Tier 1 · Software
Practice Management
Clio Manage
Sets the operational spine — matters, contacts, billing, trust accounting — with a defensible compliance trail.
From $99/user/mo
View software brief →← All Journeys
Journey 01 · Professional Services
Start a Law Firm
A disciplined nine-stage roadmap to opening a solo or small-firm practice — combining practice-management software, secure workflows, and the desk hardware that signals professionalism on day one.
- Built for
- Solo & 2–5 attorney firms
- Estimated stack spend
- $4,200 – $7,800 first year
- Last audited
- Q2 2026
- 01
Entity formation & compliance
Establish the legal entity, registered agent, and bar-compliance posture before a single client engagement is signed.
- 02
Client intake & conflict checks
Convert inbound interest into qualified, conflict-cleared matters without manual rekeying.
Tier 1 · SoftwareIntake & CRMLawmatics
Automates intake forms, e-signature, and conflict workflow with native Clio sync.
From $149/moView software brief → - 03
Document drafting & assembly
Standardize the documents that get reused on every matter — and keep them version-controlled.
Tier 1 · SoftwareDocument ManagementNetDocuments
Cloud DMS with the security posture corporate clients increasingly require.
From $40/user/moView software brief →Tier 1 · SoftwareProductivity SuiteMicrosoft 365 Business Standard
Word remains the lingua franca of legal drafting; Outlook is non-negotiable for client communications.
$12.50/user/moView software brief → - 04
Secure client communications
Email is not enough. Establish a defensible channel for privileged communication and document exchange.
Tier 1 · SoftwareClient PortalClio for Clients (portal)
Bundled with Clio Manage; meets the standard of care for privileged exchange.
IncludedView software brief → - 05
The desk: hardware that signals professionalism
Clients form judgments in the first ten seconds of a video call. The right hardware is operational, not vanity.
Tier 2 · HardwarePrimary MonitorDell UltraSharp U2723QE 27" 4K
Document-grade text rendering, USB-C docking, color accuracy for redlines and exhibits.
≈ $640View on Amazon →Tier 2 · HardwareTask ChairHerman Miller Aeron (Size B)
12-year warranty amortizes to under $0.30/day; spinal support for the litigator's workday.
≈ $1,795View on Amazon →Tier 2 · HardwareWebcamLogitech Brio 505
Professional-grade optics for depositions and client video conferences.
≈ $129View on Amazon → - 06
Time tracking & billing
Recover the billable hours that paper and memory lose.
Tier 1 · SoftwareBilling & TrustClio Manage (Billing module)
Native to your practice management spine; LEDES-compliant invoicing.
Included with ManageView software brief → - 07
Research & legal AI
Modern research stacks pair traditional databases with vetted AI assistants — never the reverse.
Tier 1 · SoftwareLegal ResearchWestlaw Precision
Authoritative citator and KeyCite remain the standard of care.
Quote-basedView software brief → - 08
Accounting & payroll
Separate trust and operating accounting from day one; do not retrofit later.
Tier 1 · SoftwareAccountingQuickBooks Online Plus
Integrates with Clio for trust-compliant reconciliation.
$99/moView software brief → - 09
Backup, security, & continuity
The minimum defensible posture: encrypted backups, hardware MFA, and a written incident response.
Tier 2 · HardwareHardware MFAYubiKey 5C NFC (×2)
Phishing-resistant 2FA for the partner accounts that matter.
≈ $110View on Amazon →Tier 1 · SoftwareEndpoint BackupBackblaze Business Backup
Unlimited endpoint backup with versioning; satisfies most malpractice carriers.
$9/computer/moView software brief →
Disclosure
Some links in this Journey are affiliate links. SpillSage may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Tier rankings are determined by our published methodology and are not influenced by commercial relationships.