An automated system may help lawyers in sales, marketing, and customer support by providing them with the necessary tools and resources. Salesforce is a software platform for law firms that helps them run their businesses more efficiently, keep information safe, and standardize their practice. But what is the best legal CRM for small law firms?

It is true that not all Salesforce CRMs have the same features. In the following, we’ll go through the findings of our tests of several Salesforce CRM solutions and reveal the winner. It is clear that the best legal CRM for small law firms is Matterly, we will explain why.

Legal CRM For Small Law Firms

Why Litify Is NOT The Best Legal CRM For Small Law Firms

We have done a test on Litify to review the product objectively. The results? We’ve found three major reasons why Litify might not be the best for your law firms.

  • They have minimum seat license
  • It has ruined our Salesforce
  • Some users can’t figure out how to make changes on their own, they need a Salesforce Administrator helps that will cost more.

Let’s discuss one by one.

Litify Has A Minimum Seat License Requirement

A free Litify license is only given to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in the United States that provides legal services and meets a few other requirements.

Commercial legal firms will not be able to use the Free trial because of the policy. Some packaging is very strict, leaving us with little room for customization.

On the other hand, our Lawfirm CRM Matterly has a  30-Day FREE trial with no credit card required.

It has ruined our Salesforce

In many cases, we would have to open tabs in an effort to get an answer. Errors would occur on a regular basis (weekly or more) that would delete data.

In addition, the intake part was very difficult, which prolonged the duration of our phone conversations way beyond what was necessary.

A full-time developer is required to keep this platform running well for your business. There aren’t any unique features in this CRM that make it stand out. My recommendation is to switch to another CRM if you’re an attorney. I’ve tried a lot of them, but this one is by far the worst.

Self customizations may be too difficult

If you’re looking for a lot of native Salesforce functionality, you’ll have to go elsewhere. At times, it might be a bit of a challenge to traverse. It seems to need an excessive amount of clicking in my opinion.

If you want to keep track of how long a case has been in one stage, you’ll have to make some customizations to the system. It takes some time up front, but in the end, it all works out.

Why Clio Is NOT The Best CRM For Small Law Firms

Clio has been put through a rigorous test by our team in order to provide an unbiased assessment. The results? We’ve found 3 major reasons why Clio might not be the best for your law firms.

  • Data Migration Issue
  • No ability to customize reports
  • Synching Errors

Data Migration Issue

I recall some data transfer challenges when we switched from Timeslips to Clio. It’s been a while,  but I seem to recall that when it was pulled over, at least part of the customer information, such as their address, didn’t seem quite right, and I had to start again with the data in Clio’s input phase.

best legal crm for small law firms

No Ability To Customize Reports

Despite the fact that there are some excellent pre-built reports, there is no way for me to tailor them to my practice’s specific needs. Although we get by, this is something I’ve been grousing about for a while.

Clio could easily add this feature to their platform rather than requiring a third-party membership. Therefore, it’s a no-brainer for me to recommend this option.

Synching Errors

Syncing problems with CRM software aren’t always easy to fix on your own, and you may need to call customer service on the phone to fix them.

Why Matterly IS the best CRM for small law firms

Among the Salesforce users, Matterly is the leading legal CRM in 2022. So far, we have a good experience with them compared to other CRMs on its class. Let me show you why!

Email Parsing

With Matterly’s Email Service tool, you can look at your emails about court cases.

It is possible to set up a rule that directs Supreme and Civil Court notifications from your usual email provider to Matterly and correlates them with your cases.

For example, if an alert is generated from the New York State Courts Electronic Filing System, Matterly will try to discover a matching case based on an index number or a caption. Any email attachments are downloaded and added to your Matterly file if a match is detected.

If your matter is lacking an index number, Matterly will fill it for you. A new email staging record will be created by Matterly and all attachments will be downloaded. When you assign a record to an existing topic, you can immediately reroute any emails that follow.

One of the most important components of becoming a lawyer is keeping track of court proceedings. Thanks to Matterly’s email parsing, you’ll never have to worry about missing something important again.

Super Intuitive Design

Matterly’s user-friendly design makes it accessible to everyone from the tech-savvy to the “how do I turn this thing on” person. To make the administrative aspect of legal practice simpler and less time-consuming, they are continually improving the software solution.

Matterly’s customer service representatives are always willing to assist and are fast to answer. With the increasing number of connectors, we’re able to take our already impressive capabilities to a whole new level.

A bespoke integration may also be created for those who are skilled in programming.

Easy to Switch and Use

After switching to Matterly, the software allowed me to contact customers directly from our firm’s email account instead of engaging the office manager every time I need to send an invoice.

It’s important for the customers to know who to contact if they have any issues with the company’s finances. Matterly’s tech support has always answered my questions or concerns about how I use the service quickly and correctly.

Transparent Lead Tracking

Using a Matterly CRM system, you are able to see your data and results more clearly since your leads are better structured.

