PCLaw Support – How to Get Help for PCLaw

Introduction: The Best PCLaw Support

PCLaw provides strong billing and accounting capabilities, also referred to as “back-office” functionality, along with efficient and user-friendly case, client, and calendar management features, known as “front-office” functionality.

PCLaw has gained significant popularity in both the US and Canada, thanks to its longstanding presence in the market and the ease with which it can be set up and utilized. Its user-friendly nature and comprehensive capabilities have contributed to its large market share and popularity.

Further enhancing its appeal is the extensive network of third-party consultants and technology providers who are proficient in implementing the software, training your team on its use, and even managing your bookkeeping tasks.

Having this extensive support is an important factor into determining your overall success with PCLaw. Choosing the best support option for your law firm will require investigation and understanding of the various pros and cons attributed to each route.

Let’s dive in!

The LexisNexis Software Ecosystem

Let’s first delve into where PCLaw is positioned in the vast expanse of legal software.

LexisNexis offers a plethora of legal software products designed to cater to a variety of needs, corresponding to the differing sizes and types of law firms. Acknowledging that not every legal practice requires every feature of every application, LexisNexis has crafted a range of products to satisfy diverse needs and ensure seamless integration among them.

Take, for instance, the many law firms that appreciate PCLaw’s robust accounting capabilities paired with its simplified, lightweight Practice Management feature. However, this combination may not be the perfect fit for all law firms. Some law firms require more comprehensive features for managing their cases, such as rules-based calendaring (docketing), document/form assembly, and custom matter screens.

Time Matters, another widely used LexisNexis product, focuses on detailed case management without incorporating any accounting features. This makes it a valuable companion to PCLaw, with the two working together in a front-office/back-office configuration to provide a complete solution.

Up-and-Running Quickly

Despite PCLaw’s extensive functionality within time tracking, billing, business accounting, and trust accounting, it stands out for its ease of setup and use. PCLaw is not built for extensive customization, a quality that many law firms appreciate.

With its straightforward installation process, you can be up and running within minutes. It’s designed to do what it does well without overcomplicating things.

If you’re familiar with basic bookkeeping and accounting, you can set up your chart of accounts, billing tiers, and other features without needing external assistance. This simplicity and user-friendliness make PCLaw an attractive choice for many small and mid-sized law firms.

But Then What?

Even with its intuitive interface and easy entry, LexisNexis recognizes that you might still require support at some stage in your firm’s journey. Perhaps you need a little assistance as you first implement PCLaw, or maybe you’re transitioning to PCLaw from a different case management system.

Alternatively, you might want to outsource billing and bookkeeping tasks. To cater to these diverse needs and provide a wide range of support options to users of its software products, LexisNexis has established the Certified Independent Consultant (CIC) program.

Under this program, software and IT professionals can receive training and certification on LexisNexis products, including PCLaw. This ensures you have access to expert help when you need it, further enhancing the appeal of using PCLaw for your law firm’s needs.

PCLaw, a robust and comprehensive software for practice management and accounting, has established itself as an indispensable tool for law firms across North America. It effectively streamlines numerous operations such as client management, case handling, billing, and accounting, thereby boosting overall efficiency.

As the modern business landscape increasingly favors remote work, numerous law firms are considering strategies to reduce the cost and complexity of maintaining in-house servers. Their goal is to equip their teams with the capability to work smoothly from any location, eradicating geographical limitations and fostering improved work-life balance.

This emerging trend has sparked a surge in interest in the potential of cloud technology.

In the age of digital transformation, cloud technology can fundamentally alter the way law firms function, offering a range of advantages including cost efficiency, scalability, and enhanced productivity. In relation to PCLaw, migrating to the cloud can morph the software from a server-dependent application into a more accessible, adaptable, and efficient tool.

Let’s delve into how law firms can effectively transition their PCLaw practice management software to the cloud.

Related: As the only Authorized Hosting Provider for PCLaw, consider:

Law firms using this software need to purchase, upkeep, and manage their own servers to host it — a requirement that hasn’t changed since PCLaw’s creation.

On the other hand, cloud-based software is easily accessible over the internet via a browser, removing the responsibility of server maintenance.

The most direct strategy would be to shift PCLaw onto a basic cloud platform like Practice Go. This service enables PCLaw to operate in the cloud as a web application, thereby doing away with the need for a server.

However, this solution might not always be the best fit, and here’s the reason…

If your law firm relies only on PCLaw or similar standalone software, then this cloud platform would work well. But if your firm needs to use additional software like Time Matters for document management, different strategies would be required for each system or software.

You might find a more inclusive solution, like using a Private Cloud or Virtual Desktop, to be more effective for your firm’s needs.

For more information on these alternatives, keep on reading!

Private Clouds are so-called because every law firm (called a “tenant,” in cloud computing parlance), has their own segregated, dedicated working environment.

In most cases, that means:

For those unfamiliar with these technologies, the practical upshot is that your law firm has its own private, secure space for its software, documents, and data, distinct from other law firms. This brings an extra layer of data security and privacy for your firm.

We’ve already discussed the merits of operating PCLaw in a cloud-based environment, and how a Private Cloud can facilitate this transition. But what does it actually mean to function within a Private Cloud? How will each member of your firm interact with this environment?

The answer lies within a tool known as a Virtual Desktop.

In essence, a Virtual Desktop is a cloud-hosted platform that replicates the familiar user interface you’re used to on your Windows or Apple desktop, whether at home or work. It offers the convenience of 24/7 access to your desktop from any location, providing the flexibility to work seamlessly across various devices.

A Virtual Desktop houses all the necessary software applications, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, in addition to your specific legal practice management software, accounting software, and document management software.

These applications are readily installed within your Virtual Desktop environment, eliminating the need for local installations and enabling you to carry out your daily tasks efficiently.

As a centralized hub, the Virtual Desktop provides secure storage for your files, a platform for collaboration, and the means to manage your legal workflows. It liberates you from dependency on a specific physical device or location, allowing you to work from any device connected to the internet.

Sometimes, Virtual Desktop solutions are termed as “Desktop-as-a-Service,” or DaaS, a concept parallel to “Software-as-a-Service,” or SaaS.

In a conventional computing setup, the primary software for your law firm is installed directly on your physical, local desktop – the workstation or laptop you use at your office. In this traditional approach, all operations are run locally, with applications installed on your individual computer.

On the other hand, a Virtual Desktop environment typically has minimal, if any, applications installed directly on your local machine.

In most cases, the only item present on your local desktop is a shortcut, which serves as the gateway to your Virtual Desktop.

Upon logging into your Virtual Desktop, you or any member of your team can access all of your law firm’s software, documents, and data.

This includes:

This configuration permits your entire firm to access PCLaw along with all your applications, documents, and data from any location, using any device.

Moreover, Virtual Desktops eliminate the necessity to install, update, and maintain each of your applications on every computer within your firm. Instead, your Cloud Service Provider assumes the task of keeping all your software up-to-date, resulting in more streamlined, hassle-free operations.

This method offers an extra degree of convenience, as it centralizes the administration of your software resources and absolves you of the responsibility completely.

Virtual Desktops bring many advantages to law firms. Specifically, Virtual Desktops are likely the best technology route in any of the following scenarios.

For an example of working in a Virtual Desktop, watch our demonstration of Uptime Practice.

Epilogue – PCLaw in the Cloud