Whether your goal is to run an entirely remote law firm or you simply want to see more efficiency around the office, secure file-sharing can help your legal practice run better.

But let’s start with the basics: what is secure file-sharing? Secure file-sharing is an ethical method of sending sensitive documents digitally, using encryption and other technology to protect them from unauthorized viewers. To prevent hackers or identity thieves from accessing client data, the documents may be encrypted at rest, in transit, or both. Password protection and other measures add additional layers of privacy, as well.

This expedient, secure way to share legal files creates numerous opportunities for tech-savvy law firms to benefit from enhanced client relations and fewer operational silos. Below, we outline eight benefits of secure file sharing for a more profitable firm and more effective practice management.

1. Integration of eSignatures for Efficient Document Handlings

An eSignature is a digital signature that is typed or “written” on a touch screen using a finger, stylus, or mouse. eSignatures are legally binding, secure, and speedy. They’re also considerably more cost-efficient than printing paper documents to collect wet-ink signatures.

Using secure file-sharing and eSignatures in tandem simply makes sense, especially for lawyers. The duo eliminates the frustrating bottlenecks and data-entry errors that plague the legal process when paper documents must be mailed, scanned, and stored.

2. Enhancing Client Experience through Digital Accessibility

Using technology to offer more client-centered service demonstrates that your firm values clients’ time and energy. Ultimately, this makes them more likely to work with your firm again in the future.

Sharing legal files securely and digitally creates significant advantages for your clients. It’s also an increasingly standard expectation for doing business in the on-demand world we live in. Instead of waiting for the mail or driving to your office in person, file-sharing enables clients to review and sign important documents whenever and wherever it’s best for them.

In total, secure file-sharing and eSignatures cut the amount of time clients spend reviewing and signing documents by 80%.

3. The Potential of a Paperless Law Firm

Evolving to become a paperless law firm creates boundless opportunities to improve your law firm’s business practices. Cutting paper doesn’t cut cash, though, at least not metaphorically. Switching to paperless systems saves most companies money. Plus, paperless firms may be able to reap state and federal tax benefits.

Environment-conscious clients and employees will also appreciate the impact made by firms that share files online: lower water usage, decreased CO2 emissions, less waste sent to landfills, and fewer fossil fuels burned by driving to review and sign documents are all added benefits of secure file sharing.

4. More Opportunities to Work Remotely

Many lawyers, from junior associates to managing partners, appreciate the flexibility that remote work allows, whether due to an unexpected illness, family needs, or travel. While many law firms operate solely in-office, others have permanently adopted hybrid and remote work models. No matter which camp your firm falls in, it’s crucial to stay agile.

As an added bonus, remote work technologies, such as secure file-sharing, make it possible to accept clients from a wider geographical area. Your firm’s horizons are expanded when time and distance are no longer barriers to sharing documents or collecting signatures.

5. Streamlining Client Intake and Onboarding

The benefits of secure file-sharing extend far beyond completing legal work on client matters.

Secure file-sharing transforms the client intake process. When clients fill out paper-and-ink forms about their legal matters, legal staff must manually enter that information into your practice management software, often more than once. The repetition creates a large margin for data entry errors and pulls legal staff’s focus away from billable tasks.

By contrast, secure file-sharing empowers clients to complete the intake process faster. The need to complete onboarding paperwork in person is eliminated, and updating new clients’ personal information is instantaneous; no digging through file folders required. This reduces manual data entry errors dramatically.

6. Optimizing Time Management and Workflows

Your firm’s most important, and limited, resource is time. Secure file-sharing streamlines workflows and preserves limited resources by eliminating the need to compare calendars. What could your team achieve without wasting time waiting for schedules to align or hounding clients to return yet another email and schedule an appointment?

Getting documents in front of the right eyes is as simple as sending an email. However, email places a size limit on the files you can attach, while secure file-sharing makes it easy to send files that are particularly large (as files tend to be in legal work). To make things even more expedient, many file-sharing platforms have built-in, customizable templates and document management software too.

These features keep everything searchable and easily accessible for efficient workflows.

7. Improved Data Security

When it comes to legal work, compliance is key.

Few professionals handle such a large volume of sensitive data as attorneys. Depending on your practice area, clients entrust your firm with intellectual property, protected health information, potentially incriminating evidence, personal identifiable information, tax records, and more. Not only does the American Bar Association heavily regulate the way this information should be managed, but state and federal governments do so as well.

Secure file-sharing software makes following the industry’s strict ethics and client confidentiality requirements a breeze. Robust data encryption and password-protected links offer a higher level of security than sharing files via email or the postal service and lessen the likelihood of a breach of confidentiality.

8. Faster, More Fruitful Collaboration

When your clients and colleagues can access important files at any time, from anywhere, there’s no need to meet in an office. Work is completed faster. Instead of stretching the feedback process out for days (or even weeks), attorneys can edit legal documents in real time rather than sending them back and forth and waiting on them to be reviewed several times.

