Best Legal Document Management Software for 2023
An in-depth analysis and review of the best Legal Document Management Software for law firms in 2023.
We assess the top legal DMS products today, based on user feedback and market share. Our analysis includes, for each product:
- Software overview and history
- Software pricing
- Stand-out / killer features
- Example screen shots
In This Article
Introduction to Legal Document Management Software
The List – Top Legal Document Management Software
Additional Information
Analyzing the Best Legal Document Management Software for Small Law Firms in 2023.
Time to modernize your law firm: It’s time to implement a Document Management System to keep your firm’s documents organized and searchable. And there are no shortage of options when it comes to legal document management software. There are old products and new products. Premise-based solutions and cloud-based products.
Who This Overview is For
This article is for law firm owners, managers and administrators that feels “there must be a better way” when it comes to managing the firm’s growing set of documents, email and other content. This includes:
- Law firms looking for a better solution than basic Windows folders.
- Law firms looking to for a better system than “the S: Drive” to manage documents.
- Law firms looking to graduate from basic cloud storage solutions.
- Law firms looking to upgrade from their old, dinosaur DMS.
- Law firms looking to implement their first legal document management software.
- Anyone looking for document management systems for small law firms.
Are any of these you? If so: We’ve got you covered. Here we provide an overview of and additional resources for the best legal document management software in 2023.
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Defining Legal Document Management Software
Before we head into our list of the top law firm document management applications, we need to define the category. Many types of software and services are casually referred to as “document management,” but aren’t.
Legal document management software, also known as a Document Management System, is software (cloud-based or on-premise) that not only stores your law firm’s documents, but provides a comprehensive set of tools to find, organize and manage your documents.
This is in contrast to basic file storage systems (which do little more than hold your files), or even law practice management applications that provide built-in, but basic, storage of your documents.
Not to be confused with true legal document management software:
- OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox are not Document Management Systems.
- Your on-premise file server (ie: “The S: Drive”) is not a Document Management System.
- Practice Management applications that include basic file storage are not Document Management Systems.
Semantics don’t matter, but functionality does. We’ll further define what makes a DMS a DMS below in Document Management Features.
Legal Document Management Software - Related Resources
Related – Document Management Software vs. Basic Cloud Storage: Learn the differences between cloud storage and true Document Management.
Related – Best Law Firm Software: See our comprehensive list of the best software for law firms, by category.
Why Most Law Firms Should Use Document Management Software
Law firms handle a large amount of sensitive and confidential information on a daily basis. This information includes client documents, legal briefs, contracts, and other important documents that are critical to the operations of the firm. They’re often comparing different documents too. In order to effectively manage and organize this information, law firms should consider using document management software.
Document management software is a tool that allows users to easily store, organize, and retrieve electronic documents. It offers a variety of features, including the ability to search for documents using keywords, categorize documents by client or case, and even set up automatic reminders for important deadlines.
Some of the top reasons law firms should implement a true Document Management System include:
- Increased efficiency and productivity: Document management software allows staff members to quickly and easily search for and retrieve documents, leading to faster turnaround times and improved client satisfaction.
- Improved security: DMS software includes advanced security features such as encryption and user-level access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive documents, reducing the risk of data breaches and protecting the firm’s reputation.
- Compliance with regulations and industry standards: Many software solutions come with built-in compliance features that can help a law firm meet regulatory requirements and industry standards, such as HIPAA and the GDPR, reducing the risk of legal penalties and fines.
- Cost savings: Document management software can reduce printing and storage costs and decrease the need for additional staff members to handle document management tasks, saving the firm money on labor costs.
- Improved organization and document classification: Document management software allows for easy organization and classification of documents by client or case, making it easy for staff members to find and access the documents they need. Additionally, it also allows for categorization of documents, this makes it easy to find specific documents and keep track of the document’s history. This feature helps in maintaining the structure and continuity of the document and reduces the chances of errors.
Related – Best Client Portal Software for Law Firms: A list of the best client portal software for law firms.
Legal Document Management Software - A Guide to Features
Generally speaking, legal document management software is special software that stores your documents and provides tools to manage them. The ‘manage’ part of document management software’s capabilities is what sets it apart from using a basic on-premise file server or simple cloud storage.
Document management software can come in either an on-premise variety (installed on your own local servers) or can be cloud-based. The scope, features and capabilities of any given legal document management software varies from product to product; though broadly speaking, DMS software performs the following functions:
Document & File Storage
The basic storage of documents and other types of electronic files.
