Prolaw Brochure v11

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ProLaw

One integrated software suite unlimited power to manage your practice.

ProLaw

The engine to power your practice .

SM

ProLaw
prolaw.thomsonelite.com

All-in-one software to automate the practice and manage the business of law.

case management contacts and client relationships calendar and email docketing and court rules Westlaw integration robust security physical records management flexible reporting document management and assembly tasks and deadlines integrated accounting time and billing multi-office support remote access

The engine to power your practice


The Business Challenge
In todays competitive market, legal professionals are confronted with the rising need to deliver more value to clients while increasing productivity and efficiency. ProLaw was created with this mission in mind.

An Integrated Software Suite


ProLaw was the first and remains the legal industrys leading all-in-one software to automate the practice and manage the business of law. From the convenience of a Microsoft Windows desktop environment or Web browser*, ProLaw automates case, relationship and document management as well as time entry, billing and accounting all within one integrated solution. It provides comprehensive integration with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Westlaw research, court rules and many other popular applications to help you build and maintain a productive and profitable practice that will remain a step ahead of the competition! Designed specifically for use in smaller and mid-size law firms, corporate legal departments and government law offices, ProLaw matches the way attorneys and legal offices actually work, so you can spend less time on administrative tasks and more time serving clients. Since 1987, thousands of legal professionals have turned to ProLaw for sophisticated practice and financial management software that is competitively priced, easy-to-use and uniquely tailored to the legal industry.

ProLaw is an all-in-one software solution from Thomson Elite, the premier provider of financial and practice management solutions to legal organizations.

Leading Service Partner


ProLaw customers also benefit from convenient online, on-site and off-site training, cost-efficient support, maintenance and updates packages, a 24/7 self-support online knowledge base and a growing selection of optional modules that allow you to add new capabilities as your needs change and your practice grows. Our on staff team of professional legal technology consultants are dedicated to helping your office make the transition to ProLaw, and will partner with you to ensure your business continues to run efficiently all day, every day!

*Option with ProLaw READY.

ProLaw
The Business Case for ProLaw

All-in-one software to automate the practice and manage the business of law.

The ProLaw Advantage


Feature Highlight All-in-one solution provides everything needed to organize and automate your practice. Easy to learn and use. Superior service that ensures a smooth and timely transition to an efficient solution. Includes comprehensive consulting and ongoing support from the leading technology partner for automating legal organizations. Strategically view productivity and profitability with powerful report generation functionality. In-context legal research with Westlaw,* the leading online legal and business information resource. Comprehensive integration with Microsoft Outlook, Word and many other applications. Streamline docketing with rules-based calendaring and integrated court rules.** Faster billing and intuitive time entry functions enable increased realization and reduced billing cycle times. Facilitate client/matter intake with a growing selection of Practice Libraries. Protect your firm and clients with powerful conflicts search functionality. Scalable and adaptable to meet your evolving needs with multi-office capabilities and powerful add-on modules. ProLaw Best Your Current Practices Legal Solution Systems X X ? ?

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* Requires a subscription to Westlaw. ** Some court rule sets are sold separately.

prolaw.thomsonelite.com

The Business Case for ProLaw

An Integrated Solution Designed Specifically for Legal Professionals


Traditionally, legal organizations have used several different applications to manage their business and practice activities. Separate software packages were used for accounting, bill generation, client development, case management, docketing, document management, time and expense tracking, and so on. ProLaw changed all of this by developing the first integrated solution designed to dramatically simplify the management and practice of law. Today, ProLaw from Thomson Elite leads the industry in providing everything needed to organize and automate your law practice or department.

The ProLaw Dashboard provides one-touch access to everything users need in one convenient location.

Organize and Manage All of Your Client and Matter Information Run all aspects of your practice from one place.
ProLaw is accessible to users from the convenience of a Windows desktop or Web browser*. Case, relationship and document management, as well as time tracking, billing and accounting functions are available anytime, anywhere in one simple solution.

*Option available with ProLaw READY.

ProLaw
The Business Case for ProLaw

From within Outlook, users can create and save calendar entries and documents to ProLaw and open related ProLaw matters.

Work seamlessly from Microsoft Word and Outlook.


