Huge Legal Software Merger

Big news from the law practice management software world.  Abacus Law has acquired Amicus Attorney.  That's right, the two biggest providers are now One.

Way back when Amicus Attorney was founded by Toronto lawyer Ron Collins, and Abacus Law was founded by San Diego lawyer Judd Kessler. They are now in the rear view mirror as Wall Street takes over law practice management.  Heck, "Law" does not even appear in the name of the new company!

Here is the email I received from the New, Combined Abacus Data Systems:

Dear John

It is our pleasure to share some exciting news with you!  

For over two decades AbacusLaw and Amicus Attorney have stood together in the legal space as the pinnacles of case management solutions. Today, we are delighted to announce that Amicus Attorney will become an integrated part of the Abacus family. 

With our combined technology and expertise we will continue to expand our Best in Class practice automation solutions powered by compliance-ready, Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) workspaces designed to eliminate capital expenditure and the burdens associated with IT management.

Our Clients are at the center of everything we do! We will continue to offer and support all products and services. Our commitment to YOU is to consistently raise the bar and provide you with the most comprehensive, fully managed, legal technology solutions that cater to the success of your practice in today’s highly digitalized world.

As always, we thank you for your continued patronage and remain at your service.

Click here to read the full Press Release

Warm regards,

  
Alessandra Lezama
CEO

On to the Press Release:

Abacus Data Systems and Amicus Attorney Join Forces to Transform Practice Automation

Two of Legal Tech Industry’s Most Influential Players Together Deliver One-Stop-Shop Legal Technology Solutions

SAN DIEGO, CA, May 17, 2016 -- Abacus Data Systems, Inc. (Abacus), the premier provider of fully managed legal technology solutions, today announced that Amicus Attorney® (Amicus), one of the world’s leading practice management solution for lawyers, will become an integrated part of the Abacus family.  

Abacus and Amicus serve hundreds of thousands of attorneys in the US and around the world. By combining their collective technology and expertise, the newly integrated group will deliver the widest range of Best in Class practice management, time, billing and accounting applications powered by compliance-ready, Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) workspaces designed to eliminate capital expenditure and the burdens associated with IT management. 

“We’re proud of Amicus’ strong innovation history and the extraordinary work of the Amicus team to provide award winning practice management software,” said Alessandra Lezama, CEO of Abacus. “This transaction is the culmination of those efforts and the logical next step for Abacus. In joining forces with Amicus, our customers, employees, and stockholders will benefit from being part of a more diversified industry leader with significantly greater market opportunities. Our combination creates a more influential industry player with a commitment to product innovation and integration, which is key to the success of legal professionals in today’s highly digitalized world that has redefined the practice of law.”

Amicus’ CEO Ron Collins stated, “For over two decades Amicus and Abacus have stood together in the legal space as the pinnacles of case management solutions and superior customer service, and now together, this group will create synergies that will bring even greater benefits to attorneys all over the world.”

Abacus recently announced a majority investment of Providence Growth Equity and the opening of its new Headquarters in La Jolla, California adding more than 50 new technology positions. The integration of Abacus and Amicus reflects their commitment to the fast-paced technological evolution of the legal market and to providing unparalleled resources in support of its customers’ ever-changing practice automation needs.

“Both companies will continue to offer all products and services with no changes made to either company’s staff or management team,” explained Lezama. “The joint strengths and values of both our companies equal a superior breed of service provider and will benefit our customers, partners, and employees across the board. We are proud to welcome Amicus’ talented team into the Abacus family,” Lezama concluded.

About Abacus Data Systems, Inc.

Abacus Data Systems is the provider of the first to market case management, time billing and accounting software designed to easily automate law practice operations, ensure best possible outcomes, and increase profitability. In 2014 Abacus launched Abacus Private Cloud, a compliance ready, Turn-Key Desktop-as-a-Service solution (DaaS) to help attorneys bridge the gap to private cloud environments that guarantee security and ultimate performance to help legal professionals and others alike quickly build and grow their practice successfully.
 