Document Profiling / Metadata
The ability to apply attributes (metadata) to documents, including document classifications, types and tags, as well as the ability to apply internal notes to documents. For instance, the ability to classify a document as a contract or an order.
Full-Text Search
The ability to search across all documents (and sometimes email), including the file name, metadata and content of documents.
LexWorkplace Top Features
- Full-Text Document Search
- Secure Cloud Storage
- Client/Matter-Centric Org
- Secure Client Sharing
- MS Office Add-In
- Email Management
- Windows + Mac Compatible
Unique Document ID
Every document is assigned a unique ID, which does not change even if the file name or location of the document does.
Document Check-Out / In
The ability to check a document out, prohibiting others from changing it while the document is checked out to you.
Microsoft Office Integration
Direct integration with the Office suite, typically including Microsoft Word and Outlook.
Document Version Management
The automatic creation and tracking of versions of documents as they are changed.
Email Management
The ability to easily save email messages to a matter, typically via an Outlook add-in. Learn more about Email Management for Law Firms.
Permissions & Access Management
The ability to permit (or restrict) access to particular matters or data within your firm.
Favorite & Recent Documents
Quick and easy access to recently accessed documents, as well as the ability to "pin" documents as a favorite.
Matter Notes
The ability to create and save Matter Notes within the DMS software.
More modern, cloud-based Document Management Systems sometimes include these more sophisticated features:
Full Windows & Mac OS Compatibility
Native Windows and Mac support, without the need for virtualization software (such as Parallels).
Practice Management Integration
Integration with your chosen Law Practice Management software such as Clio Manage.
Geographic Data Redundancy
Automatic replication/backup of your data to geographically redundant data centers.
End-to-End Data Encryption
Full encryption of your data in-transit and at-rest, adding enhanced security and compliance.
Multi-Factor Authentication
MFA, requiring a second factor to log into the system, enhancing security and compliance.
With these features in mind, let’s take a look at the best legal document management software for small law firms. We encourage you to learn about each application, visit the publisher’s website and even share your own experience with each application.
Let’s get started.
Best Legal Document Management Software for 2023 - The List
LexWorkplace
LexWorkplace is legal-centric, cloud-based document and email management software.
Pricing: Starts at $395 / month for a 3-User Plan.
- LexWorkplace, made for law firms, organizes documents and email by Client and Matter.
- LexWorkplace works natively on Windows and Mac computers.
- LexWorplace includes Email Management, allowing you to save emails to a matter.
- LexWorkplace includes full-text search by client, matter, documents, email or across the entire system.
- Data stored in LexWorkplace is secured with two-factor authentication, data encryption in-transit and at-rest, and by geographically redundant data centers.
LexWorkplace Success Story
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Worldox
Worldox is long-running legal document management software.
Pricing: $425 per user license + $88 / User / Year
- Worldox is premise-based, which means a capable on-premise server is required to run it.
- Worldox also offers a hosted option for an additional monthly fee, though this option has recently been sunset.
- Worldox allows you to create custom metadata fields which must be completed for every document stored.
- Worldox organizes data into Cabinets, which can be organized to represent different departments, teams or projects within your business.
iManage Work
iManage Work is premise-based document management and knowledge management software.
Pricing: Not Provided by Publisher (Reseller Required)
- iManage Work is a powerful DMS and ECM platform that runs on an on-premise server.
- iManage also offers a hosted option for an additional monthly fee.
- iManage Work has a powerful full-text index engine which powers its search feature.
- iManage Work requires significant server infrastructure to run adequately, and is best suited for large law firms.
- iManage Work requires a specialized IT consultant to implement and administer the platform.
ProLaw
ProLaw is a combination Practice Management, Document Management and Accounting solution for law firms.
Pricing: Not Provided by Publisher
- ProLaw is owned by the same parent company as Westlaw legal research.
- ProLaw is Practice Management software (first), with an optional DMS module.
- ProLaw's Document Management module isn't as robust as stand-alone DMS software, it's good if your firm needs an all-in-one solution.
- ProLaw is on-premise software, which means it requires a sophisticated server or private cloud to run.
NetDocuments
NetDocuments was among the first cloud-based document management applications.
Pricing: $50 to $65 / User, 3 or 5 User Minimum
- NetDocuments is used by a variety of industries, including legal, financial services and manufacturing.
- Being web-based, NetDocuments does not require an on-premise server, nor does it require software installation.
- NetDocuments also includes ndOffice, its software for Microsoft Office integration.
