Tabs3 Practice Management Blog for Law Firms

A review of your law firm’s finances and general performance is non-negotiable before the end of the year. Let’s walk through some key considerations to keep in mind as you wrap up Q4 so you can finish 2022 on a high note and set yourself up for success in 2023. 

Client service 

The end of the year is the perfect time to reach out to existing clients and touch base. Go the extra mile to let them know you value them as clients and make it clear that you continually strive to find new ways to serve them in the best way possible. Simple outreach expressing your gratitude for their business goes a long way. Your clients like to know they’re valued.  

This time of year is also an opportunity to review how you’re welcoming new clients to your practice. Review your intake process thoroughly. Are there ways it could be improved? Is there something you could do to make the process simpler? Make a thorough assessment to determine where you could save time, and what would make the process a smoother experience for your clients.  

If you have any outstanding client issues, now is the time to resolve them. Don’t bring lingering problem areas with you into the new year. 

Operational review 

Hopefully, you’ve been keeping meticulous time records. If you haven’t, now is the time to start. Tracking time as you go plays an important role in billing accurately, setting appropriate rates, sustaining trust with clients, and maintaining compliance. It also provides important operational data for your practice by helping you assess whether your team members are working efficiently.

 Take a look at your existing time records and other reports. Where can processes and workflows be streamlined to increase efficiency and profitability? Are workloads appropriately assigned? Are you making the best possible use of your practice management software and its features?    

One way to do this is by updating your tech stack so you can reduce the time spent on tasks that could be automated. With legal practice software like Tabs3, you can access detailed reports to inform decision-making and automation tools to streamline your processes.     

Financial 

Don’t wait until the last minute to tackle your year-end accounting. Give your EOY accounting the extra attention it deserves to guarantee that you maximize your profits for the year. Make sure you prioritize the tasks listed below. 

Look at cash flow 

Make a detailed estimate of what kind of cash you’ll have on hand come the end of the year. Make sure you take into account quarterly tax payments, staff bonuses, old payables, reserves for capital improvements, and any other unusual end-of-year cash disbursements.   

Be sure there is sufficient cash flow to cover operating costs for the first quarter of 2023. 

Review your timekeeping 

We know we mentioned this already, but diligent timekeeping is critical to both profitability and compliance. As we turn the page on 2022, check that all staff members are up to date with their time entries. As you move into the new year, set a goal for all team members to track their time on a daily basis.   

Studies show that the sooner you capture your time, the more you realize. In fact, law firms that track time as they go generate 25-40% more revenue than firms that do not. That’s a pretty compelling reason to make a point of going into the new year with better timekeeping habits.  

If timekeeping habits have been slipping lately, consider updating (or establishing) your timekeeping policies so everyone is on the same page about the hows and whys of timekeeping at your law firm.  

Check in with accounts receivable 

Don’t bring outstanding balances with you into the new year. The longer you wait, the less likely you’ll be able to actually collect. Once an invoice passes the 180-day mark, there’s a 56% chance it will never be paid. Create a list of outstanding balances and try to recover them before year-end. Anything deemed uncollectible should be written off before the start of 2023.  

Be sure to account for unreimbursed client expenses, as well as attorney expense reports. Write them off by the end of the quarter. 

Review your current retainers 

Check in with your current retainer balances. There should be enough there to cover your remaining anticipated work and expenses. If not, request replenishment in line with your firm’s retainer policy.  

EOY accounting deserves your extra care and attention. Do a thorough review of your budget. Do your EOY reports align? Where are the gaps, and what can you do to stay on budget for 2023?  

Lastly, do an audit of which areas of your business were most profitable, and which were less so. Your law firm is a business, after all. Examine where your revenue is coming from.  

If the vast majority of your revenue stream is driven by two main practice areas and a third area generates only a trickle, perhaps your resources would be best spent focused on your money-makers. Consider scaling back on the areas that show little return. And if you don’t know which areas your revenue is coming from, adjust your financial reporting so that next year you will. Don’t continue feeding resources into an area of your business that doesn’t show sufficient returns. 

Marketing 

As you wrap up Q4, have a look at your marketing spend for the year. Where are you seeing returns? Double down on what’s working and cut whatever is not.  

If you’re using legal customer relationship management (CRM) software, check whether you’re getting everything you can out of it. When used efficiently, a CRM with law firm-specific functionality will help you win more business, impress your clients, and maximize your billable hours.  

Just as you should reach out to your current clients at the end of the year to express your gratitude for your business, you should also make the same gesture to your referral network so you can ensure you’re top-of-mind as you enter the new year. 

HR 

You’ve already gone out of your way to make your clients feel appreciated. Now is the time to make the same gesture with regard to your staff. Thank them for their hard work! Start thinking about what opportunities you can provide for your team to grow and progress in their careers as you head into the new year. 

Looking forward to 2023 

Now that you’ve done a thorough analysis of the year to date, it’s time to set goals for moving forward. Outline these goals in clear, actionable ways, and get your entire team on board.  

If there are improvements you can make in your client services by updating your tech, streamlining your intake processes, or automating day-to-day tasks, start implementing these changes now so that you can kick off a profitable and productive 2023.  

If you’re ready to learn how Tabs3 can help set you up to see your most profitable year yet, request a free trial or walkthrough demo today. 

The end of the year is always an important period for goal-setting and preparation in a legal practice. From business planning to year-over-year analysis, Q4 is the time to set your practice up for success in the year to come, especially when it comes to finance.  

While the end of the year is critical for any business, it is also a time to celebrate, travel, and spend time with loved ones. These things are important, and it’s equally important to account for these disruptions in your end-of-year goals. After all, the holidays can take weeks of productivity away from teams as they split hours between work and home.  

