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Pros
Training and onboarding are fantastic. Customer Support is on top of things and great to help and give feedback.
The ability to integrate e-mail, Word and Adobe is way better than the program we used to have, and the layout and organization is wonderful.
I love that it can generate PDFs from within the program, can generate emails easily,ķ has a section for memos and notes and the communicate app is super helpful.
It is very efficient and easy to learn and operate. It has amazing features to keep you on top of your law practice.
Cons
Some of my clients hae problems utilizing their encryption tools called "communicate" because it requires google Chrome, but most figure it out-- I would use it more if it worked more seemlessly.
The downside of this product is that it is not completely cloud based.
Smokeball refuses to refund the unused portion of our license renewal which is approximately 1 year, over $2,000. No one is using the Smokeball licenses and they have not been used for 3 months.
When it didn’t work for us they refused to cancel or assist me in any way. I was never given a support person to launch the product.
Most Recent Video User Review for Smokeball
SEE ALL VIDEO REVIEWSJennifer, thanks so much for your 5-star review and recommendation. We're thrilled that Smokeball has made your daily practice so much easier and streamlined. Also happy to hear that you utilize our ongoing feature updates and integrations. We're always here for you!
Smokeball makes managing a legal practice simple.
Jennifer G.
Showing Most Helpful
Showing 25 of 267 reviews
"SmallLaw Review"
Overall: Overall, an excellent software and definitely worth considering for your law firm, especially if you handle real estate transactions.
Pros: 1. Smokeball is an "everything" platform. We realized we were only using the other softwares for billing/invoicing, but found little use for them otherwise. Smokeball, on the other hand, is much more versatile. We track our to-dos there, create workflows, assign tasks/projects to others at the firm (it avoids the back-and-forth internal emails), share our draft documents with client through a secure portal, and much more! 2. If you are a real estate transactions law firm (as we are), Smokeball is the only platform specifically designed for that practice area. We love that it automatically calendars deadlines, has templates built in, and otherwise automates much of the closing process for us (and avoids costly mistakes such as missing a deadline).
Cons: 1. Cost (yup, it's one of the more expensive options you'll find out there). But when evaluating options, the thought process should be whether you will save some time by implementing the features of the software. And if so, a few extra bucks monthly is well worth it. 2. A little glitchy at times. We sometimes would create an invoice but would not be able to load it or send to a client until the next day. I have no idea why this happens, though it hasnt been a big issue for us. 3. Requires you to invest a lot of time to set up to automate your documents and learn how to modify them as you go. But, again, it is time well spent.
Vendor Response
"One Year Later"
Overall: Overall, the experience has been excellent. Other than the mobile application leaving much to be desired, the desktop-based application has been fantastic. They offer a wide variety of functionality, and their technical development team has been incredibly helpful in responding to our communications with them. There is so much good to be said about the product offered. Having seen a number of other practice management solutions, nobody else comes close to the full functionality of Smokeball for most practice areas.
Pros: Smokeball is an incredibly easy platform to use, and is a true "all in one" platform for practice management.
Cons: Smokeball's mobile application needs serious work.
Vendor Response
"Do not use "
Overall: Negative. Use MyCase instead. The year commitment was unbearable.
Pros: Not much. It wasn’t special and it costs too much
Cons: The annual contract and the refusal of the staff to listen to my complaints.
Vendor Response
"10/10 Would Recommend"
Overall: Smokeball has been a tremendous help with moving our law firm forward.
Pros: The texting feature is a fantastic option to reach clients who don't use email.
Cons: It would be nice if there was a higher limit count on messages sent through the texting portal.
Vendor Response
"Useful and Intuitive"
Pros: Smokeball is useful for managing any number of client files. The fact that it keeps contacts across all cases makes it easy to send form letters and make service lists. It also auto-generates captions.
Cons: I wish I could download documents from smoke ball directly rather than opening them and clicking save as and saving it. Maybe there's a better way to do it, but I haven't learned it.
Vendor Response
"Document automation is great with this software"
Overall: It's been great. They have advance greatly over the years.
Pros: Document automation, storing emails with the matter, document organization.
Cons: When you schedule an event inside a matter, rather than on the calendar directly, it will not alert you that you have a conflict with your new appointment.
Vendor Response
"We couldn't practice law without it"
Overall: We are so happy that we found Smokeball four years ago and couldn't imagine our business running as seamlessly with any other case management software.
Pros: It is very easy to use and they keep updating the product. If we have an issue, they are quick to help us.
Cons: Sometimes there are glitches and the calendars don't update or we have to wait for tickets to get responded to.
Vendor Response
"Highly recommend"
Pros: I've been using Smokeball for a couple years now, at my previous law firm and now my current. The system is super easy to use and I even recommended it to my current firm as they were searching for a new system. Would highly recommend.
