Firm Central vs ProLaw

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

Firm Central Software Tool
ProLaw Software Tool

Product Basics

Firm Central is an end-to-end cloud-based solution that provides firms with a centralized interface to manage legal matters, accounting, calendaring, time tracking, billing and client communication. Users can track time and expenses efficiently from multiple devices and create flexible payment options and custom invoices for clients. Monitor legal workflows using its legal calendar with custom rules templates, deadline assistance, permissions-based access and multiple viewing options. Dashboards and reports provide up-to-date data-driven insights.

It offers robust data security with encryption, compliant servers and 24/7 security monitoring. It also provides continuous data backups and seamless integrations. Users can access it from anywhere, from any device.
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ProLaw is an end-to-end solution designed for law firms to streamline and manage different aspects of their businesses. It provides inclusions to coordinate and support the processes of various facets of the firm, including executive, legal, IT and finance. It provides a cover-all integration with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Westlaw court rules and other popular applications to help lawyers build and maintain a productive, profitable practice.

It provides real-time business intelligence on the health of the firm, enabling access to and management of all important processes on the go with the mobile app and online portal. It offers additional modules, such as card processing, e-billing, legal calendar and researching to address the entire matter lifecycle to service clients more efficiently and effectively. It also provides personalized training options to promote firm-wide literacy.
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$40/User, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$30,000 One-Time
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Windows
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Linux
Android
Chromebook
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Linux
Android
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Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