ProLaw provides easy and comprehensive integration with Word and Outlook for streamlined docketing. Using the unique Pro Filing capability and bi-directional integration, users can create events or documents in Outlook or Word and easily attach them to relevant matters. All events, tasks and deadlines scheduled in ProLaw can automatically appear in the calendar sections of Outlook, and reminders for important deadlines can be sent to users via email. Contacts entered in ProLaw can automatically appear in the address book of Outlook. Users can manage their entire day from a single system. When youre working in Microsoft Word or Outlook, ProLaw captures and stores documents with the pertinent matter.

ProLaw fully integrates with Word. Open or create a document in Word and save it in ProLaw with the related matter.

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The Business Case for ProLaw

Organize information relevant to any matter.


ProLaw manages all types of documents, including word processing documents, email, spreadsheets, video, audio recordings, charts and pictures. The built-in document management system (DMS) allows legal professionals to quickly and easily locate documents and files related to any matter. Documents can be created, stored and retrieved by client, matter, event or other key information.

Find the information you need.


Whether you want to locate information related to specific clients, matters, or other key information, ProLaw makes it easy to find what you need.

Use the Quick Find tool to locate information fast.

ProLaw automatically indexes the contents of word processing documents, emails and PDF files. Search for text and ProLaw retrieves all documents containing your search terms.

ProLaw
The Business Case for ProLaw

All-in-one software to automate the practice and manage the business of law.

Automate and Coordinate Your Law Practice Easily create documents and manage workflow.
Intuitive document assembly and case management capabilities help automate follow up activities related to events. When depositions are scheduled, ProLaw sends out notifications. Once an interrogatory is received, due dates are docketed. When a new client meeting is scheduled, the fee agreement, client acceptance letter, notification of counsel, complaint and discovery requests can all be easily created. ProLaw takes care of routine activities and correspondence to streamline the entire case management process.

Document automation simplifies production of documents, reduces data input errors and creates a valuable repository of the organizations critical documents.

Use Practice Libraries to jump-start opening a new matter.


Practice Libraries help make opening and managing new matters in ProLaw fast and easy. Pre-customized fields, screens and forms are tailored to a growing variety of practice specialties. A partial listing of available libraries includes: litigation, corporate, employment, insurance defense, intellectual property, personal injury, mass torts, immigration, probate, bankruptcy, corporate transactions and business organizations.

prolaw.thomsonelite.com

The Business Case for ProLaw

Find answers fast with in-context legal research.


Single-Click Search for Westlaw databases. Users can access Westlaw from ProLaw to look up a code or statute, check for conflicts, search for experts, research opposing counsel and more all within the context of the matter they are working on in ProLaw. And ProLaw remembers the databases you accessed recently so its even easier the next time. Save the hassle of multiple search layers and get just the information you need quickly.

With a simple right-click of the mouse, ProLaw users can directly access specific Westlaw databases to find vital information about a relevant contact or matter. Research results can be copied and pasted into ProLaw.

ProLaw
The Business Case for ProLaw

Share information across the entire office.


ProLaw is used by everyone across the organization. Information is entered once and everyone can see the whole picture check case status and calendars, generate reports, find expert witnesses, track time, bill quickly and simply. Theres no redundant data entry so administrative time is saved and rights access to sensitive material is easily controlled with item level security, user access control and audit trails.

Coordinate and automate business processes.


Within ProLaw Events, a workflow process can be set up to support a sequence of tasks to be completed. Whether its a simple checklist, date-driven or activity based, ProLaw eliminates manual processing where mistakes can occur or an essential task can be overlooked.

When users open a new litigation matter, a checklist displays the administrative action items that must be completed before any time can be billed to a matter.

Track time without missing a beat.


Easily transform any work activity into a time entry.

Any case management event such as updating case notes on a conference call, creating a document and docketing a follow up can be easily converted into a time entry with just a click of a button.

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The Business Case for ProLaw

Manage client relationships and client development opportunities.


Easily keep track of information about current or prospective clients to effectively manage business development communications. ProLaw provides immediate access to a variety of client information and streamlines marketing activities such as sending out holiday cards, newsletters and information about new service offerings.