Legal Software Solutions that Work as Hard as You Do

Tabs3 Software now integrates with LexShare. LexShare offers maximum confidentiality in an intuitive interface, so sending and receiving files internally and externally is simple for every user, client, and colleague.

However, secure file-sharing for lawyers is just one of the many user-friendly, flexible features that Tabs3’s industry-leading legal software solutions have to offer your firm. Our software works reliably and effortlessly, so attorneys can spend more time focusing on securing and serving clients and less time troubleshooting or training on new software.

A more organized, profitable legal practice awaits, and it’s easy to get started. Schedule a demo or sign up for a free trial of Tabs3 now.

As a lawyer, you know that you have a duty to “zealously protect and pursue a client’s legitimate interests.” But what happens when those interests collide with another client’s, or even your own?

Understanding and managing conflicts of interest is essential for managing an ethical legal practice and maintaining client trust.

Let’s explore what constitutes a conflict of interest, why it’s a pivotal issue, and how you can effectively navigate conflict checks at intake by using the latest technological tools.

Understanding the concept of conflict of interest

Conflicts of interest in the legal field are an issue that can have real-world repercussions for both lawyers and their clients. That’s why attorneys usually begin an initial consultation with a conflict of interest check to see if a prospective client’s matters are at odds with those of an existing client.

The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct contain extensive rules on conflicts of interest, both for current and prospective clients.

According to Rule 1.7, a conflict of interest exists when there is a significant risk that a lawyer’s ability to represent a client will be materially limited by the lawyer’s responsibilities to another client, a former client, or a third person, or by a personal interest of the lawyer.

In simpler terms, a conflict arises when:

• your duty to one client could adversely affect another, OR
• your personal interests are at odds with your professional responsibilities

It’s a situation that demands immediate attention and resolution because failing to address it can lead to ethical violations and penalties.

The importance of loyalty and independent judgment

At the core of the attorney-client relationship is the principle of loyalty and independent judgment.

Clients entrust lawyers with all manner of highly sensitive data, including financial and personal information, and rely on them for legal advice and representation. Any form of conflict can erode this trust and compromise the quality of legal services provided.

For instance, if you’re representing two clients in a business transaction, can you truly advocate for both parties equally? The answer is often no, and this is where conflict of interest checks come into play.

Conflict of interest checks are not just a formality. They’re a crucial step in maintaining the integrity of the legal profession.

Common types of conflicts in legal practice

There are always nuances to legal practice, and conflicts of interest are no different. Understanding these types of conflicts is about adhering to legal guidelines and maintaining the trust and integrity that are the bedrock of the legal profession.

Opposing client interests

This type of conflict arises when you represent clients whose interests could potentially clash in the future, even if they aren’t directly opposed at the moment.

For example, you might represent two different clients in separate but similar business negotiations. If one client’s successful deal could negatively impact the market conditions for the other client, you are in a situation of opposing client interests.

Limited abilities due to other responsibilities

Sometimes, your ability to fully represent a client is hindered by obligations to another party. This could be another client, a former client, or even a personal matter. When this situation arises, it becomes difficult to give both parties your best effort.

Exposure to the opposing party’s information

If you’ve had access to sensitive information from an opposing party in a previous case, taking on a new case against that party is fraught with ethical pitfalls.

Business transactions with clients

It’s widely known that, as the ABA’s ethical guidance states, a “lawyer’s own interests should not be permitted to have an adverse effect on representation of a client.”

Entering into business deals with a client can muddy the professional relationship. Your interests could easily become misaligned, leading to a conflict that is hard to resolve.

The traditional way of conducting conflict checks

Before the advent of specialized legal software, conflict checks were often a manual, time-consuming process. Lawyers would rely on:

• Centralized databases: Manually searching through databases for names and entities related to potential new clients.
• Team consultations: Discussing potential conflicts with other lawyers and paralegals in the firm.
• Manual legal obligation review: Examining legal documents like confidentiality agreements or noncompete clauses that could cause conflicts.

These methods are prone to human error and can be incredibly time-consuming. These days, there are much more efficient ways to keep yourself in the clear.

The role of informed consent

Keep in mind that in some scenarios, conflicts can be managed through informed consent. This means all affected parties agree to proceed after full disclosure of the potential conflict. However, not all conflicts can be resolved this way, and in some cases, you may need to decline representation altogether.

The modern solution: Specialized legal software

In contrast with manual conflict checks, which are cumbersome and error-prone, specialized legal software has features designed to automate and streamline the conflict identification process, boosting speed and accuracy.

A software solution helps you conduct more accurate and efficient checks by allowing you to:

• Search through a comprehensive database of clients, matters, and related parties.
• Generate detailed conflict reports for review.
• Maintain a record of all conflict checks for compliance and auditing purposes.

