CARET Legal Reviews

“Having access to all in one

Pros

Being able to access my email, calendar, accounting and other tools all within a single application makes this software incredibly useful to me.

Cons

After I was unable to open my email, I contacted the help desk on two separate occasions, but they replied by emailing instructions to the very inbox I couldn't reach.

“Quick and efficient tech support

Pros

I'm consistently impressed by how fast and efficient their tech support and troubleshooting responses are as they respond well to requests for new features and improvements and they push frequent updates that incorporate user feedback and better practices.

Cons

For my solo practice, it doesn't feel as feature-rich or powerful as some other case management systems out there, though that hasn't been a major problem for me. However, a few features feel clunky or awkward to use at times, especially when you're getting started and because updates roll out so often I've run into bugs more frequently after updates.

“nice design and easy to use

Pros

There are a few areas where Zola genuinely performs very well. First its email integration and the ability to attach emails to matters is a real asset, though I think it could be smarter about recognizing when client emails belong in the communications tab for that specific matter. Second the matter view lets me edit information directly without launching a separate window, which saves time. Third the document view is plain but highly practical as the current market tendency toward oversized, bubbly icons just wastes screen real estate in my experience. As an attorney, I need facts fast so I really appreciate the hierarchical document pane on the left. In short it is fast, extremely efficient and totally no-nonsense.

Cons

Unfortunately, the contact management side still needs significant work. I find it essentially useless for tracking leads because it doesn't let me attach notes or calendar events directly to a lead, which defeats the purpose of having a lead-tracking system in the first place.

“Has a great layout and ease

Pros

The interface has a nice design and it is easy to use. I am still getting the hang of many features and learning a lot about it.

Cons

I was hoping there would be predefined task templates that I could pick and tweak as needed. Having to retype those lists every single time isn't saving me any time.

“Controls everything from one dashboard

Pros

I really like having everything accessible from a single dashboard as it makes managing tasks easy. Saving emails to a file, assigning tasks, creating invoices and handling trust accounts is all very simple. Plus having tested other platforms before, I genuinely prefer this tool because it is user friendly and was quick for me to get up and running.

Cons

I find that manually entering my time and wrapping up invoices requires more steps than necessary and it could be streamlined.

“Fairly easy to use and accessible

Pros

Zola is pretty easy to learn and use. What I really like is how accessible the platform is, since I can work from different locations without being stuck at the office. It felt like most other case management systems were expensive and only workable on-site, but I can reach Zola through an app on my phone whenever I need to. I also like the ability to customize time entries and tweak details on the matter page.

Cons

I wish the tickler system was more powerful because I rely on reminders a lot and the "create a time entry" button tied to events can be hit-or-miss in terms of reliability.

“Start and stop timer function

Pros

What I really like is the start-and-stop function of the timer.

Cons

I'm having trouble getting the calendar and inbox to load consistently and to stay up to date.

“Strengths include the user interface

Pros

One of Zola's strongest points is its user interface as it feels logical, runs efficiently and is easy on my eyes. In my experience, most of what I want to see about a matter or a contact is presented right on the first screen which means I don't have to scroll or switch pages to get the core details I care about. I also appreciate how inventive the team behind Zola seems to be. Things like automatic timing for certain tasks, which generate time records and attach them to a matter without extra keystrokes, really show how forward-looking the developers are. The fully integrated email client feels like the industry standard to me and I value the ability to send registered e-mails that provide proof of delivery. I mean it is a capability I have not seen in many other platforms. Offering a branded mobile app for clients is another appealing option that sets it apart. Plus having built-in accounting is a definite benefit too, even if other systems offer that as well. All in all, I feel it blends attractive graphic design with practical innovation better than most of the competition.

Cons

I've noticed the software still has some bugs. For instance, when I create a new matter I'm given the choice to add an additional client right away, but that extra contact often doesn't actually save to the matter. Only after the matter exists can I go back and properly add another client contact on the matter screen. The email client has been a little unstable as well. I've run into problems with attachments that sometimes trigger an error saying the message failed to send. In many of those cases the error itself turns out to be incorrect and the email was sent after all. I learned that the hard way when I realized I had been sending and resending the same message to a client who had in fact received the first one.

“Made me more organized :)

Pros

Since adopting Zola, my workflow has become far more organized, efficient and portable. For example, I assign tasks to paralegals and monitor their progress, can rapidly pull up any document from a client's file and bring the whole system with me on my phone or laptop when I'm in court. The calendar feature helps me keep track of court dates and I can easily access it from the Zola app or sync it with my phone's calendar for seamless scheduling on demand.

Cons

I'm not a fan of the email search it rarely seems to return results for the exact terms I type into the box. On the plus side, because I can attach emails to a specific matter, I usually go into that matter's correspondence tab and am able to find the missing message that way.

“Unlimited cloud storage is a strength

Pros

One of the standout features for me is the unlimited cloud storage Zola provides. I have also found its matter management and billing screens easy and simple to navigate.

Cons

However, there are a few areas that frustrate me for example, invoice templates and the way matters are organized could use far more options for customization.

“One of the easiest platforms to use

Pros

For me, it's one of the simplest and most productive platforms for firms of any size and the support team is outstanding, answering any question I throw at them promptly and helpfully.

Cons

Honestly I have no complaints. Everything is easy to navigate, their response time for questions is impressive and I honestly have only positive things to say about it.

