Feb 27, 2023
Regardless of whether you’re considering deploying immigration case management software for the first time or thinking about switching your current solution, there is a lot you should consider before choosing the right software solution for your law firm.
After all, selecting the best case management software for your needs could make all the difference in whether you’ll scale up your operations or not. Therefore, it’s definitely not a choice you want to make without being fully prepared and informed.
Making the correct choice could mean that you and your team will enjoy better-managed caseloads and finances, and foster better client communication and relationships. In addition, your firm will be able to send out bills more efficiently, capture more time, and run more smoothly than ever before.
On the other hand, making a poor decision when it comes to selecting the best immigration case management software according to your needs could prove to be costly—both in terms of potential security risks and efficiency.
So, how do you choose the best immigration case management software for your law firm? From our extensive experience with lawyers and thousands of law firm owners regarding their technology needs, in this informative blog post, we’ll cover the essential aspects you need to consider to ensure that the solution you opt for covers the basics and simultaneously helps you meet your immigration law firm’s objectives.
But, before we get to that part, let’s first elaborate on why it’s absolutely necessary for your immigration-focused law firm to hop on the bandwagon and invest in a sound case management solution.
Over the last several years, as emerging technologies have made a significant impact on almost every industry out there, immigration law firms were undoubtedly not left untouched. However, unlike ten years ago, most immigration law offices are now operating partially or fully online, an aspect that’s very important for immigration services as you do not cater only to people from your local community but to individuals from all across the world.
Likewise, as the global Covid-19 pandemic has ushered in some radical changes in the workplace, technically advanced, cloud-based case management software has come to the rescue as it enabled legal firms to manage tasks, communication, and client intake, document creation, document sharing, collaboration, invoicing, and payments in a digital, more systematic manner.
With that in mind, the best case management software can further encourage your immigration law firm to adapt its working strategies to the new digital era in the following ways:
Back in the day, most immigration law firms worked with a server-based, on-premise software solution for their law practice management needs. However, in recent years, cloud-based system solutions have come to the forefront as they need numerous benefits over their traditional server-based counterparts. Just to name a few, these advantages include:
Whichever software you go with, it’s in your firm’s best interest to confirm whether or not the software you’re about to purchase is truly a cloud-based platform. Some case management solutions claim that they’re fully cloud-based, only to require you to download the software before using it—software that may only work with particular devices, like PCs. The best case management software should be accessible from anywhere and make its key features available from any device.
While this might seem a bit too obvious, you’ll need to evaluate the software’s ease of use before subscribing to any of its plans. Sure, it’s super easy to get excited about a smooth interface. Still, if it takes you fifteen clicks only to complete a common task like uploading a visa permit, the software you’re looking at may make your immigration law firm less efficient instead.
When evaluating the ease of use and user experience, think about the regular daily tasks you’ll need to complete within the software when managing immigration cases, and run through how you’d complete these assignments in the software you’re evaluating. Examples of these tasks might include logging time, finding particular information about a specific case, adding notes to cases, opening a new case or adding a new contact to your system, calculating billable time tracking, billing management, billing clients, etc.
The best immigration case management software for your firm’s needs should be designed to be intuitive so that remaining organized and completing daily administrative tasks is relatively easy and within a single number of mouse button clicks. With that being said, keep an open mind and ask for a demo version or a demonstration of the software you’re interested in to see how it works and if it’s worth your investment.
Keeping your entire firm and client records and information secure and confidential is paramount for every immigration law firm. In that regard, keep in mind that some case management software solutions are safer than others, so do your due diligence and confirm that your future software vendor is prioritizing security!
To do your due diligence and ensure that you’re selecting a 100% secure cloud-based case management provider, ask many security questions during your software evaluation process. A few things that you should examine include the following:
Nowadays, mobile phones reign supreme. On average, Americans check their mobile phones every four minutes (that’s 344 times per day!), and as immigration lawyers, you and your team are likely no different.
For that reason, it makes sense to go with software that will enable you to check in on your legal practices from your phone, wherever you are, so ensure that the case management software you’re about to get provides a mobile app that makes everything easier on the go.
The best legal practice management software shouldn’t stop your firm from using the services and suite of applications you already do. The best immigration case management software solutions are designed to work seamlessly with other popular management platforms and programs so that you can keep all company information organized in a central hub without having to enter the same information into multiple apps.
Many immigration case management solutions don’t offer integrations, so make sure to speak to the vendor about this important feature before making your final decision. Luckily, Docketwise integrates with nearly all leading services and apps, including Microsoft Office 365, Quickbooks, Google Calendar, Outlook email client, Zapier, and many more.
Last but definitely not least, you should also look into the customer support provided by the potential immigration legal case management software company. Whether you need help to sort through a workflow, run into an issue, or are just curious about how to get more out of your solution, it’s always worth checking and knowing that you’ll have a good customer experience when you reach out for answers.
The best case management software provider should come with award-winning support departments that can make a significant difference in your experience, so don’t neglect this final consideration.
Selecting a new legal case management software for your immigration law firm can be an overwhelming and challenging task. Nevertheless, the best legal case management systems can make your immigration law firm more profitable and efficient than ever, so the effort and time it takes to evaluate a possible solution are definitely worth it.
If you’re an immigration legal professional looking for a sophisticated, flexible, cloud-based solution to help you run your firm, waste no time looking at other alternatives, and check out Docketwise. Docketwise can help you stay current on all your ongoing immigration cases, stay in touch with your clients, and help you take your immigration law firm to the next level!
