PCLaw™ Billing and Accounting Software

 
PCLaw provides flexible financial tools that are fine-tuned for legal professionals. PCLaw offers a comprehensive collection of powerful, flexible and easy-to-use tools for time and expense tracking, billing and receivables, trust accounting and more in one integrated package.
PCLaw Trial
30-day free trial
****

Used by more than 9,000 law firms in Canada, PCLaw provides one system you can use to: 
  • Organize contacts and matters.
  • Manage client identification and verification.
  • Record case notes, client emails and documents.
  • Manage offline client files.
  • Manage office bank accounts.
  • Handle client trust funds confidently with built-in accounting safeguards.
  • Perform payroll processing powered by ADP®*.
  • Reconcile trust and general bank accounts easily.
  • Track time and fees in the office or from web-based smartphones and mobile devices with PCLaw Mobility**.
  • Capture client expenses.
  • Create bills with custom client invoices.
  • Track accounts receivable.
  • Manage accounts payable.
  • Improve collections with credit card processing from Payment Processing Inc. (PPI)***.
  • Produce productivity reports and financial statements.
  • Track appointments and to-dos (calendar events).

Law firms prefer PCLaw for its strong financial capabilities and because: 
  • Startup is straightforward.
  • Practice information is available at a glance.
  • Legal accounting tools help users meet regional and trust requirements.
  • Users can integrate with a variety of front-office tools, including Time Matters® practice management software.
  • Users get exceptional live-answer and email support.
  • Product upgrades address emerging customer needs.
  • Security is customizable.
  • Convenient options ease conversion from other software.

Discover how PCLaw can help your firm reach greater levels of productivity and profitability. For more information, call us at 1-800-328-2898. *Charges for the ADP service are in addition to the cost of the PCLaw software.
** PCLaw Mobility is included at no additional cost as part of your Annual Maintenance Plan (AMP). You may, however, incur data charges from your mobile provider when you use the service.
*** Charges for the credit-card payment-processing service are in addition to the cost of the PCLaw software.
****Some restrictions may apply.
Thousands of law firms and legal departments trust award-winning PCLaw software to help take the headaches out of running the business of law by enabling them to easily manage matter information, track calendar appointments and tasks, capture time and expenses, bill and collect payments from clients, pay vendors, reconcile bank statements and manage trust accounts — all from a single source.

Clients and contacts 

PCLaw helps you track all people and contacts related to your cases and firm. The contact database is firm-wide and gives you CRM capabilities like tracking prospects, vendors, etc. In addition to clients, use PCLaw to run reports or mailings — practical application types of things.

Case and matter management 

Track all information critical to your case through the Matter Manager. Access the details you need through separate tabs focusing on related events, tasks, documents, emails, phone calls, notes, web-based research, and time and expense entries.

Calendaring, to-dos, tasks and deadlines 

The multifunctional desktop calendar helps you keep track of meetings, court appearances and other activities related to the firm’s clients and cases. Access firm-wide calendar information directly through PCLaw or share it with Microsoft® Outlook® through optional synchronization.

Flexible, easy time tracking 

Track time the way it suits you — create entries using a traditional time sheet, or run timers through PCLaw or directly within Microsoft® Outlook®, Microsoft® Word and Internet Explorer&reg. When you’re working remotely or on the go, benefit from PCLaw options for laptops and satellite locations, as well as enter billable time and expenses from web-based smartphones and other mobile devices.

Billing and accounts receivable 

PCLaw supports flat-fee, task-based, split, contingency, retainer and electronic billing. Prebills and bills can be run individually or in batch with stock or customized layouts, and PCLaw can help you identify outstanding balances and generate collection notices.

Integrated credit card processing 

Use PCLaw integrated credit card processing to conveniently accept client payments and improve cash flow.

Accounting and trust made easy 

PCLaw takes the anxiety out of fulfilling your local trust regulations by offering easy-to-use tools to manage your disbursement and receipt transactions for all of your clients and thousands of trust bank accounts. Use an integrated general journal and customizable general ledger, with available options for transferring accounting data to a third-party accountant, to consolidate and simplify your firm’s accounting.