Meet deadlines with comprehensive docketing capabilities.


ProLaws powerful rules-based docketing tools reduce the risk of missing important deadlines by managing all dates, events and documents related to a case. Import the appropriate court rules* for your district to set up the required events for cases and automatically schedule appropriate professionals for each event based upon their relationship to the case. From a simple phone call to the complex events of a trial case, you will never miss another required filing, response or appearance.

Users can easily manage mailing lists for marketing activities including newsletters, practicespecific mailings, holiday greetings and more.

Protect against costly mistakes.


Legal organizations must practice ongoing conflicts checks through the lifespan of a case. ProLaw lets you see all the relationships between people and matters to expedite the process for evaluating new business so that you and your clients are protected.

ProLaw delivers automated court rules for hundreds of jurisdictions and venues that are written or edited by attorneys and reviewed by prominent docketing departments.

*Some court rule sets are sold separately.

ProLaw
prolaw.thomsonelite.com

The Business Case for ProLaw

Manage Your Business Profitably and Effectively Connect case and client information with accounting and billing.
ProLaw connects your case and client information with your accounting and billing information. As an integrated solution, all your applications share one set of data. Enter information once and it automatically flows to documents, contacts, calendars, accounting and billing, reports wherever it is needed. Integrated data also means the risk for inaccuracies and inconsistencies is reduced.

Stay on track with integrated accounting and financials.


ProLaws integrated accounting solution delivers a general ledger, payables, receivables, trust accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, check writing, trust account management, cost recovery, collections and subrogation, and statement generation capabilities. The solution also integrates with popular cost recovery and payroll software. For contingency firms, ProLaw also has accounting functions that automate and manage settlement analysis, lien tracking, mass settlements and more.

Users can review the financial standing of every case with one click. When costs are advanced, they are allocated to appropriate matters so you know exactly what has been invested in a case.

The ProLaw general ledger automatically updates and maintains all balances and history. Users only need to make journal entries for end-ofmonth accounting adjustments.

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Powerful financial analysis tools allow users to easily generate a wide variety of management reports.

Analyze and report results.


ProLaw captures information about all your practice activities to provide quick and easy data analysis in the form of automatic and customized reports. Reports can be generated to address management issues, including: Case and client profitability Staff efficiency Billing efficiency Deadline efficiency Accounts receivable aging Cash flow

Increase billable hours.


ProLaw can increase productivity without adding to your payroll. Convenient, built-in time tracking makes it more likely that attorneys will accurately charge time and no billable time will be lost.

The ProLaw Portal allows users to easily manage case activities from any location with an Internet connection.

Deliver convenient and controlled access to information.


ProLaws search capabilities allow you to easily find information related to all aspects of a matter or client. Information can be easily shared across the organization. Most importantly, ProLaw features powerful security so that you can easily control information access.

Web Access with the ProLaw Portal*


ProLaw lets you provide authorized users with controlled access to information across your entire law firm or department via the Internet. Using the ProLaw Portal, you can provide access rights that allow clients to check case status online, enable co-counsel to check documents in and out and allow attorneys to enter their time from any Web browser.
* Option available with ProLaw READY.

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ProLaw
Service

All-in-one software to automate the practice and manage the business of law.

A Long-Term Partnership for Success


Whether your office consists of a few people just getting started with an integrated practice management solution, or many users and locations that require a more flexible approach, Thomson Elite has the industrys most experienced legal technology professionals on staff to get you up and running quickly on ProLaw. Our implementation approach ensures you get the most out of your technology investment by transforming technology into competitive advantage. We accomplish this with a level of service and commitment that goes far beyond implementation to include training and ongoing support so that your entire organization is able to use ProLaw successfully.

A Model for World-Class Service


With a reputation for outstanding service that is based on years of experience working with legal organizations Thomson Elite has developed a proven method for implementation success. Planning. ProLaw-trained consultants work with you to develop a clearly defined framework for installation, including scheduling, cost control strategies, testing and training options.
ProLaw-trained consultants help customers successfully make the transition to ProLaw and provide ongoing support to ensure business continues to run efficiently all day, every day!