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

Product Insights

  • Comprehensive Reports: Get detailed daily, weekly and monthly reports of billable and non-billable time tracked. Maximize accuracy by cross-checking before billing. 
  • Easy Access: Directly access Westlaw’s legal research network from the homepage. 
  • Customizable Dashboard: Customize the dashboard with status bars for crucial functions. 
  • Simplify Collaboration: Collaborate with clients and team members by integrating with SharePoint. 
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  • Improved Profitability: Find the best use of company time and waste fewer resources on repetitive day-to-day tasks using automation. 
  • Built-in Integration: Use Westlaw services for client tasks and directly add cost transactions to bills. 
  • Streamlined Client Service: Stay on top of client obligations and provide prompt service with an up-to-date database of clients, leads and case information. 
  • Rules-Based Calendaring: Efficiently juggle cases across multiple jurisdictions with a legal calendar that automatically calculates deadlines based on Federal and State court rules. 
  • Intuitive File Identification: Locate specific files quickly with the intuitive matter-based search function. 
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  • Matter Management: Manage legal matters, tasks, contacts, deadlines and documents from a single platform. Automate the client intake process and store an unlimited amount of documentation and files. 
    • Matter Search: Identify specific legal documents and files with the global search function. 
  • Collaboration: Securely share case files and calendar entries with all team members and counsels. Encourage collaboration between counsels and clients with a dedicated client portal. 
  • Task Management: Assign tasks to staff members, set reminders for important events and appointments and keep track of notifications. Monitor document reviews and updates and perform conflict checks across the client database. 
  • Time Tracking and Billing: Track every single minute of billable time with the Firm Central Time & BIlling portal. Create and operate trust funds, run reports and issue expedited invoices for faster payments. 
    • Financial Reporting: Generate reports with custom datasets to identify profitable practice areas, aging receivables, referral values, important clients and more. 
    • Financial Dashboard: Get real-time access to firm financials, outstanding bills, WIP, year-end reconciliations and more through a single interface. Use the dashboard insights for agile decision-making and strategic future planning. 
    • Time and Expense: Log billable hours with multiple timers from any computer or mobile device. Integrate time tracking and billing capabilities to directly invoice for the time entries. 
    • Billing: Prepare tailored payment plans and payment options for clients. Edit invoices and accept credit card payments with the ClientPay portal. 
  • Accounting: Manage separate trust and operating accounts with purpose-built accounting software. Process invoices ethically and in compliance with industry standards. 
    • Reports: Run regular accounting reports to measure profitability, discounts, write-offs, bank reconciliations, account transactions and more. Stay on top of the firm’s financial health to make informed decisions. 
    • Eliminate Error: Automate data entry to eliminate duplicate data and human errors. 
    • Compliance: Prepare an audit trail for all trust account transactions and simplify year-end reconciliations. Set up internal controls to protect financial data from leaks. 
  • Legal Calendar: Manage deadlines, events, hearings and more with the integrated legal calendar tool. 
    • Deadlines: The Deadlines Assistant automatically computes the deadlines of ongoing projects based on the rules set by the firm’s jurisdiction. Set up custom rules if required. 
    • Calendar Sync: Add, edit and update events in either the built-in calendar or Microsoft Outlook and automatically synchronize entries. 
    • Multiple Calendar Views: Allow all staff members to view the legal calendar for a holistic awareness of deadlines and appointments. Drill down on specific entries by matter and permissions. 
  • Mobile Application: Retain full control over legal matters and tasks while away from the office. Use the mobile application to securely access legal documents, matters, contacts, calendars and more. Track time and process expenses on the go. 
  • Security: Secure firm files and documentation in transit as well as in storage. Additionally, solve any data residency requirements with U.S.-based servers hosted by Thomson Reuters. 
    • Data Encryption: All connections to Firm Central servers are routed via HTTPS sessions with 256-bit SSL and TLS encryption. 
    • Compliance: Ensure the data security standards of the firm are compliant with SOC 2 Type II and AICPA regulations. Physical data centers are ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified. 
  • Client Portal: Provide clients with an encrypted communication environment for secure collaboration with counsels. 
    • Communications: Share documents, bills, case updates, messages and more with clients in real time. Monitor all client activity and maintain a record of all communications. 
    • Self-service: Clients can check case files and matter information, receive push notifications and upload documents. 
    • Security: Maintain ABA ethics mandates with the self-service portal. Use permission-based controls to decide who gets access to what items and documents. 
  • Westlaw Compatibility: Subscribe to Westlaw for built-in case citation flags and integrated global search and research tools. 
  • Integrations: Integrate with multiple Thomson Reuters applications under the same platform. Available inclusions include Westlaw legal research, Westlaw Form Builder, Practical Law and Drafting Assistant. 
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  • Data Repository: Store and maintain a centrally accessible database of client and lead information. 
  • Conflict Checks: Scan potential clients for possible conflicts of interest before the onboarding process. 
  • Court Docketing and Calendar Management: Synchronize the legal calendar with jurisdictional rules to track deadlines and statutes of limitations. 
  • Case and Matter Management: The centralized database provides instantaneous access to legal documents, matters and contact information. Edit case-related data, appointments and matter information without any hassle. 
  • Time and Expense Management: Simplify the capture of daily activities, maximize the capture of billable time, reclaim client-related expenses, and increase profitability with flexible time and expense tracking options. 
  • Firm-Wide Reporting: Generate preconfigured reports to measure productivity and financial performance. Leverage actionable insights to make swift business decisions. 
  • Contingency Analysis and Disposition: Analyze firm’s financials and client’s net under differing scenarios to prepare flexible settlement strategies. Perform accounting tasks to meet the requirements of contingency-based cases. 
  • Mobile Application: Maintain access to all essential functions while on the move. View, edit and update matter information, track time, save emails, share documents and manage legal calendar remotely with the mobile application. 
  • Firm Reporting: Leverage advanced reporting capabilities to make critical decisions in real time. Build consolidated reports on productivity metrics, client profitability, billings, finances, workflow efficiency, human resources and more. Make edits with the Microsoft toolbar and export reports to Excel with the SSRS Report Builder. 
  • Integrations: Seamlessly integrate with third-party applications to keep all firm data under one environment. Commonly used integrations include Microsoft Outlook, Exchange, HotDocs, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Copitrak, QuickPayroll and more. 
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Product Ranking

#37

among all
Legal Software

#43

among all
Legal Software

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User Sentiment Summary

Good User Sentiment 141 reviews
Good User Sentiment 141 reviews
74%
of users recommend this product

Firm Central has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 74% when considering 141 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

72%
of users recommend this product

ProLaw has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 72% when considering 141 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

4.1 (5)
n/a
3.8 (11)
3.3 (38)
3.68 (62)
3.69 (44)
3.7 (62)
3.7 (43)
3.0 (1)
4.0 (16)