When you use a legal CRM system, you can see when each case was last handled, enabling you to follow up with potential clients that would otherwise have gone unnoticed.

Combine A Variety Of IT Tools In One Platform

To get all seven of the CRM advantages we’ve just listed, you could conceivably purchase seven separate software products. Do you want to do that? Of course not!

Matterly, an all-in-one CRM solution, offers three major advantages:

  • It saves money since it bundles together a variety of services into a single subscription.
  • Because you just have to master one piece of software, it saves you a lot of time.
  • It’s easier to get your coworkers and business partners to use one IT platform instead of four or five than to get them to use the other ones.

But what if you need extra features (like e-signature software) that most CRMs don’t come with? You can always contact the support and ask if it’s possible for the to do so.

Law Firm CRM Frequently Asked Questions

Do law firms need a CRM?

It is essential that you have a legal CRM for small law firms in place as your firm expands. Legal firms of all sizes worry about how to bring in new customers. It becomes more difficult to keep track of your customers and leads as your firm expands.

How Much Does a Law Firm CRM System Typically Cost?

Both the setup and monthly fees are obvious cost you have to pay, but there are also additional expenditures for things like educating people and maintaining equipment.

Most CRM systems include a baseline per-user price, which may vary greatly, and a number of tiers of plans, ranging from the most basic to the most powerful, usually with more customizability capabilities in them.

Legal CRM For Small Law Firms

Typically, a variety of factors, including the number of users and the functionality they demand, might affect the price per user. Your firm’s case management system will contain some basic CRM functions as part of your monthly user subscription.

Your attorneys may be underutilizing certain functions, or you may need to upgrade your CRM solution for further capabilities. It’s worth considering.

The return on investment should be considered together with the expenditures. Certain CRM systems may provide a return on investment (ROI) of more than 200 percent after three years.

What Is the Minimum Size of your Law Firm for Using a CRM System?

A CRM system isn’t a must, but it may be good to think about the chances you could lose out on if you don’t have one in place.

You may profit from a CRM system, even if your company is small, if one or both of the following conditions exist:

  • There is a scarcity of analytical data on current and prospective customers.
  • you are unable to uncover relevant information about your customers and their companies.
  • Your attorneys are unable to easily communicate information and leads.
  • You find it hard to make email lists for your campaigns that are personalized and divided into different groups.
  • Data protection and compliance makes you worry.

Do You Need a Legal-Specific CRM?

There are a wide variety of CRM systems available, from well-known brands in the legal sector to global behemoths. So, do you require a product especially tailored for law firms, or can you get by with a more generic solution?

A system tailored to the legal services business is a superior option because of the professional and ethical obligations that law firms have in regards to client confidentiality, invoicing, and conflicts of interest.

Legal CRM For Small Law Firms

Law firms, more than any other, have the unique difficulty of ensuring the security and compliance with industry standards of the client data they handle.

Legal-specific software is more likely to be developed to work with other software programs used in business, such as matter and case management systems.

What Are the Difficulties of Using a CRM System?

As with any new technology, implementing a CRM system in legal practice is not without its problems. This involves persuading attorneys to accept it and becoming proficient in its usage. Making the company’s top executives advocates for the system is critical.

The use of CRM software regularly may help attorneys become more effective and profitable, and it can also help you spot developing business trends, which can be a compelling business case to present.

People are more inclined to utilize it if they understand how it will benefit them and the company.

Educating lawyers on the ease of use of the software is another important goal. Passive data collection is possible with certain CRMs. Because InterAction can interface with a business’s email system, no one at the firm has to worry about manually updating client and employee contact information.

Is A Legal CRM For Small Law Firms Worth It?

A CRM system is a wise investment if your company wants to grow its customer base and improve communication between lawyers and their clients. This is a dream come true for every lawyer!

Finding a system that makes life simpler, not more difficult, and has a demonstrated return on investment is the key. There are currently a variety of systems available to suit a variety of business sizes and kinds, so you can be certain that the perfect solution for your needs is out there.

Takeaway – Matterly Is The Best Legal CRM For Small Law Firms

A CRM for lawyers and attorneys is a strong set of digital tools and procedures built specifically for legal businesses. There are a number of reasons why Matterly is the go to legal CRM for small law firms.

  1. It improves the efficiency of your sales pipeline management.
  2. Enhances document organization.
  3. Your staff’s productivity will increase
  4. It provides you with the information you need to make the most of your prior results.
  5. Enables your employees to work remotely from any location.
  6. It gives you the tools you need to cultivate stronger connections with your customers.
  7. It helps the growth of your customer base and reputation.

But which CRM system should you use to execute these practice-changing effects?

You have a lot of options, but don’t be afraid. Matterly offers a 30-day free trial so you can see whether it’s a good fit for your legal firm’s needs.

Or download Matterly now!