At this time of the year, efficiency is the name of the game. With the right tools to help you accomplish your goals faster, it is in fact possible to achieve a balance between these competing priorities. From billing and trusts to accounts payable and long-term analyses, there are a number of systems that can help your team complete robust financial business planning, whether they’re in the office or working from home. 

Stay on top of your goals and check off items on your to-do list faster by using the right software for your team. Tabs3 Platinum enables attorneys to work smarter, so they can spend more time doing what matters. 

Deal with Overdue Accounts 

Many business owners have experienced the frustration of trying to collect on past-due accounts. Before you begin, you need to know which accounts are past due and how late they are before you can take action. With Tabs3 Platinum, users can run advanced reporting on accounts receivable. 

The Accounts Receivable by Timekeeper Report breaks down clients with receivables by working timekeeper. This helps your billing department understand which attorneys may need collections assistance, opening up opportunities to better support your team. The report also makes it easier to see how much each timekeeper is currently owed, which presents a clear view of priorities for collections. 

If the customer is having cash flow problems, consider using Tabs3Pay to schedule payments ahead of time or offer payment plans for your clients. 

Best of all, Tabs3 Platinum compiles all of your data for you faster than ever before. With its accelerator feature, users can get reports, filtering, and column sorting 10-30 times faster. For legal practices with large data sets, lots of users, or a congested network, this can save your team significant time. 

Stay on top of appointments during the holiday season 

It is all too easy to let meetings and appointments slip through the cracks with everything that goes on during the holidays. Emails can get lost in your inbox amongst the plethora of “season’s greetings” messages.   

Rather than frantically tracking down colleagues or rummaging through your own inbox to find a meeting invite, use Tabs3 Platinum’s eNote and Exchange Connector features to stay on top of your team’s schedule even when you are away from the office.  

eNote is an in-office messaging tool built into PracticeMaster. It allows users to send quick messages that won’t get lost in an email inbox, such as links to appointments or any other record for quick reference. When you receive an eNote, it pops up on your screen, and you can easily reply, forward, or dismiss it. With the Platinum Edition, you can send or receive eNotes on any internet enabled device. 

On the other hand, Platinum’s Exchange Connector synchronizes PracticeMaster calendars and contacts with Microsoft 365. Through the Exchange Connector, appointments and contacts on your smart device are synchronized with PracticeMaster, even if your computer is off. By keeping information synced between devices, communication and keeping track of appointments is easier to manage.  

As an added bonus, people at the office will be able to see appointments that you add on any device, so you don’t have to constantly go back and forth on scheduling.  

Remote working for the holidays 

The holidays are a time to gather with loved ones, relax, and look forward to the year to come. They are also a time when colleagues may rely on remote working to tie up any loose ends in the current calendar year. And with travel, remote working, and a hectic atmosphere, cyber threats are amplified during holidays. It’s important to ensure that your team is taking the proper precautions with sensitive financial and client data. 

While remote working can be difficult without the proper software in place, Tabs3 makes it easy! Tabs3 Connect provides access to Tabs3 Billing and PracticeMaster when you are away from the office. Users can access the Matter Manager, clients, contacts, calendar, fees, and costs from a phone, tablet, laptop, or computer at home. So even if you end up on your in-laws’ desktop PC, we’ve still got you covered.  

Furthermore, Tabs3 Connect allows attorneys to enter fees and costs, check their calendar, view documents, and more with ease from anywhere in the world. To protect data security, sensitive client information is stored on the law firm server, rather than on attorneys’ mobile devices.  

To achieve secure remote access, pair a VPN with your remote access software of choice. Remote access software provides secure access to your legal practice management software through an internet connection between your office server and home computer. When configured properly, remote access software gives your legal staff secure access to all Tabs3 Software features from almost anywhere. With this method, only a minimal amount of data travels between attorneys’ home devices and office computers. 

By working with a secure remote access software, you can spend less time worrying about security or data breaches, and more time achieving your end-of-year goals. With over 40 years of experience providing cutting-edge legal technology to law firms just like yours, Tabs3 software is built to uphold the industry’s strictest compliance and data security regulations. 

Peace of mind features 

To protect your data, Tabs3 Platinum enables HotBackUps, which allows users to back up data at any time, even when others are working. Users can start a backup whenever they want, or schedule them in advance to occur throughout the day. What’s more, they can control how many backups are stored on their server, and where the backups are stored.  

Users can work without fear of data loss from poor network connections or power outages through the Auto-Recovery function. If something goes wrong, Auto-Recovery restores your data to a reliable, usable state, reducing the risk of data corruption. 

See the results for yourself 

You can achieve your end-of-year goals without working into the midnight hours or staying at your desk during the holidays.  

Check out the Platinum Edition product page to learn more about what Tabs3 Connect has to offer. Request your free trial or schedule a walkthrough demo to see how Tabs3 Software’s fully integrated suite of software products can revolutionize the day-to-day functioning of your law firm. 

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Secure technology is important to all industries, but it is especially important for law firms to ensure high levels of cybersecurity.

As a lawyer, you are certainly aware that you have an ethical and legal obligation to protect your clients’ information. As stated in the American Bar Association (ABA) Rule 1.6: Confidentiality of Information, “a lawyer shall make reasonable efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to the representation of a client.”

This means that, in the event of a cyberattack, even if you are not at fault, you and your law firm will be held responsible for any data breaches that affect clients. And data breaches are not uncommon. According to ABA’s 2021 Legal Technology Survey Report, 25% of respondents reported a data breach (such as a lost or stolen device, hacker, break-in, or website exploit) at some point.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your firm and clients’ sensitive data against cyber threats: using secure tools, implementing effective backup and recovery, training employees to use best cybersecurity practices, and more.