By integrating advanced software solutions into your conflict check procedures, you save time and enhance the reliability and integrity of the process.

Simplify conflict checks with Tabs3’s specialized tools

As an attorney, your reputation is one of your most valuable assets. Upholding ethical standards is a cornerstone of a successful practice. By staying informed about the nuances of what constitutes a conflict of interest and employing effective management strategies, you can safeguard your reputation and build stronger, more trusting relationships with your clients.

Tabs3 offers a range of features that make conflict checks more reliable and efficient:

• Comprehensive database searches. Quickly search through a centralized database that includes current clients, past clients, and opposing parties, as well as any associated information for these clients.
• Team collaboration features. Easily consult with team members within the platform, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
• Search inside and outside of the database. PracticeMaster enable you to search outside documents and emails to ensure as comprehensive a search as possible.

By adopting PracticeMaster, you can significantly reduce the time and effort required for conflict checks, allowing you to focus more on your clients and less on administrative tasks.

Tabs3 is a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline your legal practice and enhance compliance. From legal billing to a financial suite, Tabs3 provides the tools you need to maintain airtight ethical integrity.

Don’t leave your reputation to chance. Invest in a solution that supports your commitment to ethical practice. Schedule a demo or begin your free trial today.

Expanding your client base is one of the best ways to grow your law firm. But without the right tools, all of the steps involved in lead management and the hurdles of client intake can require more time and attention than you have to spare. (After all, you must also provide excellent service to your existing clients.)

The good news is that today, law firms can leverage legal-specific client relationship management software like Tabs3 CRM to streamline the administrative and marketing aspects of growing your client base.

Even better, Tabs3 CRM integrates with our legal practice management software PracticeMaster, which means you can keep all your client data under one roof.

What is legal CRM?

As law firms grow, it can become incredibly time-consuming to market your firm, perform all of the necessary tasks associated with client intake, maintain strong client relationships, and complete enough billable hours.

Client relationship management (CRM) software is designed to streamline the client intake process and expand aspects of your marketing strategy. Yet practices that start out with industry-agnostic CRMs often face additional costs and effort to adapt their CRM to the specific needs of law firms.

Legal CRM takes the best parts of CRM technology and adds features that make it easy for law firms to implement in less time, with a faster return on investment.

Legal CRM includes features like:

• Customizable intelligent intake forms
• Automated texts and emails
• Streamlined marketing planning
• Document automation
• Secure file-sharing
• Data synchronization

5 ways Tabs3 CRM can transform your client intake

Your tools should work for you, not create more work. Tabs3 CRM is designed to make marketing and client intake easy for law firms.

1.   Engage more leads through automated marketing campaigns

Converting leads into clients can require a lot of touchpoints. When done manually through individual emails, texts, or phone calls, this process can be quite time-consuming.

When you automate lead-converting marketing campaigns, though, you can nurture leads more effectively and with greater results. Tabs3 CRM helps firms set up drip campaigns by:

• Creating personalized email templates
• Scheduling follow-ups automatically
• Tracking engagement for leads throughout the process

If you’re worried that your messages will come across as “automated,” remember that you can fully customize your messaging. Automated email sequences and text messages don’t have to be impersonal.

You can use Tabs3 CRM to create personalized marketing email campaigns specific to each step in your client intake process. Email drip campaigns require an initial setup, and once complete, you can use them indefinitely with only minor adjustments, saving your firm countless hours of email outreach to potential leads.

2.   Use customizable logic-based intake forms for greater efficiency

A manual client intake process is time-consuming and error-prone. It requires repetitive, tedious administrative work. Moreover, if a lead isn’t the right fit for your firm, you may feel frustrated at the time spent on work that didn’t generate revenue.

Logic-based intake forms help firms identify which leads may be a fit for their firm from the start. Through customizable and intelligent intake forms, law firms can pose questions that qualify leads based on the practice area or services required.

Because Tabs3 CRM integrates with PracticeMaster, any data generated can be synced between the two applications. This saves time on data entry and reduces human errors.

3.   Reduce follow-up with clients

Even after intake forms are submitted, you have more work to do before a lead officially becomes a client. This may mean phone calls, consultations, and further meetings.

Leading your potential client through these meetings and getting them to sign on the dotted line requires good communication and follow-up. After all, you’re busy, but so are your leads.

Tabs3 CRM can reduce your workload by sending out automated messages to:

• Schedule meetings
• Remind leads about upcoming meetings
• Send follow-up paperwork
• And more

4.   Assemble documents automatically and share securely through text or email

Document management is a critical part of the client intake process, but it has historically been a hands-on process. Whether it’s document assembly or reminding clients to return a signed document, even minor issues can delay the intake process and leave your client with a less-than-perfect first impression.