Founded in 1983, Abacus has over 250,000 clients worldwide, is headquartered in San Diego, California, and operates three fully redundant data center footprints in the United States specifically engineered to host and safeguard sensitive data for professionals. Robust security and compliance policies, including two-factor authentication, five tiers of physical, network and data security and information handling and data privacy protocols in accordance with NIST standards ensure a safe and compliant environment for even the most confidential data. Please call 1-800-726-3339 or visit http://www.abacuslaw.com/ to learn more.

About Amicus Attorney 

Amicus Attorney is practice management software that works the way lawyers do. It’s an easy, lawyer-friendly solution that serves as the hub of a law practice. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Toronto, Amicus is made by Gavel & Gown Software. Tens of thousands of law firms worldwide use Amicus Attorney. Gavel & Gown's numerous achievements are recognized through the success of its customers and through its alliances with key strategic partners. As a measure of this phenomenal success, Amicus Attorney has won more than 30 prominent industry awards, has been endorsed by major law societies and has been recognized by independent surveys as one of the most widely used practice management software in the USA. For more information, please call (800) 472-2289 or visit www.amicusattorney.com.

About Providence Equity 

Providence Equity Partners is the world’s leading global private equity firm focused on equity investments in media, communications, education, and information companies. The firm manages funds with over $40 billion in commitments and has invested in more than 140 companies globally since its inception in 1989. Providence is headquartered in Providence, RI and also has offices in New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, and New Delhi. Visit www.provequity.com for more information.

- See more at: http://www.abacuslaw.com/resources/blog/abacus-data-systems-and-amicus-attorney-join-forces-transform-practice-automation#sthash.gvkEIrZs.dpuf



Please visit hardinglaw.com for more information about Harding & Associates Family Law 

#Harding&AssociatesFamilyLaw #californiafamilylaw #divorce #family law #superlawyers #americanacademyofmatrimoniallawyers #Pleasantondivorce #AlamedaCountyDivorce #ContraCostaCountyDivorce #lawyers

Amicus Attorney Is In The Cloud

Amicus Attorney is one of the stalwarts of law practice management software ("PMS").  A cloud based version of the product has recently been released.

Amicus going to the cloud could be a good thing, and it could be a bad thing.  Undoubtedly Amicus Attorney will eventually become a cloud only platform.  If you are an Amicus user, or thinking about adopting Amicus keep this in mind.

The new product does require Microsoft exchange for email processing, which could big a big step up for small firms; and some reviewers report that the conversion process can be daunting.  For the most part though the reviews of the Amicus cloud platform are most positive.

Amicus Attorney is created and sold by Gavel & Gown software.  GG has done lots of great things in the PMS biz.  It's transition to the cloud is a big deal.  Over at the Legal Loudspeaker blog there is a great review of the new cloud platform.  Please click here for a visit.  Of course there is also plenty of additional info at the Amicus Attorney website.

Please visit hardinglaw.com for more information about Harding & Associates Family Law 

#amicusattorneycloud#Harding&AssociatesFamilyLaw #californiafamilylaw #divorce #family law #superlawyers #americanacademyofmatrimoniallawyers #Pleasantondivorce #AlamedaCountyDivorce #ContraCostaCountyDivorce #lawyers

I Am Dumping Amicus Attorney

We have used Amicus Attorney for years. I have always loved the awesome graphics of the program, and the potential it carries. I have always loathed the technical support, and the dubious upgrade process. In my mind Gavel & Gown software, the vendor of Amicus Attorney, has a nasty habit of releasing annual upgrades with only modest little tweaks, then discontinuing reasonable support for earlier iterations of the software. They have also in the last year or two introduced a completely ridiculous annual maintenance plan. They release buggy software, then you have no choice but to spend hundreds of dollars for a support agreement. This strategy is even more offensive in that new product upgrades come with no support! Even if you pay several thousands of dollars to upgrade, you then have to pack on hundreds of dollars more to get the new software to work! That is why I have version 2008 running, even though there is a version 2009, and a version 2010.

