Smokeball vs PerfectLaw

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Our analysts compared Smokeball vs PerfectLaw based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Legal Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

PerfectLaw Software Tool

Product Basics

Smokeball is a hybrid solution to manage various facets of a legal firm, including cases, billing, documents, clients and daily operations. It provides comprehensive billing including automated timekeeping & activity tracking, custom invoices, online payments and trust accounting. Users can create and manage legal documents and forms using over 20,000 forms, perform e-filing and request e-signatures. Assign, collaborate and automate tasks and workflows with smart reminders on priorities, events and deadlines, as well as increased visibility with convenient access to its intuitive legal calendar. It also provides centralized access to organize relevant legal case data and a secure portal to enhance client communication.

Its real-time reporting and dashboarding modules enable data-driven insights on business trends, performance, finance and profitability. It offers intuitive integrations with Lawpay, QuickBooks, MS Word and Outlook, and more. to enhance its billing, payment and management functionality. In addition to its user-friendly remote accessibility, its hybrid implementation enables both online and offline access. Firms are entitled to dedicated onboarding, training and support services.

Pros
  • User-friendly interface
  • Streamlined workflows
  • Strong document management
  • Good customer support
  • Mobile app available
Cons
  • Limited reporting
  • Costly for small firms
  • Inconsistent integrations
  • Learning curve for users
  • Occasional bugs
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PerfectLaw is a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline legal management tasks, including case management, document management, and billing. It is particularly well-suited for law firms and legal departments seeking to enhance efficiency and organization. The software's robust features include time tracking, workflow automation, and client communication tools, which collectively improve productivity and client service. PerfectLaw stands out for its integrated approach, offering a single platform that eliminates the need for multiple disparate systems. Users appreciate its intuitive interface and the seamless integration of various legal management functions. This integration reduces administrative overhead and minimizes the risk of errors. While specific pricing details are not readily available, potential users are encouraged to contact SelectHub for a tailored pricing quote based on their unique requirements. PerfectLaw's pricing typically varies depending on the number of users and the specific features needed, with options for monthly or annual payment plans.
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Mobile
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Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
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Live Online
Videos
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Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Easy Access to Information: Consolidate all case-related information, including documents, contacts, workflow and communication in a central hub. 
  • Requires Minimal Training: Minimize time spent on reskilling and training employees using the intuitive user interface and training materials. 
  • Automated Billing: Accurately track time and create bills for client work via the AutoTime module. 
  • Seamless Integrations: Integrate with all the popular apps like Microsoft Office, Outlook Calendar, Contacts, email clients and more. 
  • Matter-Specific Document Search: Easily locate particular documents and case files. Find documents used in specific contexts, depending on the firm’s requirements. 
  • Increased Productivity: Smokeball automates time-consuming tasks like document generation and billing, freeing up your time to focus on what matters most: serving your clients.
  • Improved Client Communication: Smokeball's secure client portal allows you to share documents, invoices, and other information with clients instantly, keeping them informed and engaged throughout the legal process.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Smokeball provides a central platform for your team to collaborate on cases, share ideas, and track progress, streamlining your workflow and fostering a more efficient work environment.
  • Boosted Profitability: Smokeball's accurate time tracking and billing features help you capture every billable hour and ensure you are getting paid for all the work you do.
  • Reduced Costs: By automating manual processes and eliminating paper, Smokeball helps you save time and money, allowing you to reinvest those resources back into your business.
  • Improved Scalability: Smokeball grows with your firm, providing the tools and resources you need to manage your caseload effectively, regardless of size.
  • Enhanced Security: Smokeball's cloud-based platform is backed by robust security measures, ensuring your data is always safe and protected.
  • Peace of Mind: Smokeball's reliable performance and expert support team give you the peace of mind to focus on what you do best: practicing law.
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  • Increased Efficiency: Automate routine tasks such as document generation and time tracking, freeing up valuable time for more complex legal work.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Centralized document management allows team members to access and edit files in real-time, improving coordination and reducing errors.
