The legal sector is not an exception. Technology has been a significant driver of change for many industries.
It is clear that technological advances have made attorney-client communications easier, investigations and findings accessible, and enabled electronic filing.
If law firms invest in enterprise mobility solutions, technology can be a game changer for any size of the firm.
Many law firms need to learn how to use apps in their practice, despite the many legal apps available.
So,
In this blog post, we will examine how a mobile application for legal services can transform how a law firm operates.
- If law firms invest in mobility solutions, technologies like Blockchain, Cloud Computing, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence can be game changers for any firm.
- If you are a lawyer, a legal mobile app is essential if your firm wants to manage documents, appointments, and bills better. It also allows clients to secure communication through the app.
Why Do You Need a Lawyer Mobile App?
A survey in 2017 among law firms based in the US and UK, About 80% use mobile apps. The statistics are similar in 2021, and demand for high-quality custom applications remains strong.
These data show that apps for law firms are beneficial and can automate some internal and external business processes.
Take a look at some of the advantages that come with building a mobile application for lawyers:
- Time Management is Important: Most lawyers charge an hourly fee for their service. They must therefore monitor the time spent with clients and account for it. Attorneys can track their working hours with the help of apps that have time-tracking features. You can concentrate on your professional work instead of doing lengthy calculations.
- Information search is an essential task for any lawyer: The lawyer must often check previous court cases, comparable decisions, and legislation. Lawyers can access an extensive database of legal practices and keywords through a mobile app. The information you are looking for is much more easily and quickly found, increasing productivity.
- Document Management Made Easy: This mobile app allows you to manage and create different types of legal documents. Scanning old cases will keep them at your fingertips. You can also make notes or convert the files into an accessible format. You will have your entire library in the palm of your hand. This allows all staff to share content easily.
- Protect your Privacy: You can build secure video conferences or chats when creating apps for lawyers. So, your clients personal information and communications will always be protected.
- Scheduling Management: An attorneys workday can be hectic. This mobile app creates and maintains a schedule for your business and every employee. The mobile application will notify them of any important information or upcoming meetings.
- Real-Time Data: Mobile Applications greatly simplify a companys work by allowing it to process and receive real-time information. Information updates, schedule changes, and customer inquiries are now more easily accessible. You only need to open the app, and all the latest data will be available.
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The Quick Overview of Legal Mobile Apps!
Apps for lawyers can improve your productivity and organization and help with effective communication. Legal mobile apps provide a comprehensive solution that includes invoicing, tracking income and costs, managing projects, tracking time, and project management and tracking.
Law firms of all sizes can use these apps to boost referrals, increase client loyalty, stay ahead in technology, and distinguish themselves from other firms.
Lets move forward and check.
Legal Apps: Types and Categories
There are different types of mobile legal apps, depending on their features and usage. Some of the most popular are:
Legal Apps for Lawyers
These apps help lawyers network. These apps usually offer a variety of features, including meeting schedules, chat, document sharing, invoice, and billing management, among others.
The Legal Apps for Attorneys
These applications allow attorneys to manage contracts, documents, and duties, maintain connections with clients, track time, and simplify appointment scheduling.
The Legal App for Clients
The app allows clients to search for law firms, book appointments, see invoices and activity, create meeting reminders and send documents.
These types of mobile legal apps all have their unique features. You can also create legal mobile applications for your company.
But,
Does it Make Sense to Invest in Apps for Lawyers?
Here are the top advantages of Lawyer On Demand Consultation App Development for law firms.
Take a look at this!
Enhances Communication
Both lawyers and clients can use apps to improve communication. Customized mobile apps help a firm develop its identity.
They can make it stand out by offering clients a unique link and engagement.
How to Gain a Competitive Edge
A law firm that uses mobile apps shows clients how up-to-date the business is with the latest technology and benefits from it.
A fully customized app with your companys colors, graphics, and logos makes your law firm look professional. The company can then stand out from the competition. The legal app reminds customers that the law firm wants to stay ahead of its competition.