I have put up with this shoddy way of doing business for years because of the overwhelming thought of converting to a different system. However, Gavel & Gown has finally crossed the line. We use AA in conjunction with a court rules calendaring program from Compulaw. In the first week in November I received an e-mail from Gavel & Gown that there were going to be problems with the Compulaw add-on because of changes that the Federal Courts have made regarding how dates will be calculated. The theme of the message was "stay tuned." This is important because date and rules calendaring is one of the main reasons we use case management software.

That stay-tune message came about ten days later when I got a letter from Gavel & Gown. That letter explained that date and rules calendaring in any pre-2010 version of Amicus would not work after November 30, 2009, and the only solution would be to purchase the 2010 version. Absolute Piracy! Here's a flip of the proverbial bird at you Gavel & Gown.

Last week I plunked down more than $6000 to purchase an entire new software system from Abacus Law. The software is installed, and we are now waiting for the vendor to schedule our data conversion from Amicus to Abacus. I know that is going to be a challenging and frustrating exercise, but we really have no choice. Gavel & Gown has painted us into a corner, and now we have to work our way out.

Stay tuned.

You Need Practice Management Software!

I have used practice management software for years. In my particular case the program is Amicus Attorney. I would not say the relationship I have with the program is perfect (see rants and venting elsewhere in this blog). On the whole though, the pluses for outweigh the minuses, and I consider the software a can't live without.

On his Does It Compute blog John Heckman also gives his thumb-up to practice management software. Here is what John has to say.

Practice Management: A Day in the Life

Think of a Practice Management program as a giant Redweld. For each client or matter, there are folders for documents, contact addresses, emails, memos to file, phone slips, Internet research, etc. But instead of having to hunt for it (hint: It will be at the bottom of the large pile in the corner of the attorney’s office), you just check the computer, and there it is! Practice Management programs store electronically in one place everything that you normally store on paper in the client file. At the core of any practice management system is the matter (or engagement, case, or whatever you call it). Unlike Outlook, which is individual-central (all emails are listed as to or from a specific individual), these systems are matter-centric. By putting all the emails, documents, phone calls, appointments, notes, todos, time records, Internet research, etc. in one electronic place, everyone who works on the case has access to them, instead of having them dispersed who knows where. Clients tell me that their practice management system can reduce the number of times they have to find and consult a physical file by up to 70%. So let’s look at:

A Day In the Life...

