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#24

Firm Central is ranked #24 in the Legal Billing Software product directory based on the latest available data collected by SelectHub. Compare the leaders with our In-Depth Report.

Firm Central Pricing

Based on our most recent analysis, Firm Central pricing starts at $40 (Per User, Monthly).

Price
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Starting From
$40
Pricing Model
Per User, Monthly
Free Trial
Yes, Request for Free

Training Resources

Firm Central is supported with the following types of training:

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars

Support

The following support services are available for Firm Central:

Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Help Desk
Knowledge Base
Tickets
Training
24/7 Live Support

Firm Central Benefits and Insights

Why use Firm Central?

Key differentiators & advantages of Firm Central

  • Comprehensive Reports: Get detailed daily, weekly and monthly reports of billable and non-billable time tracked. Maximize accuracy by cross-checking before billing. 
  • Easy Access: Directly access Westlaw’s legal research network from the homepage. 
  • Customizable Dashboard: Customize the dashboard with status bars for crucial functions. 
  • Simplify Collaboration: Collaborate with clients and team members by integrating with SharePoint. 

Industry Expertise

Designed for use in the legal industry, especially among small to mid-sized law firms.

Firm Central Reviews

Average customer reviews & user sentiment summary for Firm Central:

User satisfaction level icon: good

141 reviews

74%

of users would recommend this product

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Based on an aggregate of Firm Central reviews taken from the sources above, the following pros & cons have been curated by a SelectHub Market Analyst.

Pros

  • Data Management: It provides easy and secure access to client records and legal matters, according to 100% of users mentioning data management.
  • Ease of Use: According to 83% of users who reviewed this aspect, the platform is user-friendly and easy to learn.
  • Sharing and Collaboration: All reviewers who mentioned this benefit said they found it easy to share and collaborate on legal matters, especially with access to SharePoint.
  • Task Management: According to 67% of users who reviewed this feature, the legal calendar simplifies tracking pending tasks, assignments and deadlines.
  • KPI Monitoring: Everyone reviewing this element said that the customizable dashboard made it easy to track KPIs.

Cons

  • Functionality: Without integrations, it has limited functionalities, according to 57% of users mentioning this element.
  • Integrations: According to 71% of users who reviewed this feature, integrations can be buggy and expensive.
  • Service and Support: 64% of users who mentioned this aspect said they found the technical support lacking in knowledge and responsiveness.

Researcher's Summary:

Firm Central provides legal practitioners with a capable practice management solution with direct access to Westlaw. It offers secure and fast web access to basic features, including time tracking, billing, accounting, and matter and task management modules. Access to Westlaw is an important asset and should weigh heavily on any acquisition decision.
That said, multiple integrations can drive up costs and put a lot of pressure on the platform. Implementation and technical support can be hard to reach at times. Unless a Westlaw integration is absolutely essential to the firm, there are better options available in this price range.

Key Features

  • Matter Management: Manage legal matters, tasks, contacts, deadlines and documents from a single platform. Automate the client intake process and store an unlimited amount of documentation and files. 
    • Matter Search: Identify specific legal documents and files with the global search function. 
  • Collaboration: Securely share case files and calendar entries with all team members and counsels. Encourage collaboration between counsels and clients with a dedicated client portal. 
  • Task Management: Assign tasks to staff members, set reminders for important events and appointments and keep track of notifications. Monitor document reviews and updates and perform conflict checks across the client database. 
  • Time Tracking and Billing: Track every single minute of billable time with the Firm Central Time & BIlling portal. Create and operate trust funds, run reports and issue expedited invoices for faster payments. 
    • Financial Reporting: Generate reports with custom datasets to identify profitable practice areas, aging receivables, referral values, important clients and more. 
    • Financial Dashboard: Get real-time access to firm financials, outstanding bills, WIP, year-end reconciliations and more through a single interface. Use the dashboard insights for agile decision-making and strategic future planning. 
    • Time and Expense: Log billable hours with multiple timers from any computer or mobile device. Integrate time tracking and billing capabilities to directly invoice for the time entries. 
    • Billing: Prepare tailored payment plans and payment options for clients. Edit invoices and accept credit card payments with the ClientPay portal. 
  • Accounting: Manage separate trust and operating accounts with purpose-built accounting software. Process invoices ethically and in compliance with industry standards. 
    • Reports: Run regular accounting reports to measure profitability, discounts, write-offs, bank reconciliations, account transactions and more. Stay on top of the firm’s financial health to make informed decisions. 
    • Eliminate Error: Automate data entry to eliminate duplicate data and human errors. 
    • Compliance: Prepare an audit trail for all trust account transactions and simplify year-end reconciliations. Set up internal controls to protect financial data from leaks. 
  • Legal Calendar: Manage deadlines, events, hearings and more with the integrated legal calendar tool. 
    • Deadlines: The Deadlines Assistant automatically computes the deadlines of ongoing projects based on the rules set by the firm’s jurisdiction. Set up custom rules if required. 
    • Calendar Sync: Add, edit and update events in either the built-in calendar or Microsoft Outlook and automatically synchronize entries. 
    • Multiple Calendar Views: Allow all staff members to view the legal calendar for a holistic awareness of deadlines and appointments. Drill down on specific entries by matter and permissions. 
  • Mobile Application: Retain full control over legal matters and tasks while away from the office. Use the mobile application to securely access legal documents, matters, contacts, calendars and more. Track time and process expenses on the go. 
  • Security: Secure firm files and documentation in transit as well as in storage. Additionally, solve any data residency requirements with U.S.-based servers hosted by Thomson Reuters. 
    • Data Encryption: All connections to Firm Central servers are routed via HTTPS sessions with 256-bit SSL and TLS encryption. 
    • Compliance: Ensure the data security standards of the firm are compliant with SOC 2 Type II and AICPA regulations. Physical data centers are ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified. 
  • Client Portal: Provide clients with an encrypted communication environment for secure collaboration with counsels. 
    • Communications: Share documents, bills, case updates, messages and more with clients in real time. Monitor all client activity and maintain a record of all communications. 
    • Self-service: Clients can check case files and matter information, receive push notifications and upload documents. 
    • Security: Maintain ABA ethics mandates with the self-service portal. Use permission-based controls to decide who gets access to what items and documents. 
  • Westlaw Compatibility: Subscribe to Westlaw for built-in case citation flags and integrated global search and research tools. 
  • Integrations: Integrate with multiple Thomson Reuters applications under the same platform. Available inclusions include Westlaw legal research, Westlaw Form Builder, Practical Law and Drafting Assistant. 

Limitations

At the time of this review, these are the limitations according to user feedback:

  •  Tracking the time and date of client payments is cumbersome. 
  •  Mac users may face a lot of version control issues and bugs. 
  •  The proprietary plugin for Microsoft Outlook can be unreliable. 

Suite Support

The vendor provides a wide range of online support resources, including how-to guides, articles and video tutorials. Contact reference attorney support via phone or live chat to get case-related help. The vendor also offers phone assistance for technical, research and account-related queries.

mail_outlineEmail: Not specified.
phonePhone: 1-800-328-4880 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST, Monday to Friday.
schoolTraining: Online training consists of video tutorials. Details for on-demand training and live sessions are not specified.
local_offerTickets: Sign in to submit a support ticket.
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