Cons: I can't think of anything I dislike about Smokeball. The setup and use of the system has been easy and super helpful in cleaning up our previous system.
Vendor Response
"Smokeball works well"
Pros: It is more robust than browser based formats. Many people use it and in general its pretty strong.
Cons: Outlook and smokeball dont always go together like peas and carrots. Sometimes syncing can take a bit.
Vendor Response
"Smokeball is a game changer for Family Law"
Overall: Great customer service and friendly team,
Pros: Document Automation and Auto Time Tracking
Cons: Mobile Apps Communicate is clunky on mobile. IOS app is hard to use and doesn’t include auto time tracking.
Vendor Response
"Best practice management software!"
Overall: Our firm literally cannot work without Smokeball. I am not exaggerating one bit when I tell you that it is as essential to our practice as air. When the pandemic began, other lawyers were struggling to figure out how to work from home. Luckily for us, Smokeball is everywhere we are. With help from Smokeball's cloud-based system, we were able to transition to working from home very quickly and easily. Thanks to Smokeball's features -- file notes, memos, timeline, phone messages, email tracking, and activity tracking -- it is easier than ever for multiple staff members to collaborate on a file even though they are not physically in the same space. The integration with InfoTrack/Docusign means that we obtain client signatures without even leaving our desks. And the document automation and contact database make working much easier and more productive in general! I highly recommend Smokeball to any small law firm.
Pros: Email tracking, file notes/timeline. These features make it so much easier for two or more people to collaborate on a file!
Cons: I wish that "to-do" tasks in the system would auto-delete if a matter is canceled or closed.
Vendor Response
"Great software for small law practice"
Overall: We couldn't run our office without this software.
Pros: Ease of document automation, workflow set up, time & billing, integration with Office products.
Cons: It's automation in pdf is weird to me but I have not played with it or watched any webinars on it yet.
"Great time tracking, billing and case management system"
Overall: I have been extremely happy with the move to Smokeball over a year ago. My billing has increased and the usage of the system helps me coordinate and keep up with my case load.
Pros: The time tracking and integration with MS Outlook and Word.
Cons: The start up of the program takes a little bit.
"Smokeball is a Keeper."
Overall: Very positive. The software works and whenever there is even a small glitch, the Smokeball team is quick to fix the issue.
Pros: Ease of access across multiple devices. Ability to interface with staff to keep work product flowing.
Cons: Internet based, so if the Internet is down, we cannot work.
"Smokeball has made a lasting impact "
Overall: Overall, Smokeball has been a great addition to our firm and we thoroughly like it more than our previous case management software.
Pros: What I like most about Smokeball is that it is a user-friendly case management software that helps streamline workflow by integrating various interfaces, which significantly increases work productivity. Moreover, the automatics time tracking insures that I am making the most out of every document I draft, review, and revise.
Cons: The one thing I do not like about Smokeball is the timeframe it would take for their support team to create our templates into forms. Accordingly, my colleagues and I have had to divert billable time to create these "form" documents so that it further streamlines work productivity. Moreover, creating a "form" document is too simplified when certain forms require more complex coding.
Vendor Response
"Best Legal Practice Software"
Overall: Smokeball has been the best lawfirm software yet! We have gone through 3 others and finally found the one! It has everything and is easy to navigate. All of our files are stored online making it easy to work anywhere. I highly recommend!
Pros: All of our files are stored online making it easy to work anywhere. Form automation, court rules integration.
Cons: whenever we dislike something or want something to add to our program they typically implement it at some point with updates.
Vendor Response
"Smokeball is smokin its competition. "
Overall: My overall experience with Smokeball is rated a 10/10.
Pros: I love the functionality of Smokeball. It's so easy to use. The customer service is so helpful and quick to respond.
Cons: I'd like a better integration with Quickbooks.
Vendor Response
"Smokeball for the Win!"
Overall: We needed a new software system because our old one (very old) was aging out of the version we used and was no longer going to be supported. When looking at other options with them, they determined that our firm just wasn't big enough for their software. They tried to sell us on a smaller platform that they had purchased, but after demo-ing for a week I knew it wouldn't work for us. Someone had mentioned Smokeball to me and to my boss. Since we had both gotten word of it from separate sources we decided to check it out. Kind of a "the universe is telling us something" sort of deal. Once I started working in the demo and seeing how integrated it was, I knew this is the one we wanted. And it was cheaper than our old system! Onboarding wasn't difficult at all. Because we are a smaller firm and we only wanted active cases in the new system we transferred the data from the old system to the new system ourselves. It took a few people a few weeks to get all the data in, but it was great because there was a field for everything and we were able to find a place to the put all the information. Since then, we have trained new employees very easily, we are all using the software to its fullest potential. We all watch extra webinars and training videos when they come up and are continuing to improve our use of the software. It is really a very easy system to learn. Everything is logical. The forms and templates are a dream to work with.