Accounts payable and banking 

Manage vendors and payables with integrated accounts payable. Write and print cheques from your trust or general bank accounts for firm or client expenses, and use PCLaw bank reconciliation tools to keep your accounts in balance. Every entry updates journals, the client ledger and the general ledger.

Comprehensive reporting and financial statements 

With hundreds of standard reports available, PCLaw can give you unparalleled insight into your firm’s time and expenses, staff productivity, billing, collections and overall financial well-being.

Integrated online payroll 

PCLaw has joined forces with ADP® to offer easy-to-use, secure and completely self-managed, integrated online payroll designed to save you time, effort and cost.

Protect your data with automatic backup 

Gain the security of backing up vital financial data without disrupting billable work. Schedule data backups to take place during non-work or off-peak times.

Reduce your risk by using safe custody records management 

Track physical closed files and documents in safe custody at the firm — wills, deeds, bonds and more.

Data conversion 

Both LexisNexis® and our Certified Independent Consultants (CICs) offer a full range of professional services to simplify your transition from an existing billing or accounting system to PCLaw. Depending on your firm’s current system and needs, your client and matter information, unbilled time and expenses, accounts receivable details, client trust details and more may be transferred to PCLaw. You can rest assured that your firm’s data will be transferred accurately.

PCLaw does more than just billing and accounting 

If your practice management needs are more advanced, PCLaw can also integrate with industry-leading Time Matters® software as well as other solutions such as Amicus Attorney.

Call 1-800-328-2898 today for pricing or to talk to a PCLaw specialist, or download and try PCLaw for free for 30 days.*

* Certain Conditions Apply.
Frequently Asked Questions — PCLaw 11

General Questions 

Q. What is PCLaw® Mobility?
A. PCLaw Mobility is a new service — available with version 11 — included when you subscribe to a current PCLaw Annual Maintenance Plan (AMP). PCLaw Mobility allows users to view and update basic matter information, find client contacts and enter billable time and expenses from web-based smartphones and other mobile devices.

Q. How much does PCLaw Mobility cost?
A. PCLaw Mobility is included at no additional cost as part of your AMP. You may, however, incur data charges from your mobile provider when you use the service.

Q. Must I have a current AMP to get/use PCLaw Mobility?
A. Yes, PCLaw Mobility is only available to customers with a current AMP.

Q. What happens to PCLaw Mobility if I cancel or do not renew my AMP?
A. If you cancel or do not renew your AMP, you will lose access to the PCLaw Mobility service.

Q. Can I still use PCLaw Mobility if I am not on version 11 of the software?
A. No, PCLaw Mobility only works when PCLaw 11 software is installed on your server.

Q. How do I get PCLaw Mobility?
A. Customers subscribed to a current AMP will be able to access PCLaw Mobility upon upgrading to version 11, installing the PCLaw Mobility Access Manager agent on the server or workstation, then logging in to the secure PCLaw Mobility web site. You will have the same number of licences to access PCLaw Mobility as you do for PCLaw.

Q. Does PCLaw Mobility require a user licence to log in?
A. Yes, PCLaw Mobility requires a licence to log in. PCLaw Mobility licences are separate from PCLaw licences. Customers who subscribe to a current PCLaw AMP will receive the same number of licences to access PCLaw Mobility as they have for PCLaw.

Q. What actions can I take while using PCLaw Mobility?
A. You can view, enter and edit: matter information and contacts, plus view and enter time and expenses in PCLaw Mobility. Soon, you will be able to view, enter and edit information in your PCLaw calendar from PCLaw Mobility.

Q. What types of entries are supported in PCLaw Mobility?
A. The following types of entries are supported in PCLaw Mobility: matter, time, expense and contact. At this time, task, event, note, document and email records are not supported. Event and calendar records will be supported soon after the release of version 11.

Q. Can I access archived matter records in PCLaw Mobility?
A. No, you cannot access archived matter records in PCLaw Mobility at this time.

