FAQ
You've got questions. We've got answers.
Getting Started for Attorneys
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Are you a lawyer directory?
Well, we are. But we are more than that, too.
One of the things that make SimpleLaw so unique is we connect potential clients and attorneys on the same platform where the case and practice are managed. 24/7 business development.
There is no fee to add your profile. There is no fee if you gain a new client or matter, either. You only pay a fee if you use the case management software. And that's only $39/mo.
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Are there fees to include my law firm?
There are never any fees to attorneys to include their profile on SimpeLaw. Likewise, there are no fees if you gain a new client or matter.
The only fee attorneys pay is if you use the case management software. And that only starts after your 14 or 28-day free trial.
We do verify attorneys are in good standing with their licensing authority before approving profiles.
Whenever you are ready, you can add your attorney profile.
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What can I expect after adding my profile?
It's all about the clients searching the site for attorneys.
Depending on your location, area of expertise, and overall demand for your services, clients will connect with you.
For some geographic areas, we have 100s of clients searching. For others, we have less. So, it all depends.
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What can I do to attract more clients?
The most important thing you can do is to be sure your profile is complete.
Include a professional image, full details on your education, and links to Yelp or other online review sites help a lot.
The easier you make it for the potential client to 'get to know you', the more likely they are to connect with you.
Getting Started for Clients
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Why should I look for a lawyer on SimpleLaw?
Clients use SimpleLaw because they can find and contact multiple attorneys in one place, with all of the responses centralized.
There’s no need to enter multiple searches, send multiple emails, and track who has responded and who hasn’t.
We consolidate this whole search process into one place, making it quick and easy for you.
You can communicate with selected attorneys right through the platform too. Once you select your attorney, there is no need to re-enter information or duplicate any efforts, whether yours or the attorneys.
So that saves time and money for you and your attorney.
Of course, there is never a fee for clients to use the SimpleLaw platform.
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How do I find a lawyer on SimpleLaw?
It all starts with your Client Profile. This is your private, secure portal. And, of course, there is no fee to have a client profile on SimpleLaw or to use it at all. You only pay your attorney their fees.
Once you have your client portal, there are two ways clients connect with attorneys.
First, clients can search for an attorney based on geography, area of law, or even the law firm name. When choosing this approach, clients review the profiles of attorneys that fit within that search criteria and then select the specific attorneys they want to connect with. From there, one email connects the client with these selected attorneys. And all of that information is stored on the secure private portal, so no need to track or manage individual emails.
Second, the client can post a question through the client portal for attorneys to see. Attorneys are notified, either through text or email, that there is an open client question. Attorneys can text their initial response to the platform from their smartphone or login and reply.
Either way, clients see responses in one central, secure location.
Then, it's up to you. We highly recommend scheduling a phone call to get more details about the terms of engagement with the lawyer, get cost estimates, and so on.
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How do I create my free client portal?
Simple!
Visit our website and complete the Client Profile. You’ll have to include some info, including your first and last name, email, phone number, city, state, and country of residence (nothing out of the ordinary).
After that, you’ll be able to immediately start using the platform.
There is no fee to clients for using the SimpleLaw platform.
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What if I don't hear back from a lawyer?
Sometimes it takes lawyers a while to get back to you. But know that we are here to help you.
Just let us know you are having trouble getting a lawyer to reply or respond. We will reach out to that attorney or help you identify other options. Or both.
Know that the SimpleLaw team is as committed to clients as we are to lawyers. It takes two to make the dream work... think of us as the matchmaker. But not in a creepy way.
Using SimpleLaw for Lawyers
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How much does SimpleLaw cost?
Attorneys pay $49 per user per month, billed monthly, and $39 per user per month when billed annually. This fee includes one LawPay account per law firm. Discounts are available to firms with 4 or more paid subscriptions.
SimpleLaw offers 1 free paralegal/legal secretary user per law firm. We are attorneys too and we get what it takes to run a law firm.
We have limited additional paid features that attorneys can choose to activate or not. Any incremental fees are paid directly to the provider.
We are endorsed by several Bar Associations. If you are a member, additional discounts are available. For a list of partner bar associations, check the Partners page. If you don't see your association, contact them and tell them you want SimpleLaw.
For more information about pricing, check out the Pricing page or contact us at Hello@SimpleLaw.com or use the chat feature on the bottom right of the website.
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Tell me about on-demand paralegal support.
It’s Simple. When a subscribing attorney has an active matter on the SimpleLaw platform, they can search for a vetted paralegal simply by clicking a button.