Implementation. Consultants work closely with you to ensure that implementation is completed on time and on budget. Training and adoption. Flexible training options are available for everyone in your office, including attorneys, accountants, firm or office administrators, legal assistants and IT professionals. A wide variety of convenient instructor-led and online training program options are offered. Online programs include live and pre-recorded Web-based sessions or personalized training can be requested. For instructor-led training, ProLaw training staff members can travel to your office or on-site classroom training can be attended at selected Thomson Elite offices. Ongoing support. Highly trained and experienced support professionals are available via phone, email or over the Web. Other resources include user groups, online client forums and an annual user conference. ProLaw customers can also access a client portal at www.prolawportal.com that delivers immediate, online access to software updates, product support, online knowledge base, documentation, education courses and technical notes.

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Practice Management

ProLaw Feature Summary


ProLaw is packed with powerful and flexible capabilities that make it the software of choice for legal professionals.

Practice Management
ProLaw simplifies and streamlines your law practice by delivering a single integrated solution to manage cases and matters, contacts, scheduling, documents, emails, records, conflicts searching, time entry and more.

Case and Matter Management


ProLaw provides an at-a-glance view of all relevant case and matter information and makes it accessible with just a few clicks of the mouse. Users can quickly access and summarize all related documents, events, contacts, notes, phone calls and discussions. Define custom fields. Custom fields, such as names, places, dates, notes and checklists can be created to match the unique needs of various practice areas. Custom fields can be practice area-specific, with different tabs containing custom fields that can be designed to appear for specific case types.
Users can manage events and all other information associated with a matter.

When changes are made to rules-based events, ProLaw automatically adjusts other related events. ProLaw automatically tracks related information about who, where, when and why, and provides automatic reminders to individuals who need to know. Integration with Microsoft Outlook, IBM Lotus Notes and Novell GroupWise allows docket events scheduled in ProLaw to automatically appear on each users calendar in Outlook, Notes or GroupWise. From within Outlook, users can also create and save calendar entries to ProLaw and open relevant ProLaw matters. Link responsible parties. Responsible parties can be assigned to ProLaw events and can be comprised of a single attorney or an entire legal team. Manage dates and venues. ProLaw tracks the time and location of each docket event via a point-and-click calendar that provides full calendar views for easy scheduling. Manage docketing calendars in Outlook and ProLaw. Calendar entries for court dockets are maintained in ProLaw and optionally in Outlook. ProLaw will automatically coordinate an Outlook calendar to reflect the information recorded in ProLaw. And, if you want to keep working in Outlook, you can create a docketing calendar event in Outlook and attach it to the related case in ProLaw.
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Calendar and Group Scheduling


Intuitive scheduling capabilities allow users to access the schedules of other attorneys or team members to determine availability. Firm administrators can set firm-wide scheduling rules if needed, and reminders and deadlines can be set based upon user preferences. All events scheduled in ProLaw automatically appear on users calendars in Outlook, Lotus Notes or GroupWise. From within Outlook, users can create and save calendar entries to ProLaw and open relevant ProLaw matters. For those who need to manage calendars remotely, PDAs are supported through Microsoft Outlook synchronization.

Rules-Based Docketing
Docketing in ProLaw is always done within the context of the matter. Users can view and update events that have already been scheduled and create new events. Court rules in ProLaw provide a calendar of events required by specific courts and jurisdictions, so attorneys will never miss a required filing, response or appearance.

ProLaw
Practice Management

All-in-one software to automate the practice and manage the business of law.
Document Assembly
ProLaw includes event-driven document assembly capabilities that follow the life cycle of law practice activity, from scheduling client meetings to generating fee agreements, filing complaints and conducting discovery. ProLaw automatically merges information with pre-defined and custom templates, and integrates with your word processing and other document management software. Customize forms. ProLaw enables the easy creation of forms for review and printing in minutes. Within Word or WordPerfect, users can create new or modify existing forms; select fields from the ProLaw database and drop them into a form.