With a legal CRM, law firms can automate document assembly to streamline client intake workflows by pulling from client profiles within the CRM.

Tabs3 CRM makes it easy to share files with clients securely, obtain legally binding eSignatures from clients, and import documents once signed. With text message automation, you can share documents securely and send automated follow-ups, reminders, eSignature requests, and appointment confirmations. Firms can begin their relationship with new clients on the right foot through a prompt and seamless client intake process.

5.    Maximize your productivity and efficiency with integrations

When your systems don’t integrate, you spend more time switching between systems, transferring data, and triple-checking for errors.

In addition to the relationships you build with your clients, an integrated CRM saves your legal team significant time throughout the week with streamlined workflows that maximize efficiency.

Rather than constantly switching between different platforms and devices, Tabs3 CRM provides a single, user-friendly platform where a law firm can manage client intake, schedule appointments, and share files without missing a beat.

When a lead becomes a client, Tabs3 CRM seamlessly integrates with PracticeMaster to simplify client information data entry, making it easier than ever to stay organized and simplify the process of managing your matters.

Streamline your client intake process with Tabs3 CRM

Growing your client base doesn’t have to be a catch-22. It is possible to bring in more clients in less time without sacrificing billable hours for your current clients.

With Tabs3 CRM, your law firm can spend more time providing expert legal services and less time on marketing and lead conversion. And rather than sacrificing your marketing efforts or the quality of your client relationship management, Tabs3 CRM simplifies the process to enable effective marketing and client communication with tools specifically built for law firms.

Boost your productivity and profitability with Tabs3 CRM. Schedule a demo today and see how marketing automation can grow your law firm to new heights.

Intellectual property law is a field for meticulous people. Your clients depend on you to catch every last detail and potential risk for their intellectual property. From patents and supporting documents to deadlines and prosecution, IP law firms keep track of a lot of moving parts.

But even the most organized law firm can drop the ball sometimes if they don’t use the right tools for their practice.

Your supporting tools and systems are essential to achieving peak performance, and those tools look different for every field. For intellectual property law, practice management software is one of the main tools of the trade.

Legal practice management software is the organizational powerhouse that helps IP law firms thrive and check off every single detail to protect their clients’ hard work.

What is legal practice management software?

Practice management software in general is simply software designed to help any business operate more efficiently. These programs can range from all-in-one solutions to customized packages.

Practice management software often features:

• Workflow and task management
• Calendaring
• Contact management
• Client relationship management (CRM) tools
• Detailed reporting and data analytics
• Time and expense tracking
• Billing and invoicing
• Integrations with other systems for easier use

It’s important to keep in mind, though, that general practice management software is designed to accommodate any type of business. This means that industry-agnostic software can require a lot of customization for law firms, who will have to put in extra work to build a system that suits their unique needs.

On the other hand, legal practice management software is designed with attorneys in mind.

This enables law firms to take advantage of the software’s functionalities to improve their operations almost immediately. For example, instead of spending hours trying to get your generic CRM to support your firm’s case matter management program, you can use legal practice management software with a built-in legal CRM to keep everything you need all in one place (and minimize duplicate or incorrect client information).

This means that law firms are positioned to see a much faster ROI from the outset. But don’t just take our word for it. Here are four ways IP firms can use legal practice management software to improve their practice.

1.  Automated workflows prevent issues before they start

Intellectual property law demands meticulous attention to deadlines, forms, and documentation. Even the smallest missed deadline can have significant ramifications for your client’s ability to safeguard their creations.

Legal practice management systems help you keep track of all the moving parts with automated workflows, so your team never misses a beat.

Document management

Build customizable templates to assemble documents faster, with fewer errors. Once you’ve built your templates, such as standard IP documents or service agreements, you can assemble these documents with automated client data population in the blink of an eye. Because the software pulls client information directly from the system, it reduces the risk of clerical errors that could cost you precious time.

Attorney-friendly calendaring

The best practice management programs include advanced calendar functions, such as the ability to schedule a series of events from one kick-off date. It can also alert users of a double booking and allow staff to review all upcoming events related to a specific matter or client.

Simple conflict of interest checks

Built-in conflict of interest searches let attorneys instantly review potential conflicts of interest between your firm and prospective clients. The software uses phrase matching, phonetic checks, and other features to uncover any issues. This means no more digging through endless spreadsheets or mountains of old files to cross-reference client information.

2.  Task management automations save time

Task management automations help intellectual property attorneys save time and accomplish repetitive tasks more efficiently. After you set up the workflows that work for your team, the program can trigger tasks or send reminders following specific actions.

In addition to document assembly automation, your software can take care of tasks like:

• Starting emails
• Running reports
• Adding appointments to your calendar
• Launching other software features
• Launching other programs like Outlook, Excel, and Acrobat

These tasks may not seem overly time-consuming when they occur, but the minutes you spend on them each day can add up to more than 40 hours in a year. That’s more time every day that you can use for higher-value tasks and focusing on the big picture.