  • Improved Client Communication: Integrated client portals provide clients with secure access to their case information, fostering transparency and trust.
  • Accurate Billing: Automated time and expense tracking ensures precise billing, reducing disputes and improving cash flow.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Built-in compliance features help ensure adherence to legal standards and regulations, minimizing the risk of penalties.
  • Data Security: Advanced encryption and secure access controls protect sensitive client information from unauthorized access and breaches.
  • Customizable Workflows: Tailor workflows to match your firm's specific processes, enhancing productivity and consistency across cases.
  • Comprehensive Reporting: Generate detailed reports on case progress, financials, and performance metrics, aiding in strategic decision-making.
  • Scalability: Adaptable to firms of all sizes, PerfectLaw grows with your business, ensuring long-term usability and investment value.
  • Reduced Administrative Overhead: Streamline administrative tasks, allowing staff to focus on billable work and client service.
  • Enhanced Mobility: Access case files and perform tasks from anywhere with cloud-based solutions, supporting remote work and flexibility.
  • Client Relationship Management: Integrated CRM tools help manage client interactions and track case histories, improving client satisfaction and retention.
  • Task Prioritization: Automated task management helps prioritize and delegate tasks effectively, ensuring deadlines are met and workloads are balanced.
  • Document Version Control: Maintain a clear history of document revisions, reducing the risk of errors and ensuring the use of the most current information.
  • Cost Savings: Reduce the need for physical storage and administrative resources, leading to significant cost reductions over time.
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  • Time and Expense Tracking: Automatically track time spent on in-platform tasks, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Outlook and associate it with relevant legal matters. Prepare invoices for billable hours and run reports on profitability and productivity. 
    • Productivity Insights: Generate productivity reports by practice area, staff member and matter. Identify non-billable hours, potential issues and productive staff members to improve the firm’s bottom line. 
    • Automated Billing: Populate billing entries and send invoices directly from the time and expense tracking portal. Pull data from associated matters to automatically create customizable entries. 
  • Document Automation: Draft and edit documents automatically from the information stored in associated legal matters. Integrate with Microsoft Word to move documents and generate PDFs directly from the source. 
    • Document Standardization: Improve the firm’s standard documentation processes with smarter fonts, letterheads and state-prescribed texts. 
    • Form Library: Access over 17,000 public legal documents through the Law Firm Form Library portal. Organize the forms by matter, contacts and/or practice areas and search by keywords. Automate form retrieval processes with “If, Then Else” and “Ask” commands. 
    • Area Specific Automation: Populate legal documentation with information specific to the associated matter. Eliminate overlapping of data with over 250 unique practice areas to choose from. 
  • Client Portal: Smokeball Communicate provides clients with a simple messaging and file-sharing portal. Collaborate on cases, share updates and send files securely with multi-factor authentication and full encryption. 
    • Time Tracking: Automatically log all the hours spent on client correspondence to transform them into billable time. Concentrate all communication through a single portal to simplify tracking and billing. 
    • Communication Management: Directly turn messages into tasks. Manage all email correspondence, in-platform messages and in-app communications under the same roof. 
  • Electronic Filing and Signatures: Integrate with InfoTrack and DocuSign to attach signature clauses to documents. Additionally, insert text boxes, radio buttons, checkboxes and more. 
    • Document Status: Keep track of all the documents sent for signatures. Automatically save the signed documents alongside associated legal matters. 
    • Court Searching and Tracking: Utilize InfoTrack to run searches across PACER, state courts, Federal and Bankruptcy courts, and trial and appeal boards. 
    • Filing Resources: Fill out 1099S forms, sign IT Electronic Signatures and legally incorporate firms anywhere in the U.S. Electronically file documents directly from the relevant legal matter with automated expense tracking. 
  • Mobile Application: View and edit legal documentation, attend hearings, send emails and add billing entries from anywhere via the mobile app. Get a quick and clean overview of the legal calendar. 
  • Workflow Management: Assign tasks to team members and set multiple reminders for important events, dates and hearings. 
    • Workflow Automation: Set up standardized automated workflows for regular processes like client intakes, filings, closings and more. 
    • Next Step: Create a sequence of simple or multi-step tasks against each other for every legal matter. Set up prescriptive tasks, litigation reminders and drafting deadlines in advance. 