Rules-Based Docketing (continued)


Customize rules and reminders. Rules and reminders can be customized with the users own wording. These changes are kept intact through subscription-based rules updates. An unlimited number of reminders can be defined and delivered via email for each docket event. Reminders can be made minutes, hours, days, weeks or years, before or after the event. Flexible docket reports show each professional their responsibilities at their preferred level of detail. Define event workflows. Users can define how events relate to each other so that all related events are created automatically. ProLaw also allows users to define those documents that should be created when an event occurs, allowing docket events and documents to be tied together. Use integrated court rules*. ProLaw provides authoritative and accurate court rules that have been written or reviewed by some of the most prominent attorneys and docketing departments in the country. Rule sets are available for hundreds of jurisdictions, including federal, state, appellate and bankruptcy. Patent and trademark prosecution rules are also offered for over a hundred nations and treaty organizations. Court rules are continuously maintained and updated through a subscription from Thomson Elite.

Document Management
The ProLaw document management system (DMS) makes files easily accessible to any user with appropriate rights access. Documents and files related to any case can be located on any workstation. Being able to access electronic documents, scanned images and locate physical files from a single integrated desktop is a significant advantage for users managing cases. Manage emails. Powerful email management capabilities allow users to store critical correspondence sent or received through Microsoft Outlook/Exchange and view the information in ProLaw within the context of the matter to which it pertains. Store scanned images. Built-in support for document imaging enables whole or selective storing of scanned case files. Full text searching. Comprehensive full text indexing stores the content of each document and simplifies search efforts. Users can type in keywords to locate all relevant documents, without the need to know the individual file or matter with which the document is associated. Document shadowing. Automatic document shadowing saves files to a local hard drive, enabling the recovery of important documents in the event of a network failure. Automatic pleading indexing. Provides another way to categorize and report on documents. Document check-in and check-out. Lets users work on files offline while making sure others dont make simultaneous changes to the documents they have checked out. Document versioning and history tracking. Helps users keep track of various file versions.

Contact and Client Relationship Management


With ProLaw, all parties related to a matter or contact are maintained in a central database, making it easy to find the information needed to retain existing clients and valued contacts, as well as target and streamline marketing activities. Information about contacts is fully linked to related matters, calendaring and events functions so who you know and how you know them can be easily shared with others. Comprehensive integration with Microsoft Outlook ensures that contacts and events entered in ProLaw automatically appear in the users address book and calendar within Outlook.

Conflicts Management
Advanced conflicts searching allows users to find related parties and every case they have been related to, as well as any other contacts with whom they are associated. ProLaw automatically notifies relevant parties to vote on any conflicts and easily tracks pending and declined cases. Now you can expedite the process of evaluating new business while still ensuring that clients and the firm are protected.

*Some court rule sets are sold separately.

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Practice Management

Item level security. Protects information access down to the specific item level. Integration. ProLaw integrates with stand-alone document management systems from Hummingbird, Interwoven and WORLDOX.

Physical Records Management


Integrated records management capabilities help track the history and location of physical files, including who has had access to them. File labels can be easily customized using the ProLaw report writer, and bar codes can be created to ensure accuracy and expedite the check-in and check-out process.

Right-click search for Westlaw Litigator databases*. ProLaw provides one-click links from case and contact fields in ProLaw , and automatically directly to valuable databases in Westlaw Litigator* fills in the Westlaw search field with relevant data from ProLaw. ProLaw remembers the databases you recently accessed so its even easier the next time. Multiple search layers enable you to find the information you need quickly.

Fast and Easy Reporting


Easily access and run a variety of case management, docketing and financial reports with just a few clicks of the mouse. If a formal report isnt needed, users can simply print on-screen lists or save them to the file type of their choice. List contents can be grouped and sorted as desired by simply dragging and moving the information on-screen. Best of all, you dont have to buy additional reporting software because everything is built right into ProLaw.

Practice Libraries
ProLaw Practice Libraries are available for a growing variety of practice specialties, including litigation, corporate, employment, insurance defense, intellectual property, personal injury, mass torts, immigration, probate, bankruptcy, corporate transactions and business organizations.

Integrated Workflow
ProLaw has an advanced rules-based calendaring system that lets you manage related events and deadlines associated with everything from opening new matters, to managing your docketing process. This powerful workflow feature links events together, so if the date for one changes, all the others are automatically changed based on pre-determined rules.