3.  Easier client communications builds more productive partnerships

Whether you’re simply reviewing a patent or filing litigation, communications are at the heart of your client experience. Without consistent, effective communication with your clients, firms are much more likely to miss details that could make or break a contentious IP filing. Regardless, a firm’s communication practices are essential to providing the strong client experience that allows firms to build a list of long-term, ideal clients.

Legal practice management software helps intellectual property law firms maintain personalized communications on both urgent and ongoing matters, so your clients feel valued and confident of your dedication (even when you’re knee-deep in casework).

Legal CRMs

Client relationship management (CRM) tools are designed to help law firms communicate with clients more efficiently about the client intake process, scheduling, appointments, deadlines, and updates to your law firm. From first contact, legal CRM can help you provide immediate responses via text and email communications, automated drip campaigns, and logic-based intake forms that help you identify leads.

While some CRM systems are separate from practice management software, CRM that is compatible with your legal practice management software provides a seamless integration, which equates to even more time saved.

Email integration

If your team struggles to sift through endless email threads or maintain consistent client communication, practice management tools can help you keep up and stay organized, starting with your inbox.

For example, PracticeMaster’s built-in email tools sync with Outlook, which means that legal staff can add client communications to each corresponding matter. By simplifying the centralization of information for case matters, all team members can stay up-to-date on client communications.

Secure file sharing and eSignatures

IP law practices work with sensitive client information and developing patents under deadline. Secure file-sharing and eSignature features enable teams to securely send information, request documents, and obtain signatures as quickly as possible. With these features, firms can save time, turn around documents faster, and bring their clients peace of mind.

Streamline your practice with Tabs3 Software’s suite of legal practice management tools

Tabs3 Software is designed to help intellectual property law firms operate more efficiently and effectively to benefit lawyers and their clients.

See for yourself why tens of thousands of legal professionals trust Tabs3 with their business when you schedule a demo today.

Along with securing the best possible outcome for matters and delivering a great client experience, client confidentiality should always be a top priority for law firms. Because client privacy is such a priority, though, many firms are hesitant to introduce new tools or technologies that deal with client data. Instead, they tend to stick to tried-and-true practices.

The reality, though, is that the practices that protected client privacy ten or twenty years ago may not be as effective as they once were. Technology has led to incredible breakthroughs, but it’s also introduced vulnerabilities when it comes to data and data security.

Law firms have a duty to their clients to protect their data, and one of the best ways they can do so is by keeping pace with the digital age. Employee training, secure offices, and firm privacy policies are all essential for protecting sensitive information. However, secure file-sharing and eSignature features are also critical tools that should not be overlooked.

Why digital security is critical for law firms in the U.S.

For law firms in the U.S., data breaches are more prevalent than ever. In 2021, law firm data breaches affected 720,000 Americans, and some of these breaches have led to significant financial burdens for the law firms themselves.

Case in point: in 2022, mid-sized Ohio firm Bricker & Eckler agreed to a $1.95 million settlement for a class action lawsuit stemming from a 2021 data breach at their firm.

To protect your clients’ information and your law firm’s reputation, it’s critical now more than ever to take proactive measures for data security and file encryption. One place to start is by implementing secure file-sharing and eSignature solutions.

Secure file sharing provides peace of mind and added convenience

Sharing sensitive documents via email or paper files opens the door to human error, which increases the risk of compromised client data. Secure file-sharing platforms are an essential way to eliminate human error and maintain document security. For example, Tabs3 Software’s practice management solution PracticeMaster integrates with LexShare, a file-sharing software that provides bank-level security measures.

With secure file-sharing platforms, you and your clients send and receive files of any size with an extra layer of protection while collaborating with clients and colleagues, no matter where they are located.

Remote work means secure file sharing is more important than ever

In the past few years, law firms have transformed to allow for remote work for many employees. In 2022, 87% of lawyers reported that their law firms allow for remote work. Additionally, nearly two-thirds of private practice lawyers can work remotely 100% of the time, while 23% follow a hybrid work schedule.

For firms that enable remote work for their employees, security is a significant concern. In addition to employee training and privacy policies, secure data access is critical to maintaining ABA compliance and protecting your clients’ data. Secure file-sharing programs, combined with eSignature features, allow lawyers and clients alike to make progress on case matters without ever having to enter the office.

eSignatures are legally binding and secure for clients

Digital signatures have been around since the 1970s, but became legally binding with the ESIGN Act in 2000.

Contrary to popular belief, eSignatures provide more layers of security than email or the postal service. For legal documents, eSignatures feature specialized encryption tools, knowledge-based authentication, and secure links to protect clients’ data security.

eSignatures don’t just protect client data online. While paper documents are vulnerable to theft, fire, flood, and other physical damage, electronic client signatures ensure document preservation. When combined with practice management software, this digital documentation also helps prevent incorrect storage, misplacement, or filing errors that could lead to additional security breaches.