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Data Management: It provides easy and secure access to client records and legal matters, according to 100% of users mentioning data management.
Ease of Use: According to 83% of users who reviewed this aspect, the platform is user-friendly and easy to learn.
Sharing and Collaboration: All reviewers who mentioned this benefit said they found it easy to share and collaborate on legal matters, especially with access to SharePoint.
Task Management: According to 67% of users who reviewed this feature, the legal calendar simplifies tracking pending tasks, assignments and deadlines.
KPI Monitoring: Everyone reviewing this element said that the customizable dashboard made it easy to track KPIs.
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Customizable: ProLaw's flexibility allows users to tailor the software to their specific needs, including custom fields, reports, and workflows to match individual preferences and firm-specific processes.
Comprehensive Features: ProLaw offers a wide range of features covering various aspects of law practice management, including time tracking, billing, accounting, calendaring, document management, and reporting, providing a centralized platform for managing legal operations.
Integrations: ProLaw integrates with other software applications commonly used in law firms, such as Microsoft Office and QuickBooks, streamlining data exchange and reducing manual data entry.
Scalability: ProLaw is suitable for law firms of all sizes, from solo practitioners to large firms, as it can accommodate growing data volumes and user bases without compromising performance.
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Functionality: Without integrations, it has limited functionalities, according to 57% of users mentioning this element.
Integrations: According to 71% of users who reviewed this feature, integrations can be buggy and expensive.
Service and Support: 64% of users who mentioned this aspect said they found the technical support lacking in knowledge and responsiveness.
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Learning Curve: ProLaw presents a steep learning curve due to its intricate interface and extensive features, often requiring substantial training and ongoing support for users to become proficient.
Customization Challenges: Adapting ProLaw to specific workflows or unique firm requirements can be complex, often necessitating advanced technical expertise or reliance on external consultants, potentially leading to increased implementation costs and delays.
Integration Limitations: Integrating ProLaw with other essential legal software or business applications can pose challenges, potentially hindering data exchange and workflow efficiency, particularly for firms with diverse technology ecosystems.
Reporting Flexibility: Generating customized reports or extracting specific data from ProLaw may require intricate knowledge of the system's reporting tools or necessitate manual data manipulation, potentially impacting efficiency and data analysis capabilities.
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Firm Central provides legal practitioners with a capable practice management solution with direct access to Westlaw. It offers secure and fast web access to basic features, including time tracking, billing, accounting, and matter and task management modules. Access to Westlaw is an important asset and should weigh heavily on any acquisition decision. That said, multiple integrations can drive up costs and put a lot of pressure on the platform. Implementation and technical support can be hard to reach at times. Unless a Westlaw integration is absolutely essential to the firm, there are better options available in this price range.

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If you're a lawyer drowning in paperwork and struggling to keep your firm's finances in order, ProLaw might just be the life raft you need. ProLaw, developed by Thomson Reuters Elite, is a comprehensive legal practice management software that helps law firms of all sizes manage their cases, clients, and finances. It's like having a personal assistant, accountant, and paralegal all rolled into one! ProLaw's strengths lie in its ease of use, comprehensive feature set, and ability to improve efficiency and productivity. Users rave about its intuitive interface and how it streamlines tasks like time tracking, billing, and document management. ProLaw's robust features, including client and contact management, matter management, conflict checking, and document automation, make it a one-stop shop for all your law firm's needs. ProLaw also integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office, which is a major plus for many users. However, ProLaw does have a couple of drawbacks. Its high price tag can be a barrier for smaller firms or solo practitioners, and its lack of integration with certain other software can be frustrating. Despite these shortcomings, ProLaw is still considered one of the top legal practice management software options on the market. So, who is ProLaw best suited for? Law firms with 10 or more members who are looking for a comprehensive, all-in-one solution to manage their practice will find ProLaw to be a valuable asset. It's particularly well-suited for firms that handle a large volume of cases and clients, as it can help them streamline their workflows and improve their bottom line. If you're looking for a software that can help you take your law firm to the next level, ProLaw is definitely worth considering. Just be prepared to invest a significant amount of money upfront.

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