In-Context Legal Research


Users can access Westlaw without leaving the ProLaw desktop through an integrated login that is tied directly to specific matters and contacts. While performing routine case management tasks in ProLaw, users can right-click their mouse to access Westlaw and look up a code or statute, search for experts, research opposing counsel and more all within the context of the matter they are working on in ProLaw. Westlaw research results can be copied and pasted directly into ProLaw. For efficient cost recovery of Westlaw charges, ProLaw integrates with Westlaw QuickView+, allowing research fees to be charged back to the relevant client or matter. Westlaw QuickView+. Westlaw usage is tracked and reported to ProLaw so expenses can be charged back to clients or other departments.

* Requires a subscription to Westlaw Litigator.

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ProLaw
Financial Management

All-in-one software to automate the practice and manage the business of law.
Convert events to time entries. Case management events can be easily converted into time entries. Any activity, from updating case notes on a conference call to creating a document and docketing a follow up can be easily entered as time. Use flexible timers. Convenient timers help attorneys efficiently keep track of their time even while multi-tasking. Multiple timers can be run simultaneously, with one timer stopping as another one is started.

Financial Management
ProLaw simplifies and streamlines operations by delivering a single integrated solution for managing your general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing, trust accounts, financial reporting, budgeting, check writing, cost recovery, collections and subrogation, split origination and other financial reporting.

Time Tracking
ProLaw takes the time out of tracking time. With built-in timers, abbreviations, spell checking and running subtotals, the process is faster and easier than ever. You can even track time by the effective dates during which attorneys were involved with a case. Simplify task-based billing. ProLaw makes tracking time for taskbased billing as easy as possible. Users are automatically reminded when they need to assign tasks for a particular client. Appropriate task lists are provided so users can simply point-and-click on the relevant task.

Easy-to-use time entry functions allow users to capture more billable time.

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Financial Management

Flexible Billing
ProLaw enables attorneys to present all client invoices in a clean, professional format that matches clients requirements. Attorneys have complete control over the look and feel of client bills. Built-in billing and statement formats can be used as templates, or users can choose to design brand new formats with drag-and-drop ease using customizable fonts, sizes, styles, colors and lines. Bill preparation is also fast and easy with ProLaw and even includes the ability to automatically split transactions across multiple matters. Distribute bills in electronic format. Electronic billing support is built into ProLaw, allowing legal professionals to print statements and create electronic bills simultaneously. LEDES, as well as a variety of other industry standards for electronic billing are supported. Flexible agents allow users to easily schedule the generation of billing statements and reports. Generate instant statement images. Users can easily retrieve images of client statements within ProLaw and print, fax or email copies to clients. Transactions split. ProLaw creates the appropriate transactions for splitting billable hours and expenses across multiple related matters, saving countless hours of manual data entry. For example, users can allocate numerous photocopy expenses across multiple matters, creating thousands of transactions automatically. Split billing scenarios. ProLaw allows for multiple billing parties per matter. Billing parties are assigned a percentage of the billing for which they are responsible. Statements automatically calculate the amount due for each billing party based on their percentage. AR can be viewed from a matter perspective or a billing party perspective. Split origination reporting. Using ProLaw, firms can have multiple originators on a client or matter. The system tracks the effective date of all professionals assigned to each client and matter so that analysis reports accurately reflect the percentage splits specified when multiple originating attorneys are involved during overlapping or distinct time periods.

Integrated Accounting
ProLaws integrated accounting solution delivers a general ledger, payables, receivables, trust accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, check writing, trust account management, cost recovery, collections and subrogation, and statement generation capabilities. The solution also integrates with popular cost recovery and payroll software. Easily view financial information for a matter. Intuitive inquiry capabilities allow users to locate financial details pertaining to clients or matters in seconds. Users can easily check accounts receivable, trust, retainer and WIP balances, review the complete billing history for a matter, or recall an exact image of any bill or statement. Financial analysis reports. ProLaws billing analysis and compensation calculations automatically track the original attorney hours and billing rate versus the amount that was billed and presented to the client. The business can be analyzed from multiple perspectives: originator and client, client and working attorney, matter type and department any combination necessary. Firm managers can view firm and case profitability, hours worked vs. billed, fees billed vs. budgeted, deadline efficiency per professional, WIP aging per client, case or professional, AR aging and many others.

