Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers a practice management system with a new private cloud client portal (see article below), an over-the-top PACER replacement, an app that transforms your iPad or iPhone into a monitor for your Mac, and a cloud project management application. Don't miss the next issue.
IMPROVE CLIENT SERVICE WITH A CLIENT PORTAL
Communication with clients is critical for success. Some lawyers mistakenly believe that it's not worth collaborating with non-lawyer clients. On the contrary, plenty of such clients possess excellent proofreading skills. More importantly, all clients are less likely to complain about a bill if you share your work product with them throughout a matter. A client portal is the best solution for such communications.
Amicus Premium 2015 … in One Sentence
Launched last week, Gavel & Gown Software's Amicus Premium 2015 is a popular practice management system that now includes a client portal.
The Killer Feature
The new Amicus Client Portal features your law firm's brand identity. Accordingly, clients will feel like it's your software platform. Clients securely login using a web browser. All data resides on a server at your firm with end-to-end encryption when accessed.
Unlike standalone portals, Amicus Client Portal benefits from the integration with your practice management system. This enables your team to upload a client's entire file or whichever pieces you want to share — bills, court filings, correspondence, email, trust account statements, and of course final documents.
Another benefit is secure communications. Clients can exchange messages with the lawyers and staff at your firm about their matter. Amicus Premium 2015 notifies you of such communications so that you can respond promptly and bill for the time you spend doing so.
"Enhanced client service is one of the most important aspects for improving a law practice," Gavel & Gown president Ron Collins told us. "The Amicus Client Portal within Amicus Premium 2015 will delight clients by giving them 24/7 secure access to their file and their lawyer, thus keeping them in the loop."
Other Notable Features
Because Amicus Client Portal required an intuitive user experience, Gavel & Gown took the opportunity redesign Amicus Premium 2015 in its entirety. The software continues to use real-world analogues but with a more modern look.
In a recent poll conducted by Pew Research Center, knowledge workers ranked email first in importance — above the web and smartphone. Gavel & Gown has long invested in email primarily via Amicus Premium's integration with Microsoft Outlook. Amicus Premium 2015 enables you to access your email in any app while still being able to access it in both Amicus Premium and Outlook.
Other new features include improved document searches, file automation, and matter overviews (including a new chronology view). Amicus Anywhere, which enables you to access Amicus Premium 2015 from your smartphone, has a new tool for adding notes to a matter.
What Else Should You Know?
Amicus Premium 2015 has a suite of tools for capturing billable time and expenses. At your option, you can unlock Amicus Premium Billing 2015, which resides within Amicus Premium 2015. This integrated billing application adds trust accounting, bill creation and delivery, and more. The new version of Amicus Premium Billing offers split billing, alerts when retainers reach a specified threshold, more intuitive bill layouts and reports, and the ability to import costs from QuickBooks. Learn more about Amicus Premium 2015.
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