Easy Account Management is Ensured
You must track your billable time as a business owner to avoid losing money. This application offers several tools that can help you manage your business.
The application provides various useful tools to help you run your business.
Enhances Document Retrieval
When using manual data management techniques, it can take a lot of work to retrieve documents. Legal mobile apps are different because they keep everything digitally organized, making it easy to search for records.
Other benefits that legal applications can provide to clients include:
- Instant messages can be used to communicate more effectively with your clients. It can save money by eliminating the need to send important announcements via post.
- Organizing and storing client-related information and documents
- If you create a mobile app that has competent legal content, it will allow you to communicate effectively with users. The app can provide general legal advice or improve the communication of your legal opinion to prospective clients.
- A legal mobile application also allows project managers to delegate and assign work while monitoring employee performance.
What Types of Mobile Apps Are Available for Law Firms?
In 2014, the development of mobile apps for lawyers became more popular. In 2014, two significant areas were software for attorneys and software designed for clients.
In 2021, despite new apps being developed, firms will still be required to create reliable and convenient applications. Similarly, according to the American Bar Association, 91% of attorneys use apps for professional purposes. The first application type dominates the market.
Apps That Provide Services to Attorneys
These applications are designed to assist lawyers with their everyday work. This application helps build relationships, exchange information, recruit effectively, set up appointments, and more.
Custom applications can be used to solve various additional tasks, depending on your companys requirements, such as organizing events, booking tickets or hotels, and managing vacation time.
These applications allow users to instantly sign and send documents to their recipients without printing or wasting time.
It will increase productivity if all the functions are set up correctly and correspond with the business goals.
Apps That Provide Services to Clients
The initial mobile apps for clients were an informational resource. The first mobile applications were straightforward information resources with minimal functionality.
Everything is different now. The customer applications were designed to increase client satisfaction and improve communication between the company and its clients.
The application allows users to make an appointment, discuss, learn about their case status, and pay directly. These products are designed to enhance the relationship between lawyers and users while also outperforming their competition.
The client has 24/7 access to the most critical legal details and information. Clients can receive immediate advice and assistance during crises.
The Main Features That an App for a Law Firm Should Have
A mobile applications functionality can be tailored to an organizations specific needs. Lets look at the features every app should include.
The Law Firm Panel
The following are the main features of a law firm:
- Registration and login. The law firms must be able to create their profile and register their entire staff.
- List of services. Apps should allow users to manage, create and modify the service list provided by a company.
- Management of bookings and schedules. The system must show a calendar with available slots to record clients. The app must also allow the firm to confirm, cancel, or reschedule bookings.
- Task management. A task manager should be able to assign tasks by team and track their status.
- Personnel Management. The law firm must be able to monitor their staffs activities and confirm absences for illness and vacations.
- Document management. Document management.
- Notifications. Users of the app, administrators included, should be reminded of changes or new actions, upcoming events, and upcoming changes.
- Management of costs. The application also allows for the easy creation of company expense reports and the monitoring thereof.
- Address book. This application should have all of your firms clients and their information.
- Billing.
- Calculator for dates Date calculator. Lawyers should use this tool to calculate the possible completion dates of cases and then mark them as completed.
- Discount program. Referral program. This will allow firms to reach more clients.
- Analytics. It must be able to produce different types of reports to assess the efficiency of an organization.
Lawyer Panel
The following basic functionality is available for attorneys:
- Login and registration- The system should allow lawyers to register and log in securely.
- Schedule management- The app should allow lawyers to view and edit appointments and create new ones. Both lawyers and their clients should receive reminders from the system.
- Paperwork- It should be possible for attorneys to edit and create documents electronically and manage and sign these at any stage.
- Camera access. Camera access.
- Notifications- To improve communication, an attorney and client should receive news about their cases status, new information obtained, etc.
- Task management.
- Profile management- Managing your profile is another critical factor, which includes updating information.
- Chat with your clients- To maintain high quality and transparency in communication, an attorney needs to be able to communicate directly with their clients within the software.
