, if a technology is dedicated to facilitating the legal routine, it is very important that the operators of the law are able to use it without major difficulties, right?
4. Know the company behind the free legal software
Knowing the proposals of the company that develops the free legal software that you are interested in can help you make your choice. This is because identifying with the company’s ideas and objectives can facilitate your approach to the brand and your engagement in using the program for lawyers.
Customer Experience
Knowing how customers and users of the system position themselves in relation to the product can also give an idea of what their experience will be like. If you have the willingness and interest for it, it is worth knowing other use cases and see how the company operates in social networks.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing free legal software, try to think long term. A good program for lawyers can follow the evolution of your firm from the beginning and be an investment that gives a return! All you have to do is choose.
After all, among other utilities, the tool has the potential to facilitate client prospection, increase individual and team productivity, and automate repetitive activities. So, when hiring new employees, you can focus on those who will strategically contribute to your business grow even more.