LeanLaw - Legal Billing Software

Gary Allen and Jared Correia shared some powerful insights in their recent webinar about where law firms should actually start with automation.

The most successful firms don't jump straight to the latest AI tools. Instead, they begin by mapping out detailed processes for everything they do - case workflows, intake procedures, and administrative tasks. Once you have that granular understanding of your workflows, you can identify which parts are routine tasks that technology could handle.

Whether you're building workflows from scratch or analyzing existing ones, ask yourself: "What routine work could technology handle so my people can do what they do best?"

The firms winning with automation aren't necessarily the ones with the fanciest tech - they're the ones with the clearest processes.

"But I finished in 1 hour instead of 4... do I just give that billable time away?" 🤔

This exact question is being tackled by legal tech experts Gary Allen and Jared Correia in a recent discussion about AI's impact on legal billing.

The real issue? Being stuck in the hourly billing mindset.
✅ The opportunity: You've just 4x'd your efficiency
✅ The solution: Rethink your pricing model

Two paths forward:
1. Take on more work (hello, increased capacity!)
2. Explore alternative pricing: flat fees, subscriptions, hybrid models

As industry leaders are pointing out - this isn't actually a new problem. Technology has always made lawyers more efficient.

The ethics opinions are clear: consider flat fee billing. Stop thinking about "giving away" value. Start thinking about delivering MORE value to MORE clients.

Watch trust accounting happen in real-time.

Tracie Cook just showed us how simple it really is to process trust transactions with LeanLaw + QuickBooks Online.

Created a $400 invoice for ABC Company (who had $1,500 in trust), clicked "Pay from Trust," and instantly the invoice was marked as paid, trust balance updated to $1,100, and the client gets a paid invoice showing their new trust balance.

Behind the scenes, LeanLaw automatically:
- Debited the trust account in QuickBooks
- Credited the operating account
- Updated all liability accounts
- Generated the proper journal entries

The whole transaction took under 30 seconds. No manual entries, no room for errors, no jumping between systems.

Trust accounting doesn't have to be complicated.

In our recent webinar, expert legal accountant Tracie Cook walked through exactly how LeanLaw integrates with QuickBooks Online for seamless trust management.

We cover:
- Multi-state IOLTA management
- Real-time balance verification across client balances, liability accounts, and bank registers
- Matter-level vs client-level trust tracking options
- One-click access to detailed trust ledgers
- Client-ready trust statements that can be printed or attached to invoices

The key insight: All trust data lives in QuickBooks, but attorneys never have to leave LeanLaw to access it. The integration pulls everything into one clear view.

Watch the full webinar here: https://hubs.li/Q03tmmGc0

Trust accounting in QuickBooks Online without LeanLaw = 5-6 manual clicks per transaction
With LeanLaw = 1 click handles everything

One click pays the invoice, updates the client trust ledger, adjusts the trust account, and moves funds to operating. Tracie Cook breaks it down, what normally takes multiple journal entries and manual steps happens automatically.

Our two-way sync with QuickBooks means you do 98% of trust work in LeanLaw, only writing checks in QB. Everything syncs back automatically.

🙋Raise your hand if you can get behind less manual work.

"Never feed AI anything identifiable."
In a recent webinar, marketing expert Matt Newbill and LeanLaw Co-Founder Gary Allen break down the key safeguards:

❌ DON'T do this:
Feed real client names or case details
Upload actual client data
Share specific financial information

✅ DO this instead:
Use generic examples ("a 38-year-old going through divorce")
Anonymize all data before analysis
Keep client information completely separate

The bottom line: AI can be incredibly powerful for law firms, but only when you maintain strict boundaries around confidential information.

Watch the full webinar here: https://hubs.li/Q03qK_SV0

The firms that say 'we're sticking with old school methods'? They're the ones that struggle to grow.

But the firms willing to pivot, embrace transparency, and adopt strategic tech? They're the ones that thrive.

Your compensation scheme needs to be simple. Your accounting architecture needs to support it. And your firm needs to be ready to evolve.

The firms winning the talent war aren't just offering higher percentages – they're making those percentages transparent and automatic.

From 1950s finder-minder-grinder to modern backend flexibility:
- Custom origination rates per attorney
- Matter-specific allocations
- Real-time reporting
- Automated distributions

Stop treating your compensation tracking as a report. It's a competitive advantage.