Powerful billing analysis capabilities allow users to easily create reports that analyze the firms business from multiple perspectives such as area of law.

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ProLaw
Financial Management

All-in-one software to automate the practice and manage the business of law.
Manage investments. ProLaw makes it easy to access the financial standing of any case at any time. Costs advanced are automatically allocated to cases during payable entry. With full cost detail, users can track the specifics of what has been invested in an individual case. Track liens. ProLaw tracks liens throughout the life of the case, including across multiple settlements. Users can view the total lien and the amount paid to date. Liens are automatically included in any settlement analysis. Automate settlement efforts. ProLaw automatically creates the trust deposit and checks to the client, firm, co-counsel and lien holders. Attorney allocations can be based upon time tracking or percentages, and expenses can be applied before or after fees.

Integrated Accounting (continued)


Generate financial statements. Producing financial statements with ProLaw is easy. The only journal entries that ever need to be made are end-of-month accounting adjustments, and interim financials can be produced that allow for up-to-the-minute calculations. Financial information can be departmentalized by attorney or practice area for profit center financial reporting, and accounts can be budgeted monthly or annually. With ProLaw, books can be maintained on a cash basis, and accrual financials can be generated automatically without the need for adjusting entries. Manage trust accounts. ProLaw simplifies managing trust accounts. Review trust balances by matter, and see full records of deposits and checks with a single click. Trust checks automatically update the matters trust ledger, and each matters trust account can be automatically or selectively applied.

Reporting
ProLaw offers a built-in report writer that eliminates the need to use third party report writers and enables the production of detailed management reports for quick and efficient data analysis. A variety of default reports are provided that can be customized to meet individual needs. Users can also generate reports from any list of results that appear on-screen and print or save the data in the file format of their choice. Choose pre-defined or design your own reports. Drag-and-drop fields produce reports that meet individual attorney and client needs. Columns can be moved, headers can be changed and fonts can be modified, all with the click of a mouse. Create original report designs or use the default report templates. Use default and custom fields. ProLaw allows matter and contact reports to be designed using both default and custom fields. Access current and historical information. Current and historical information can be accessed for reporting purposes. For example, accounts receivable, work-in-process (WIP) and analysis reports can be generated without time period limitations.

Contingency Accounting
ProLaw fully addresses the special accounting requirements for managing contingency cases. Analyze settlement options. Using the intuitive settlement worksheet, users can enter a proposed settlement amount and receive an instant calculation of the client and the firms net, taking all costs, liens and co-counsel into account.

Use the ProLaw settlement worksheet to quickly calculate and analyze settlement scenarios.

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Options and System Requirements

Maximize Value with Powerful Add-On Modules


Enhance the functionality of ProLaw with the addition of innovative Thomson Elite and West solutions*, including: Billing Paperless Proforma (Thomson Elite) integrates with ProLaw to accelerate billing efforts; bills can be edited online and routed electronically for approval. ProLaw works with Collections Manager (Thomson Elite) to identify, track and collect outstanding accounts receivable balances. ProLaw integrates with Billback so that organizations can successfully capture and recover client chargeable expenses originating from telephones, network printers, copiers, fax machines and more. ProLaw provides authoritative and accurate court rules* that have been written or reviewed by some of the most prominent attorneys and docketing departments in the country. Rule sets are available for hundreds of jurisdictions, including federal, state, appellate and bankruptcy. Patent and trademark prosecution rules are also offered for over 100 nations and treaty organizations. ProLaw works with Microsoft Business Solutions for Analytics FRx (available from Thomson Elite) to create attractive, versatile and customized financial statements. ProLaw integrates with Westlaw, Westlaw Litigator and Westlaw QuickView+ to speed legal research, track Westlaw usage and create cost transactions that can be billed back to clients.

