Legal Tech Solutions for Lawyers: Clio v. Leap and an emerging Good Law Software (GLS)
Abdelrahman Abdeltawab
Trainee Solicitor
When selecting a legal practice management solution, law firms seek efficiency, comprehensive features, and scalability, which both Clio and Leap offer, albeit catering to somewhat different needs.
Two popular legal management platforms, Clio and Leap, stand out in the legal management software domain in the UK. This post compares their features, attributes, and pricing models to assist law firms in making an informed business decision.
Additionally, this post will introduce you to an emerging legal practice management software that tailors its features specifically to the UK legal sector.
Clio is a legal software platform that offers two main products, Law Practice Management software also known as “Clio Manage” and Client intake & Onboarding Software also known as “Clio Grow”.
Clio Manage
This product offers a suite of features aimed at streamlining law firm operation.
Key Features:
- Legal Matter Management: offers organisation and accessibility.
- Legal Document Management: offers secure, editable, and organized legal documents.
- Legal Billing: custom bill plans, reduced manual entry, option to bill via email or using the secure client portal.
- Client Accounting: simplifying firm’s billing process and sync to third party accounting systems.
- Online payments: client friendly online payment service (Available in the UK and Ireland).
- Legal Calendaring: ability to view diary events and to custom reminders for any event.
- Time and expense recording: offers easy billing and features like timekeeping and enhanced expense tracking.
- Law firm performance dashboard: offers transparent and accurate firm activity in one dashboard.
- Client portal: offers a desktop and mobile application for clients to interactively communicate and collaborate with their lawyer.
Clio Grow
This product aims to simplify client onboarding and client intake procedure.
Key Features:
- Organises client onboarding and task management.
- Simplifies client data collection by using customisable forms.
- Tracking communications and nurturing client relationships.
- Facilitates quick and secure document signing with e-signatures.
Monthly subscription pricing:
Standard: £59.00/user (+£39.00/user for Clio Grow).
Premium: £79.00/user (+£39.00/user for Clio Grow).
Suite: £99.00/user. (incl. Clio Grow).
Annual subscription pricing:
Standard: £49.00/user (+£29.00/user for Clio Grow).
Premium (Most Popular): £69.00/user (+£29.00/user for Clio Grow).
Suite: £89.00/user (incl. Clio Grow).
Pros:
- Customizable with a library of third party integrations.
- Flexible pricing tiers suitable for different firm sizes.
- User-friendly interface and mobile accessibility.
Cons:
- Some users report bugs and cloud document management issues.
- Can be overwhelming for solo practitioners or small firms due to its extensive features.
- Higher plans can be expensive for full feature access.
Leap Overview
LEAP integrates client, matter, and document management in one application, enhancing productivity. It features automated document production, time recording, billing, and legal accounting to streamline routine operations and boost efficiency.
Key Features:
- Client and matter management: Performs thorough conflict checks, captures essential details, creates and stores documents, monitors milestones, and handle the financial aspects of matters from any device with internet connectivity.
- Document automation and management: Automates the creation of pre-filled legal forms and precedents directly from your matter data without any need for setup or maintenance.
- Time recording and billing: uses AI time-tracking tool to capture every billable minute to maximise earnings.
- Reporting: provides detailed reports about clients, matters, billing, financial compliance, and performance.
- Client Service: Simplified and secured client communication through LEAP’s integrated customisable client portal.
- Security and compliance: LEAP uses military-grade AES-256 encryption to ensure data protection.
- Legal Accounting: provides a comprehensive suite if accounting tools to run accounts and remain compliant, reducing risk and provides a full audit trail.
- New!! Matter AI: intelligently examines matters and delivers immediate answers and insights to save time and improves work efficiency.
- New!! Prompts feature: Creates high quality matter specific legal documents from its library of AI prompts.
Pricing: LEAP does not offer a transparent subscription model, instead pricing is usually assessed upon request based on the firm and practice size.
Pros:
- Platform with strong document assembly and case management tools.
- Integration with external software enhancing productivity.
- Mobile app for on-the-go case management.
Cons:
- Higher cost, which might be prohibitive for smaller firms.
