It’s time to part ways with PCLaw and Time Matters

Moving away from PCLaw and TimeMatters is now a necessity. See why thousands of law firms are switching to Clio.

Clio versus PCLaw

Feature Clio PCLaw
Support 24/5 Support (Monday through Friday). Clio offers unlimited support from an award-winning team, at no additional cost. Our North American-based customer support team is available 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday via phone, email, or live chat. Expect long wait times. PCLaw offers phone support from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, as part of an ongoing paid service. PCLaw users report that it can take days or weeks before they receive assistance.
Training Comprehensive learning resources. With 1:1 live training, on-demand videos, a comprehensive list of articles in our help centre accessible 24/7, and access to our growing legal community of like-minded legal professionals—you and your practice can learn and optimize your firm at your own pace. Limited learning resources. In addition to the cost of the licenses, you must purchase an annual maintenance plan that offers a variety of self-guided training.
Remote access Easy access from anywhere, anytime. Clio is cloud-based technology so you’re not tied to a single location. The system can be accessed securely from any device, and anywhere—all you need is an internet connection. The flexible, mobile infrastructure enables firms to work remotely and on-the-go. Clio offers a financially-backed 99.9% uptime guarantee, so you’ll always be able to get access to your work—even in the event of an emergency or natural disaster. Limited remote access. PClaw is an on-premise solution that can only be accessed from computers in your office or a virtual desktop. When it comes to smartphone access, PCLaw has a mobile app at an additional cost. PCLaw isn’t able to provide an uptime guarantee. In the event of a physical threat, you may lose access to your data.
Security Security is one less thing you have to worry about. Clio’s dedicated security team upholds the tightest security standards to keep your data safe. Over 150,000 legal professionals and 90 bar associations trust Clio to protect their firm and client data every day. Clio performs regular, automatic backups and makes use of geo-redundant servers to protect from physical threats. Keeping data secure is on your shoulders. PCLaw is an on-premise server that requires IT support. It is open to physical threats and requires in-person maintenance and updates. With client data physically located in your office, it’s your responsibility to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. Using outdated technology puts your firm at risk of data security threats.
Product Updates Instantly get access to new features and updates. You will automatically receive new features with your subscription without disruption and at no additional cost. With the leading legal software, you’ll continually receive innovative solutions to help you manage your firm more efficiently. Forced paid upgrades. As of December 2023, old versions of PCLaw will not be supported. Customers are forced to purchase the latest version and potentially pay a "true-up fee" for missed updates. Unless firms upgrade to the latest version, PCLaw warns that users are at risk of data corruption, incompatibility with other critical systems, higher costs, and eventual degradation.
Total cost of ownership We make sure your operating costs stay low. Clio provides users with the ability to keep overhead low. All of Clio’s offerings include maintenance and support costs. Any device can be used so hardware upgrades are unnecessary. Additional server, hardware, and maintenance costs. In addition to annual maintenance plan fees, users are subject to costs related to hardware, installation, IT, security, and more.
Online Payments Get paid faster with Clio Payments. Clio makes it easy for your clients to pay their bill online, saving them a trip to the bank and to your office. Payments automatically get recorded in the client’s account and are synced to your accounting ledger—saving you time and effort. Send trust payment requests and maintain evergreen retainers knowing Clio keeps you compliant with trust accounting rules. No native online payment functionality. PCLaw doesn’t offer online payments natively. Customers must use and pay for a separate service that may not meet the requirements necessary for the legal industry.

Are you already a PCLaw user?

Switching is as easy as 1, 2, 3

Migrating data is never fun. PCLaw users switching to Clio get complementary assistance from our dedicated data migrations team. We make it easy for you to securely move your data.

Migration consultation

Start with a one-on-one meeting with your dedicated Customer Onboarding Specialist to discuss the process and timelines.

Data Export / Processing

Our Migration Specialists will give you guidance on how best to export your data. They will then prepare your data to be imported to Clio.

Data Import / Review

Once the import is complete, our Migration Specialists review the accuracy of your data and make sure you’re ready to get started with Clio!

Having been a PCLaw customer for too many years, I truly appreciate the quality of Clio, as well as the ease of using it. With a cloud-based solution like Clio, I have access to all my data from anywhere, which has come in handy for retrieving phone numbers and addresses, on the fly!

Carol Holmes

Lake Orion, Michigan

Other ways Clio supports its customers

Industry-Leading Content

Clio is your trusted resource for the latest ideas on running a more efficient, profitable law firm. We produce a variety of content ranging from blog posts and our annual Legal Trends Report to our in-depth webinars.

Exclusive Community

The Clio Community is an online platform where Clio customers come together to discuss important legal topics, learn how to better use Clio, and ask practice-area specific questions.

Annual Conference

The Clio Cloud Conference is one of the most highly-anticipated and influential legal events. It attracts thousands of legal and technology leaders from across the world who want to learn, be inspired, and innovate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Clio assist me with data migration?

Yes. Our Migrations Specialists can assist in bringing over your data from PCLaw to Clio so that you don’t have to manually do it yourself.

How long does the data migration process take?

The success of any data migration depends on the quality of data provided to us. Before we migrate your information into Clio, you should ensure that your data is consistently formatted, well-organized, sufficiently backed up, and stored securely. If you’re uncertain about the quality of your data, it’s recommended that you consult with your Migration Specialist before proceeding.

Is customer support included in my Clio subscription?

Yes. Unlike PCLaw, Clio doesn’t charge you separately for support and product updates. Get personalized support 24 hours a day, 5 days a week—from an award-winning team at no extra cost.

Is Clio a cloud-based program?

Yes. Clio is a cloud-based solution which means that all you need is an internet connection and a browser (such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge) to run Clio remotely.

Does Clio integrate with industry standard accounting software?

Yes! Our integration with Quickbooks ensures your trust transactions are in sync and disbursements are accounted for—while giving you full visibility into your firm’s trust and operating accounts.