Q. Can I search for records in PCLaw Mobility?
A. Yes, you can search for contact by name, client ID, staff and code in the Contacts screen. You can also search for matters by name, matter number, staff and code in the Matters screen.

Q. How does PCLaw Mobility allow me to track and enter my time?
A. The PCLaw Mobility service allows you to manually enter your beginning and ending time to ensure it is tracked.

Q. Will I be able to customize PCLaw Mobility?
A. No, PCLaw Mobility is designed to provide lawyers and billable staff with access to the key features of PCLaw that they need while on the go, not the full application.

Q. Can I access reports from PCLaw Mobility?
A. No, at this time, you cannot access reporting from PCLaw Mobility.

Q. Can I use PCLaw Mobility if I work at multiple law firms?
A. Yes, you can use PCLaw Mobility if you work at multiple law firms. When you log in, you will be prompted to choose the law firm most appropriate for you.

Technology Questions

Q. What are the system requirements to run PCLaw Mobility?
A. PCLaw Mobility requires a web-enabled mobile device with an active Internet connection — such as Apple® iPad® and iPhone®, BlackBerry®, Google® Android™ and Windows 7 Mobile devices — as well as the installation of PCLaw 11 software and the PCLaw Mobility Access Manager agent on the server or workstation.

Q. What mobile devices does PCLaw Mobility support?
A. PCLaw Mobility works on most web-enabled mobile devices with an active Internet connection such as: iPad and iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android devices.

Q. Why is LexisNexis not pursuing device-specific applications, such as an iPhone application?
A. Unlike a device-specific application, a web-based solution like the PCLaw Mobility service does not require data to be stored on the mobile device. As a result, the security risk to the organization is significantly less with a mobile web-based solution. Additionally, mobile device manufacturers constantly change hardware and software platforms. A mobile web solution that only requires a browser and active Internet connection is compatible with more devices, allowing more customers to take advantage of PCLaw software on the go. We will continue to monitor the mobile application market. Should there be significant demand for device-specific mobile applications, we will consider adding these to our portfolio.

Q. What experience does LexisNexis have in developing mobile services?
A. LexisNexis has collaborated with Microsoft to build and offer the PCLaw Mobility service. PCLaw Mobility is based on the Microsoft® Windows Azure™ platform, a secure cloud computing platform used by over 10,000 leading organizations, including NASA, General Mills and 3M.

Q. If Windows Azure is a cloud application, who actually “controls” the PCLaw Mobility service — do I host it, or does LexisNexis or Microsoft host it?
A. LexisNexis hosts the PCLaw Mobility service on a secure Windows Azure server but does not store any of your data. Your data is stored only in your local PCLaw database. You do not have any additional investments to make in hardware or software to use PCLaw Mobility.

Q. Do I need to install software on the mobile device to use PCLaw Mobility?
A. No, since PCLaw Mobility is a mobile web application, no software is required to be installed on your device. All you need is a supported mobile device with a web browser and a live Internet connection to access the service.

Q. Must I have Internet access to use PCLaw Mobility?
A. Yes, you must be able to connect to the Internet through your web-enabled mobile device to use PCLaw Mobility.

Q. To use PCLaw Mobility, do I have to be logged in to the PCLaw software on my desktop?
A. No, the beauty of PCLaw Mobility is that you can use it from your web-enabled mobile device without needing to be logged in to PCLaw back at your office.

Q. On average, how much of my phone’s data plan will PCLaw Mobility use?
A. The amount of your data plan consumed by PCLaw Mobility use will depend on the frequency and duration of your use of the PCLaw Mobility service. You are responsible for any charges associated with data access and downloads. Please consult your mobile device provider for details about your plan.

Q. Since PCLaw Mobility is web-based, can I access it from my laptop?
A. Although PCLaw Mobility was designed specifically for use with mobile devices as a mobile service to provide you with the convenience and flexibility of access to PCLaw in situations where you may not have a laptop, you can use a laptop if you choose.

Security Questions 

Q. Will other individuals or firms see my data when I use PCLaw Mobility?
A. No, when you use the PCLaw Mobility service, you are creating a secure, encrypted connection to your PCLaw environment back at your office. No one else can see your data.

