Who are Lawsyst?
Lawsyst is a product of ITSec; a UK based software company in Leicester since 2000. We have a large application development & integration portfolio, including experience with fintech and legal technologies. Our primary focus is user experience and we put a lot of effort into developing software that is intuitive and easy to use.
How does lawsyst criminal legal aid billing software help ensure compliance with LAA rules?
Criminal legal aid billing software is designed to align billing processes with Legal Aid Agency (LAA) requirements. It embeds billing codes, fixed fee structures, and hourly rates directly into workflows. This reduces the likelihood of mis-coded claims, ensures prior authorities are properly recorded, and automates export into formats accepted by CCMS. By reducing manual entry, the software mitigates the risk of rejected claims and helps firms remain audit-ready at all times.
Who can use Lawsyst?
Lawsyst is ideal for law firms of all sizes, solo practitioners, corporate legal departments, and legal service providers.
What role does CCMS integration play in criminal legal aid billing?
Integration with the Client and Cost Management System (CCMS) is critical for firms handling criminal legal aid. Without it, practitioners would need to duplicate work by entering data manually into the CCMS portal. Billing software that integrates directly reduces duplication, allows bulk uploads of claims, and ensures data accuracy. It also provides real-time error checking so inconsistencies are flagged before submission, reducing the chance of LAA rejection.
Why are audit trails essential in criminal billing compliance?
Audit trails provide a transparent record of every entry, amendment, or deletion within a matter. For criminal legal aid, where compliance with the LAA and Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is closely monitored, audit logs protect firms by showing who made changes, when, and why. This accountability is essential when responding to LAA queries and demonstrates that the firm maintains robust internal controls.
Is Lawsyst available on-premises?
Yes. For larger installations, we offer an on-prem solution.
How can a billing software reduce errors in disbursement claims?
Disbursements such as expert reports, travel costs, or interpreter fees are heavily scrutinised by the LAA. Billing software reduces errors by enforcing mandatory fields (e.g., invoice, proof of payment, prior authority reference), automatically categorising disbursements under correct LAA headings, and linking documentation directly to billing lines. This makes claims more defensible and lowers the risk of disallowed costs.
What are the main features of Lawsyst?
Lawsyst is a legal case management system that features time recording, invoicing and document management tools. It also supports lawyers with disbursements, also known as cost recoveries, lead management, and legal aid & private billing for hourly, fixed fee, retainer & CFA based fee schemes. Lawsyst also integrates with Outlook and Office 365 and has a built-in CRM. Its powerful workflow system guides you seamlessly through each matter.
How does Lawsyst ensure data security?
Lawsyst uses end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and secure cloud storage to protect sensitive client and matter data.
What are prior authorities (PAs) and how can software manage them effectively?
Prior authorities are LAA approvals required for high-cost disbursements such as expert evidence. Software can streamline PA management by routing requests internally, storing LAA decisions in the matter file, and linking them to the relevant disbursement. This ensures that when the bill is submitted, the evidence of approval is instantly available, reducing disputes and payment delays.
How much does a license cost for Lawsyst?
The cost depends on the modules chosen. You will not pay for what you do not need. Lawsyst is offered on a SaaS (Software as a Service) model and comes with Office 365 standard edition and a phone line, including unlimited calls to UK landlines and mobile numbers. A discount is applied if you already have Office 365 licenses and a business phone system. There is also a discount available for annual subscriptions when paid in advance.
How do fixed fee structures work in criminal legal aid billing?
Fixed fees apply to many stages of criminal proceedings, such as magistrates’ court representation. Billing software applies these fixed fee structures automatically based on case type and stage. By removing manual calculations, the software reduces the risk of under- or over-claiming, ensuring compliance and maximising recoverable costs for the firm.
Is there a limit on how much data can be stored?
1TB per user, which is virtually unlimited. An additional £5 per TB is charged when this storage is reached.
Can lawsyst billing software handle hourly rates for more complex cases?
Yes, for cases that move beyond fixed fees into hourly rates, billing software allows time recording by fee earners with the correct LAA-approved rates pre-set. This ensures that claims are calculated accurately, and billing exports align with CCMS requirements. The software can also separate work done under fixed fees versus hourly billing to prevent duplication.
Does Lawsyst support legal aid criminal billing?
Yes, Lawsyst supports both criminal and civil legal aid contracts. For criminal billing, you can produce bulk upload files for lower crime cases, and for civil contracts, family, immigration, housing, and mental health plug-ins are available. In addition, crown court billing and LGFS billing for larger matters are also available.
How does billing software support interim payments?
Interim payments are critical for cashflow in long-running criminal cases. Billing software helps manage these by tracking case progress, calculating what proportion of costs can be claimed, and generating interim claim submissions. It also ensures that interim claims do not exceed LAA thresholds and links payments to final bills for reconciliation.
Does Lawsyst support task and workflow automation?
Yes, Lawsyst's practice management software enables law firms to automate repetitive tasks, set deadlines, assign responsibilities, and streamline case workflows.
Why is reconciliation important in legal aid billing compliance?
Reconciliation ensures that what is billed to the LAA matches the firm’s internal accounts. Billing software that integrates with accounting modules automates this reconciliation, highlighting discrepancies early. This avoids disputes with the LAA and ensures firms meet SRA requirements for accurate financial management.
