TLDR (Summary)
The best all-in-one CRM for lawyers is Plutio ($19/month).
Plutio replaces the fragmented stack of legal practice management tools, scheduling apps, document storage, and separate billing systems. When a client signs their engagement, the matter is ready, document requests are sent, and payment schedules are set.
Law practices lose billable time every day to app-switching that eats up around ~9% of time, hours that could be billed to clients.
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What is all-in-one software for lawyers?
All-in-one software for lawyers combines client management, engagement letters, document collection, time tracking, invoicing, and client portals in one connected platform.
When matters, time, and billing live in one place, you capture every billable hour.
Why lawyers need an all-in-one platform
Lawyers who grow beyond a handful of clients face a compounding problem: administrative overhead scales with every new engagement.
What works for 5 clients breaks down at 15. Each new client means another set of proposals, contracts, project timelines, invoices, and follow-ups, all managed across disconnected tools.
The context-switching cost
Every time you switch between apps, you lose focus. Research shows knowledge workers lose significant productive time to app-switching throughout the day. For lawyers, this translates to billable hours spent on coordination instead of client work.
The tool fragmentation problem
When scheduling lives in one app, projects in another, invoicing in a third, and contracts in a fourth, nothing connects. Tracked time doesn't automatically appear on invoices. Signed contracts don't trigger project setup. You become the bridge between all your tools.
The scaling tipping point
Most lawyers hit a threshold where the manual approach becomes the primary bottleneck to growth. Connected software lets you push past this ceiling by automating repetitive coordination tasks.
An all-in-one platform absorbs administrative work that would otherwise scale linearly with your client count.
Key features lawyers need
The essential features for lawyers connect client management with project delivery, billing, and communication in one platform.
How do lawyers track billable time?
Law practices bill hourly. Plutio time tracking connects to matters. Track time, see where hours go, and convert tracked time into invoice line items.
Time tracking by matter shows where hours distribute. Client intake might take 2 hours. Research might take 10 hours. Document preparation might take 8 hours. Court appearances might take 5 hours. These numbers help you price flat fee matters accurately and identify matters that exceed budgets.
Timer functionality tracks time as you work. Start timer when you begin research. Stop timer when you finish. Timer entries include matter, task description, and billable status. Manual entry works for time spent away from computer or retroactive time entry.
Time entries include detailed descriptions. "Research case law on contract breach" or "Draft motion for summary judgment" or "Client consultation regarding settlement offer." Descriptions become invoice line items, so clients see exactly what they're paying for.
Billable versus non-billable tracking separates chargeable time from administrative work. Research time bills to clients. Administrative time doesn't bill. The distinction helps you understand actual billable hours versus total hours worked.
How do lawyers handle retainer billing?
Plutio supports retainer tracking, hourly billing, and flat fee matters. Time tracked converts to invoices.
Retainer tracking monitors trust account balances. When clients pay retainers, funds deposit to trust account. As you bill hours, retainer balance decreases. When retainer balance hits 20% remaining, Plutio sends an alert. Ensures you request additional retainer before balance depletes.
Hourly billing converts tracked time to invoices automatically. Time entries include matter, description, hours, and rate. When invoicing, time entries become line items with descriptions and totals. Hourly rates apply automatically based on matter type or attorney rate.
Flat fee matters track time for internal purposes. A flat fee matter might charge $5,000 total, but you still track time to understand actual cost. Time tracking shows whether flat fee matters are profitable and helps you price future flat fee matters accurately.
Retainer replenishment requests automate when balances run low. When retainer balance hits threshold, Plutio generates retainer request automatically. Clients receive request through portal or email. Automated requests prevent retainer depletion without client awareness.
Trust account reporting shows retainer status clearly. Current balance, billed amount, remaining balance. Clients see retainer status through their portals. The visibility builds trust and prevents retainer disputes.
The deciding factor for lawyers is integration depth. Features that connect with each other eliminate duplicate effort across your workflow.
Software pricing for lawyers
The typical lawyer tool stack costs $100-200/month across 5-7 separate subscriptions that don't connect to each other.
What lawyers typically pay
- Scheduling (Calendly): $10-12/month
- Project Management (Asana/Trello): $10-25/month
- Time Tracking (Toggl/Harvest): $10-20/month
- Invoicing (FreshBooks/Wave): $17-33/month
- Contracts (DocuSign): $15-25/month
Beyond the subscription costs, disconnected tools create manual work, copying client details, calculating time totals, searching for signed contracts.
Plutio pricing (February 2026)
- Core: $19/month: All features, up to 9 active clients. Perfect for solo lawyers.
- Pro: $49/month: Unlimited clients, up to 30 contributors, advanced permissions.
- Max: $199/month: Unlimited team, full white-label branding, custom domain.
The ROI calculation
- Tool consolidation: Save $60-150/month by replacing 5-7 separate subscriptions.
- Time recovery: Save 3-5 hours/week of admin work, at $50-100/hour, that's $750-2,000/month in billable time.
- Faster payments: Connected invoicing with auto-reminders reduces average payment time.
Plutio pays for itself in the first month through tool consolidation alone. Every hour saved after that is pure margin.
Why Plutio is the best platform for lawyers
Plutio handles business management as a complete, connected workflow. Data flows from the proposal to the final invoice with no manual copying.