Attorneys complete a few fields to search for the right paralegal. Geographic area, area of law, and name are all options for search.
A due date and compensation offer are noted on the project detail and sent to the selected paralegal.
It's up to the paralegal to accept or decline the offer.
Once accepted, the attorney communicates with the selected paralegal to determine the next steps. The relationship is managed through the platform, including online messaging, file sharing, and completing the agreement.
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What about co-counsel and case referral?
SimpleLaw is truly an online community of attorneys, clients, and paralegals. Because all of these online profiles exist on the same platform, it’s easy to connect.
So, if an attorney is in need of a co-counsel with expertise in a specific area of law, they can search for attorneys already on the platform, or they can invite an attorney they know to the platform.
The same goes for when a case must be referred.
Once approved by the client, all approved parties (the attorney, the client, and the referred-to or co-counsel attorney) can view the details of the case. Think of SimpleLaw as your online community of attorneys, paralegals, and potential clients.
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Which features are included in the subscription?
Well, we are glad you asked. One of the features included is one you can't see - expanded data security. Because each law firm has their own unique URL, there is a level of added data security. It's like living in a condo versus a single family home. There are lots of ways to customize, too. Start with the basic settings right away. Add customization as you go, if you like.
SimpleLaw includes all the tools you need to manage cases and your practice, including:
- Connecting with potential clients
- Finding co-counsel
- Referring cases
- Optional client portal
- Contact relationship manager (CRM)
- Time tracking
- Expense tracking
- Billing types including hourly, flat fee, pro bono, contingency, and LEDES.
- Easy invoice creation - by client, matter, for selected cases, or in batch mode which means all cases on the platform, in under 3 minutes.
- Online payment for clients (free LawPay account per subscribing law firm)
- Notes on the case, visible to the client or not
- Task management
- Conflict checking
- Document management
- Document automation
- Custom client intake forms
- Custom fields
- Key integrations, which are noted in the section below here.
Using SimpleLaw for Clients
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What information is included in the client portal?
To put it succinctly, you see all the information your lawyer posts for you to see.
Clients login any time, 24/7, to see the latest on their case. Most often, lawyers use SimpleLaw for the following information:
- Case fundamentals - Like the date of the start of the case, the description of the case, the fee agreement, contact information, etc.
- Time tracking - this is the time recorded for your case
- Expenses - any non-time related costs, such as a filing fee or the like
- Invoices - Billable time and expenses are included in invoices
- Documents - Uploaded by you (through the client portal) or uploaded by the attorney
- Notes - Your lawyer can add notes on your case that are made visible to their clients
- Payments Made - A summary of all payments made by you, the client
- Payments Applied - How payments made were applied to which invoices
- Co-counsel - If your case requires another attorney in a different functional area (called co-counsel), information about that attorney is shown.
- Referral information - If the attorney you originally connected with isn't able to take your case - most often due to conflict of interest - the attorney refers you and your case to another attorney. If this happens, that information is shown.
We are always making updates to the platform, too. If you think more information is needed in the client portal, let us know! Reach out via email at Hello@SimpleLaw.com or use the chat feature in the bottom right of the webpage. We love hearing new ideas!
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Who can see information about my case?
SimpleLaw prioritizes data privacy and data security. You and your attorney are the only people who can see any of your case details unless you request and approve otherwise.
As an example, a lawyer may work with a paralegal or legal secretary. These people most often help the attorney with the completion of forms, file paperwork, and help manage the flow of your case. This helps your lawyer focus on interpreting and applying the law, not filling out paperwork.
It's important to note we are really focused on data privacy.
All data that travels to and from the SimpleLaw platform - like documents, emails, etc. - is encrypted with 256-bit encryption, making it safe for attorneys and clients to upload and move information. We continuously scan the platform for known Malware, Computer Viruses, and Phishing scams.
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Tell me about paying invoices online.
Each subscribing law firm to SimpleLaw has a LawPay account. LawPay has a long history of working with law firms to manage their online payments.
LawPay is a highly secure, vetted, verified, and reliable online payment platform. Building the same features ourselves would not only take valuable time and resources away from building more features for lawyers and clients but honestly, would be so redundant. That's why we partner with LawPay. Why build the same thing when they have done it so well?
Clients don't pay a fee to pay their invoices online. For you, it's just paying the billed fees from your lawyer. And you can pay using a credit card or eCheck.
Of course, if you prefer to pay via paper check, that's between you and your lawyer. We suggest you and your lawyer agree on how payments will be made prior to engaging the law firm.