Integrate with Your Existing Software


ProLaw provides extensive built-in integration with the following applications: Contact, Calendar and Email Management Word Processing Document Assembly Microsoft Outlook/Exchange, IBM Lotus Notes and Novell GroupWise Microsoft Word and Corel WordPerfect Adobe Acrobat and LexisNexis HotDocs

Collections

Document Management PCDOCS, DOCS Open, DOCSFusion, Hummingbird DM, Interwoven WorkSite and WORLDOX Cost Recovery Provides definable templates for importing costs from telephones, network printers, copiers, fax machines, and more. Most cost recovery systems that can produce a text file can be used, including Billback (Thomson Elite), Equitrac and Copitrak. Import payroll data from PeachTree Payroll or Intuit QuickPayroll.

Cost Recovery

Court Rules

Payroll

System Requirements
ProLaw features an n-tier architecture that scales to meet your organizations needs. Built upon a 32-bit foundation, the solution leverages the power of Microsoft SQL Server to automate your organization. Workstation requirements: Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP Professional Database server requirements: Microsoft Server 2000 or Windows Server 2003 running Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or the MSDE version of SQL Server 2000. For additional system requirements details, visit prolaw.thomsonelite.com or call 800-977-6529.

Financial Reporting

Legal Research and Usage Tracking

*Add-on modules and some court rule sets are sold separately.

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ProLaw

All-in-one software to automate the practice and manage the business of law.
Scalable and Adaptable Over Time

The ProLaw Advantage


ProLaw from Thomson Elite leads the industry in providing everything needed to organize and automate your law practice, including support and consulting services to successfully use the solution across your organization. ProLaw is used by thousands of professionals working in both law firms and legal departments within corporations and government agencies. From this foundation, Thomson Elite offers comprehensive product offerings, combined with best practices expertise, to help you transform technology into a competitive advantage.

ProLaw software is a scalable n-tier architecture that adapts and configures to meet your business needs. Plus, Thomson Elite continuously invests in research and development to deliver innovative upgrades that address your evolving requirements.

Integrates with Existing Software


ProLaw features built-in integration with a variety of business applications and a growing number of innovative Thomson Elite and West solutions, including Westlaw, the worldwide leader in legal and business information.

Save Time, Increase Billing


Intuitive and flexible tools help firms increase realization and reduce billing cycle times.

Robust Security
ProLaw provides powerful flexibility to control user access at various levels of the application, from matter and contact level security, to specific item-level access control. In addition, audit trails are provided to track relevant activity on contacts and matters. Visit prolaw.thomsonelite.com for additional information about how ProLaw was designed to meet the unique needs of law firms, as well as corporate and government law departments.

In-Context Legal Research


Legal research is only a click away from the client or matter you are working on in ProLaw.

Superior Service
Thomson Elites experienced professionals install, provide ongoing support and customize ProLaw for your practice needs to ensure maximum benefits from your investment. Additional support resources include user groups and an annual user conference. ProLaw customers also have access to a client portal that delivers immediate online access to software updates, product support, documentation, education courses, technical notes and access to the Thomson Elite Knowledge Base.

About Thomson Elite


Thomson Elite is a leading provider of integrated information solutions to professional service firms worldwide. Thomson Elite is a business within The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC) and is a premier provider of financial and practice management systems to the legal industry and to other professional service markets, including accounting, engineering, marketing services, and management and IT consulting. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Thomson Elite employs more than 700 professionals and maintains offices in Albuquerque, Auckland, Calgary, Chicago, London, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia and Sydney. Visit thomsonelite.com for more information.

Better Information to Manage your Business


Designed specifically for law firms and law departments, ProLaw provides a meaningful view into your organizations productivity and profitability to help guide management in making strategic business decisions.

Easy to Learn and Use


ProLaw is designed to work the way you do. Extensive training is not required to begin using ProLaw.

For more information or to schedule a demo, please call 800-977-6529 or visit prolaw.thomsonelite.com.

The trademarks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

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prolaw.thomsonelite.com

Corporate Office
5100 West Goldleaf Circle, Suite 100 Phone: 323-642-5200

Sales, Services and Support


Los Angeles, CA 90056 4401 Masthead NE, Suite 100 Albuquerque, NM 87109 Sales: 800-977-6529 Services and Support: 888-877-6529

2006 Elite, a Thomson business L-326541/11-06

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