What accounting features are available in Lawsyst?
Lawsyst has its own built-in accounting suite with bank feeds, client ledgers and purchase ledgers. Our proprietary 'reverse-swing' reconciliation helps users adhere to SRA and HMRC compliance requirements. You can do months’ worth of work in a few hours and maintain your books compliantly.
How does billing software manage high-volume caseloads in criminal law?
Criminal practices often manage hundreds of legal aid cases simultaneously. Billing software streamlines high-volume work through batch billing, template generation, and automated validation. By flagging incomplete entries before submission, it reduces administrative burden and ensures large caseloads are billed accurately and efficiently.
What happens if billing software fails to validate entries before submission?
Without validation, claims risk being rejected by the LAA for inconsistencies such as missing certificate dates, incorrect disbursement codes, or invalid hourly rates. Good billing software performs real-time validation, providing alerts so errors can be corrected before export. This significantly improves first-time approval rates.
How does Lawsyst handle document management?
Lawsyst allows users to store, organise, search, and securely share legal documents with colleagues and clients. It also has easy-to-use version control features.
How does billing software support evidence management for claims?
Evidence management is crucial because the LAA requires proof for disbursements and significant casework. Billing software links invoices, receipts, and supporting documents directly to billing lines. This ensures that when claims are audited, firms can easily demonstrate necessity and compliance, reducing disputes and delays.
What reports are available?
There are several reports available out of the box, including but not limited to, matter balance reports, closed and open matters, matters to archive and delete after 6 years, client account reconciliation, client and office account balances as of a certain date, debtors aged reports, creditors aged reports, fee earner performance, missed hours, task reports, key dates and many more. In addition, standard accounting reports such as trial balance, profit & loss, and income statements are also available in PDF and Excel/CSV.
Does Lawsyst integrate with Microsoft 365?
Yes, Lawsyst integrates with Microsoft 365 seamlessly, using purpose-built Outlook and Microsoft Word connectors. You can save a document from within Word directly into a matter in Lawsyst. Incoming and outbound emails are tagged, categorised and stored in Outlook as well as in Lawsyst, helping you to stay organised.
Can billing software help with duty solicitor claims?
Yes, duty solicitor work has its own complex fee structures and reporting requirements. Billing software tailored to criminal legal aid can manage duty rotas, automatically calculate fees based on attendance, and generate the necessary LAA claim forms. This avoids under-claiming and ensures firms recover all eligible costs.
Is there a mobile app available for Lawsyst?
Yes, the Lawsyst mobile app is available for both Android and IOS platforms. It has a suite of useful tools that allows you to carry out almost every task that you can perform from within the web portal. You can onboard new clients, write letters, record disbursements, generate invoices and post payments from anywhere via the app.
What role does reporting play in compliance monitoring?
Reporting tools in billing software provide visibility into compliance risks. Firms can run reports on outstanding prior authorities, unbilled disbursements, or matters with incomplete certificate data. These reports enable managers to address issues proactively and reduce the likelihood of LAA disputes or financial clawbacks.
Is training provided for new users?
Yes, Lawsyst offers onboarding sessions, training tutorials, and customer support to help you maximise the benefits of our software.
How does software help prevent double billing in criminal cases?
Double billing — claiming the same work under different fee structures — is a serious compliance breach. Billing software prevents this by flagging overlaps between fixed fee and hourly claims, and by enforcing rules on allowable costs. This protects firms from inadvertent breaches and potential sanctions.
How often is Lawsyst updated?
Lawsyst regularly updates its software with new features, security enhancements, and compliance improvements.
How do audit logs assist during LAA assessments?
During an LAA assessment, firms must demonstrate that their claims are accurate and authorised. Audit logs show exactly who recorded, edited, or approved each entry, along with timestamps. This transparency helps firms defend claims, demonstrates compliance, and reassures auditors of robust governance.
Can Lawsyst be customized to fit my law firm’s needs?
Yes, our case management software offers customisable templates, workflows, and settings to match the requirements of different legal practices and firm sizes.
Why is user access control important in billing systems?
Not all staff should have the same permissions when handling legal aid billing. Billing software allows role-based access so only authorised users can approve disbursements, edit certificates, or submit claims. This reduces the risk of unauthorised actions and strengthens compliance controls.
How can I get started with Lawsyst?
Get in touch with us today to request a free live demonstration of our intuitive legal case management system.
How does billing software help manage case transfers?
When responsibility for a criminal legal aid case transfers between providers, billing becomes complex. Software can manage this by generating part claims, recording work done up to transfer, and ensuring that both firms bill only for the work completed. This prevents disputes and ensures compliance with LAA rules on transfers.
What role do compliance dashboards play in criminal billing software?
Dashboards provide a real-time view of compliance indicators — such as unapproved disbursements, overdue interim claims, or missing prior authority documents. By presenting this information clearly, managers can act quickly to fix issues before they become compliance breaches.
Can billing software help prepare for SRA or LAA audits?
Yes, good billing software is audit-ready by design. It provides complete, searchable records of certificates, billing lines, disbursements, prior authorities, and audit trails. When auditors request evidence, firms can produce it instantly, reducing stress, avoiding sanctions, and demonstrating a culture of compliance.