Cost and time savings provide an added bonus

While security is the primary concern of eSignature and file-sharing programs, the cost and time savings for law firms shouldn’t be ignored.

The average office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of paper per year. By switching to more paperless practices, law firms can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars per year in paper costs alone.

eSignatures also drastically decrease the wait time for signed documents. While many attorneys can spend hours requesting and collecting client signatures, eSignatures diminish document turnaround times by 80% (and prevent the likelihood of missing or incorrect signatures).

Combined with the security provided by eSignatures and secure file sharing, these advantages can lead to expansive benefits and peace of mind for law firms.

Protect your clients’ sensitive data with Tabs3 Software

Tabs3 Software is dedicated to following the industry’s strictest compliance and data security regulations while offering attorneys a flexible working experience.

When it comes to protecting sensitive data, Tabs3’s fully integrated suite of products can provide your firm and your clients the privacy, security, and efficiency you need to operate with confidence.

Schedule a walkthrough demo to see how Tabs3’s legal practice management software can provide digital security while also improving administrative and operational efficiency.

Standing out from the crowd can be difficult in today’s busy software marketplace, but we can’t think of a better way to stand out than to be recognized for customer satisfaction.

At Tabs3 Software, we’re pleased to announce that we have been awarded nine badges from G2 for Quarter 1 of 2023.

G2, the largest tech marketplace and review platform in the world, rates vendors and products on a quarterly basis using feedback from user reviews, along with information compiled from web resources and social media.

As a result, it has become a highly trusted resource used by professionals who are seeking to make informed decisions about which software solutions to invest in for their businesses.

Tabs3 Software has been recognized with the following awards:

High Performer: Overall

• Legal Practice Management
• Legal Case Management
• Legal Billing

High Performer: Small Business

• Legal Practice Management
• Legal Case Management
• Legal Billing

Easiest Admin: Overall

• Legal Practice Management
• Legal Billing

Easiest Admin: Small Business

• Legal Billing

The Tabs3 experience

Tabs3 Software provides an integrated suite of billing, practice management, and financial software that simplifies managing matters, calendars, contacts, and documents.

Our products include:

• Tabs3 Billing
• Tabs3 Financials
• PracticeMaster
• Tabs3Pay
• Tabs3 Connect

With an overall G2 rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, we at Tabs3 take pride in the quality of our products and support. Additionally, nine out of ten clients recommend Tabs3, and we continually receive a more than 98% satisfaction rating from our clients for our outstanding support team.

Here’s what Tabs3 clients are saying on G2:

“Their customer service is great and very communicative. They are consistently coming up with new updates to make our practice more seamless. They have a very handy “how-to” website with easy-to-follow instructions on the many features Tabs3 offers. Also, I really appreciate the video tutorials.”

• Kimberlee S.

“The software works quite well for our firm. The support staff is personable, pleasant, patient and very knowledgeable. Honestly, there is not much to dislike about working with Tabs3 Software. It is such an improvement over our old billing software.”

• Patricia M.

“The system-wide integration of client data, billing, accounting, etc., helps us track our finances and productivity very well. We tried other systems that integrated with Quickbooks, and we much prefer having everything under one software platform. Also, Tabs3 has the best customer support of any software company I have ever used.”

• Jeffrey L.

To see more reviews, visit Tabs3 on G2.

About Tabs3

Software Technology, LLC, the maker of Tabs3 Software, is a leading provider of legal software in the United States with nearly 45 years of innovation and more than 100,000 active legal professionals using its products. Tabs3 Software offers billing, trust accounting, practice management, and payment solutions for solo to midsized law firms.

About G2

G2 is the world’s largest and most trusted software marketplace. More than 60 million people annually—including employees at all of the FORTUNE 500 companies—use G2 to make smarter software decisions based on authentic peer reviews. Thousands of software and services companies of all sizes partner with G2 to build their reputation, manage their software spend, and grow their business—including Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoom, and Adobe.

For law firms, time is quite literally money. With a finite number of billable hours in a day, the way you structure, track, and plan for time can make a significant difference in areas across your legal practice.

Beyond accurate time management, incorrect timekeeping has far-reaching consequences for:

• Company profits
• ABA compliance
• Staff management
• Client trust

The best way to improve all of the above? Accurate time tracking.

Six benefits of accurate time tracking

Time tracking is key to accurately staffing and allocating resources for every facet of firm operations. Let’s get more specific, though. Here are six major benefits of proper time tracking, and how you can step up your system today.

