Clio Software Review: Features, Benefits & Pricing

If you run a legal practice, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Clio (or maybe you’re using it already). Clio is a popular cloud-based legal practice management software. This platform is designed to help lawyers and their teams organize case documents, track time, and handle client billing.

Finding the right case management software is a must as your law firm grows. In this article, we’ll review Clio’s features, pricing, and integrations to help you determine whether it’s the right choice for your firm.

Clio Overview

Over the past few decades, the professional world has transitioned from analog to digital operations. However, many law firms still lag behind when it comes to adopting new technology. One study found that 37% of law firms still do not use case management software to streamline their operations.

Clio is a software program to help law firms manage their operations digitally and automate repetitive processes. Here’s how it works and the types of law firms that use it.

How Does Clio Work?

Clio is an all-in-one platform for legal professionals. The software includes tools for case management, client communication, document storage, and billing. Clio is designed to help lawyers and their teams operate with efficiency and transparency. By storing documents, client messages, and invoices all in one place, legal teams can minimize errors and offer a better experience for their clients.

Clio offers several different software programs, with customizable features and integrations to suit your practice’s needs. The brand also recently launched Clio Duo, a secure legal AI tool designed to make case management more efficient.

Target Audience

Clio offers features for legal practices of all sizes. It’s accessible enough for small law firms and solo practitioners, but has the robust features necessary for busy mid-sized and large firms.

The platform is ideal for ambitious, tech-savvy legal professionals who want to operate more efficiently and increase their productivity. However, Clio also has extensive onboarding and training options available for users who don’t have much experience with legal technology platforms.

Key Features and Benefits

Clio offers an extensive suite of features for lawyers, paralegals, and other legal staff. These include:

Case management: Create automated workflows for each of your cases and assign tasks to staff. Track case developments in real time to ensure everyone’s up-to-date.

Document management & e-signature: Draft, proofread, and e-sign legal documents from Clio’s extensive library. You can access thousands of fillable court documents directly from the app, or create your own custom templates. Clio offers e-filing for legal teams in Texas and Georgia and plans to expand to California and Illinois soon.

Time tracking & expense tracking: Record your billable hours and expenses in real time for more accurate client invoices.

Billing & payments: Bill clients and accept payments directly through Clio. Clients enjoy the convenience of paying online with their payment method of choice.

Legal accounting: Clio offers an accounting platform built for legal professionals to build budgets, reconcile transactions, and prepare for tax season.

Legal AI tools: Clio’s AI partner, Duo, answers questions and automates tasks based on the data you already have in your systems.

Client communication: Your clients can send emails and text messages directly through Clio. All messages are stored securely for compliance and client privacy. You can also set up your calendar in the client portal for online appointment booking.

Client CRM: Track potential clients and onboard new ones through Clio’s built-in CRM.

Website builder: Create a custom website using Clio’s templates, and promote it with integrated Google Local Services ad campaigns.

Cloud functionality: Clio is cloud-powered, which means you can access it from anywhere. Clio also offers a mobile app for on-the-go case management.

Reporting: Generate detailed internal reports for compliance and growth.

Clio Benefits

When compared to other legal software platforms, Clio has a number of unique benefits.

• User-friendly: Clio’s interface is very accessible and visually appealing. It’s intuitive and easy to use, even when you’re first starting out. This makes it accessible to legal professionals from a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels.
• Customizable: Clio has four base products: Clio Manage, Clio Grow, Clio Draft, and Clio Accounting. However, you can customize these base products to fit your firm’s needs, adding on the features and integrations you need. There are options for law firms of all sizes and practice areas.
• Extensive automation: Clio’s automation and AI features can tackle repetitive legal tasks for you. This gives you more time to focus on complex casework.
• Excellent integration options: Clio has a large library of integrations, so you can seamlessly combine it with your existing tech stack.
• Responsive customer support team: Clio receives positive reviews for its customer service options.

User Experience

Getting started with Clio is a fairly straightforward process, especially for small law firms using the standard Clio Manage platform. Since Clio offers a free trial, signing up takes just minutes.

For larger law firms, Clio provides dedicated onboarding support and can help you configure the platform to best suit your needs. You can create your own workflows and templates based on your unique case load.

Since Clio’s interface is very intuitive, there isn’t a steep learning curve. It doesn’t take long to get this software fully up and running and maximize your productivity.

Integrations and Compatibility

Clio is designed to integrate into your existing tech stack seamlessly. Here are some of the integration options to expect with this platform.

Third-Party Integrations

Clio has a large library of over 250 third-party integrations to choose from. Some notable integrations include:

• Quickbooks Online
• Microsoft 365 & Google Workspace
• Zoom & Microsoft Teams
• DocuSign & Dropbox

Clio makes its API available to developers, so new integrations are released on a regular basis.

Platform Compatibility

Clio is cloud-based, so you can access it on both Windows and Mac desktop operating systems through a web browser.

The Clio mobile app is also available for both iOS and Android, allowing you to access your legal management system on the go. Note that the Clio mobile app does not have all the same features as the Clio desktop app.

Pricing and Plans

Clio offers four standard pricing tiers. Here’s the pricing breakdown when billed annually.

• EasyStart: $39/month: Includes document and calendar management, time tracking, and online payments for clients.
• Essentials: $79/month: In addition to EasyStart features, it includes document automation, secure client messaging, and automated scheduling.
• Advanced: $109/month: Includes lower-tier features as well as automated workflows, unlimited e-signatures, and exclusive business intelligence insights.
• Complete: $139/month: Includes all lower-tier features as well as CRM access, client intake support, professional websites, and Google Ad support.

Additional features like Clio Duo AI, Clio Grow CRM, and Clio Accounting are available for an additional fee. Mid-size or large firms can request a custom quote based on their needs.

All new users get access to a seven-day free trial, regardless of which plan you use. You can also cancel Clio at any time if it’s not working for your business.

Additional Resources

Clio offers a variety of customer support options to help users make the most of the software and avoid problems. All plans get access to unlimited customer support 24 hours per day, five days per week. Support is available via phone, email, or live chat to suit your preferences. Higher-level plans also get access to live onboarding support and a dedicated account manager.

In addition to these customer support options, Clio also offers an extensive library of educational resources and tools. This includes guides on a wide range of legal and business topics, as well as on-demand webinars and Clio Academy courses.

Final Thoughts

Clio is a trusted law practice management software that helps law firms maximize productivity and provide better service for clients. Clio stands out in the current legal software market for its ease of use, cloud-based accessibility, and powerful automation features. 

If you’re on the hunt for an all-in-one legal practice management solution you can tailor to your firm’s needs, Clio might be right for you.

Get The Most Out Of Clio With Diamond IT

If you want to implement Clio in your law firm’s operations, but aren’t quite sure where to start, Diamond IT is here to help. Diamond IT is a third-party managed services provider that offers IT management, cybersecurity support, and IT consulting.

Our team will help you securely implement Clio and integrate it with your existing technology stack. Our experts can also help you develop strategies for system monitoring and data protection to keep both your firm and your clients safe. 

If you’re ready to do more with your legal tech, contact Diamond IT today to get started.