“User friendly and functional

Pros

I am impressed by how user friendly and functional the interface feels to me.

Cons

So far, I haven't been able to try every feature yet.

“Saved me significant time and accuracy

Pros

it has cut down the hours I spend and given me much greater accuracy when tracking my time and creating invoices.

Cons

I find the site occasionally lags on a few occasions the email feature freezes, forcing me to back out and try sending again.

“Billing without a doubt

Pros

When it comes to billing, I have to say I'm really impressed! I find it incredibly easy to log every single hour and expense and creating an invoice takes no time at all.

Cons

I often find searching through emails to be a hassle. If messages have not been saved into a client's file, having to dig back through my inbox to locate what I am after is not very efficient or user-friendly.

“Choosing for integrated email and accounting

Pros

Picking ZolaSuite took me a bit of consideration but ultimately I chose it because it bundles email directly into the platform and includes the accounting tools, which was a big selling point for my practice. The way it links with Outlook both my email and calendar has been smooth and reliable and that integration really helps keep everything organized. On top of that I found the interface reasonably basic once I got used to it. When I have had to reach out to Customer Service they have been quick to respond, typically within twelve hours and always within a day. I handle several pro bono matters and like that I can record the time spent and generate invoices that show time logged without applying a fee simply by ticking a box.

Cons

The main drawback I've run into is with task templates: I can't set due dates for individual subtasks inside a template, only for the overall task's completion, which limits how I schedule and track step-by-step deadlines within a bigger task.

“Like how fast search engine pulls

Pros

I really appreciate how quickly the search engine brings up contact and matter names. The search works extremely well for how we use it, especially when I need to look up a phone number, an e-mail address, or any other identifying detail besides a name. Having fast access to time entries is a huge help in my role as an office manager. I also value that communications, notes, events, tasks, documents, invoices and expenses are all so easily available within each client matter.

Cons

We had hoped to swap out our template software, but that wasn't possible because the fields Zola merges don't work for our firm's needs. It would be great if I could click any matter name in the system and be taken straight to that matter's page instead of hunting for it. Also, I wish we could link events, tasks and e-mails to matters that are closed without having to re-open them and then close them again each time, which is a frustrating extra step.

“Product Does Not Work Properly

Pros

As a user, I find the interface visually appealing and easy to navigate and the tools would be fantastic if they actually functioned as expected. I also like how user friendly the invoicing module is and the software advertises several helpful features.

Cons

Unfortunately, this product simply doesn't work for me and the vendor hasn't been able to resolve the issues. While I used the software over a six-month period, my team and I ran into a number of bugs that we tolerated at first. Recently, things got much worse: the app refuses to delete messages from my Inbox and despite repeated support requests the company hasn't fixed that defect. That's a critical problemI can't allow emails to accumulate indefinitelyand it's forced me to abandon the program even though I already paid for three annual licenses in advance. On top of that, the calendar synchronization with Outlook is nonfunctional despite claims that it syncs and contact syncing with Outlook doesn't work either. The provider has consistently failed to deliver the promised upgrades and improvements, leaving me stuck with broken features and no reliable roadmap for remediation.

“Loads fast and streamlined instinctive

Pros

Everything starts up quickly and the interface feels clean and user friendly. As someone who used Abacus in the past, I was surprised at how fast I adapted as it took me under an hour to get comfortable and complete tasks in it that used to take me months to figure out on Abacus. The mobile app is a game changer when I'm traveling as being able to log a timeslip immediately after a quick phone call with a client while sitting through a court recess is incredibly useful. That small capability captures billable time I might otherwise forget about once I'm back at the office, so those minutes actually turn into revenue. For that reason I really believe ZolaSuite can end up paying for itself by preventing lost income.

Cons

The migration from Abacus caused some problems for me two weeks ago. After the import I noticed existing notes were scrambled and, frustratingly, linked to cases they don't belong to. I would suggest handling the migration yourself or overseeing it closely, because otherwise you'll likely need to go back and reassign or clean up many entries.

“Allows me to work from anywhere

Pros

Using Zola lets me work from anywhere in the world while carrying only a fraction of the overhead that many firms deal with. As a solo practitioner I have to be as productive as possible and not needing a separate administrative assistant saves me a lot of cost and helps me serve my clients more efficiently. The platform has been incredible and I've already told several colleagues about it and a few of them have become subscribers.

Cons

I don't have a lot I dislike. Occasionally the interface feels a bit cluttered and when new features arrive I sometimes have to clear my cache. Moving between screens can be sluggish at times. Also, I hit problems when trying to batch-apply a single check across multiple invoices which slows down my workflow.

“Very easy and essential to practice

Pros

As a solo practitioner, this software is incredibly easy to use and figure out. It's become indispensable to my practice. It helps me stay organized and on schedule with everything I need to handle each day for both my clients and my business. I am pretty sure I am not tapping into everything the software can do. Still, what I do rely on is taking notes on cases, managing my calendar, tracking tasks and especially handling billing and all thi really keeps my firm functioning efficiently. I can open my laptop from anywhere in the world and log into Zola Suite which gives me peace of mind. Even though I am certain there are more features I could explore, the core tools I use have measurably improved how I run day to day operations.

Cons

I've been using this product for roughly a year now and in that time I haven't found any features or aspects of the program that I actively dislike.