Not sure where to start? Keep reading to learn about how Tabs3 can enhance your law firm’s cybersecurity.

Five ways that Tabs3 supports a secure legal practice

1.   Secure file sharing

When you share sensitive documents via email, flash drive, or even paper files, you run the risk of having lost, misplaced, or stolen data. Even if your clients give you the green light to send unsecured information, it’s your responsibility to follow the law by protecting their confidentiality.

With software integrations like LexShare, a file-sharing software that provides bank-level security measures, you and your clients can collaborate from anywhere, sharing confidential information without compromising data security or compliance. Not only does this offer an extra layer of protection against hackers, but it also allows you to share files of any size, a feature often limited by email capabilities.

2.   eSignature

In a world that is becoming increasingly virtual, the thought of scheduling a time to meet with your clients to obtain a signature in person can be daunting. As noted above, though, companies and consumers alike are aware that choosing to share files and obtain signatures via email can increase your risk of data breaches.

This is where eSignature comes into the picture. With LexSign, you can share files and obtain signatures in just a few clicks. This feature significantly increases client convenience and improves your law firm’s workflows, and it also deploys secure cloud technology to prevent files from being tampered with, stolen, or lost.

3.   Tabs3 Connect

While Tabs3 software secures the technology at your firm, you may be wary of accessing your information from another location or device and putting yourself at risk of a cybersecurity breach. It’s understandable that you would have this concern. But with the right software, there is no reason to worry.

Tabs3 Connect allows for secure, efficient remote work by providing mobile access to your Tabs3 software. Use your smartphone to enter fees and costs, access documents, schedule appointments, and more, without worrying about data security. Our state-of-the-art technology ensures that encrypted data stays where it belongs and will never be stored on someone else’s server or even on your device (should it be lost or stolen).

4.   Data Encryption

While it’s important to protect your data when working remotely or when sharing documents, it is equally important to protect your internal files. Encrypting your files helps your firm protect data that contains sensitive information by preventing files from being read by software other than Tabs3 Billing or PracticeMaster.

This Platinum feature adds a layer of security to your data without compromising functionality. As an additional layer of protection, you can restrict access even further by determining which software users can interact with encrypted files. 

5.   Security benefits of on-premise software

While much has been said about the security benefits of cloud-based software, it’s important to distinguish the advantages of on-premises software. On-premise software allows law firms significantly more control over how software and servers are configured, as well as where and how data is stored. The ability to customize means that compliance requirements for personally identifiable information, data retention, and data storage may be easier to meet. You can work closely with your IT staff and any technology consultants to come up with a plan that meets your law firm’s unique needs.

On-premises software also is more convenient to access if your practice needs to conduct security audits. Security audits are a smart way to ensure that your practice is taking all the necessary steps to protect client information.

Secure your law firm with Tabs3

With Tabs3 Software, you can improve workflows while also gaining the peace of mind that your firm and clients’ sensitive information is safe from cyber-attacks.

Ready to enhance your law firm’s cybersecurity? Request a free trial or schedule a walkthrough demo today.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a collaborative effort between The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) to raise global awareness about cybersecurity.

Why is this important to law firms, though?

According to the American Bar Association (ABA)’s 2021 Legal Technology Survey Report, 25% of respondents reported a law firm breach at some point. With the vast amount of sensitive, valuable information involved in the day-to-day tasks of legal work, it’s no surprise that law firms, and their legal technology, are a common target for hackers.

To keep your firm and clients protected from cyberattacks, it’s important that you implement strong company-wide cybersecurity practices. Read on to learn more about the importance of secure technology for law firms.

Unsecure technology risks for law firms

Cybersecurity attacks can result in compromised communications, loss of access to essential information, data leaks, loss of trust in your law firm, and even malpractice claims.

These attacks don’t just impact your law firm, though. They also put your clients at risk. As a lawyer, you have ethical and legal obligations to protect your clients’ information. As stated in ABA Rule 1.6: Confidentiality of Information, “a lawyer shall make reasonable efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to the representation of a client.”

Additionally, three ABA formal opinions you should be familiar with include:

• ABA Formal Opinion 477R: Securing Communication of Protected Client Information
• ABA Formal Opinion 483: Lawyers’ Obligations After an Electronic Data Breach or Cyberattack
• ABA Formal Opinion 498: Virtual Practice

Even in the event of a cyberattack, you as a lawyer can be held responsible for any privacy breach that affects your clients.

Five ways to secure your law firm’s technology

To protect your law firm from cyber-attacks, it’s important to stay up-to-date with technology best practices and implement company-wide cybersecurity policies. The five tips below are a great place to start.

1.   Be cautious with emails

Emails are common targets for phishing scams. Some common traits of phishing include:

• Offers or statements that are too good to be true
• Odd requests with a sense of urgency
• Hyperlinks
• Attachments that are unexpected or don’t seem to make sense

If you receive an out-of-character email from a colleague or client, check the email address to see if it’s legitimate. If you’re unsure about a link, hover over the link to see where it goes, and if it’s a popular site, be sure to check that everything is spelled correctly. If you find an email to be suspicious, it never hurts to get a second opinion or confirm with the sender through another form of communication.

2.   Browse safely

Whether it’s a pop-up, fake site, or questionable link, one wrong click can harm your device in a matter of seconds. When you’re working online, there are a few steps you can take to avoid compromising your data or device.

For example, make sure you’re using Google Chrome as your default browser to access your preferred legal journal. This will allow you to add privacy extensions to block activity such as spying ads and hidden trackers.

It’s especially important to browse safely when you’re working remotely. If you’re away from your secure workplace network, use a virtual private network (VPN) to hide your IP address and keep your browsing activity from being tracked. This is crucial when accessing legal documents or transmitting client information.

3.   Use secure passwords

How many online accounts do you log in to on a regular basis? Ideally, each of these accounts should have its own unique password. If your accounts share the same password, keep in mind that one compromised account likely means multiple compromised accounts.

In addition to having strong, unique passwords, you should also change them on a regular basis to keep them hack-proof. It’s also a good idea to enable two-factor authentication, which adds an additional layer of security to your accounts.

If you’re concerned about being locked out of your own accounts, consider implementing a password management tool such as 1Password or LastPass to keep your passwords safe, secure, and all in one place.

You’ll also want to train everyone at your law firm, from paralegals to partners, on how to create secure passwords and remind them of the dangers of sharing or reusing passwords.

4.   Prepare an incident response plan

According to the ABA’s 2021 Legal Technology Survey, only 36% of respondents said their firm has an incident response plan (IRP). While implementing an IRP can be an expensive and time-consuming process, the aftermath of a cyberattack or data breach can be far more costly.

Your IRP should include provisions for cybersecurity issues and natural disasters alike.

5.   Use secure practice management technology

With remote work on the rise, now is a good time to invest in practice management software that keeps your law firm up-to-date, efficient, and secure.

Secure file-sharing software eliminates the need for sharing sensitive information through emails, flash drives, and paper documents. Not only does this allow you to access your files from anywhere, but it also helps to protect your clients’ confidentiality and keep your firm compliant.

Keep your law firm secure with Tabs3

Our reliable, easy-to-use practice management software is designed to help law firms boost productivity, stay organized, and maintain client confidentiality. With secure file-sharing and e-signature features, clients can rest assured that their data is protected.

For added security, try the Platinum edition, which includes:

• Tabs3 Connect, which allows for more efficient remote work
• HotBackup, which backs up your data on an ongoing basis
• Auto-Recovery, which protects your data from power outages, lost network connections, and data corruption

Interested in learning more? Request a free trial or schedule a walkthrough demo today.

The end of the year can often be a hectic time for any business. From strategic planning to client appreciation and wrapping up long-term projects, it can be overwhelming to enter this quarter without a structured plan in place.

Instead of diving in headfirst, eliminate unnecessary stress and administrative tasks by sitting down and planning out your priorities for the end of the year. By cutting out the “should do’s” in favor of the “must do’s,” you can establish clarity about shared goals amongst attorneys and legal staff, and give your entire legal practice the gift of an easier end of the year.

Here are the steps you can take in Q4 for a strong wrap-up in 2022, and an even stronger start to 2023.

1.  Check in with your business goals

Ideally, law firms should evaluate business goals every quarter, not just to see if you’re on track, but also to make sure that your current business goals still make sense for your firm. But time is a precious resource, and it’s normal for larger business goals to get lost in the day-to-day of running a profitable operation.

If that happens, then Q4 is the time to check in on the goals you set at the start of the year. Take a look and assess them to decide if they’re still applicable. Then, pick your path:

• If they aren’t, set them aside and craft appropriate new short-term goals for the end of the year
• If your original business goals are still relevant, identify what steps you can take in the next few months to achieve them

This process is a good opportunity to reflect on why achieving certain business goals ended up taking a back seat. What could you do next year to ensure that they remain an ongoing priority?

2.  Review your KPIs

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the metrics we use to evaluate success. Q4 is the perfect time to review how you’ve performed against the KPIs you set for yourself. Where is there room for improvement? Where did you go above and beyond, and what made that possible? What KPIs are unrealistic, or impractical?

Focus on the KPIs that matter, and make sure that you’re reviewing your firm’s performance against only the most relevant metrics, so you can gain a more accurate picture of overall successes or opportunities for improvement.

3.  Identify areas to improve operational and administrative processes

Operational and administrative processes can be some of the most time-consuming (and least billable) tasks in a business. In Q4, take the time to review them and evaluate how you can increase efficiency while eliminating pain points or redundant manual work.

For example, tasks related to billing and calendar tracking are all too often pushed to the last minute, or late in the evening when everyone else has gone home. Consider billing management software that can automate these tedious tasks and sync data to cut down on administrative work.

For example, Tabs3 Financials are specifically designed to increase efficiency and improve accounting processes for law firms. With minimal setup and no workarounds needed to satisfy bar association compliance requirements, you can print financial statements, write checks, reconcile bank statements, and manage client trust accounts in one easy-to-use and fully integrated system.

4.  Analyze growth goals for next year

Review your strategic priorities for 2023 and consider where you can cut down on costs or increase growth. Whether it’s ramping up marketing efforts, improving billing efficiency, or growing your client base, there are always opportunities to enhance existing processes.

For example, perhaps you want to focus on attracting clients that are a better fit for your particular legal practice. Teams can use the billing and collections process to improve your client base. Take a look at your best clients and consider how you can optimize a retainer to incentivize them to continue with your practice.

Alternatively, look at clients that regularly pose slow-payment issues, demand excessive discounting, or are otherwise disproportionately problematic. Are these clients the right fit for your firm? Or would letting them go free up time needed to focus on clients who are a better fit for your team?

5.  Connect with your clients

Many people use the end of the year to review what’s working and what isn’t, and that includes your clients. Build a strong fourth quarter by revisiting your client relationships and seeing how they can improve. Now is a great time to follow up on past clients, check in with your current ones, and listen to their priorities for the coming months.

If you understand your clients’ needs, you’ll be better positioned to advocate for your firm and discuss how you can help with their upcoming issues. This time is also ideal for sharing new services or end-of-year promotions with clients.

Furthermore, connecting with your clients and listening to their feedback with an open mind is an important opportunity to learn what your firm could be doing better. Rather than just shaking hands and thanking them for their business, capitalize on this interaction to ask for their thoughts about your services. When done right, this will make your client feel valued and heard, and provide you with important considerations to take back to your practice’s stakeholders.

6.  Plan for the holidays in advance

Q4 is full of holidays and celebrations, and it can also be the month of endless client gifts: cards, gift baskets, and other tokens of appreciation pile up on countless desks. It can be hard to stand out from every other business.

To ensure your firm isn’t lost in the crowd, don’t treat the holiday season as a rote chore. Start planning early to brainstorm, plan, and execute a holiday marketing plan that fits your goals and priorities. Rather than just mailing out a standard gift, be intentional with your holiday plans. Tailor your gifts and marketing to your clients’ needs and be sure to leave time for connecting with clients and other practices on a social level.

7.  Start your 2023 marketing plan

Marketing is an important part of any business, and that includes legal practices. Use this time to realistically evaluate your existing marketing plan and how you can improve it in 2023.

You can examine your marketing through a number of different lenses:

• Are you exceeding or underutilizing your marketing budget? If so, why?
• Are you intentionally focusing your marketing efforts with a clear plan for strategic growth priorities, or are you just going through the motions?
• Are your marketing efforts focusing on the areas of your practice with the most growth or profit potential?
• How are you evaluating your marketing? What data metrics are you using, and are those the right marketing KPIs?
• Are your marketing efforts reaching your desired audience?
• How can your marketing efforts be more efficient and deliver better results?

These are all important questions to ask when designing an effective 2023 marketing plan and can help build a better strategic agenda in the coming year.

Kick off a successful Q4 with Tabs3

With a robust suite of practice management, time tracking, billing, and accounting tools designed specifically to meet the needs of busy law firms, Tabs3 Software has all the necessities to help you achieve your law office’s goals, both in Q4 and 2023.

Experience the difference that Tabs3 software can make! Schedule your free walkthrough demo today.

Like it or not, the modern legal industry operates at a break-neck pace. To have any hope of keeping up with clients’ increasing expectations, every member of your legal team should have remote access to your firm’s legal practice management software. By embracing cloud hosting, your entire legal staff can provide an outstanding client experience even when traveling or working from home.

Whether your legal staff works from home year-round or simply needs to track time and expenses when out of the office, Tabs3 Connect has the flexibility required to keep your law firm nimble, agile, and secure.

Remote work is here to stay

Let’s embrace it.

Law firms around the world were forced to adopt remote work out of necessity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And while some firms have chosen to return to strictly in-person operations in the office, many have decided to continue exploring the frontiers of legal technology and allow attorneys to continue working remotely.

Attorneys are generally thrilled to gain back the time and money spent on their former commute. Meanwhile, law firms benefit from a simultaneous decrease in overhead costs and an increase in staff productivity and loyalty.

In light of these conveniences and many others, managing partners now recognize that there’s no real reason to chain attorneys to their desks at the office. Remote access to law firm practice management software, makes it possible to coordinate and supervise legal staff with ease, all while protecting clients’ confidentiality.

Most trials and court hearings are still held in person, of course. However, with secure access to fully integrated law firm practice management software, attorneys can complete their most common tasks from home, including:

• Billing
• Conducting negotiations
• Reviewing legal documents
• Keeping clients up to date on their legal matters
• Planning and setting appointments
• Sending and receiving secure emails
• Time tracking

Aside from a bit of trust in your legal staff, all you need to get started is remote access to a reliable, seamlessly integrated law firm practice management software.

3 pathways for remote access to Tabs3 Software

As a leading provider of law firm practice management software, Tabs3 is trusted by tens of thousands of legal professionals every day. Though Tabs3 Software is an on-premise practice management solution, advancements in cloud technology have enabled them to offer multiple convenient, reliable solutions for remote access.

1.   Tabs3 Platinum + Tabs3 Connect

This winning combination provides remote access to all of your law firm practice management software’s most essential features on a phone, tablet, laptop, or home desktop, including the Tabs3 Matter Manager. Tabs3 Connect allows attorneys to enter fees and costs, check their calendar, view documents, and more with ease.

To protect data security, sensitive client information is stored on the law firm server, rather than on attorneys’ mobile devices.

2.   Remote access software

Remote access software provides secure access to your legal practice management software via an internet connection between your office server and home computer. When configured properly, remote access software offers your legal staff secure access to all Tabs3 Software features from almost anywhere. With this method, only a minimal amount of data travels between attorneys’ home devices and office computers.

For the best results, pair your remote desktop client with a VPN, and consult with your IT team about configuration.

3.   Cloud hosting service provider

Most cloud hosting service providers specialize in supporting law firms with compliance, data security, and performance you can count on. Cloud hosting allows your legal staff to enjoy complete access to the desktop version of Tabs3 while managing partners can breathe easier about IT concerns.

For long-term remote access to Tabs3, cloud hosting can be a good option for a high level of data security and convenience.

More tips for secure remote work

Though the benefits of remote work are easy to see, legal staff must proactively embrace enhanced cybersecurity measures to preserve data security. In recognition of the myriad challenges that accompany remote work in the legal industry, the American Bar Association has directed lawyers to “make reasonable efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to the representation of a client.”