Complete workflow integration
When a client accepts a proposal, the project is ready with tasks, timeline, and payment schedule. Time tracked against tasks feeds directly into invoices. Everything stays connected to the client record.
White-label everything
Clients log into a portal branded with your logo, colors, and domain. Every automated email, invoice, and notification carries your brand, not some third-party tool. On the Max plan, use your own domain for a fully branded experience.
Unified client communication
All messages, file shares, and updates live in one timeline per client. Any team member can pick up context instantly. No more "I didn't get that email" or searching through separate tools for conversation history.
Granular permissions
Control visibility at every level, which team members see which clients, what clients see in their portal, who can edit versus view. Security and clarity in one system.
No-code automations
Create rules that handle repetitive tasks: proposal accepted → create project, due date approaching → send reminder, invoice overdue → escalate notification. Set up once, runs continuously.
Native integrations
Connect Stripe, PayPal, Google Calendar, Outlook, QuickBooks, Xero, and 5,000+ apps through Zapier. Your financial data syncs automatically.
Everything runs from one app with your branding, your workflow logic, and your client experience.
How to set up Plutio for your lawyer business
Setting up Plutio takes 2-4 hours for initial configuration, with immediate benefits for all clients from day one.
Step 1: Configure your brand (30 mins)
Upload your logo, set brand colors, and connect your custom domain if on the Max plan. Link your Stripe or PayPal account for payments. Set your business details for invoices.
Step 2: Build your templates (1-2 hours)
Create project and proposal templates for your most common services. Start with 2-3 core templates:
- Standard engagement: Your most common project type with milestones, tasks, and deliverables pre-configured.
- Quick project: A streamlined template for smaller, faster engagements.
- Retainer/recurring: Template for ongoing monthly clients with recurring tasks and billing.
Step 3: Connect integrations (20-30 mins)
Sync your Google Calendar or Outlook. Connect Stripe or PayPal for payments. Link QuickBooks or Xero if you use them. Test each connection before going live.
Step 4: Import existing clients (30 mins)
Export your client list from your current tool as CSV and import into Plutio. Map fields, verify data, then invite clients to their new portals.
Step 5: Test with one real project
Send your next proposal through Plutio. Let it create the project automatically, track time, and invoice the client. One real project will show you exactly where to refine your templates.
Common setup mistakes to avoid
- Over-customizing too early: Start minimal and refine based on actual use.
- Migrating everything at once: Focus on new clients first, migrate active ones second.
- Skipping the test project: One real engagement reveals more than hours of configuration.
Build templates for the 80% cases. Customize edge cases individually as they come up.
Organizing your lawyer workflows
Structured organization is the difference between a business that scales smoothly and one that drowns in admin as it grows.
Organize by service type
- Core service: Your primary offering with detailed project templates and milestone tracking.
- Secondary services: Additional offerings with their own templates and pricing structures.
- Retainer work: Recurring engagements with automated billing and repeating task lists.
- One-off projects: Quick-turn engagements with streamlined templates.
Organize by client stage
- Prospect: Initial inquiry received, proposal being prepared.
- Active: Contract signed, project in progress.
- Delivered: Work complete, final invoice sent.
- Recurring: Ongoing relationship with scheduled touchpoints.
Template best practices
- Start with 3 templates maximum, expand as patterns emerge.
- Include task estimates so you can track actual vs. budgeted time.
- Build in review milestones where clients approve before you proceed.
- Add automation triggers: proposal signed → project created → client notified.
Consistent structures mean consistent delivery. Templates ensure every client gets the same quality regardless of how busy you are.
What do client portals look like?
Client portals give each client access to matter status, documents, and communication history.
Legal clients access portals to see matter progress, download documents, review invoices, and check retainer balances. Portals organize information by matter, making it easy for clients to understand where cases stand.
Document access keeps everything organized. Intake forms, correspondence, court filings, and discovery materials all stored in one place. Clients download documents when needed without requesting copies through email. The organization reduces back-and-forth communication.
How to migrate to Plutio
Migration typically takes 3-5 hours of active work spread over a weekend. The best time to switch is between projects rather than mid-delivery.
Step 1: Export from your current tools
Most tools provide CSV export. Export your client list, active project details, and any template content you want to recreate in Plutio.
Step 2: Build templates in Plutio (2-3 hours)
Don't try to replicate your old system exactly. Use this as an opportunity to build cleaner workflows. Focus on your 3 most common project types.
Step 3: Set up integrations (30 mins)
Connect payment processing (Stripe/PayPal), calendar sync (Google/Outlook), and accounting (QuickBooks/Xero). Test each one before going live.
Step 4: Import client data (30 mins)
Upload your client CSV. Map fields to Plutio's structure. Run a small test batch first to verify everything looks right.
Step 5: Run parallel for new work
Use Plutio for all new clients and projects immediately. Keep your old system running for in-progress work only. Don't try to migrate active projects mid-stream.
Step 6: Phase out the old tool
Once all in-progress work completes in the old system, cancel that subscription. Keep your exports as archives.
Common migration pitfalls
- Trying to migrate everything: Focus on active clients and forward-looking workflows.
- Switching mid-project: Finish in-progress work on the old system.
- Not testing integrations: Verify payment processing works before relying on it.
Migration pays back in time saved on every future client interaction.