Client Panel
Client-side functions are the same as those for apps from attorneys or law offices, including registration, logins, profiles, and basic data entry.
The client-side application must also include the following features:
- Find law firms- The application should have a map so clients can locate the closest consultations. Even if the app only lists law firms and lawyers in a particular region, this is still convenient.
- Reservation.
- Contract signing- It must be possible to sign documents electronically.
- Sending documents.
- Tracking of tasks- Clients should be able to see the progress of their cases.
- Notifications.
- Payment- Payment should be possible through the application.
- Support online- If the customer has any questions, they should be able to contact support.
Read More: Software Developer vs Web Developer Differences You Should Know
What Are the Features of Legal Apps for Lawyers and Law Firms?
There are plenty of features you can include in your legal mobile app. However, keep in mind that as you add more features, your legal app will cost more to develop.
Its best to begin with an MVP and add the necessary components.
You can include the following features in your mobile legal app:
Document Management
Each case will require a large number of documents and other data. This tool allows you to store these documents in a safe digital vault.
It also has additional features.
Client Management
You can keep track of the case history and contact details for a particular client. This feature lets you quickly access data by typing in a phone number or name.
Invoices and Billing
The tool helps lawyers calculate the billable hour for every client. It is easy to control and track the costs of every component, and you can easily share refund and credit notes.
Automatic invoices can be generated based on your billing cycle.
Spending Management
These costs can be managed by submitting them to the appropriate authority for approval. You can submit these costs to the relevant authority for approval.
Search for a Lawyer
Users can find a lawyer by entering their location and selecting their desired category. This feature allows users to speak directly with the attorney or call them.
Calendar Integration
The calendar in the app can be used to schedule partner events, hearings, and meetings. You can also set up reminders for when you need them.
You can use this to keep track of dockets and calculate dates while on the move.
The Security of Your Own Home
The feature will protect your data from hackers, third parties, and phishing. With the latest encryption technology, it is difficult for hackers to access your documents.
Using permission levels, you can ensure that only users with the proper authorization have access to records.
Dashboard
The dashboard lets you quickly access your Daily Case Boards, Appointments, and Outstanding Bills.
Task Management
You can use this feature to track the current usage of your firms resources. This feature allows you to see tasks by addressees, priorities, progress, and obstacles that might prevent completing these activities across your firm.
Create an App for Lawyers
If you are looking to develop a product with many features, it can take a long time. It is best to create a minimally viable product first.
The application contains the minimum set of parts required to ensure stable operation.
Market analysis is the first step in creating any new application. Three main steps are involved:
- Define the Audience You Are Targeting: This is your target market. Any applications purpose is to alleviate customer problems. Your product will become more valuable the more you know about your audience.
- Competitor Analysis: You will need to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, as well as determine which solutions are available on the market. You can choose up to seven main competitors to participate in your analysis. Consider how you could turn your weaknesses into the strengths of competitors.
- List the Functionality Required: Based on your audience and target, decide whether to build an app for iOS or Android. Create an application specification to serve as the foundation for development.
Build the best possible legal mobile application by following the steps below!
Gathering Requirements
Each software product, app, website, or new feature should solve a clients problem.
Ask questions as you move through the planning stage about the specifications of the application, such as:
- How does this solve the problem?
- What will it be used for?
- What type of input and output data is needed?
- Which security and privacy measures are you going to take?
These questions can help you create an efficient legal app for attorneys. Once the requirements are analyzed, the product design can be made.
Design
After the requirements have been established, you can start to think about the look and feel of the app. Depending on your software development method, you can use wireframes to show how the connections in the application will work, or you can create more complete prototypes.
Both the User Interface (UI) and the User Experience (UX) are designed during this phase. The User Interface must be user-friendly, modern, and appealing to the audience and primary functions of the application.
These layouts are also used as the basis for the next stage of development.
Build MVP
Only the basic features are built by the MVP. After the app has been well received by users, all other components can later be added.
