7 Best CRMs for Law Firms + Why You Need One

CRM software is the ultimate solution for managing the mountains of documentation that come with running a law firm. It helps you stay organized and securely manage sensitive information with ease.

However, with hundreds of options available - each claiming to revolutionize how you handle cases and client relationships - choosing the right one can be a daunting task. That’s where we come in. At Softailed, we’ve done the hard work to help you find the perfect fit for your firm.

Let’s dive in!

What Is CRM Software and How Can It Help Law Firms?

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is your digital assistant for managing client relationships and case information. Think of it as a digital filing cabinet that stores data and helps you use it more effectively. It also helps with communication, allowing you to solve customer issues and market your services more effectively.

Here's how it might help:

Managing Client Information and Cases

Chances are, you're juggling multiple clients and cases simultaneously. One survey of attorney staffing in prosecutors' offices found that lawyers were handling as many as 176 cases!

This is where CRM software can be quite helpful. Every client file becomes a hub for all related information - emails, notes, documents, and those crucial details mentioned in passing that might otherwise slip through the cracks.

Considering that 74% of legal professionals say they spend too much time on administrative tasks, CRM software helps cut that down by storing everything in one place.

Improving Communication

Does this sound familiar? One client needs to sign an affidavit. Another is waiting for a case update. A third still hasn’t paid their invoice. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and lose track of client communication. However, more than 80% of people say that timely communication and clear next steps are vital when evaluating a lawyer or law firm.

CRM software tackles this head-on. First, it automates the grunt work. Those payment reminder emails will go out automatically. Plus, all your client interactions stay in one place, which makes it easy to track who needs what and when.

Data-Driven Decision-Making

Numbers tell stories, and CRM software helps you read them. In fact, many CRMS can generate reports on things like case outcomes, client acquisition rates, financial performance, and client satisfaction. Sixty-seven percent of law firms now use legal analytics to showcase their expertise to clients, and 57% use competitive intelligence to attract new business.

When all your client information is in one place, patterns become clear. For instance, by examining client demographics and case types, a firm might discover that a significant portion of its personal injury cases originates from a specific age group or geographic area. Or you might notice that clients often struggle with certain payment plans, which shows it’s time to make some changes.

What Makes the Best CRM Software for Law Firms?

At first glance, all CRM software for law firms might look the same. But when you take a closer look, you’ll notice key differences that can influence your choice.

Here are some of the things you should look for when choosing CRM software for your law firm:

Ease of Use

One of the most important factors to consider in a CRM for law firms is ease of use. Some systems can be overly complicated, but the goal is to make things simpler for you and your team. Look for software with a minimal learning curve that you can implement quickly.

The best CRM software should have:

• Clean, intuitive interface
• Customizable dashboards
• Clear tutorials
• Quick setup time

Integration

While your CRM will handle plenty of tasks, some processes will remain in other systems. That’s why integration capabilities are so important.

Your CRM needs to work seamlessly with your email and phone systems, video conferencing tools, and document e-signing services. It should connect smoothly with your time-tracking software and billing systems. The more seamless these connections are, the smoother your sales pipeline will be.

Automation

Effective automation features can manage lead generation, client communications, and appointment scheduling. They should also update case statuses automatically and track billable hours with minimal effort. Most importantly, automation should be customizable to suit your firm’s specific workflow.

Security

In the legal world, security is not just nice to have, it's mandatory. Depending on where you practice, your CRM may need to meet several security standards, including:

• SOC2: A cybersecurity framework that ensures proper handling of sensitive data.
• GDPR: A European Union law that protects personal data privacy and security.
• HIPAA: A U.S. law that safeguards medical information.
• CCPA: A law that protects California consumer privacy.

Look for features like two-factor authentication, data encryption, regular security audits, and strong access controls. They should all be part of the package.

Customer Support

When issues arise, you need fast support. Look for a CRM with a strong reputation for round-the-clock assistance.

Great customer support means having someone available 24/7 with quick response times. The support team should be knowledgeable, able to resolve problems efficiently, and help you maximize the value of your CRM. The best support goes beyond troubleshooting to make sure your system is fully optimized.

Cost

The ideal CRM strikes a balance between features and cost. It’s important not to compromise on necessary tools to save money, but you also shouldn’t pay for features you’ll never use.

Think about per-user pricing and whether monthly or annual billing makes more sense for your firm. Watch out for setup fees and training costs. Consider which add-on features you really need. Many providers offer free plans for new firms just starting out, which can be a great way to test the waters.

Read: Email Marketing for Lawyers: Strategy + Real Examples

The Best CRM Software for Law Firms

After carefully analyzing industry-leading providers, we’ve ranked the top options based on the factors outlined above. Our list is the result of an in-depth review of more than 35 of the best CRM software solutions available. We’ve combined our findings with the features that matter most to law firms to create the rankings below.