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What information can I add to the platform?
We know how critical it is for clients to be part of the process of resolving their legal matters.
Clients can safely upload documents through the portal. So, let's say, you have hired a real estate attorney for closing. The attorney needs a copy of the inspection. You can upload that document through the platform. And others, of course. You get the idea. No need to email it or send a paper copy. By the way, the lawyer also has the option to upload documents. That means you can see documents for your case, from you or the lawyer, through the portal.
What's even cooler is you can message with your lawyer on the platform too. We know people really like to text... it's so convenient. But the reality is, it's another place where your information is shared. And let's face it, it's another possible data security risk.
In SimpleLaw, we uniquely offer a Messaging feature. It works just like a text, however, it's all on the same secure platform. So you aren't scrambling to remember what your lawyer said in a text and searching through them to find it. It's all on the SimpleLaw platform.
That means all the information is in one, safe, secure portal. No need to sort through texts or emails.
Integrations in SimpleLaw for Lawyers
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Integrate Email and Calendar Functions
Integrating a Google or Outlook account is simple.
- Login to your SimpleLaw attorney account.
- Go to the Account Settings page.
- Click on the logo for the account type you want to integrate - Google or Outlook.
- A new tab will open, asking you to sign in to your account.
- Simply sign in to your account, whether Google or Outlook.
- You will be prompted to accept the integration feature. Simply approve the integration.
- You will see a screen that confirms your integration is complete.
If you have any questions about the process, feel free to contact us anytime at Hello@SimpleLaw.com. Of course, you can always reach us through the chat feature on the website, in the bottom right of each screen.
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Integrate Document Cloud-Storage
SimpleLaw subscribers have options where to store their data, including on our servers, powered by AWS. Prefer Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive from Microsoft? No problem.
If you have any questions, contact us anytime at Hello@SimpleLaw.com. You can also reach us using the chat feature on the bottom right of each page of the website.
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Integrate LawPay
It's very simple to integrate your LawPay account with SimpleLaw. Remember, each subscribing law firm to SimpleLaw includes a free LawPay account. Of course, processing fees are paid to LawPay, but there is no monthly fee for the LawPay account.
- Login to your SimpleLaw account.
- Go to the Account Settings page.
- Click on the LawPay logo.
- A new tab will open on your browser, taking you to the LawPay sign-in page.
- If you do not yet have a LawPay account, simply click 'Create An Account' and follow the prompts.
- Sign in to your LawPay account.
- You will see a prompt offering to connect your LawPay account to SimpleLaw.
- Accept the terms of integration.
- You will see a pop-up box that states your integration is complete.
If you have any questions, contact us at any time at Hello@SimpleLaw.com. Of course, you can always reach us via the chat feature on the bottom right of each web page.
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Integrate Quickbooks
It's simple to integrate your QuickBooks online account.
- Login to your SimpleLaw account.
- Go to the Account Settings page. You can find the Account Settings page from the drop-down menu to the top right of the top navigation bar. Look for the drop-down arrow to the right of your image.
- Click on the 'Account Settings' option.
- Scroll to the bottom of the Account Settings page.
- Click on the QuickBooks icon.
- A new tab will open on your browser to the login page for QuickBooks online.
- Login to your QuickBooks Online account.
- You will be asked to accept the terms of the integration with SimpleLaw.
- Accept the terms of integration.
- You will see a pop-up screen that confirms the integration is complete.
If you have any questions or problems, contact us at any time at Hello@SimpleLaw.com or submit a ticket through the online Help Desk. You can access the Help Desk by using the drop-down option under the Advanced tab on the top navigation bar. Of course, you can always reach us using the chat feature on the bottom right of each web page.
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Purpose built CRM
SimpleLaw includes a purpose built CRM, specifically designed to work with the entire platform.
- Never misplace another lead. Add leads anytime, assign each lead to someone within the firm, and even set tasks with due dates.
- Easily convert leads to clients, including a conflict check step.
- See each client profile included all matters, set tasks, add notes, create appointments for the client, separate from the matter if needed.
- Include external professionals and track which matters they support. Message them right through the platform, too.
- Track Referrals.
- And so much more.
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Integrate DocuSign
It's simple to integrate your DocuSign account.
- If you do not yet have a DocuSign account, reach out to theDocuSign Partner Team to set up an account to use with SimpleLaw. If you have an existing DocuSign account, just follow the steps below.
- Login to your SimpleLaw account.