- NetDocuments does not work on Mac computers, apart from using Parallels to run a full Windows installation.
- NetDocuments requires hiring a third-party consultant/reseller to implement the software.
eDOCS
Opentext eDOCS, is a long-time Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system used by a variety of industries, including law firms.
Pricing: Not Provided by Publisher
- eDOCS was formerly known as Hummingbird before it was acquired by OpenText.
- eDOCS includes basic Document Management and Records Management capabilities.
- eDOCS is popular with in-house legal departments, typically of very large companies.
- The eDOCS user interface includes a user-customizable tile-based interface.
- eDOCS is premise-based, which means it requires an onsite server to run.
SharePoint
SharePoint is Microsoft’s Document Management and Intranet platform.
Pricing: SharePoint Online starts at $5 / User / Month
- SharePoint is an optional element of the Microsoft 365 productivity suite.
- SharePoint is a cloud-based Intranet, company portal and lightweight Document Management System that can be used by any industry.
- SharePoint allows you to create lists (database tables) and libraries (document repositories).
- SharePoint is very customizable, allowing you to create database tables, lists and document repositories that fit your business.
- SharePoint is not configured for law firms or structured by client or matter out of the box, and therefor requires customization by an expert to be useful.
eFileCabinet
eFileCabinet is a document storage and document management system for law firms and other businesses.
Pricing: Not Provided by Publisher
- eFileCabinet is used by law firms, accounting firms, HR departments and insurance companies.
- eFileCabinet focuses less on traditional DMS functionality, and more on business automation and workflow.
- eFileCabinet includes document automation, workflow and lifecycle management capabilities.
- Being designed for a number of different industries, eFileCabinet lacks matter-centricity, but delivers functionality useful to a broader range of needs.
Note that features and pricing are determined from a combination of our own account and that of authorized consultants for these products, and may change over time.
Compare the leading Document Management software used by law firms today.
Related: Law Practice Management Software
Many Practice Management applications describe “document management” as among the features their software provides. This often misleads or confuses potential buyers, as the phrase “Document Management” strongly insinuates the rich capabilities of a true DMS, whereas Practice Management software almost always provides only rudimentary document management.
You’ll often see “Document Management” listed as a feature, when really the Practice Management software includes functionality more akin to basic cloud storage (like Dropbox or Google Drive), rather than true legal document management software capabilities.
This is important to understand when evaluating a document management system for small law firms.
However, if you’re looking for Legal Matter Management, you could be referring to Practice Management and/or Document Management.
Ultimately, Matter Management is defined as how your firm particularly needs to handle matters from start to finish.
It’s important to learn about the differences, and to ensure you’re getting the right software.
- Related: Legal Matter Management Software.
When Do You Need Legal Document Management Software?
If your law firm currently uses something other than a bona-fide Document Management system for small law firms, you may be wondering whether or not you should make the jump into a true DMS. Or posed another way: When do you actually need to get dedicated Document Management software?
In our experience, a law firm should seriously consider implementing a DMS when any of the following situations are present.
1. Your Files/Documents are Fragmented and Scattered
If your firm is struggling with matter and firm documents in too many different systems (for instance: a file server, in OneDrive, and in your case management software), it’s likely time to centralize everything into a DMS. Your new Document Management System will serve as the hub of your law firm, and the “single source of truth” when it comes to documents and email.
2. Your Filesystem is a Wild West of Unstructured Folders
Most basic file-and-folder systems start out well-organized enough. Perhaps you create a folder per client, or per matter, or both. Inevitably, over time, not everyone in your firm follows the protocol for creating and naming folders, and organizing documents… and over time, your file system becomes a mess, and finding the client matter or document you’re looking for becomes a mess. A good, law-firm-centric legal document management software platform will enforce a clear Client/Matter-centric hierarchy for documents and email, keeping your data organized with 10 matters or a 10,000 matters.
Bring Law and Order to Your Documents
LexWorkplace Includes:
- Document Profiling / Metadata
- Structured by Client/Matter
- Organize With Folders and Tags
- Save Emails to Matters
- Built-In Version Management
- Add Notes to Docs & Email
3. You Need to Classify and Annotate Documents
Basic file systems like file servers and simple cloud storage don’t provide much in the way of metadata. Metadata is simply a way you can apply attributes to a document that are about the document. For instance, you may want to classify a particular word document or PDF file as a motion. Doing so in a law firm Document Management System makes the document readily identifiable as a motion, and allows you to filter, sort or search for all documents of that type.
