For centuries, law firms have relied on filing cabinets and manila folders to keep track of their cases and important documents. Thanks to today’s technology, however, there is a much better way to track cases and daily operations within the firm, making the office run smoother and more efficiently.
Immigration Software is designed to make a lawyer’s life easier. It comes with various features that help make case management, time management, and other tasks quick and simple.
There are different types of legal immigration software on the market, which makes it difficult for lawyers to choose the right software for their firm. To help you understand which software would be the best for you, here is an in-depth look at the different software types currently available.
Criteria for Evaluating Immigration Software
A lot of the software on the market today has similar features. And while these features look the same, they are not all created equal. Some software might have features that are easier to understand than others. No matter what kind of bells and whistles that software claims to have, there are a few general features that you should look into when choosing software.
User Interface and Experience
If you have case management software that is not easy to use, you are wasting your money.
Before you purchase software, ask the manufacturer if they offer a free trial. This will allow you to try out the features before committing to anything.
You should click on every button and try every feature, even ones that you don’t plan to use very often. See if it is easy to navigate each feature and back to the homepage.
If they offer a client portal, see if your clients can access the software during the trial as well. If your clients complain about the interface or the ease of use, speak to a representative for the software immediately to see if the issue can be resolved.
Features and Functionality
The features that the software offers are obviously an important thing to look at. Some of the most comprehensive software will have features that will help you manage your cases from start to finish, improve client communication and team collaboration, track billable hours, and more.
Remember, when looking at the different features, make sure that they are intuitive. You want software that offers a complete range of features to ensure that all of your daily operations are streamlined for improved office efficiency.
Security and Compliance
Ensuring that your client’s information is private is not just important; it is the law. In order to comply with local and federal laws and regulations, you must be able to ensure that your client’s information is not accessible to anyone but you and the lawyers in your firm.
This is why security is such an important feature of immigration software. When shopping around for different software, you should ask the vendor what type of security features they have. Make sure to ask if their security software is certified and if it complies with federal regulations.
Customer Support
Reliable customer support is another crucial feature. No matter how intuitive the software is, there are going to be times when you or another user will run into some sort of snag or glitch that you need help with right away.
A comprehensive immigration software will offer 24/7 live customer support. If you are only able to contact customer support during normal business hours, you will be facing significant downtime.
Integration Capabilities
Most immigration attorneys use a variety of apps and different software every day. Whether it is Zoom, Dropbox, Google Calendars, or another software, it would be helpful to be able to have all your apps in one place.
Some immigration software offers limited integration. When checking out the integration features, see if you can get a full list of the different types of apps that can integrate into the software. Don’t just assume that your favorite app will be able to integrate.
Top Legal Software
With so many immigration software programs on the market, they can all blend into one another, and it can be difficult to decide which is the best one. To help cut down on some of the confusion, here is an in-depth
1. MyLegalSoftware
MyLegalSoftware has a comprehensive case management system called ImmigrationSpeed. This innovative software comes complete with many automated features. There are also other features that are designed to improve collaboration, track billable hours, assign tasks to team members, and much more.
This is an all-in-one legal software that can drastically improve the efficiency in your firm. The software is not only made to grow with your firm but it is also designed to help your firm grow.
Key Features
- Case management
- Secure payment
- Payment tracking
- Time tracking with billable hour tracking
- Employee tasks management
- Team collaboration
- Client Portal
- Document management
Benefits
- Offer a free 14-day trial.
- Talk to a real person with 24/7 customer support.
- The software comes with growth packages that are designed to increase your visibility.
- Cloud-based software allows you to use it on multiple devices to keep up-to-date information even when you are away from your office.
- Free data migration
- Integration capabilities are available for over 50 apps and software
- Software automatically updates
- All USCIS documents are pre-loaded into the system for easy retrieval
MyLegalSoftware is great for firms of all sizes. Small to medium-sized firms can take advantage of visibility services, such as enhanced social media presence, lead generation, and speaking engagements, to increase their client base and grow their firm to new heights.
However, large firms can also benefit from these exemplary packages. The software offers unlimited storage capacity so that you can migrate all of your data into the system and still have plenty of room left for new clients that you get.
2. Filevine
Fiveline describes itself as being the software that is “for the employee that never takes a vacation.”
This software offers complete case management. It has many features that allow you to record every detail of your case from start to finish. You can also track billable hours and store and retrieve data.