Fortunately, law firm practice management software makes remote work practical, secure, and efficient. Still, training all legal staff on the importance of confidentiality, data privacy, and security protocols is a must. Managing partners should also prioritize developing a written work-from-home protocol that dictates the exact steps attorneys and other legal staff should take to safeguard data security when using legal practice management software outside of the office.

Your work-from-home protocol may direct attorneys to:

• Avoid unsecured Wi-Fi connections when accessing law firm practice management software
• Avoid transmitting client information over unsecured Wi-Fi connections
• Utilize virtual private networks (VPNs) when accessing legal practice management software or transmitting client information
• Set up multi-factor authentication for all work-related applications
• Choose strong passwords for all work-related hardware and applications
• Avoid accessing legal documents or video conferencing with clients without a private environment
• Turn off listening-enabled devices (Amazon Alexa, Google Home, etc.) in their workspaces during phone calls and videoconferences, because these devices listen to and record conversations automatically

Your IT support team should also review the terms of service of all law firm software and ensure:

• All computer systems are equipped with up-to-date firewalls and anti-malware software
• All data that’s stored remotely is backed up securely
• Portable devices can be scrubbed of client data remotely

Embrace mobility and data security with Tabs3 Software

There’s a reason that over 98% of our customers are satisfied with their software solutions. (In fact, 9 out of 10 of them recommend Tabs3 Software to other law firms.)

Stop compromising on cybersecurity by using vulnerable, unsecured platforms for remote work. From document and project management to time and expense tracking and more, Tabs3 Software offers the reliability and trusted service you expect from an industry-leading legal practice management software.

Remote access with Tabs3 Software is secure, compliant, convenient, and accessible. With over 40 years of experience providing cutting-edge legal technology to law firms just like yours, we’re committed to upholding even the industry’s strictest compliance and data security regulations.

Check out the Platinum Edition product page to learn more about what Tabs3 Connect has to offer.

Request your free trial or schedule a walkthrough demo to see how Tabs3 Software’s fully integrated suite of software products can revolutionize the way your law firm functions on a day-to-day basis.

Paperless law firms aren’t waiting just ahead on the horizon. They’re here, and thriving, right now. A growing number of service-based businesses, including law firms, are opting to do away with the filing cabinet and manage their legal documents and daily workflows digitally.

One of the many advances that makes a paperless law practice possible is eSignature. Whereas collecting physical signatures from clients used to require in-person meetings, today’s attorneys can save time and increase convenience for clients with secure signature links that can be completed from anywhere.

A brief history of eSignature

Cryptographers Ronald Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Len Adleman first invented the algorithm used to create basic eSignatures in 1977, but it was more than two decades before eSignatures would become a legal alternative to pen and paper. With the enactment of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce (ESIGN) Act in 2000, digitally signed documents became legally binding. This made requesting eSignatures a viable prospect for law firms.

The move toward the paperless practice

In recent years, consumers have grown more aware of the option to e-sign. As a result, many legal clients now expect to review legal agreements and add secure eSignatures.

Rather than an advanced feature, eSignature and secure file sharing are now an industry norm. If you aren’t making plans to accommodate these new demands, you could fall behind competing firms with your client acquisition and retention.

6 perks of eSignature for law firms

Law firms that offer their clients the option to sign documents digitally enjoy the following benefits.

1.   Fewer signing errors

There’s nothing worse than having to reprint a lengthy legal document because the client signed on the wrong line or realizing at the last minute that deep within a legal agreement, a signature was missed. These types of errors are frustrating on a small scale, but can also seriously disrupt your legal workflow when they occur across several client matters.

When you request client signatures via a secure eSignature platform, signing errors are minimized, if not eliminated altogether.

The right eSignature software for law firms can guide your clients and help them navigate through legal agreements. All of the areas designated for client signatures are clearly marked. Clients won’t be able to sign in the wrong area of the document, and you can even set up custom fields for documents with multiple signers, so that each person can only sign the fields assigned to them.

2.   Greater security

Contrary to popular belief, eSignature technology offers more layers of security than sending legal agreements via email or the postal service. Specialized encryption tools, knowledge-based authentication (KBA), secure file sharing, and secure links protect clients’ data security and uphold the legal industry’s strict ethics and compliance regulations.

eSignatures don’t just protect clients’ data security online. Using digital document management and obtaining client signatures electronically means that legal documents are also protected in the event of a fire, flood, theft, or other physical threat.

3.   Smoother workflows for attorneys

Don’t waste billable hours comparing calendars with your clients via phone tag. Making in-person appointments to obtain pen-and-ink signatures isn’t necessary with the right eSignature software.

With legal technology on your side, your attorneys can send a secure client signature request via email in just a few minutes, then move on to their next billable task.

4.   Client convenience

Simplified legal workflows benefit clients, too. Few clients look forward to sitting in traffic to sign legal agreements. Even if they don’t have to head to your office to sign, pen-and-ink signatures can be a hassle when you consider the time it takes to print, sign, and scan or fax signed documents.

Secure eSignature software reduces the time clients spend reviewing and signing documents by 40%. No wonder 69% of respondents to one study stated that they anticipated continuing to utilize eSignature options over signing in person even after COVID-19 pandemic restrictions ease.

In short: adopting eSignature technology is one way to show your clients how much you value their time, convenience, and security.

5.   Faster turnaround

Implementing secure eSignature tools at your law firm can drastically decrease the wait time for signed documents. Aside from minimizing the hours attorneys spend requesting and collecting client signatures by phone and in person, taking the digital approach diminishes turnaround times by 80%.

6.   Lower costs

A single sheet of paper doesn’t cost much on its own, but office supply costs add up quickly when you consider just how many pages of legal agreements attorneys need to print (and reprint) in a day.

The average office worker in America goes through 10,000 sheets of paper per year. At 5 to 15 cents per page, the potential savings of switching to digital document management and eSignatures are significant. As an added bonus, cutting out all of that paper waste is a great way to contribute to the long-term health of the planet.

The validity of eSignatures

Despite these benefits, some attorneys remain concerned about the validity of eSignatures and whether they hold up as well as paper legal documents in court. Per the ESIGN Act, digital signatures are just as legally binding as pen-and-ink signatures, as long as the signing individual:

• Accepts a clause to conduct business electronically
• Is provided the option to sign with ink and paper instead
• Demonstrates a clear intent to sign
• Receives a copy of the completed document (along with all other signers)

In addition, the attorney must maintain a clear audit trail and/or record documenting how and when the client’s signature was obtained.

Streamline your legal workflows with Tabs3’s secure eSignature tools

As an industry-leading provider of software solutions for law firms, Tabs3 offers quick, convenient, and secure eSignature functionality powered by LexSign. Using Tabs3’s eSignature tools, your attorneys can easily send eSignature links to clients without ever leaving their email. Clients can easily input their signature using several convenient methods, such as drawing their signature with a cursor or typing it out. Thanks to LexSign’s powerful security features, you can rest assured that confidential client documents will remain secure throughout the process.

Tabs3 also gives your firm the tools it needs to cut down on printing and embrace fully paperless document management. With PracticeMaster’s customizable templates, attorneys can easily assemble common legal documents and automatically populate fields using client data that’s already been entered into the software.

PracticeMaster’s document management tools also make it easy to save and organize legal documents from common document software like Word and Excel, and our search feature allows you to reference any document in seconds. Intuitive document history features maintain a clear and readily-accessible record of who signed which document and when, allowing your firm to uphold one of the key validity requirements of the ESIGN act.

If you’re ready to see how Tabs3 can help you run a modern, paperless law firm, request a walkthrough demo with one of our product experts today.

Finding the right tools for running your law firm is hard. You must understand your workflows, consider both current and future needs, and anticipate how new technologies will impact your staff, clients, and potential revenue.

Because it’s not an easy decision, law firms often rely on traditional fallbacks to manage their practice. But if your law firm is still using Outlook or other general-use practice management tools, you might be missing out on key features that can help you:

• Boost your efficiency and productivity
• More effectively manage projects and deadlines
• Streamline time-tracking, billing, and payments
• Increase revenue and improve cash flows
• Make more informed, data-driven decisions

And if you’re using multiple software products without robust integrations in place, you may also be losing additional time as you switch between different software tools and manually transfer data between them.

There is a better solution. Implementing a fully integrated practice management solution can streamline project management, time-tracking, billing, and accounting – especially if your tools are optimized to meet the unique needs of law firms.

Project management

It might go without saying, but whatever practice management software your firm uses should empower your attorneys and staff to manage matters more effectively. That means the right software solution will offer a full suite of project management tools built specifically for lawyers.

Calendars and matter management

Your practice management software should allow you to create customized project timelines for different clients and matter types. This feature facilitates easy access to all activities associated with a matter in one place. A built-in calendar can also help you keep track of appointments, deadlines, and other important events.

Document management

You should also be able to import, name, organize, and file documents within your project management software. Your software should integrate seamlessly with common document tools like Word and Excel, allowing you to save future documents directly to your practice management system.

Feature highlight: Document management software can save attorneys time on document assembly by using the client information already stored in your system to automatically generate and populate common legal documents. 

This not only saves you the time and tedium of manual data entry but also reduces the likelihood of errors from double data entry.

Conflict of interest searches

One of the benefits of using software designed specifically for law firms is that it allows you to more effectively check for conflicts of interest, heading off compliance issues before they even come up.

Legal practice management software can help your attorneys instantly spot potential conflicts of interest by searching through your records for all past and previous clients and contacts.

The resulting reports should also allow you to locate, access, and view the records in question.

Time tracking and billing

Matter management isn’t the only software tool your firm needs. You’ll also want a fully integrated time tracking and billing solution to help your attorneys capture time as they work and bill for it.

Time tracking

Accurate time tracking is key for any law firm, and attorneys that wait until the end of the day to record their billable hours can lose track of 10% of their billable time. Your law firm should look for software that includes easy-to-use timers, so they can track their billable hours as they go.

Invoicing and billing

Tracking hours is important, but so is quickly and easily generating and sending invoices. Manually preparing invoices can be a major administrative hassle and a drain on your attorney’s efficiency, but with the right invoicing and billing software, you can instantly generate invoices for time entries and send them as PDFs directly to your clients’ email.

Paperless pre-bills and batch billing can further streamline your billing workflows and free up more time to spend on client matters.

Payment processing

Accepting credit cards is one of the most surefire ways for law firms to collect payments faster and improve their cash flows.

Many law firms have historically shied away from credit card payments due to trust account compliance concerns and high payment processing fees. Thankfully, there are software tools specifically designed to help law firms compliantly process online payments.

Depending on your locality, the right software may even allow you to pass on processing fees to your clients through surcharging.

Reporting

Time tracking and billing software that includes analytics and robust reporting can also help you assess your invoicing and collections processes and make better decisions for the financial health of your firm.

Reports can help you identify your most valuable clients and practice areas, spot unbilled transactions and hours, and gain a full-picture view of your firm’s accounts receivable.