Q. Will my data be secure?
A. Yes, the data is compressed and encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) from the moment the data leaves your office PCLaw environment all the way to it being shown on the mobile device. Additionally, no data is stored on the device, reducing your risk should the device be lost or stolen.

Q. How do I get rid of the data on the mobile device if that person leaves the firm?
A. No data is stored on the device, so there is nothing to remove. By disabling the user in PCLaw, you also disable that user from access to PCLaw Mobility.

Q. Will I be able to tell which records in PCLaw were added or edited by a mobile user?
A. Fields that are not accessible by the PCLaw Mobility service will be blank. Additional tracking and auditing capabilities for mobile users will be considered for a future release.

Future Development Questions

Q. When will calendaring functionality be available in PCLaw Mobility?
A. Calendar functionality will be available in PCLaw Mobility soon after the release of PCLaw 11 software. You will retain the option to link with Microsoft® Outlook® and then to your mobile device.
Brochures

System Requirements and Integrations

White Papers

Product Support 

Need assistance with technical questions? You can utilize one of our online resources which provide information on troubleshooting and includes forums to address technical questions.

Technical Support Call Centre 

The sophisticated PCLaw® technical support call centre ensures prompt answers to your questions. Our PCLaw customer support team can be reached at 1-800-387-9785 (Mon–Fri), between the hours of 8am to 8pm E.S.T.

Certified Independent Consultants 

Many firms lack the internal resources to properly install and configure software, troubleshoot network issues and otherwise get the firm "up and running." Find a LexisNexis Certified Independent Consultant (CIC) to assist you with everything from software installation to training and firm-specific customizations. CICs have completed comprehensive training and certification on LexisNexis software products.

Payroll Processing Powered by ADP®† 

LexisNexis Canada created a partnership with Automated Data Processing Inc. (ADP) to make secure payroll processing available with PCLaw. ADP services are known for accurate, safe and secure payroll. With no additional hardware or software required, the simple, economical PCLaw and pay@work integrated solution can save you time, protect you from payroll tax penalties and improve your productivity.

To learn more, please call 1-866-787-8269 and mention the LexisNexis offer, or visit http://www.adp.ca/chooseadp.

Credit Card Processing through Payment Processing Incorporated (PPI). 

Integrate credit card processing with PCLaw through Payment Processing Incorporated (PPI). Call 1-800-328-2898 for details. Additional charges apply for this service.

Cheques and Forms 

Contact Davis + Henderson:
By Phone: 800.268.5779, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET
By Fax: 800.445.5130, 24/7

†Charges for the ADP service are in addition to the cost of the PCLaw software.
Purchase Options 

Click here to visit our online store

Contact a Practice Management Solutions Specialist at 1-800-328-2898.

Contact a LexisNexis Certified Independent Consultant (CIC) 

Licensing 

Licensing for PCLaw is based on the number of staff members who may need to actively work with the PCLaw software at any given point during the day. There is no limit to the number of computer workstations the PCLaw application itself can be installed on. Just count the number of unique timekeepers you will need (lawyers, paralegals, clerks, etc.), and then count the number of staff members who may need to actively work with the PCLaw software at any given point during the day. Typically the higher of these two numbers reflects the appropriate number of licences you should order.

PCLaw Annual Maintenance Plan (AMP) 

PCLaw is sold with an AMP that includes access to telephonic technical support and any updates or releases of PCLaw for the length of the plan.

Advantages to an Annual Maintenance Plan include:
  • Lower maintenance costs and access to the latest software enhancements and advances
  • Expert assistance from our technical support team to help with unexpected results during installation and use of the program

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee* 

PCLaw comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If the PCLaw software doesn’t meet your firm’s needs, our customer care team will issue a refund.

Returns and Refunds 
  • New Customers — First-time customers are eligible for a one-time refund of the full purchase price of the software within 30 days of the purchase date. Please note that no refunds will be issued if you have previously returned any software product or if you have reactivated the software. To receive a refund, you must call 1-800-328-2898.
  • Existing Customers — Fees for software and the AMP purchased by existing customers are non-refundable.