Your application idea is fantastic and inspiring. Your app concept might be excellent and motivating. Still, it will only be able to reach the market and add value for your business if you make sure that your project is practical and meets current needs.
MVP development ensures your app has been tested and proven to meet the initial objectives. This approach allows for a rapid app launch on a small budget.
The MVP app contains only the basic features of an application, like information about your firm, document scanning, notes, etc. After the MVP launch, you can collect customer feedback to add more features.
Start the Development
It is the most challenging and risky step in the SDLC. You can avoid risk by working in Agile sprints and creating an MVP.
Partnering with the top Lawyer App Development Solution companies may also help.
Try the App
As your team develops the software, you will be tracking and correcting problems. Once the functionality is implemented and the product is ready for use, more testing will be required.
You could distribute the product to beta testers or use user experience tools to monitor how people interact.
Then you need to select a team of developers. A reliable contractor should introduce you to at least three people: one designer, a developer, and a QA expert.
An applications complexity will determine a teams size and development time. It will generally take 3 months or more to design the app, code it, and test it before launch.
How Much Does It Cost to Develop an App for Lawyers?
The cost of developing a legal mobile application depends on factors such as:
- The following are some examples of
- Complexity
- The region of Lawyer Application Development company that you have hired
- Tech stack
- Platform and other
How much does it cost to create an app? This is the question on everyones mind. There is only a set price to develop some products.
It is subjective, and the amount depends on various factors.
As the developer will have to invest more time, the cost of the software increases as you add more features. Software developers are usually paid per hour.
Only the functions specified in that contract will be implemented if you sign a fixed-price contract. The process of building an app could be more flexible.
Costs are also affected by the location of developers. US developers charge an average of $90 per hour, the most expensive rate.
On the other hand, developers from Europe charge an average of $60 per hour. You should also know that iOS services are more expensive than Android.
Costs for developing an app that is a fully-fledged attorney mobile application depending on the features included, the mobile platforms used, and developer hourly rates, which vary by country.
The size of the team can also influence the price. Costs will increase if you hire more experts to work on your project.
Prices for developing mobile apps for law firms vary significantly, depending on the firms needs. The minimum amount can be as low as $10,000, and it could go up to $100,000.
Apps That Are Best Suited for Lawyers
Our list includes the top applications used both by clients and attorneys. Test these products and determine which features are most popular.
Also, you can find out what user-friendly approaches work best. This can be a great source of information for creating a mobile app for your law firm.
1. Off The Record: Ticket Lawyer
This is the best app to provide users with legal advice. You only need to give some information about your case (such as a picture of the fine), and you will be given a list of lawyers willing to accept your case.
2. KLW EZ-Litigation App
The application makes the workflow of lawyers more efficient. The app allows users to schedule deposits, order or view court records, schedule court sessions, pay bills, and view and view transcripts.
3. Evernote
One of the most widely used note-taking applications. Despite not having a specific legal focus, Evernote is used extensively by attorneys, designers, copywriters, and other professionals.
You can easily compose, manage, and edit recordings on the go and send them.
4. Bracewell
This application provides legal insight for oil and gas, finance, technology, and public finance industries worldwide.
The application also includes news about industry trends and changes.
5. Locke Lord
The same-named law firm released this application. This app lets users get useful legal info or contact the attorney they require in just one click.
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Last Words
This is an excellent business opportunity for developing applications for lawyers. The market is flooded with similar products, but they can only satisfy some users.
Creating a profitable niche is still possible, so it makes sense to build a customized app.
There are many benefits to having a legal app in place. I hope you enjoyed the information provided. Contact us if you still have questions about legal app development.
Our specialists create engaging apps for firms based on the needs of each firm. If you want to improve the efficiency of your law office, manage appointments, invoices, and paperwork more effectively, and provide secure communication with clients via an app, a legal mobile application will be essential.
Youll need to work with a professional team to create an outstanding product. For over 13 years, Developers.dev has been developing solutions for legal complexity.
From market research to promoting a finished product, our team can easily handle all tasks.