1.   Better matter budget

Because law firms build matter and case plans based on previous experience and knowledge, it can be difficult to scope projects correctly without accurate background information for similar tasks. If your firm chronically under-tracks time, then team members will consistently fall victim to underfunded projects and impossible timelines. This can also negatively impact the client experience (and ultimately, client satisfaction).

Under-tracking time doesn’t just impact billable hour projects, either. For non-billable business operations, under-budgeted projects lead to wasted work, inefficient systems, and poor project rollout.

No matter how you frame it, knowing how much associate and partner time is needed for a project will have a significant impact on a matter’s overall success. Otherwise, you may not have the time and resources you need to succeed.

2.   Allocate resources accurately

Similar to budget allocation, historical project data is critical to accurately allocating resources for billable and non-billable initiatives in a legal practice. An underestimated project will take up more than the projected time, costing the firm more money and potentially leading to stressful working conditions for attorneys and staff.

On the other hand, if a firm overestimates necessary resources, it can have the opposite problem. Projects can be overstaffed. If staff time isn’t allocated correctly, it can cost associates and partners much-needed billable hours. What’s more, other client work may suffer and profitability can decrease across the board.

3.   Set profitable rates and fee structures

Many firms provide different fee structures to cater to client needs, including flat fees, retainers, fee splitting, and contingency.

If your firm uses flat fees or task-based billing, your profitability depends on accurately pricing your services based on how much time a matter will take to resolve. Without accurate time tracking, you could be severely underselling your services. It’s as simple as that.

4.   Maintain compliance with ABA regulations

Beyond your own firm’s needs, time tracking is essential to maintaining compliance with ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct 1.5, 1.6, and 1.15.

Per the American Bar Association, improper tracking of billable hours can lead to serious ethical dilemmas, disciplinary measures, and even disbarment.

It’s important to note that compliance matters for every team member, not just partners. According to Model Rule 1.5, firms can only charge reasonable fees (the definition of which varies based on several factors). If an associate charges a client unreasonable or padded fees, they are accountable for their actions, even if they were directed to do so by a supervising lawyer.

To keep this issue to a minimum, the ABA suggests that legal staff, especially new lawyers, take care to review bills to avoid allegations of padding, especially when logging time for multiple cases at the same time.

The ABA’s top tip for compliance? Use a desktop- and mobile-friendly time-tracking tool as part of a larger practice management system for accurate billing practices.

5.   Improve client relationships

As previously noted, padded fees and invoices are a serious breach of ABA regulations. Beyond the risk of disciplinary measures, improperly tracked time can compromise client trust.

Trust is the cornerstone of strong client relationships for a law firm. Clients come to law firms to deal with serious and often stressful legal matters. They need someone they can trust to resolve their matters. If your firm loses that trust via padded billing practices or unreasonable fees, that trust is nearly impossible to get back.

On the other hand, consistent, transparent time tracking and fee structures promote open and honest communication which will lead to increased client satisfaction stemming from the level of transparency regarding pricing. This level of understanding fosters mutual trust, which is key to a law firm’s long-term growth.

6.   Better understand your staff’s performance

Time tracking is an important measure of efficiency and productivity, and it tells you how much staff worked on specific projects, or with certain clients. In addition to the numerous issues listed above, inaccurate time tracking can hinder your firm’s ability to support staff who may need more help and reward staff who go above and beyond.

All of these factors play into performance reviews, employee recognition, fair compensation, and keeping track of potential high or low performers at your firm.

How to improve your firm’s time-tracking system

The biggest way to improve a firm’s time-tracking system is to implement automated time tracking throughout the day, rather than tracking time at the end of the day or week.

According to the ABA, lawyers who wait until the end of the day can lose 10% of their billable time. For lawyers who wait until the end of the week, that number goes up to a 25% loss of billable time.

By tracking time throughout the day, team members gain an accurate picture of their billable hours. But tracking via paper and pencil can be inefficient (and easy to forget). Instead, consider working with legal practice management software with integrated time tracking. For example, Tabs3 Connect allows lawyers to track their time on any smart device, and easily switch between projects or pause for breaks.

As an added bonus, Tabs3 Connect’s time tracking seamlessly integrates with Tabs3 Billing. As timekeepers track their work throughout the day, the fees will be immediately available back at the office, ready to appear on your client’s next statement. This saves time compiling client invoices each month, while still providing easy editing capabilities to ensure accurate client billing.

Simplify your time tracking with Tabs3 Software

Time tracking doesn’t have to be complicated. Simplify your system and see the results for yourself with Tabs3 Connect’s timers, accessible from any smart device, no matter where your work takes you.

To see how Tabs3 can help transform your time tracking and firm productivity, schedule a walkthrough demo today.

When you work in the field of family law, you often work with clients who are experiencing difficult moments in their lives, working through life-changing problems such as divorce and child custody disputes. From splitting shared property or child custody to determining whether alimony is needed or how much child support is owed, navigating these matters can be an emotionally draining time.