* Some restrictions may apply.
Download and try PCLaw for free for 30 days*. Request free trial of legal billing and accounting software.

* Certain conditions apply.

PCLaw® Web-Based Training

LexisNexis is pleased to offer web-based training to PCLaw users. To better meet your needs and schedule, we provide sessions on a regular basis. Sign up for one of our web-based sessions, tailored to specific features and areas of PCLaw® billing and accounting software. All training sessions are conducted using the latest version of PCLaw and run for about 1 ½ hours per session, including a question and answer period. Session topics include:

  • Clients and Matters
  • Data Entry
  • Advanced Data Entry
  • Billing
  • A/R, Payments and Write-Offs
  • Template Editor – Basics for Billing
  • Data Flow
  • Month-End Procedures
  • Introduction to PCLaw Front Office

Click here to view our schedule.

Cost is $199 (+ applicable taxes) per session per simultaneous connection. Save 30% if you have a current PCLaw annual maintenance plan. For web-based training, you require:

  • An Internet connection on your computer to access the training session
  • Telephone access to listen to the training session
  • Microsoft® Internet Explorer® to view the training session

For more information or to register, please call 1-800-328-2898.

Module 1: Clients and Matters

  • Conflict and Global Search
  • Conflict Search / Global Search
  • Matters
  • Matter Manager
    • Main Tab
    • Billing Tab
  • Renumbering Matters/Clients
  • List of Clients

Module 2: Data Entry

  • Time and Fees
    • Timesheet
    • Quick Timer
    • Web Timer
    • Fee Sheet
    • Correcting Time and Fee Entries
  • Client Costs
    • Expense Recovery
    • Cash Disbursements (General Cheques)
    • Recording Transaction Levies (Ontario & Newfoundland and Labrador)
    • Correcting Expense Recovery and General Cheque Entries
  • Trust
    • Trust Receipt
    • Trust Cheque
    • Matter-to-Matter Transfer
    • Bank-to-Bank Transfer
    • Trust-to-General Transfer
    • Correcting Trust
  • General Retainers
  • Correcting General Retainers

Module 3: Advanced Data Entry

  • Accounts Payable
    • Creating Vendors
    • Entering Invoices
    • Entering Invoices and Processing from a Single Screen
    • New Payable
    • A/P Reports
    • Correcting Payables
  • Remitting GST
  • Memorized Transactions
  • Recurring Entries
    • Creating Entries
    • Access from the Recurring Entries List
  • Batch Cheque Printing
    • Turning on the Batch Cheque Printing Feature
    • Adding Cheques to Batch Cheque Printing
    • Printing Cheques from Batch Printing

Module 4: Billing

  • Billing Overview / Recommended Billing Procedures
  • Creating a Pre-bill
  • Anticipated Disbursements
  • Split Billing
  • Courtesy Discounts
  • Undo Bill
  • Quick Bill
  • Creating Bills with the Quick Bill Feature

Module 5: A/R, Payments and Write-Offs

  • Past-Due Notices
  • Setup Interest for the Overall System
  • Override the System Settings on a Matter-by-Matter Basis
  • Change or Add Interest to Existing Invoices within the System
  • Producing Past-Due Notices (Reminder Notices)
  • General Receipts
  • Receive Payment
  • General Retainer
  • Firm Receipt
  • Change/Write-Off Bill

Module 6: Template Editor – Basics for Billing

  • What Is Template Editor?
  • How to Access the Template Editor
  • New Template
  • Saving Templates
  • Defining Elements
  • Placeholders for Variable Information
  • Billing Templates
  • Types of Sections
  • Past-Due Notice Templates
  • Special Elements (Age Phrase)
  • Changing Phrases
  • Other Templates

