Investing in a legal case management system for your family law practice? Find out what you need to look out for to make the best choice.
Looking for the best legal case management system for family law matters? Choosing between competing options can be a difficult choice, especially if you are under pressure to come to a decision. Our handy guide explores everything you need to consider when choosing a new family law software solution for your practice, from usability and key features to data security and ongoing technical support. Read on to find out more.
If you are reading this, it’s a fair assumption that you, or someone responsible for making critical decisions, has decided to explore the prospect of investing in a family law case management system for your practice. Why this decision has been made can vary, from a need to improve collaboration between departments to finding a more accurate, less resource-intensive way of billing clients.
Before you start your research, you should have a clear idea of what you are looking to achieve. If you already know the answer to this question, feel free to skip ahead.
If you don’t, take some time to write down your firm’s goals. Does feedback tell you that your communication with clients could be improved? Do you want to give your fee earners the power to manage and access documents when remote working? Is your practice losing money because of imprecise billing? Once you understand the objectives that need to be met, you’ll have a clearer idea of what you’re looking for.
This might seem like an obvious point, but one key thing to consider when buying family law software is whether it can be used by staff of all technical abilities. This means finding out how easy for users to capture billable time, assign documents and tasks to specific matters, communicate with clients, automate invoices, control calendars, and more.
Of course, any legal case management system provider will claim that their software is more intuitive than that of their competitors, so the best way to test this is to request a live demonstration of how things work. Most reputable software companies will gladly set up a demo and walk you through their system. And it is here that you’ll get a better idea of what they can offer and whether you think that their software will align with the goals of your firm.
In 2025, flexible and remote approaches to working have become very much the norm. This is a trend followed by busy law firms who require staff to have secure access to client and matter information at any point throughout the day.
Therefore, when you’re weighing up different family law case management software options, you should enquire as to whether the system is server or cloud-based and/or has a mobile app that can be used by lawyers on the go.
Cloud-based solutions are generally prioritised by legal firms as they provide secure access to matters from any location and include automatic updates that ensure compliance and reduce maintenance costs. During a demonstration, a company should be able to show you what their system looks like on a mobile device and explain the features that this has in common with its desktop counterpart.
Keeping client and firm data secure ranks among practitioners’ biggest priorities, and this is especially important for those handling family matters. When dealing with divorce, domestic abuse, and child law cases, family lawyers must make every effort to preserve confidentiality and keep sensitive details protected at all costs.
Providers of practice management systems, particularly those who offer cloud-based solutions, pride themselves on creating secure environments to keep delicate information from falling into the wrong hands. Such providers are typically well-versed in cyber security best practices and will carry out regular security reviews and penetration tests to identify and address any weaknesses in their systems.
In addition to looking for secure, simple-to-use and easily accessible software, you should also ensure that a family law case management system has all the features your firm requires.
At minimum, most systems allow firms to track time, automate invoices, manage documents, control workflows, receive payments, communicate with clients, and sync calendars. Some have more comprehensive accounting tools and offer integrations with various systems while others will allow you to manage legal aid matters or strengthen client relationships via a built-in CRM.
Ultimately, what you choose should make it simpler for your firm to complete everyday tasks and relieve administrative burden, so make sure you have a comprehensive understanding of what you’re buying before signing a contract.
As your practice grows, it’s essential that your case management software can keep pace. This means that another key area to consider when shopping around for a new system is its ability to handle increased workflows, changing processes, and the addition of new team members.
Many software providers offer scalable systems that can help you manage these shifting demands without impacting your team’s performance. By opting for software for strong scalability features, your firm can enjoy increased efficiency and smooth workflows without encountering frustrating bottlenecks.
Whether you’re transitioning from one system to another or are likely to require regular technical support, it is important to establish how much guidance and support your provider is willing to offer both at the onboarding stage and throughout your time with them. Use initial calls or meetings to discuss your needs with your provider, who should tell you what kind of support they can give and how to access this.
For a more impartial perspective, read reviews of a company’s services. These will usually mention the quality of a provider’s customer service, so make sure to take some time to look through these before committing to a contract.
Lawsyst’s legal case management system is trusted by family law practices across the UK. Scalable, cloud-based and easy to use, it provides legal practitioners with a wealth of valuable features, including time tracking tools, billing support, secure document management, and more. To find out how Lawsyst can help your family law firm streamline manual tasks, increase efficiency, and deliver exceptional legal services, book a live demonstration with our team today.