- May include features that smaller practices do not need, making it less cost-effective.
- Less flexibility in pricing compared to other providers such as Clio and GLS.
GLS Overview
GLS stands for GOOD LAW SOFTWARE, is a cloud-based legal practice management software designed to help simplify administrative tasks, increase efficiency, eliminate admin errors and increase productivity.
Key Features:
- Legally optimised Dashboard: Measures performance, sets reminders, task notification, and handling newly instructed matters.
- Legally optimised calendar: creates events, appointments, sends invitations to caseworkers, generates integrated appointments such as Zoom, Google and Teams links, sends out reminders to clients.
- Emailing: this feature allows users to email directly from GLS, allows users to share information together through it special access feature, binds emails to their designated matter and offers a user-friendly interface.
- Accounting, Billing and Banking: GLS software directly syncs UK bank accounts, automatically fetches bank transactions, matches any transaction to its appropriate matter, and provides accounting reports that are necessary for law firms.
- Client Relationship Management: GLS uses special CRM tools to allow users to build strong relationships with new and current clients.
- Data storage and Data security: GLS offers secure, cloud-based access to important data from anywhere and from multiple devices.
- HR and performance: GLS manages work hours on cases and projects, increases team member collaboration, manages remote workers, produces staff performance reports, and reviews top performers and calculates bonuses.
- Matter management: allows for efficient information management system, matters are easily assignable and easily retrieved by multiple team members.
Monthly subscription pricing:
GLS (Essentials) Plan: £60.00/user.
Optional Addons: (Online banking feature: +£6.00/firm), (Chat Hub feature: +£5.00/ firm), (Email Campaigns: +£4.00/firm), (E-signature feature: +£3.00/ firm), (Oline Payment Processing: +£2.00/firm), (Searches: +£2.00/firm), (Client Portal: +£2.00/firm), (AI Assistant: +£2.00/firm), (Accounting Integration: +£1.00/firm), (My Cloud Drive: +£1.00/firm).
Pros:
- Highly customisable to specific firm needs.
- Includes HR management and performance tracking, which is lacking in other platforms.
- Strong focus on UK compliance and integrations with UK financial systems.
Cons:
- May be more suited for UK-based firms due to its specific integrations and compliance focus.
- Could be complex to set up and integrate without adequate onboarding support.
A full Comparison based on key features and functionalities
| Feature | Clio | Leap | GLS |
| Email Integration | √ | √ | √ |
| Calendar and Scheduling | √ | X | √ |
| Billing and Invoicing | √ | √ | √ |
| Client Statements | X | √ | √ |
| Account Tracking | √ | X | √ |
| Contact Management | √ | √ | √ |
| Client Portal | √ | √ | √ |
| Case Management | √ | √ | √ |
| Calendar Management | √ | √ | √ |
| Customizable Templates | √ | X | √ |
| Document Management | √ | √ | √ |
| AI | X | √ | √ |
| Client Registration | √ | X | √ |
| Accounting | √ | √ | √ |
| Online Payment | √ | √ | √ |
Conclusion – Making an informed decision!
- Clio is well-suited for firms that need a robust, scalable solution with strong integration capabilities and mobile support. It’s ideal if you need a flexible, feature-rich platform and are willing to pay for higher-tier features.
- Leap is best for firms that require strong document handling and case management capabilities in a comprehensive package, particularly if the firm is willing to invest more for integrated functionalities.
- GLS is an excellent choice for UK-based firms looking for a customizable and comprehensive system that incorporates legal and financial management with HR capabilities.
Your choice will depend on your firm’s size, specific needs, budget, and whether your operations are based in the UK (which may make GLS particularly appealing). If cost and feature flexibility are paramount, Clio or GLS might be the way to go. If you need an all-in-one solution and are less concerned about budget, Leap could be ideal.
For specialist advice and support. Please get in touch with our Tech Sales Team in London by contacting the GOOD LAW SOFTWARE office.
A warm welcome to GOOD LAW SOFTWARE. To learn more about us and our practice areas, we invite you to browse through our website and contact us or book a demo.