Module 7: Data Flow

  • Chart of Accounts – Add/Change
    • G/L Accounts
    • Bank Accounts
    • Other Control Accounts
  • General Ledger Transactions for the Following Functions:
    • General Cheques
    • Trust Cheques
    • Expense Recovery
    • A/P
    • Bills
    • Payments
    • GST Remittances
  • Opening Balances for:
    • General Bank
    • GST
  • Client-Related Items:
    • Trust
    • A/R
    • Unbilled Fees and Disbursements

Module 8: Month-End Procedures

  • Reports Groups
  • G/L Reconciliation Report
  • Bank Reconciliation
  • End-of-Month Function
  • End-of-Year Function
  • Closing Files

Module 9: Introduction to PCLaw Front Office 
  • Contact Management
    • Entering Contacts / Changing Contacts
    • Associating Contacts with Appointments
    • Associating Matters with Contacts
    • Contact Reports
  • Calendaring
    • Calendar Setup
    • Appointment Codes
    • Location Codes
    • Scheduling Appointments
    • Posting Time from Appointments
    • Create To Do’s
    • Recurring Activities / Linked Date Events
  • Phone Call Manager
    • Overview
    • Workstation Settings
    • Adding Phone Calls
    • Adding Messages

    For more information or to register, please call 1-800-328-2898. View our training schedule.

PCLaw® Classroom Training

LexisNexis is pleased to offer classroom-based training to PCLaw users to provide you with a hands-on learning experience. All training sessions are conducted using the latest version of PCLaw and sessions run from 9 am to 4.30 pm. Courses include:

  • Fundamentals
  • Beyond the Fundamentals
  • Accounting and Month-End Procedures

Click here to view our schedule.

A certificate of completion will be provided to an attendee who completes both the Fundamentals and Beyond the Fundamentals sessions. A certificate will also be provided for completion of the Accounting and Month-End Procedures session.

Instruction is delivered lecture-style. Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentations may also be used during the lectures. Participants are provided with workstations with PCLaw installed for a hands-on learning experience. Labs reinforce each lesson unit. Lecture notes are provided for additional reference.

Locations: Toronto and Vancouver

Cost is $400 (+ applicable taxes) per attendee per session.

Specials*:

  • 10% discount if two or more participants from your firm attend a session
  • 20% discount if a participant registers for two or more sessions

For more information or to register, please call 1-800-328-2898.

Fundamentals

  • Working with Matters
  • Time Tracking in PCLaw
  • Banking
    • Cheques and Receipts
  • Client Expenses
    • Cheque and Non-Cheque Expense Entries
  • Trust Accounting
  • Conflicts
  • Working with Accounts Payable
  • Pre-billing and Billing
  • Payment and Receipts

Beyond the Fundamentals

  • Batch Cheques
  • Recurring Entries
  • Quantity x Rate Calculations
  • Billing
    • Consolidated Client Billing
    • Mass Billing
    • Fee Allocations
  • Past-Due Notices
  • Collection Reports
  • Template Editor
    • Bills
    • Past-Due Notices

Accounting and Month-End Procedures

  • Accounting and Start-Up
    • Journals and General Ledgers
    • Opening Balances
  • Month-End Procedures
    • Running G/L Statements
    • Reconciling Procedures
    • Core Reports
    • Bank Reconciliation
    • Closing Months
    • Year-End Procedures
    • Closing Matters

For more information or to register, please call 1-800-328-2898. View our training schedule.
Managed Technology Solutions 

LexisNexis® Managed Technology Solutions helps law firms, businesses and other organizations lower the risk of business disruption by protecting mission-critical data and servers in a cost-effective manner.

Please select the LexisNexis offering most relevant to your needs.

PCLaw® Cloud Backup 
An essential component of a proactive data and document management strategy, PCLaw® Cloud Backup provides simple, seamless backup and retrieval of your mission-critical PCLaw database files. An application continuously tracks all changes to PCLaw database files and automatically backs up data to the Cloud, on a schedule determined by the end user.

LexisNexis® Cloud Recovery 
LexisNexis® Cloud Recovery is a cloud-based server replication solution that addresses your business continuity and disaster recovery requirements, with no capital investment required.

Learn more about this product

Call 1-800-255-5174

info@lexisnexis.ca