As an attorney, your goal is to help your clients solve their problems, not add to their challenges by being disorganized or slow to respond. Support your clients by keeping things running smoothly with the right tools.

The best place to start? Choosing the right practice management software.

What is legal practice management software?

Legal practice management software is a type of software solution designed to help law firms manage their practices efficiently and profitably. Practice management software can range from providing all-in-one solutions to customizable packages designed for a law firm’s unique needs.

Functions typically included in practice management software include:

• Task and workflow management
• Contact management
• Calendars
• Time and expense tracking
• Reporting and analytics

Legal practice management providers may also offer billing, payments, trust accounting, and client relationship management features either as part of the package or as add-ons.

5 reasons family law firms need practice management software

Because family law matters can be complex and time-sensitive, staying organized is a challenge. With the right practice management software to support law firm operations, though, this is entirely possible.

Consider the following five ways your family law firm can benefit from legal practice management software.

1.   Create repeatable workflows to provide a better client experience

Family law matters can move quickly. If you’re relying on inefficient workflows, it can damage the client experience. Missing a filing deadline, responding slowly to a client in crisis, and depending on inconvenient processes can all lead to subpar legal results, damage client trust, and impede your family law firm’s growth.

Legal practice management software can mitigate these problems by helping you create workflows that work better for your firm and your clients alike.

2.   Stay ahead of the curve with built-in calendars

Staying on track with deadlines and schedules is vital for your family law practice, but you need more than a pen-and-paper calendar or an industry-agnostic calendar. To maximize your time and energy, your practice will benefit from an integrated calendar management system that syncs with your email and allows you to create firm-wide calendars. Other valuable uses of practice management calendaring tools include:

• Setting up recurring reminders for regular meetings and color coding events by staff member, activity, or matter type
• Applying federal, state, county, or even jurisdiction-specific criteria to reminders and due dates
• Implementing customizable security settings that determine which employees see appointments for certain attorneys and/or clients

3.   Manage tasks more efficiently

While the calendar in your practice management software gives you a big-picture view of your schedule, a task management system helps you manage your day-to-day work. With task management features, you can establish repeatable workflows, delegate tasks, and communicate progress on matters. The beauty of task management tools is that they help you better collaborate with other attorneys and legal staff to ensure no one falls behind on important client work.

Your task management tools also help you provide a strong client experience. Task management enhances visibility as to matter progress, which means that your team can better answer client questions and provide updates. No more shuffling through notes or documents to figure out the status of a client’s case.

Automate tasks and save time

Speaking of workflows, there are few things more tedious than endlessly building and rebuilding tasks. Thankfully, this is a problem that practice management software can resolve for you. For example, within PracticeMaster, you can use the WorkFlows function to automatically start tasks and send reminders after an action is taken, including:

• Starting emails
• Adding appointments
• Assembling documents
• Displaying messages
• Running reports
• Launching other PracticeMaster features
• Launching other software programs

Not only does this save your team time, but automation leads to fewer errors and creates consistency in assignments.

4.   Support better billing processes

When it comes to supporting profitability, your practice management software plays a significant role. Not only does maximizing productivity impact your billable hours, but it also helps you bill more efficiently when you:

• Implement robust time and expense tracking processes
• Convert activity into fees for billing
• Track the status of clients’ bills with matter management dashboards
• Access in-depth financial reports
• And more

5.   Improve the client experience with better communication and greater convenience

When a client is dealing with a family law matter, they want their lives to become less complicated, not more complicated. With practice management software at your disposal, your law firm can do a great deal to simplify complex legal matters.

Email management

Communicating with clients is essential for family law firms, and a big part of communicating with clients is managing your emails effectively.

Good client email practices start with using an email management system that helps you stay organized. For example, PracticeMaster’s built-in email management software syncs with Outlook and allows you to add client emails to their corresponding matter. With this feature, you don’t have to go digging through hundreds of email threads to find where your last conversation left off.

Secure file-sharing and eSignature

Family law matters are time-sensitive. It’s vital to get signatures and send information as quickly as possible. Secure file-sharing and eSignature tools expedite the process by removing the need to print, mail, and return documents. Clients can sign a contract or scan and send documents from their smartphone, removing added hassle.

Besides being incredibly user-friendly, file-sharing and eSignature tools provide a higher degree of security than paper versions. With bank-level security for sensitive client data, your clients will feel safer sharing their data and you can rest assured that you’ll be protected from compliance risks.

Do your best work with Tabs3 Software’s full suite of legal practice management tools

There are lots of legal practice management software options out there, but Tabs3 stands out because it provides everything a law firm needs to run an efficient and profitable practice. Tabs3’s powerful features can be customized to meet the precise needs of your firm.

See for yourself why Tabs3 Software has been trusted by law firms for decades, and schedule a walkthrough demo with us today.