Accounting

Almost every law firm uses accounting software, but few firms use one designed with lawyers in mind. By choosing accounting software designed specifically for attorneys, you can print financial statements, write checks, and reconcile bank statements while ensuring bar compliance.

Trust accounting

One of the greatest potential pitfalls in legal accounting is the need to remain compliant with the bar rules for managing trust accounts. The right trust accounting software can help your firm maintain trust fund accounting compliance while also making trust accounting easier and more manageable.

Tabs3 Software has the tools your firm needs

With a robust suite of practice management, time tracking, billing, and accounting tools designed specifically to meet the needs of busy law firms, Tabs3 Software can improve the operations at your firm.

To see how Tabs3 can help you run a more efficient and profitable firm, schedule a demo or sign up for a free trial today.

Historically, law firms have been hesitant to accept credit card payments, largely due to security and compliance concerns.

This hesitance may have been justified in the past, but today’s attorneys have every reason to implement online payment processing. Modern legal payment processing solutions allow practices to protect clients’ card information while still allowing them the convenience of quick and simple online payments. In addition, firms are able to safeguard trust accounting practices and ensure adherence to compliance.

Here are seven key benefits of online payments and credit card processing for law firms.

1. Attract more clients

In the past, law firms shied away from accepting payments by card. But today’s clients see paying by card as normal in a professional context, and a growing number of your firm’s prospective clients expect to have the option. In fact, 84% of consumers now consider the option to pay by card as either a “nice to have” or a “must have.”

If you aren’t offering clients convenient ways to pay, they’ll be more likely to move on with another firm.

2. Build a strong client-attorney relationship

The convenience of paying by card can also boost client satisfaction. By accepting online credit card payments, you’re signaling to your clients that you care about them enough to make their experience with your firm as streamlined and effortless as possible.

Allowing your clients to make convenient online credit card payments also improves the chances they’ll pay quickly and reduces the need to follow up about their invoices.

3. Streamline workflows

Online payment processing can also cut down on the administrative hassle associated with collecting, recording, and allocating payments, especially when your payment processor is integrated with your legal billing software.

With the right software tools at your disposal, you can streamline billing and accounting processes by including payment links when you email your invoices, then use your legal billing software to automatically record and allocate payments as they come through.

It’s less work for your team than manually cashing and processing mailed checks, and it frees up more time to spend on service to your clients.

4. Get paid faster

The harder it is to pay your firm’s invoices, the more likely it is that those invoices will end up getting lost, forgotten, or put off until later. Providing clients a convenient and easy way to make payments can reduce the average time it takes them to pay and help your firm eliminate cash flow and collections issues.

In fact, one survey of legal professionals found that firms that accept digitized payments by card get paid 39% faster on average. That’s a significant improvement for legal professionals looking to collect payments.

These quicker payment turnarounds also make it easier for your firm to budget by taking the guesswork out of your forecasted monthly revenue.

5. Receive payments on retainer

Legal retainers are easier to manage if your firm is accepting credit card payments for trust or client funds deposits

That means you won’t need to waste waiting for a check to collect the money you have already earned. A good credit card processing solution for lawyers will also allow your firm to easily request funds when a client’s trust account balance gets too low.

It’s more efficient for the members of your firm and more convenient for the client, who doesn’t need to put in extra work to keep their trust account funded.

6. Compliant credit card payment is possible

Perhaps the most common reason for law firms to avoid credit card payments is the fear of violating the ABA’s ethics rules for trust accounting.

Under Rule 1.15 of the ABA’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct, there are strict rules governing the use of client trust/IOLTA accounts. Specifically, law firms have to take care never to commingle client and operational funds and to withdraw funds from a client trust account only as fees are earned or expenses are incurred.

Violating these regulations can come with significant repercussions, even if funds were commingled or withdrawn from a client trust account by mistake. For this reason, it pays for legal practices to be extra cautious when processing trust account payments.

The problem is that most generic payment processors withdraw their processing fees directly from the same account they deposit payments into. That means your client’s trust account funds are being used to pay processing fees, which is a direct violation of the Bar rules. And routing payments through your firm’s operating account won’t work either, since the ABA prohibits the commingling of funds between separate operating and trust accounts.

A legal software solution like Tabs3Pay can automatically withdraw processing fees from your firm’s operating account while depositing funds into the client’s trust account, so you can enjoy the benefits of trust credit card transactions without risking your practice’s professional standing.

7. Online payment processing is secure

The risk of security breaches is another reason law firms hesitate to invest in credit card processing. These concerns are justified given law firms’ responsibility to protect their clients’ confidentiality and credit card information, but today’s software solutions maintain a high level of security.

A reputable legal payment solution should allow your clients to log in to a secure online portal to make their payments, so your firm can ensure that card data remains encrypted and secure as payments are processed.

Your practice should look for credit card processors that are compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which offers an exceptional level of security and safeguards your clients’ credit card information throughout online transactions.

Modernize your law firm’s payment options with Tabs3Pay

Tabs3 Software is an industry-leading provider of practice management, billing, and accounting software for lawyers. With Tabs3Pay, we’ve created a payment processing solution designed to meet the needs of legal practices.

Unlike most generic payment processors, Tabs3Pay includes safeguards to ensure that your firm stays compliant with ABA trust accounting rules while processing credit card payments. Our legal-specific payment processing software also offers:

• Simple and transparent pricing
• Certified PCI-compliant security
• The ability to accept payments either by credit card or by eCheck
• A surcharging feature that allows your firm to pass on credit card processing fees to clients (available in states that allow credit card surcharging)

If you’re ready to get started with convenient, compliant credit card processing for lawyers, get in touch or schedule a demo.