- Go to the Account Settings page. To access the Account Settings page, go to the Setting wheel in the top navigation bar.
- Select 'Account Settings'.
- Look on the left-side navigation bar.
- Click on the Integration tab.
- Look for the DocuSign logo and click on it.
- A pop-up will appear, prompting you to log in to your DocuSign account.
- Log in to your DocuSign account.
- You will see the terms of the DocuSign integration with SimpleLaw.
- Accept the terms of integration.
- You will see a pop-up screen stating your integration is complete.
If you have any questions, contact us at any time at Hello@SimpleLaw.com. Of course, you can always use the chat feature on the bottom right of each web page.
Using Integrations in SimpleLaw for Clients
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Using Integrated Email and Calendar Features
From the client perspective, it's all about using whichever integrations your attorney has selected.
For Email functionality:
If your lawyer has integrated their email provider, you will see emails sent from the lawyer on the right of your Matters page. This makes it easy to review emails sent from the attorney regarding the case. Of course, you will receive the email at the email address the attorney sent it to.
If you 'reply all' to that email, a copy of your reply is also shown in the SimpleLaw portal.
If your lawyer has not integrated an email account, this functionality will not be available in SimpleLaw. If you want to see emails regarding the case in SimpleLaw, contact your lawyer and ask them to integrate their email.
For Calendar functionality:
Clients can request meetings with their lawyer through the platform.
- Log in to the SimpleLaw portal.
- Navigate to the Matters page and select the case you want to book the appointment for.
- On the top right of the 'Details' tile, you will see a red telephone icon.
- Click on the icon and select the date and time you would like to have your appointments.
- You will see all appointments requested, booked, and held under the Appointments tab on the top navigation bar.
- If your lawyer needs to change the date or time, you will see that change on the Appointments tab.
If you don't see the red telephone icon on the Details tile for the Matter, that means your attorney hasn't integrated their calendar.
Contact your attorney to book your appointment. If you would like them to integrate their calendar, we suggest you contact them and ask them to do so.
We are always making updates to the platform, too. If you think more information is needed in the client portal, let us know! Reach out via email at Hello@SimpleLaw.com or use the chat feature in the bottom right of the webpage. We love hearing new ideas!
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Using Integrated Document Cloud-Storage
Like all integrations, cloud-based storage is activated by the lawyer.
If your lawyer has integrated a cloud storage platform, like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive, you will see a red Upload Files icon in the top right of the Documents tile for each matter.
To upload documents, just click on the red icon and follow the prompts. The document you upload will automatically be saved in the attorney's connected cloud storage account.
Only the lawyer and the client on the case can see the documents related to that case.
These cloud storage platforms are highly secure. Rest easy that between your attorney's selected cloud storage platform and SimpleLaw, your documents are secure and private.
If you don't see the red icon on the top right, contact your lawyer and ask them to integrate a Dropbox account.
Have other questions? Contact us anytime at Hello@SimpleLaw.com or use the chat feature on the bottom right of each web page.
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Using LawPay Integrated Online Payment
Each subscribing law firm to SimpleLaw has a LawPay account. LawPay has a long history of working with law firms to manage their online payments.
LawPay is a highly secure, vetted, verified, and reliable online payment platform.
If your lawyer has integrated their LawPay account, you will see a 'Pay' button just below each Invoice listed on the 'Invoices' tile.
To pay online, click on the blue 'Pay' button for the invoice you wish to pay.
Select either credit card or e-Check and follow the prompts.
If you do not see the blue 'Pay' button under each invoice, your lawyer hasn't integrated their LawPay account.
Contact your attorney to determine how to best proceed with invoice payments.
Clients don't pay a fee to pay their invoices online. For you, it's just paying the billed fees from your lawyer.
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What About Other Integrations?
SimpleLaw offers lawyers a few other integrations, including Quickbooks Online, LawPay, and DocuSign electronic signature capability.
Depending on your lawyer's choices, you may receive documents that you can sign electronically. You will be notified about those documents in the email the lawyer uses to send you the documents. Simply follow the prompts.
A copy of the signed document is automatically saved to the connected cloud-storage account if your lawyer has integrated that.
Quickbooks provides needed functionality for your lawyer to manage their law firm and don't impact you as a client.
If your attorney uses LawPay, you may have the option to pay invoice online, right through the SimpleLaw portal.
However, if you have questions about them, you can ask your lawyer or contact us at Hello@SimpleLaw.com or use the chat feature on the bottom right of each web page.