    • Daily Digest: Broadcast an email every morning to staff members with reminders of upcoming tasks and events. 
  • Case Management: Organize legal cases according to practice areas with matter-specific information. 
    • Digital File: Automatically structure all email correspondence according to associated matter. Staff members have complete access to every file relevant to their work. 
    • Data Structuring: Organize matter-specific information like emails, notes, documentation, billing information, contacts, case numbers and more under one file. Access files from any device with an internet connection. 
  • Email Management: Sort thousands of emails into relevant folders to simplify access by staff members. Integrate with Microsoft Outlook to save an unlimited number of emails, grouped together by associated matter. 
    • Email Time Tracking: Send and receive emails to automatically log billable hours through the time tracking extension. Draft an email via the toolbar to autofill the address bar. 
    • PDF Creation: Convert any document to a PDF file or combine multiple ones into a single PDF before sending an email attachment. 
  • Calendar Management: Create calendar entries and automatically link associated matter and client files to get a 360-degree view of legal cases. Sort the calendar by workweek, month and case timeline to always stay on top of obligations. 
    • Integration: Integrate with Microsoft Outlook to automatically track events and accepted invitations. 
    • Calendar Sync: Access everyone’s legal calendar to stay on top of important events and hearings. Automatically synchronize important dates and tasks across the entire staff’s calendars. 
  • Firm Insights: Use the firm insights dashboard to generate reports on matter-type profitability, referral revenue, real-time performance and more. Filter reports based on practice areas for greater insights and agile decision-making. 
    • Flexible Analysis: Combine time tracked and billing reports to get greater insights into non-billable hours, profitable practice areas, write-offs, discounts and productivity. 
    • Workload Analysis: Identify which practice areas need more work. Use the insights dashboard to evenly distribute the workload between attorneys, assistants and paralegals. 
    • Fixed-Fee Data: Adjust fixed fees, client expectations and staff workloads based on real data from firm insights that show the true cost of work performed for each client. 
  • Billing Management: Prepare custom invoices for firm activity traced by the time tracking portal. Interact directly with the relevant time entries to review and approve invoices. 
    • Integrations: The billing portal integrates with LawPay to process credit card payments and online transactions. Manage trust and operating accounts ethically and offer clients flexible payment options. Additional integrations include QuickBooks Online. 
    • Activity Codes: Create custom activity codes for similar time and expense entries to expedite data entry and billing. 
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  • All-in-One Database: Integrates case management, billing, and document management into a single database, eliminating the need for multiple systems.
  • Case Management: Provides comprehensive tools for tracking case details, deadlines, and tasks, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
  • Document Management: Offers robust document storage and retrieval capabilities, including version control and full-text search.
  • Time and Billing: Facilitates accurate time tracking and billing with customizable billing rates and automated invoice generation.
  • Calendar and Docketing: Synchronizes with Outlook and other calendar systems to manage appointments, court dates, and deadlines efficiently.
  • Email Management: Integrates with Microsoft Outlook to archive emails directly into the case file, maintaining a complete communication history.
  • Workflow Automation: Automates routine tasks and processes, such as client intake and document assembly, to improve efficiency and reduce errors.
  • Client Portal: Provides a secure online portal for clients to access case information, documents, and invoices, enhancing client communication and satisfaction.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Generates detailed reports and analytics on various aspects of firm operations, from financial performance to case progress.
  • Mobile Access: Offers mobile access to key features, allowing attorneys to manage their work from anywhere, at any time.
  • Security and Compliance: Ensures data security with encryption, access controls, and compliance with legal industry standards.
  • Customizable Interface: Allows users to tailor the software interface to their specific needs and preferences, improving usability and productivity.
  • Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with other legal and business software, such as accounting systems and e-discovery tools.
  • Client Relationship Management (CRM): Manages client interactions and relationships, tracking communications, and follow-ups to enhance client service.
  • Task Management: Assigns and tracks tasks within the firm, ensuring accountability and timely completion of work.
  • Expense Tracking: Monitors and records expenses related to cases, facilitating accurate billing and financial management.
  • Training and Support: Provides comprehensive training resources and support services to help users maximize the software's potential.
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Product Ranking