While the software offers come with 24/7 customer support, some customers have complained that they were never able to get in touch with the customer service department. Some customers also complained that their pricing model was deceptive and they add on different fees for “training.”
Key Features
- Case management
- Document management
- Firm analytics
- Time tracking
- Billing and payment tracking
- Cloud storage
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Advanced time-tracking features
Cons:
- It doesn’t offer a free trial
- Customer service might not respond quickly
- There is a fee for data integration
Filevine prides itself on being a versatile software that is suitable for all legal industries. These features are good for general use and are not legal-area-specific.
3. Practice Panther
PracticePanther has been around since 2012. It started out as a basic case management system. However, over the last few years, the developers have added new features to the software to make it intuitive and helpful.
Key Features
- Time-tracking timers
- Activity log
- Case management
- Payment tracker
- Secure payment portal
- Document management
- Calendar integration
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Allows you to integrate your favorite apps
- Get client insights with analytics reviews
- Client intake forms make signing up new clients fast and easy
- Comes with accounting features so you can track client payments and cash flows
Cons:
- Free trial only lasts for 7 days, which doesn’t give busy lawyers a lot of time to try out all of the features
- Former clients have reported that data integration can be problematic and glitchy.
- Customers report the calendar not being user-friendly for firms that have more than 10 employees.
- There are no special features or pre-programmed documents specifically designed to help immigration lawyers.
While PracticePanther does offer a lot of features, some customers have complained that the features are not as comprehensive as they would like. Also, sometimes, the software itself has glitches that can cause downtime within the firm.
Comparative Analysis
All of the top legal immigration software comes with a comprehensive list of helpful features. To help you understand which software offers the most beneficial features, here is a side-by-side comparison of the three types of software that were mentioned above.
| MyLegal Software | Filevine | Practice Panther | |
| Software Integration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud-Based Software | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| All-in-One Accounting | Yes | With integrated Software | Yes |
| Increase Visibility | Speaking Engagements, Social Media advertising, Profile Features on The Company’s Website, and Lead Generation Plans are included with the software | No | No |
| Streamline Client Communication | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Team Collaboration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cybersecurity | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual Paralegals | Available | No | No |
| Integrated USCIS Forms | Yes. Updated Regularly | No | No |
| Secure Payment | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free Trial | 14 Day | No | 7 Day |
All three of these software offer a monthly subscription, or you can purchase an annual package for a more cost-effective solution.
When looking at the price, MyLegalSoftware costs a little more than the other software. However, you are getting many more features and services.
MyLegalSoftware has teamed up with ImmigrationQuestion.com to offer a variety of services that are designed to help your firm grow. When you sign up on the platform, you get qualified leads sent straight to your inbox and there are other services offered to help increase your visibility.
With this collaboration, you get set back and watch your firm grow and use the innovative software to easily manage the sudden influx of clients. If your company grows rapidly, MyLegalSoftware also offers a virtual paralegal that can help file documents and do other administrative tasks.
Choosing the Right Immigration Software
When choosing the perfect immigration software for your firm, you will need to assess your needs and budget. Also, because this is an investment, you will want to pick software that has a free trial so that you can assess your ROI before purchasing the software.
While we know there are many types of software to choose from, none of them offer the complete services and features that MyLS has. If you would like to learn more about MyLegalSoftware’s innovative case management system and growth packages, request your demo today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Legal Immigration Software?
Legal immigration software is a specialized type of software that is designed to help immigration law firms run smoother. Other law firms can benefit from immigration software as well. However, there are features, such as USCIS form integration that make it easier for immigration law firms to complete their daily tasks.
Do You Have to Use Immigration Software in Your Law Firm?
Using immigration software in your firm isn’t required, but it is strongly recommended.
With comprehensive immigration software, firms can ensure that they are accurately tracking their billable hours, payments, and important entails related to each case. This software helps to improve client communication, accuracy, and client satisfaction.
What is the Most Important Immigration Software Feature?
The first important feature to look for when choosing immigration software is the security features. You need to ensure that your information and your client’s information are kept secure and private.
You will also want to look at other features, such as client portals, time tracking, accounting tools, and document retrieval options.
What is the Best Immigration Software on the Market?
MyLegalSoftware is possibly one of the best immigration software available today. Not only does it come with a world-class case management system, but it also has partnered with ImmigrationQuestion.com to provide lead generation, speaking opportunities, and other services that can increase visibility to you and your firm.
