I’m a big fan of online case management applications. In particular, I’ve become enamored of RocketMatter, an online case management system that I’ve been calling a “TimeMatters Killer.”
As readers of this blog will note, RocketMatter is also an advertiser here. But before you jump all over me for shilling for dollars, let me tell you that I’ve been a fan of RocketMatter for far longer than they’ve been here.
More than that, the RocketMatter button on the site is an affiliate link – I get money from them only if someone signs up by clicking the link on the page.
So if you want to check it out and don’t want me to get a dollar out of it, go to the site directly. I won’t make any money, and you will get a great system.
Anyway, back to the post at hand . . .
Objectively, it may appear that RocketMatter is expensive – way, way expensive. Until January 1 the system prices out at $60 per lawyer plus $15 per non-lawyer staff member. For a firm of 5, that comes out to $120 per month. Annually, that’s $1,440.
Steep, huh?
Not so much, as the RocketMatter blog points out in a recent post. As they say:
Think of all the costs involved with installations, upgrades, and training, and realize they go away if you use Rocket Matter. The true cost of a traditional legal practice management system, once you approximate the functionality of Rocket Matter, is very high.
For example, if you want to run Amicus Attorney in a multi-user environment, you need licenses, and you have 5 people in your firm.
For new licenses for Small Firm edition, they charge $499 for the first user, and $399 for additional users. There are annual maintenance fees of $295 for the 1st user, and $95 for each additional user. For training, it’s $399 for a bundle for 5 online training webinars. So for an average firm that would be $2,494 for the initial licenses and training, plus you would be paying $675 annually.
Pull out your calculator and add along with me. By using RocketMatter instead of Amicus, you’d save $1,729 in the year alone – over $144 per month.
Wow. Really puts it in perspective, huh?
So check out RocketMatter in one of two ways:
OR
Directly to the site without giving me any credit whatsoever
Either way, you win big. Just remember to let me know how much you love the system.
I am a RocketMatter customer also. And I tried the competition, Bill4Time and Clio. RM has the best case management features but I find its bookkeeping/invoicing very poor. I finally decided to use Quickbooks and Quickbooks Pro Timer for all that. Bill4time's accounting/invoicing features are great – but its case management not so much. Clio is somewhere in between.
Dear Jay: I think what you have done is wonderful with this area of law; I personally collect and save all your articles, etc., however, I am a litigation paralegal – the heart and valves of many BK attorneys! As a legal professional, I wish you'd open up your 'network' for professionals like myself as well – for the clients of mine – I do all the work (as you know) after they 'reel the client in' I take over with all the interviewing, typing, research, etc., etc., you know how it goes, all from my home office as well. I located in the central mountains of PA from the craziness of LA – and have only had to fly to LA 3 times this year. For the most part, I had BK attorney's petition preparations from beginning to end – I send them .pdf (approximately 27-28 docs) and they take it from there. The bulk of the work is in the preparation of the petitions – having someone like me out 'here' to handle the petitions is a tremendous money saver for the attorneys because they don't have the overhead of staff, parking, insurance, office, etc. thus freeing them up for the 341 and motion hearings – as long as the attorney really knows BK it is a really good working relationship – the attorney doesn't need to worry about time management, etc., because I advise him/her the dates to keep track of and if an opposition or response to motions is required, we work on those documents as well – I also make sure BK attorneys who have me do work for them become familiar and follow BLN so open up your forum/network for the pros like me who really are the legs of the BK table!!! Re RocketMatter I would welcome the opportunity to become familiar with it – along with being familiar with TM, Best Case, Adobe 9.0 Pro, Lexis Nexis/Collier Top Form, etc. Thanks Jay! Deby Morrow, CLP papergate@aol.com
I think it's a limitation on all online practice management systems. Perhaps one of them will integrate with Freshbooks in the future, making it simpler to do bookkeeping and invoicing through the online case management systems.
I think it's a limitation on all online practice management systems. Perhaps one of them will integrate with Freshbooks in the future, making it simpler to do bookkeeping and invoicing through the online case management systems.