You open your practice management software when you get into the office. Up pops a list of your appointments, to dos, phone messages, new emails, and the reminders of court dates, filings, statutes of limitations, etc. (A leading cause of malpractice suits is missing deadlines). Already you feel more in control.
No sooner do you settle in than you get a phone call. The prospect you spoke with yesterday wants to retain you. You (or a paralegal or assistant) do a conflict check which does not turn up any conflicts based on the information in the software (so you don’t have to waste a half a day checking to see if anybody else knows of any conflicts). You open the new matter. You add the contact information for various parties (except that the opposing attorney is somebody you have already dealt with, so he is already in your rolodex – you will never have to retype that information). You associate the contacts with the matter: the client, opposing counsel, various parties, depending on the type of case.
You call the new client back to set up a meeting. The Phone timer starts, accurately recording the amount of time you spend. You check everybody else’s calendar to make sure they are free, then set up a meeting for next Tuesday and enter the time and date in the Calendar module – together with adding your Paralegal to the appointment (which will show up on his calendar too) and reserving the Rear Conference Room (which also is controlled by the calendar – so you can always see the status of the conference room from your computer). While you are on the phone, the program’s internal Instant Messaging application pops up with a note from your secretary saying that another client is in the waiting room. You IM back that you will be right there, then stop the Phone timer and click another button to make a time entry for the phone call.
You need a retainer letter for the client, so from your word processor, you access the practice management program’s templates and create your basic retainer, complete with all the client information you already entered (no need to retype it). You then check over the draft, make changes and save the final letter and associate it with the matter.
You assign a task to your secretary to create the other documents needed when a file is opened. While you were working on this letter, you get a phone call on a different matter. You switch timers to the other matter, record the call and make a quick time entry before getting back to your letter.
You then create a “note” on the engagement – an electronic memo to file, which is also related to the matter.
Later that day, the client emails you that the address information was incomplete. You start a timer for dealing with the email, and complete the address information (which is now available, corrected, for everyone). You save the email to the PM system, associating it with the client. You again stop the timer and make a time entry.
Meanwhile, you need to do some internet research for the case. You find the sources you want on the web and – guess what – save those to the matter as well, so that you can click on the web address and go back to the page without having to hunt for it again.
You need to make a check list of things to do for this new client. You go through the outline for this type of case, and delegate various tasks to your assistant, paralegal, etc. You create chains of linked events so that you can track court deadlines, Statute of Limitations, etc.
At the end of the day, you go into your time entries, edit them and post them to your time and billing software. You notice in passing that whereas you recollect being on the phone for 10 minutes with the client, the timer information shows that you were actually on the phone for a half an hour – that’s an additional 20 minutes you would not have billed otherwise.
While you are working, your contact list and calendar is synchronized with Outlook and your PDA/Blackberry/iPhone, etc. When you leave the office, it is up to date, so you always have a current contact list and calendar with you.
The next morning you come in and what to check the status of the case. You open the file, and note that your assistant and finished 2 of the 3 initial tasks you assigned, and is half done with the last one. You review the appointment, phone call and emails for the engagement. You realize you have saved at least 10 minutes in the process of creating this matter.
Wow! you say to yourself. If I save 12 minutes a day, that’s an hour a week, times 50 weeks a year at my billing rate of $250 an hour, that’s $12,500 a year. And I billed an extra 20 minutes for that phone call that I would not otherwise have remembered. Another hour a week billing additional time for things I would almost certainly otherwise have forgotten, that’s another $12,500 a year in actual additional billings (hard cash)! How come it took me so long to buy this software? Think of all the money I was throwing away when I didn’t have it!!

Please click here for John's original article.

Please be sure to visit www.hardinglaw.com, the website for the law firm of Harding & Associates, for more information on California family law.

More Amicus Attorney Upgrade Info

Here's the latest info on my search for rational thought at Gavel & Gown Software, Inc., the publishers of Amicus Attorney software, and the company's policies and practices regarding maintenance and upgrades. As you will recall, on Monday of last week I was charged more than $500 to renew my annual maintenance contract. Then on Wednesday I learned that there is a 2009 update to the software. I contacted Gavel & Gown software, and was told it would cost me $901.20 to upgrade my 4 seat licenses. And by the way, that upgrade does not come with support! From past experience I can assure everyone out there that when you buy an upgrade from Gavel & Gown it just does not install problem free, and there are always several calls to technical support.

So, the bottom line is that what amounts to nothing more than an annual upgrade would cost me more than $1400. Basically ransom money -- buying the 2009 version to fix the bugs in the 2008 version and get some modest new features as a throw in. I'm not gonna do it. I'll live with the old bugs I have in the old version of Amicus Attorney, rather than pay thousands of dollars for the new problems.

Incidentally, regarding that $500 maintenance contract. It sucks! The last three times I have called technical support I have had to leave a message. Only one of the calls was returned. Somewhere around the beginning of last year G&G had launched a PR campaign proclaiming that they had resolved the long hold times, dropped calls, and failure to return call problems that were plaguing the technical support department. I believe the company even hired a new technical support manager. For a couple of months there was actual improvement. Now, unfortunately, I must report that the bad old days have returned, and G&G's technical support once again gets critical marks.