#31

among all
Legal Software

#61

among all
Legal Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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Billing And Payments Calendaring And Legal Docketing Client And Contact Management Dashboard And Reporting Document Management Matter/Case Management Mobile Capabilities Task Management Time And Expense Management 97 97 99 81 91 89 88 100 0 25 50 75 100
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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 747 reviews
Great User Sentiment 5 reviews
95%
of users recommend this product

Smokeball has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 95% when considering 747 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

88%
of users recommend this product

PerfectLaw has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 5 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

4.9 (14)
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4.8 (176)
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4.76 (189)
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4.7 (179)
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4.8 (189)
4.4 (5)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Smokeball and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall Legal Software available today. Smokeball stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

Analysts' Pick Award
User Favorite Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Data Management: The platform’s data storage and organization capabilities are top-notch, according to 100% of users reviewing this feature.
Functionality: According to 91% of users who reviewed this aspect, the software offers various useful functions, including task management, case organization, accounting and AutoTime.
Ease of Use: 88% of users who mentioned this element said the solution is straightforward with an intuitive UI and robust knowledge base.
Integrations: 81% of users mentioning this aspect were satisfied with the variety and effectiveness of available integrations.
Service and Support: All the users who reviewed customer service mentioned that it’s responsive.
Automation: 75% of users who mentioned this element swear by the platform’s automation feature, especially document templates and automated emails.
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Comprehensive Features: PerfectLaw is an all-in-one solution encompassing case management, billing, and document management, simplifying legal operations.
Integration Capabilities: Seamless data flow between different modules eliminates redundant data entry, saving time and reducing errors.
Robust Reporting: The software provides in-depth reporting tools, allowing firms to track key metrics and make informed decisions.
Customization Options: PerfectLaw offers flexibility in tailoring the system to a firm's specific needs, ensuring a perfect fit for different workflows.
Timekeeping and Billing: Users praise the intuitive timekeeping features, including the ability to enter time from anywhere in the system, streamlining billing processes.
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Steep Learning Curve: Smokeball's interface can be complex and require significant training, especially for users unfamiliar with legal practice management software.
Limited Customization: While Smokeball offers some customization options, it may not be flexible enough for law firms with unique workflows or specific needs.
High Cost: Smokeball can be expensive, especially for small law firms or solo practitioners.
Integration Challenges: Integrating Smokeball with other legal software applications can be challenging and may require technical expertise.
Limited Reporting: Some users find Smokeball's reporting features insufficient for generating detailed insights into firm performance.
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Steep Learning Curve: Some users find it difficult to get up to speed with the software initially due to its extensive features and complex functionality.
User Interface: A common complaint is that the interface isn't intuitive, requiring multiple clicks to perform tasks that should be simpler.
Customer Support: While generally responsive, some users report occasional delays in getting support, which can be frustrating when dealing with urgent technical issues.
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User reviews of Smokeball paint a mixed picture, highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses. While some users find it incredibly helpful for streamlining workflows and enhancing collaboration, others struggle with its complex interface and limited customization options. Positive reviews often praise Smokeball's ability to automate tasks, save time, and increase efficiency. One user remarked, "My billable hours increased by over 50% while my work hours remained the same!" Another noted, "Smokeball has made my job of opening new files and maintaining case information exceedingly easy." These comments highlight the software's potential to improve productivity and profitability, especially for busy legal practices. However, some users find Smokeball's steep learning curve and complex interface a significant drawback. One reviewer lamented, "It took me months to feel comfortable using all the features." Another commented, "The interface can be overwhelming, especially for users unfamiliar with legal practice management software." These challenges highlight the need for comprehensive training and support, which may be lacking for some users. Comparatively, users often cite Smokeball's robust security features and comprehensive functionality as key advantages over competitors like Clio and PracticePanther. One user noted, "I feel confident that my client data is safe with Smokeball's encryption and access controls." Another commented, "Smokeball offers everything I need to manage my practice effectively, from document creation to billing and reporting." These comments emphasize Smokeball's strong security and wide range of features, making it a compelling option for law firms seeking a comprehensive legal practice management solution. However, its higher cost compared to competitors can be a barrier for some. One user remarked, "Smokeball is a great program, but it's simply too expensive for my small solo practice." This highlights the importance of considering individual needs and budgets when choosing a legal practice management software. Overall, user reviews suggest Smokeball is a powerful and feature-rich legal practice management solution, but its complexity and cost may not be suitable for all users. Law firms should carefully weigh the software's strengths and weaknesses against their specific needs and budget before making a decision.

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Is PerfectLaw the perfect solution for your legal firm's needs? Reviews from the past year suggest it could be, particularly for larger firms. Users consistently praise PerfectLaw's comprehensive suite of features, highlighting its "all-in-one" approach that streamlines various tasks, such as billing, case management, and document management, eliminating the need to juggle multiple software solutions. This integrated approach not only simplifies daily operations but also potentially saves firms money and reduces headaches. However, some users point out a steep learning curve, suggesting that getting the software up and running might require a significant time investment, especially for those unfamiliar with similar systems. While customer support receives positive feedback for its responsiveness, the initial setup and customization process has been described as complex and time-consuming. In essence, PerfectLaw appears to be a robust, feature-rich solution best suited for larger firms willing to invest the time and resources necessary to fully utilize its capabilities. Smaller firms or those seeking a more intuitive, out-of-the-box solution might find the learning curve a significant hurdle.

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