Check out our top picks for the best CRM software and discover more insights. You can also learn more about our evaluation process here.

Clio

Price: $39-$139/user per month

When it comes to legal CRM software, Clio stands out as our top pick. It's built specifically for law firms, with features that show a deep understanding of legal work.

Take their online court filing feature. You can electronically file and serve official court documents right from the system. Add in electronic signatures and appointment booking, and you've got a powerful legal toolkit.

Clio is widely recognized as being both intuitive and user-friendly, with a minimal learning curve. The dashboard shows each client's status at a glance, and their client intake insights help track which marketing efforts work best. Clio also has an extensive network of more than 250 third-party integrations, including Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Zoom, accounting software, and document management.

If you’re looking for automation features, Clio has that too, including workflow automation, document automation, and email management. Payment handling is automated as well, and you can create professional invoices capturing every billable minute. The system can automatically generate and send invoices on your schedule, plus send automated payment reminders when they're overdue.

Security is top-notch, with a 24/7/365 security team and continuous vulnerability monitoring. Clio also adheres to all industry-standard security practices and employs encryption protocols for data at rest and in transit. You can also customize access controls, which means your sensitive information will be tightly controlled, even within the firm.

Finally, Clio’s customer support is there when you need it. You can access them through live chat and phone support. There are webinars and extensive online documentation to help you get the job done.

Lawmatics

Price: Customized quotes

As you might have guessed from the name, Lawmatics is another platform built specifically for lawyers. Its user-friendly interface allows legal professionals to jump right in and manage client relationships without extensive training.

Automation is where Lawmatics really shines. Its client intake forms can automatically trigger text messages or emails to new clients. Need to schedule initial consultations? The system handles that too, complete with automatic appointment reminders. You can also automate tasks and schedule email campaigns and workflows directly from the platform. That means the platform can replace your email marketing software.

The platform's central dashboard puts everything at your fingertips - tasks, appointments, and performance tracking. You can even see which referral sources bring in the most business. Plus, it handles invoicing, time tracking, and payment collection all in one place. It integrates with a number of task management systems, communication tools, accounting and payment software, and marketing and lead generation systems like Google Ads and CallRail.

In terms of security, Lawmatics uses Amazon Web Services hosting and 256-bit AES encryption - the same level of security used by banks. You can turn on two-factor authentication for extra protection.

As for support, Lawmatics assigns each customer its own account manager. You can reach them via email or phone and join daily help sessions for live assistance.

HubSpot

Price: Free plan available. Paid plans are $20-$3,600/month

While many options focus exclusively on legal work, HubSpot takes a more general approach. As one of the biggest names in the industry, chances are many members of your team will be familiar with the software. HubSpot's AI chatbot capabilities simplify client communication, and the analytics dashboard is both comprehensive and easy to navigate.

While it might take a bit longer to learn than legal-specific options, HubSpot is still surprisingly user-friendly given how powerful it is. The automation builder lets you create complex workflows without touching any code. What's more, it allows for a wide range of automations for client intake, email, and marketing campaigns.

In fact, HubSpot offers a complete suite of marketing and sales tools to help your firm grow. You can connect the software with more than 1,750 applications, including legal practice software, communication tools, billing software, social media, and communications tools like Zoom and Aircall.

HubSpot maintains top-tier compliance standards across the board as well. It uses data encryption to safeguard data both in transit and at rest. It has customizable user permissions to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to specific information.

In terms of support, email and chat are available to all subscribers; phone support is only an option for those on Professional and Enterprise plans. There's also a world-class Knowledge Base, where you can find answers to all the most common questions.

Zoho CRM

Price: Free plan available. Paid plans are $14-$57 per user per month.

Zoho CRM matches many of HubSpot's features while adding its own unique functionality.

One law firm's success story shows what Zoho can do. Zylker Legal needed to capture all new cases in one place for attorneys to review and choose from. Zoho's custom modules and automation rules made this possible in minutes.

With Zoho CRM, you can automate many repetitive tasks, such as client follow-ups and appointment reminders. You can even create custom modules to track case progress and deadlines. The analytics tools let you define your own KPIs, metrics, and risk factors to keep everything running smoothly. While it has an intuitive interface that makes navigation easy, customizing the platform is more complicated and involves a learning curve.

When it comes to integrations, Zoho connects with more than 900 applications, including scheduling, e-signature tools, email marketing software, accounting, and more.

Legal compliance is no problem, either. Zoho tracks all communication and case history, making it easy to maintain records and back up data as required by law. Role-based permissions and encryption protocols round out the list of security measures.

Zoho offers customer support through email and chat for all users, with phone support available for higher-tier plans. Additionally, Zoho provides a wealth of tutorials, guides, and forums to assist you in getting the help you need.

Freshsales

Freshsales, which is part of the Freshworks family, brings something unique to the table: Freddy AI. With 73% of lawyers expecting to integrate AI into their work, this feature is right on time.