Concerns About Amicus Attorney Failing To Serve Its Customers

I run Amicus Attorney as my case management software. The product is put out by a Canadian company by the name of Gavel & Gown Software. We have had it in place for approximately ten years, and switching to another product isn't a practical option. Basically, our firm is a slave to the product. I like the software, but hate the company. Let me give you an example.

We run the Premium Edition (PE), which is there top of the line product. PE auto installs updates. Over the New Year break the program did an auto update. When our office re-opened on January 5th, Amicus Attorney would not run -- because of a flaw with the auto update. That meant we had to call technical support. We made the call, only to learn that our technical support contract expired on January 3. Interesting coincidence? I doubt it. So, we pay the $500+ to extend our service contract, and resolve the bug in the software. Frustrating.

Another example. The PE has a nice feature called the "mobile edition." This is an add-on. Basically it installs the program on my Window Mobile cell phone. Then I have light copy of the entire software on my phone. I can bill, attach calls to files, etc., all from my phone. Admittedly great stuff. I paid roughly $200 a month ago for the upgrade.

Today I get a sales e-mail from Gavel & Gown. They have released a 2009 version of PE. Don't know what it costs. But the sales materials would suggest that the mobile edition is now a free component. If it is I am pissed because the sales department should have told me to wait a month for the 2009 version. I am also frustrated by the possibility that the upgrade to the 2009 version may include technical support, which I just shelled $500 for earlier in the week. I have left a message for the sales department. Will let everyone know what I hear back.

Amicus Attorney is notorious for releasing product to market before it is ready. Several of us tech crazy family law lawyers have resorted to calling it Mini Microsoft. You can't live with it, but you can't live without it. This corporate model forces you to maintain expensive support, and leaves you wanting for the next version so you can get past the problems of your current software (think Vista!).

On the whole I like the product. Then again I don't have any other option. If you are considering practice/case management software into your practice, consider Amicus. But make sure you compare it to other products, and appreciate that it is buggy, and it is expensive to maintain. There is definitely a very high price($$$) beyond the money you are going to pay to buy the product.

Going On and Offline in Amicus Small Firm Edition

If you are a laptop user that has Amicus Attorney Small Firm Edition, V, or V+, you can take your Amicus with you when you leave the office. While you are at your office, you can go to Office –> Go Offline. You will have the option of copying your document templates down for use. If you do not use Office –> Go Offline and bring your laptop away from the office, you will still be offline. Click here for the entirety of Craig Bayer's article.

Please be sure to visit www.hardinglaw.com, the website for the law firm of Harding & Associates, for more information on California family law.

Amicus Mobile

For years and years I have utilized Amicus Attorney as the practice management software in my office. It has often been a love-hate relationship. Gavel & Gown Software, the makers of the product, have long been on the cutting edge. However, in my opinion, they rush releases to market prematurely, and leave their customers to suffer with mountains of bugs and deficits with each new release. Their technical support has also been loathsome. There was an uptick of improvement for a short while last year. However, there seems to be a return of late of the long wait times and annoying process of answering the call just to explain that a call back will be required.

That having been said, I still stick with AA. I have recently implemented Gavel and Gown's Amicus Mobile add-on, and loe and behold I only have good things to say about it. Amicus Mobile is a minature version of the AA product that you install on your smart phone. At this point in time it is only available for the Windows Mobile platform, but there is a rumor that there will be a Blackberry version soon. The product turns your phone into a condensed version of the Amicus Attorney installed on your desktop computer, and it allows for real-time connection to the Amicus server at your office.

So far the application is actually working as promised! If it keeps performing as promised, my efficiency as a raod warrior will go way up. I will be better able to bills for client calls and e-mails completed on my cell phone; and will will have real time case and calendar information at my fingertips.

For example, here's the Amicus blurb on the phone call function:

I'll keep playing with it and report my findings. In the mean time you can get more info by visiting the Amicus web page.

Please be sure to visit www.hardinglaw.com, the website for the law firm of Harding & Associates, for more information on California family law.