Pros: The thing I like most about Smokeball is how integrated with other programs it is. I can create and save Word documents from inside the software. E-mails and attachments in Outlook are so easy to link. We changed the way we use our scanner so that it goes to our e-mails instead of a folder on the old server because it is so easy to get the documents into the correct file and name them correctly at the same time through Outlook.
Cons: The only thing I feel like Smokeball is missing is a date calculator. I miss being able to calculate forward and backward choosing calendar days or court days and such. Calendaring rules are great, but sometimes I need to know when I can schedule a motion for BEFORE it is calendared.
Vendor Response
"Love it"
Overall: Life-changing. Has made us so much more organized!
Pros: Organization of matters is great! Time Finder is also very useful
Cons: Could use different labels (ie “divorce” vs. pre-decree”)
Vendor Response
"Satisfied customer"
Overall: I enjoy Smokeball and recently looked into Mycase. Do not consider Mycase. I was informed by Mycase that the integration process would be easy and would take 5-10 days. Those were lies. I have 4+ years in Smokeball with over 1000 files.
Pros: I am able to pull up any document while in court along with access to my client. I am able to conduct a conflict check within minutes.
Cons: The billing program requires me to exit out and enter another program. Least favorite part of Smokeball.
Vendor Response
"Associate Attorney"
Overall: Just about the time we got Smokeball we reduced our secretarial staff, so I was forced to prepare most of my own pleadings. Smokeball has made it possible for me to do so. I am always anxious to find out more about what Smokeball can do as, I suspect that I am only using a portion of the total functions available.
Pros: I like the fact that you can click on a file and easily find the document you are looking for; that it tracks your time and can easily be entered into Smokeball billing; that you can find documents by doing a search; that there is assess to the court forms of other jurisdictions and when opened, they are populated with the information in the file; that I am reminded daily about the tasks that I entered; I also like the communicate function which I just found.
Cons: I wish that I could print the memos that I prepare (although I found that I can send them through communicate); I wish there was more training with the pi functions (although I may have missed them); also I wish that I could print the task pages because I often make lists in the "Detail" box.
Vendor Response
"Invest in this software!!"
Overall: Smokeball is our on stop shop for case management... it is so organized and helps us streamline our case management. I love using it to broadly track a case as well as using it to get into more intricate details such as medical provider logs or insurance company information.
Pros: Smokeball makes our case management so efficient and effective through its many integrations (Docusign, Microsoft Word, YoCierge etc.)! It is easy to keep organized while tracking all of the case notes help us be as thorough as possible when working in the files.
Cons: I am eagerly waiting for an intake feature to be added to Smokeball. Otherwise, I do not have any complaints aside from typical software issues, but I understand that SB is in beta and always being improved.
Vendor Response
"Smokeball makes practice management easy"
Overall: They have great customer service, each time a new feature comes out they help with acclimation, and they are big enough that they have integrations with basically all components of legal practice, which makes the software even more valuable, and true practice management.
Pros: We started using smokeball many years ago when they had less integrations, but it was great for keeping all client documents in once central place, and for document automation. Now they have integrations with many other products we use, like Chicago Title, Court filings, billing, which make the software even more useful. The interface is really easy to use and did not have much of a learning curve
Cons: The billing software is not super intuitive. I also do not like that the price keeps increasing.
Vendor Response
"Good system"
Overall: Good platform, very user friendly and good for the attorney and attorney's office.
Pros: Smokeball is a great platform. I've used Clio and MyCase, both of which are good, but I like Smokeball best.
Cons: The document integration was offered but never materialized. Also could be more accessible for the client.
Vendor Response
"Smokeball is Desparate for your money"
Overall: Our firm has used Smokeball legal software since 2016. We have had 2 licenses which we paid for monthly/yearly. [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] in our firm, passed away unexpectedly in December, 2019 at age 64. Our open cases were referred to outside counsel. The practice was closed on March 31, 2020. I have been working with Smokeball in a round-about way since the beginning of March. Smokeball refuses to refund the unused portion of our license renewal which is approximately 1 year, over $2,000. No one is using the Smokeball licenses and they have not been used for 3 months. User beware. I feel this is a scam. This could happen to you!
Pros: The best feature is being able to e-file directly from the matter.
Cons: Customer service passes you from one person to another. No one can answer your questions. Terrible customer service. When I asked to have our files backed up to close the account, 92 files did not come over.
Vendor Response