Freddy is an AI assistant that helps with everything from scoring leads to engaging clients. For instance, say you're having trouble making sense of your analytics. Freddy can break complex patterns down into simple, actionable insights. Freddy can also be used as an AI copilot to provide you with real-time guidance in setting up automations and automating repetitive tasks.

Overall, Freshworks is known to be user-friendly and easy to use, and Freddy makes it even easier. The platform makes customizing workflows a snap, and everything feeds into a dashboard that gives you a 360-degree view of each client and case.

When it comes to integrations, Freshsales offers more than 100 app connections through its own marketplace. It can also be connected with more than 6,000 additional applications through Zapier.

Freshsales uses AWS hosting and follows standard security practices. It lets you set role-based permissions, so you can control who has access to certain information.

There's 24/7 customer/support that includes email and real-time chat. Phone support is available depending on your plan.

Pipedrive

Price: $14-$99/user per month If Freshsales isn't user-friendly enough for you, Pipedrive might be what you're looking for. It has one of the best user interfaces I've seen - something your whole team will appreciate. It’s also very customizable, which makes it easier for your firm to align this CRM with your unique processes.

With Pipedrive, everything starts with one-click integrations. Connect your email marketing platform and more than 500 other systems in seconds. The simple, clean dashboard puts everything you need right where you can find it. Plus, you can customize reports for everything from deal tracking to revenue forecasts.

You'll find strong automation features, including workflow automation and lead scoring. The 24/7 chatbot handles lead conversations while automatically recording the data. You can create email automations and even use Pipedrive as your email marketing software with its Campaigns add-on.

Security features include SSO (Single Sign-On), two-factor authentication, and detailed device logs.

Customer support is standard, with email and chat support for all users, and phone support for higher-level plans. Overall, issues are resolved effectively with Pipedrive, although it sometimes takes longer than you’d like.

Law Ruler

Price: $169-$212+ per month

Law Ruler is a CRM software built specifically for law firms. This cloud-based platform focuses on streamlining intake and case management. It’s easy to use and is known for quick adoption.

Its dashboards are a standout feature that makes monitoring key performance indicators simple and easy. The comprehensive dashboard shows real-time updates on leads, cases, and settlements.

When it comes to integrations, many of the options here are purpose-built for the legal industry. You can connect with practice management software, marketing and lead generation tools (like Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn Ads), and communication and document management tools like Gravity Forms.

The built-in softphone (think virtual phone system) makes it easy to handle calls, while automation handles follow-up emails and texts. Their AI chatbot can even gather information from potential clients and schedule appointments, which can make your intake process smoother than ever.

In terms of automations, Law Ruler has some solid options. You can automate client intake, enable personalized and automated texts and emails, and set up document assembly and e-signatures for efficient client onboarding. You can enjoy task and workflow automation, too.

On the security side, Law Ruler encrypts data during transmission and storage and adheres to industry regulations around data integrity and confidentiality. You can use access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive data.

Law Ruler offers unique customer support options, including assistance with migrating your data from your current system and customizing your automations. You’ll also have access to both email and phone support.

Honorable Mentions

While these options didn't quite make our list, they deserve recognition for what they do well. They might not match the ease of use, features, or cost of our top picks, but they're still solid choices for the right firm.

• InterAction+: This option by legal research giant LexisNexis does everything well but feels a bit outdated and less intuitive.
• Filevine: Great for law firms and pushing hard into AI, but can't quite match Freddy from Freshworks.
• PracticePanther: Offers an excellent client portal and plenty of features but comes with a hefty price tag.

Choosing the Right CRM Software for Your Law Firm

Choosing the right CRM for your firm means looking carefully at both features and cost. Specialized legal CRMs offer out-of-the-box functionality for law firms, while general CRMs often provide more robust marketing and sales features at a lower cost.

Law-specific options like Clio, Lawmatics, and Law Ruler typically range from $40-$250 per user per month, offering specialized features like court document management and legal intake forms.

General CRMs like HubSpot, Zoho, and Freshsales often come in at lower price points, starting as low as $14 per user per month. The drawback is that they require more customization to fit legal workflows.

The size and focus of your firm should guide your decision. Smaller firms and solo practitioners might find Zoho's free plan or Clio's EasyStart plan, priced at $49 per user per month, to be a good balance of features and cost.

Growing mid-sized firms often benefit from HubSpot's marketing capabilities or Freshsales' AI features despite the higher cost. Large firms handling complex caseloads typically need the enterprise-level features of any of these solutions.

Compare Your Options

Finding the right CRM doesn't have to take months. Start with free trials and demos to get a feel for each option. Use our CRM Comparison Tool to see side-by-side features and pricing. For more general CRM information, check out our Best Picks for CRM software.

Ready to transform how your firm manages client relationships? Pick a few options that match your needs and start those free trials today.