Best Legal Document Drafting Software

Legal document drafting can be a daunting task for lawyers and legal professionals. It requires meticulous attention to detail, knowledge of legal language and jargon, and an understanding of the specific requirements of each document.

Fortunately, there are now many legal document drafting software available that can make the task easier and more efficient.

In this post, we will discuss the best legal document drafting software available, including MyCase, Legal Templates, PandaDoc, Smokeball, and HotDocs.

Best Legal Document Drafting Software

1. MyCase

One of the standout features of MyCase is its intuitive user interface, which makes it easy to navigate and use.

Starting Cost: $49/user/month (with yearly-billing discount)

My caCore Features

1. Case/Matter Management

Matter management is the defining feature of law practice management software, of course. However, some software is targeted at specific practice areas and may implement case management in different ways in order to manage information specific to those practice areas.

2. Client/Contact Management

Managing clients and other contacts is a core feature of law practice management software.

3. Task Management

Basic task management includes creating tasks with due dates that can be associated with cases/matters and assigned to different lawyers. Some products stick to pretty basic task management, while others offer enough features to make any Getting Things Done devotee happy.

4. Calendar

As with email, this feature means a full calendar client, not just an integration with Outlook or Google Calendar.

5. Timekeeping

Timekeeping is a core feature of practice management software, essential for lawyers who bill by the hour but useful even for those who don’t.

6. Conflict Checking

An actual conflict checker is more than just a search box. This applies to software that actually has a conflict checking feature. Implementation varies, but at a minimum you should be able to search the entire database for matching names. It should check for conflicts accurately and intuitively, allow for a lateral hire to input their conflict database into the system, work quickly when new clients call, and comply with the rules of professional conduct for checking conflicts.

7. Email Client

Does it include a full email client? (Alternative solutions that don’t amount to an email client, like plugins for Outlook or Gmail, do not earn a check for this feature. See software integrations, below.))

8. Text Messaging

Can you send and receive text messages and associate them with your matters?

9. Document Management

Basic document management allows you to add documents and associate them with your cases/matters.

10. Document Assembly

Loading your firm’s document templates into your law practice management software can save time and ensure consistency. This check means basic document assembly suitable for form letters, invoices, etc. For advanced document assembly, you’ll probably need additional software.

11. Basic Bookkeeping

This means basic checkbook register–style bookkeeping, which is more limited than full accounting. You should be able to keep track of your operating accounts and reconcile your balances, but you may still need full accounting software.

12. Trust Accounting

This means you can track your client trust accounts, including expenses and payments. It is normal to see trust accounting without basic bookkeeping or full accounting, in which case you will need something else for accounting.

13. Full Accounting

Some software includes full double-entry accounting features, making additional accounting software unnecessary.

14. Billing & Invoicing

Does the software allow you to send bills or invoices?

15. Online Payments

Payment processing is increasingly offered either as an included or add-on feature, especially with cloud-based law practice management software.

The software also offers customizable templates and e-signature capabilities, which can help speed up the document signing process.

2. Legal Templates

LegalTemplates.net is a website designed to help people fill out legal documents. It was launched in 2015 and markets itself as being affordable to everyone.

According to reviews, it’s helpful to everyone, giving people a step-by-step document builder to craft documents for businesses, real estate, last wills, and/or renting out an apartment. 

It can be especially helpful to those who have no experience in the legal field. 

How Much Does LegalTemplates.net Charge?

Plan	Features
Trial Plan	Lasts seven days; unlimited access to all legal documents; unlimited MS Word/PDF downloads; cancel anytime
Annual Plan	Unlimited access to all legal documents; unlimited MS Word/PDF downloads; cancel anytime; automatically renews
Single Document	Best if you only wish to download one document; unlimited access to one legal document; price depends on the document; unlimited MS Word/PDF downloads for one document.

Single Document

$19.95 – $59.95

Annual Plan

$95.88

The Benefits of LegalTemplates.net

Here are the advantages of using LegalTemplates.net:

3. PandaDoc

One of the standout features of PandaDoc is its integration capabilities, which allow users to integrate the software with their existing CRM, payment processing, and project management tools.

Pricing

From $0 for the Free eSign plan and free trial options on the Essentials and Business plans.

Why choose PandaDoc?

Contract templates combined with a library of pre-approved clause choices let you build, customize and populate error-free contracts quickly.

Main advantage

The online document generation software is easy to use and intuitive thanks to its user-friendly layout. Drafting doesn’t require substantial training, which makes it easy to implement across the firm.

Main complaint

The editor can be tedious when designing forms from scratch: slight edits can skew the document out of alignment.

The software also offers real-time analytics and reporting, which can help users track document performance and make data-driven decisions.

4. Smokeball

One of the standout features of Smokeball is its automation capabilities, which allow users to automate repetitive tasks and streamline their workflows.

Smokeball Core Features

1. Case/Matter Management

Matter management is the defining feature of law practice management software, of course. However, some software is targeted at specific practice areas and may implement case management in different ways in order to manage information specific to those practice areas.

2. Client/Contact Management

Managing clients and other contacts is a core feature of law practice management software.

3. Task Management

Basic task management includes creating tasks with due dates that can be associated with cases/matters and assigned to different lawyers. Some products stick to pretty basic task management, while others offer enough features to make any Getting Things Done devotee happy.

4. Calendar

As with email, this feature means a full calendar client, not just an integration with Outlook or Google Calendar.

5. Timekeeping

Timekeeping is a core feature of practice management software, essential for lawyers who bill by the hour but useful even for those who don’t.

6. Conflict Checking

An actual conflict checker is more than just a search box. This applies to software that actually has a conflict checking feature. Implementation varies, but at a minimum you should be able to search the entire database for matching names. It should check for conflicts accurately and intuitively, allow for a lateral hire to input their conflict database into the system, work quickly when new clients call, and comply with the rules of professional conduct for checking conflicts.

7. Email Client

Does it include a full email client? (Alternative solutions that don’t amount to an email client, like plugins for Outlook or Gmail, do not earn a check for this feature. See software integrations, below.))

8. Text Messaging

Can you send and receive text messages and associate them with your matters?

9. Document Management

Basic document management allows you to add documents and associate them with your cases/matters.

10. Document Assembly

Loading your firm’s document templates into your law practice management software can save time and ensure consistency. This check means basic document assembly suitable for form letters, invoices, etc. For advanced document assembly, you’ll probably need additional software.

The software also offers time tracking and billing features, which can help users manage their billable hours and invoices.

5. HotDocs

HotDocs is a document automation software that allows users to create and automate legal documents using customizable templates.

Pricing

HotDocs pricing starts at $25.00 per feature, per month, with a free trial available.

Why choose Hotdocs?

Convert any document into a dynamic template that users can enter data into using the intelligent HotDocs interview process. Then the HotDocs document assembly creates a finished, perfectly formatted document in seconds.

Main advantage

An extremely flexible legal contract drafting software that lets you address all areas of legal practice in the same program, whether it’s estate planning documents or business transaction documents.

Main complaint

The process for creating new HotDoc templates and entering data is challenging and lacks intuitiveness, which wastes time.

The software’s automation feature allows for faster document creation with fewer errors.

HotDocs also offers integration capabilities, which allow users to integrate the software with their existing practice management tools.