Amicus Attorney
Ami Kastner

There are many great programs available for information or data management, but one of the most comprehensive and easiest to use programs is Amicus Attorney. Amicus Attorney is case management software designed for lawyers. It is manufactured by Gavel and Gown Software and was initially launched in 1994. Their mission is to "make the practice of law more profitable and the lives of legal professionals easier through the provision of software solutions that work the way lawyers do". This all-inclusive software effectively manages a busy user's life by organizing everything from contacts and calendars to documents and research.

Amicus Attorney does cover every important aspect within a law office. Not only does it keep contact and calendar information easily accessible, it also manages all information connected to each case. By clicking on a case, all appointments, phone calls, documentation, research, contacts, and tasks are visible. There are also custom fields so if a firm tracks a certain piece of information that does not come standard in the software, it can be added. If a client calls regarding his or her case, all information is available immediately. The client does not need to sit on hold while someone starts digging through files to find the specific information.
Time is also easily tracked for billing purposes. Whether you are on the phone, sending or receiving an email, or doing research, all time can be tracked with just a click of the mouse. Amicus Attorney then integrates with programs such as Timeslips by Sage. Once time entries are created within Amicus Attorney, bills can easily be generated in Timeslips. Double-entry is eliminated allowing valuable time to be used more efficiently.
Amicus Attorney integrates with several other programs as well including Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, HotDocs, PCLaw, QuickBooks, Tabs3, Juris, plus many others. For those looking for more in-depth reporting features, Crystal Reports can be used to develop additional reports. In addition, Amicus Attorney is also a very portable program. It synchronizes with Palm OS Organizers, and in the Premium Editions, Amicus Attorney can sync to other handheld devices through the Microsoft Outlook synchronization feature. There is also a disconnect feature within Amicus that allows a user to disconnect from the network and work from home, a hotel, or even the courthouse. New in the latest release of Amicus Attorney version 7 is the online option so one can connect to Amicus via the internet when away from the office.

The best feature of Amicus is still its ease of use and its convenience. If you need to look at a case, all of the information is right in front of you. There are no files to dig through, no big calendars to flip through to find somebody's next appointment, no rolodex cards to spin through to find a number, and no post-it notes flying around. When accessing a case in Amicus, all of the information is right there. You can look at a schedule of appointments, all of the contact information for anyone involved with the case is easily accessed, emails that are connected to the case can be attached to file as well as any supporting documents. If a client calls in, you can start a timer so you can properly bill for the call.

Properly configuring and using a comprehensive software program such as Amicus Attorney can definitely keep a busy office organized and more efficient. With the opportunity to eliminate all of the time searching for documents and numbers and information, who would not want to start using this program immediately? And although this program is designed for lawyers, it really could work for any business that needs to track time, contact information, appointments, phone calls, and supporting documents.

For more information regarding Amicus Attorney, please call Drake Hardware & Software at 319.752.1155.