A good law firm Document Management System will allow you to apply document types, status (EG: Draft, Final, or Filed) as well as internal notes visible only to your team.
4. You’re Aiming for a Paperless Law Firm
If your law firm still manages all of your documents in hardcopy form, you have likely struggled to find documents and stay totally organized. This methodology of document management gives way to lost contracts, wasted time, and impeded productivity.
For these reasons, I definitely recommend having a mostly or completely Paperless Law Firm. Digitizing your files can be done over time, and you can set up the future of your firm to be more digital. Then, once you have your files on your computer, you can use a proper DMS to manage your past and future documents.
Related – Scanners for Law Firms
Explore your options for scanners based on the needs of law firms and your firm particularly.
5. You Need Robust Search
Basic file systems are also notoriously bad at giving you the ability to search through all of your data. Suppose you have thousands of documents (or more), and even more emails saved over the course of many years. You’ll almost certainly need the ability to search through all of your data–documents, metadata, email and notes–including the content of every document. That means: every word on every page of every file. A good document management system for small law firms will give you Google-like search capability across all of your data. A really quality legal document management software platform will let you filter or search by matter, document type, author and more.
How to Evaluate Legal Document Management Software
Once you’ve determined that your law firm needs Document Management software, the next step is to develop a shortlist of candidates to evaluate.
Here’s how to evaluate Document Management Systems for your law firm.
Related Video:
How to Evaluate Document Management Software
Why You Should (Probably) Implement Cloud-based Legal Document Management Software
In this article, we’ve done our best to explore all legal document management software strategies from a neutral, unbiased perspective. The truth is, however, that for most law firms, life is better in the cloud.
In the past few years, as firms have transitioned to the cloud from traditional document management systems – particularly premises-based server systems – the effect on productivity, service levels, and general efficiency has been profound.
Almost all law firms see the benefits of locating, accessing, creating, editing, saving, sharing, and storing documents more effectively by the transition to the cloud – in the process providing greater flexibility, data security and IT efficiency.
Such is the transformational power of cloud-based legal document management software that it has been a key differentiator in the success of many law firms that have made the switch.
We believe it is no exaggeration to say this. Law firms that have taken the necessary steps to modernize in this way have been able to spend more time on winning cases for clients and less time on administrative and IT headaches.
Let’s be more specific about these benefits.
We could write a novel on the benefits of cloud-based software and file storage. For this overview of legal document management software, we’ll cover the top 6 benefits of implementing a cloud-based Document Management System.
1. Data Security
With the proper law firm Document Management platform, your data (firm data, client data) is orders of magnitude more secure than it would be sitting on your in-house file server. A reputable document management system for small law firms will include:
- Complete Data Encryption In-Transit
- Complete Data Encryption At-Rest
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Geographically Redundant Backups / Data Centers
- User / Group Permission Management
Compare this level of security and compliance to your own server in-house (even an expensive, well-maintained on-premise server infrastructure). Cloud-based tools provide all the security you’ll need, often out-of-the-box.
2. Work Anywhere
It’s obvious but worth stating: Cloud-based legal document management software will enable your entire firm to work anywhere. Your team members will have the exact same access to client, matter and firm documents at home as they would in the office, without sacrificing security.
In today’s hybrid work environment, it’s more important than ever to give your team the tools they need to serve your clients, anytime, anywhere.
Related Video:
Law Firms: Why You’re Struggling to Work From Home
As you start to appreciate and even enjoy working from home, or anywhere else, another opportunity opens up for you.
Virtual Law Firms are more viable than ever before.
With the correct software and technology strategy, you can enjoy benefits such as flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and overall happiness for your firm and your clients.
Learn more below.
Related – Virtual Law Firm: A Complete Guide
Explore the possibilities of a Virtual Law Firm – the why and how.
3. Reduced Risk of Data Loss
With server-based setups, it’s easy for data loss to occur if the backup procedure is not followed, breaks down, or if there is a server problem.
With a cloud-based system, there is no single point of failure. By storing documents in the cloud, data loss risks are lowered because the provider stakes its reputation on providing a stable, robust, and secure platform.
With cloud-based document management systems, your data will be automatically replicated and stored across multiple, geographically dispersed data centers.
If you keep all of this in mind while considering the graph below, you can conclude that with each subsequent year that you own a server, you assume more and more unnecessary risk.
4. Lower IT Costs and Fewer Headaches
Server-based document management systems require considerable IT oversight.
