Your browser is your practice management system now

Browser selection

Setting up your browser

Quick navigation with essential keyboard shortcuts

Leverage browser extensions

Leverage automations

MSP selection

Getting setup to succeed with best in breed

This article is mainly for two groups:

Key points

Firstly, it is important when changing to a new system, to learn to use that system the way that it was designed to be used. Don't try to keep using the new system in the same way as the old one.

Change to working primarily from the browser, not from the desktop. If you don't make this change, you'll miss out on many of the efficiency benefits of the new cloud-based approach.

Treat your browser as your practice management system. Its job is to tie together most of the tools that you will use to run your practice.

In the past, the all-in-one desktop systems often had a number of tools that were not great. Now, in the best-in-breed, cloud-based age, you can swap out any tools in your stack that are not performing with ones that will. You no longer have to change the entire system to fix this.

This flexibility of the best-in-breed approach means that you can be much less risk adverse with the time required to select technology.

When selecting your software, preference tools that have an open API. This means that, while they will have a security review, they don't restrict who can develop integrations with them. This means that you can more easily sync these with your other systems - either out-of-the-box or via services like Zapier or Power Automate.

The usual way to spot which platforms have an open API is whether they have a variety of integrations with other applications that they do not own or have an investment in.

Key points

Chances are that you've mainly just used the same browser for years. But there are a variety of browsers around (e.g. Chrome, Edge, Opera, Firefox, Safari etc), each with their own strengths. Some will help you work faster and more effectively than others.

I would encourage you to be completely shameless and disloyal about which browser you use and be willing to switch at any time.

Recently, I have preferred Microsoft's Edge browser for the following reasons:

Key points:

To get the most out of your cloud-based stack you need to set up your browser for speed.

Startup tabs: Set your browser to automatically open the key pages and applications you need to see first thing every day (settings > startup).

Bookmark all the applications, documents, folders, and websites that you access regularly. This will provide quick access via the bookmarks dropdown in your browser and dramatically improve your experience.

Change to vertical tabs for more screen real-estate and greater readability of your tab names. (settings > appearance). If not using Edge, there will be a browser extension for this.

Learn the essential keyboard shortcuts. These will significantly improve the speed and ease with which you navigate your best-in-breed stack.

Everyone knows a few keyboard shortcuts, like Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V. Now it is time to learn the essential shortcuts for fast navigation around your browser. The more you can use your keyboard rather than your mouse to get around, the faster you will be.

Of all of these, make sure you at least learn the first two below. They will save you so much time and greatly improve your experience.

People who have come from a desktop-centric system (i.e. traditional practice management software) are used to being reliant on one software vendor to include a feature if they need it.

With a browser-centric system (i.e. modern cloud-based legal tech stack), you have access to a massive library of browser extensions and integrations that you can add by yourself.

The table below provides some extensions that you'll likely find useful in legal practice.

Key points:

Another development of the modern age of cloud-based software has been open APIs. This is where developers of the software you use allow other vendors to create integrations with their system and even allow the users to do so.

If you have come from traditional desktop software, and especially if that software ran on a server that your firm owned, you may not realize that you have the power to extend and customize the software you use once on a cloud-based system.

Beyond the out-of-the-box integrations that an application has, you can often extend these using services like Power Automate or Zapier. This allows you to add integrations with additional platforms and to create automated workflows between them to save time on repetitive processes.

Platforms like Hivelight, for example have an open API with publicly available documentation. We also have tutorials on how you can use this to create your own integrations and automations with other platforms like Outlook and Google Forms.

If you feel this is a bit out of your expertise, you can always speak with a consultant or your MSP for assistance.

As your firm grows, you'll likely want to engage a managed service provider (MSP). This is an outsources IT team that will assist you with technical support, solution selection, and small projects.

Don't skimp on your MSP. Pay the money and engage on that has a local support team. Choose one that has a senior rep that you can meet with every 6 months to discuss the technology needs of the business, and who is able to deliver some hardware and software configuration projects for you.

To summarize: