Docketwise

“Perfect for immigration forms

Pros

The interface is quite user-friendly. I managed to understand how to utilize most features after just a brief sales demonstration. My follow-up session with a "Customer Success Manager" mainly revolved around confirming the limitations of what I could do with the software. My clients have found it easy to interact with the immigration forms I've shared, which was my main reason for switching to Docketwise. However, I'm quite frustrated by the lengthy wait for e-filing the new USCIS naturalization form. This form was released a month ago, yet it's still not available on Docketwise. Given that I handle numerous naturalization applications, manually transferring client data from Docketwise to the USCIS portal is a big hassle.

Cons

I find the invoicing features to be surprisingly inadequate, especially considering that Docketwise is owned by LawPay, which is a well-known legal payment service. My previous practice management software allowed me to generate draft invoices for all clients with billable time or expenses with just a single click. This made end-of-month billing incredibly convenient; I simply reviewed and approved the drafts. However, with Docketwise, tracking billable expenses requires creating an invoice and manually adding the expenses to it. For billing time, I have to run a report to see which clients have billable time and then create individual invoices for each client, while trying to remember not to duplicate invoices for clients for whom I've already generated one to track expenses during the month. Additionally, the lack of ability to send an invoice to multiple contacts at once and to save customized hourly rates for each client are features that definitely need improvement.

“Easily accessible from both PC and Mac

Pros

The software offers a thorough and effective way to create immigration forms and manage cases. It's also very convenient that I can access it on either a PC or Mac. Plus, the quick responses I receive to my technical inquiries are exceptional.

Cons

It would be beneficial if matters and contacts could be labeled as cases. I'm not quite there yet, but I suspect I will eventually come to appreciate the utility of the current setup.

“Didn't meet our expectations

Pros

Docketwise enables notarios and paralegals to purchase licenses, which promotes unauthorized practice of law and the problematic behaviors that accompany it. This situation is incredibly disappointing. The customer service is lacking, which is unfortunate because the software itself is excellent. I would process all my billing through Docketwise if I didn't have ethical concerns about the company's practices. Unfortunately, there isn't an easy way to download all client data, so I've been stuck on a month-to-month subscription for three months now. The recent incident, which they insist was "DEFINITELY NOT A DATA BREACH," was the last straw. Client data was sent to individuals who had no business receiving attorney-client privileged information under any circumstances. Considering their eagerness to profit, even by allowing non-lawyers to use their software to impersonate lawyers, this marks the end of our relationship.

Cons

I've combined everything into the Pros section, as there's no need to separate them.