A law firm’s functionality depends greatly on being able to reliably access, create, and collaborate on legal documents. IT consultants regularly need to be called in to ensure everything is functioning smoothly.
Headaches and hiccups with server maintenance are common. This can get expensive, especially for smaller law firms. What’s more, IT problems are a huge distraction, keeping law firm managers from focusing on growing their firm and serving their clients.
With cloud-based legal document management software, there are no servers to own or manage and no software to install and keep updated on each of your computers.
While the ongoing headaches and costs are good enough reasons to consider a virtual desktop over an on-premise server, let’s also remember the typical upfront costs of just a few on-premise servers. Keep in mind – servers incur ongoing costs, and the higher your company scales up, the more servers and cost you will have to take on.
5. Save/Manage Emails in the Same System as Documents
For many law firms, email management alone is enough to make the jump into a Document Management System for small law firms. With the right law firm DMS, you can quickly save and file relevant emails to the appropriate matter, right from Outlook.
Then, all documents and email for any given matter is neatly stored in one place, searchable and accessible to your entire firm.
6. Software Updates are Automatic
As is the case with any cloud-based software, a cloud-based legal document management eliminates any need to manually update software on your server(s) and desktop computers. Cloud software publishers typically release new features (and bugfixes) on a routine basis, with no action required from you.
7. Scalability
Cloud-based software, and in particular cloud-based legal document management software, are infinitely scalable. Need more space for a big case you just took on? Chances are you can add storage in minutes. Have five new people join your team? Add them to your software and they’re up and running. All without the need to pay for expensive server infrastructure upgrades.
Conversely, if your needs decrease, with most cloud-based Document Management applications, you can scale resources (storage, users) down as needed, and pay only for what you need.
Closing the Loop
We hope you found this guide on finding the right document management system for small law firms helpful.
See 10 ways LexWorplace will streamline your law office.
Frequently Asked Questions - Legal Document Management Software
Legal document management software, also known as a Document Management System (DMS), is a solution that stores, organizes, and manages a law firm’s documents.
It offers several benefits, including increased efficiency, improved security, compliance with regulations and industry standards, cost savings, and better organization and document classification.
Unlike basic file storage systems or practice management applications with built-in storage, a true DMS provides a comprehensive set of tools to find, organize, and manage your documents, ensuring greater functionality and efficiency.
Key features of DMS include document and file storage, document profiling or metadata, full-text search, unique document ID, document check-out/in, Microsoft Office integration, document version management, email management, permissions and access management, and favorite/recent documents.
Cloud-based DMS offers benefits such as full Windows and Mac OS compatibility, practice management integration, geographic data redundancy, end-to-end data encryption, and multi-factor authentication.
The top legal document management software for 2023 includes Worldox, LexWorkplace, iManage, ProLaw, NetDocuments, eDOCS, SharePoint, and eFileCabinet.
It’s important to research each application and visit the publisher’s website to determine the best fit for your law firm.
Looking for Document Management Software?
LexWorkplace:
Modern Document Management for Law Firms
LexWorkplace is document & email management software, born in the cloud and built for law firms. Here’s a quick primer on how it works.
Organize by Client & Matter
Organize documents, email and notes by client or matter. Store and manage all data for a case or project in one place.
Go Beyond Basic Files & Folders
Supercharge your firm’s productivity with true DMS functions.
- Version Management
- Document Tagging & Profiling
- Document Check-Out / Check-In
- Microsoft Office Integration
- Convert Word Docs to PDF
Search Everything
LexWorkplace is like Google for your law firm. Search across millions of pages, documents, folder email and notes in seconds. Refine your search by matter, document type, author and more.
Search by…
- Client or Matter
- Document Type (Contract, Complaint, Order, etc.)
- Document Status (Draft, Final, etc.)
- Document Tags (Filed With Court, Fully Executed, etc.)
Outlook Integration + Comprehensive Email Management
Save emails to a matter without leaving Outlook. Saved emails are accessible to your entire team, organized and searchable.
- Outlook Add-In that Works With Windows and Macs
- Save Entire, Original Email to a Matter in a LexWorkplace
- Email De-Duplication
- Organize Emails into Folders, Subfolders
Works with Windows and Macs
All of LexWorkplace is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers.
What Clients Say
Lawyers love LexWorkplace. See how the system streamlined one lawyer’s practice.
Watch the 5-Minute Demo
See LexWorkplace in action in our quick 5-minute overview and demonstration.
Or, if you want a one-on-one demo, or want to talk about LexWorkplace for your firm, schedule a call or demo below.
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