Start every matter clean
Use intake, conflict checks, and engagement details to collect the right information once and set firm staff up for success.
Run the operating flow from request to close
Make ownership easy to see
Assign work and matter stages so open questions stay visible before they become another email asking what’s next.
Make repeatable documents reliable
Staff prepare consistent work from approved templates and current matter data, and lawyers focus on substance.
Keep service and billing together
Connect the matter’s financial lifecycle, from client update to payment, so nothing slips on the way to getting paid.
Fix the source, not the symptom
A missing document, a late bill, or a client asking for status often has the same root cause: how the matter was set up. Trace the gap back through the matter, then fix the template or workflow that created it, so one change improves every later handoff.
- Standardize matter opening. Matter templates set the fields, tasks, and owners.
- Automate routine steps. Workflows move defined steps to the right role.
- See the full trail. Activity history shows where the process changed and who changed it.
Turn approved documents into a system people can trust
Approved Word documents can become smart templates, conditional logic applies the right language, and supported forms start with matter data in place. Staff prepare the work, a task routes it to the reviewing lawyer, and the approved version returns to the matter.
- Fill a whole set at once. Matter data populates every document in the set.
- Route for review. A task sends the finished document to the right lawyer.
- Keep version history. The approved document returns to the matter.
See who’s behind every task
A process sticks when everyone can see who owns the next step, what’s missing, and what has to happen before the matter advances. Due dates, reminders, and a stage board that shows how long each matter has sat where it is make that responsibility visible across the team.
- Find unassigned work. Filter tasks by assignee and status.
- Spot stalled matters. See time in stages without waiting for a status report.
- Get a summary for review. Clio’s legal AI can summarize recent activity and flag a missing date.
Let one change update the calendar, the client, and the bill
The same activity can create a deadline, a client communication, and billable work. Keeping those consequences on the matter shows what was completed and what still needs to reach the client or the billing team.
- Track deadlines. Calendars and reminders keep dates on the matter.
- Update clients. Share documents and messages through the client portal.
- Send work to billing. Time and expenses flow from the matter to the bill.
Handle the exception with the full trail in view
When something breaks, you need more than a warning. Notes and the firm’s activity feed show where the process changed and who made the change, so you know who needs to act next. You decide when an exception needs escalation.
- Control access. Limit a matter to specific user groups or block individual users.
- Sign in with SSO. Connect your identity provider with SAML-based single sign-on on select plans.
- Keep AI inside permissions. No one can query a matter they can’t open.
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400,000+ legal professionals trust Clio
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1B+ global legal documents
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18+ years serving legal professionals
Clio just works. It’s so easy to use. From an operations person’s perspective, it’s so nice to have a platform that just does it all for you. I’m able to focus on my actual job and not all of the IT stuff.
Legal Operations Manager, Stotler Hayes
Legal administrator software FAQs
What is legal administrator software?
Legal administrator software helps firms coordinate intake, matter setup, documents, communication, and billing. Clio connects those operational responsibilities to the legal and financial record behind each matter. See Clio in action.
Can Clio standardize matter opening and workflows?
Yes. Matter templates and task lists support repeatable processes, so a new matter opens with the fields, tasks, and owners the work needs instead of being assembled each time.
Can I govern document templates and sets?
Yes. Approved Word documents become smart templates, matter data populates a whole set at once, and conditional logic applies the right language. Template editing isn’t permission-controlled, so most firms keep it with a small group. Get a demo.
Can Clio restrict who sees a matter?
Yes. Assign matters to specific user groups or block individual users, so a conflict or sensitive file stays closed to anyone who shouldn’t see it. Clio’s legal AI follows the same permissions.
Does Clio support single sign-on?
Yes, on select plans. Clio supports SAML 2.0 with identity providers including Okta and Microsoft Entra ID. User accounts are added and removed in Clio, not provisioned automatically from your directory.
Can I see which matters have stalled?
Yes. Filter tasks by assignee and status to find unassigned or overdue work, and sort matters by responsible lawyer to find any without one. The stage board shows how long each matter has sat where it is.
How does Clio’s legal AI help with operations?
Clio can use permitted matter and operational context to summarize activity, surface missing information, and prepare updates or routine steps for review. Nothing is written to the matter until you approve it.
Does Clio support billing, payments, and trust accounting?
Yes. Time, invoicing, payments, and trust accounting run on the same matter record. Three-way reconciliation compares the bank statement, trust ledger, and client ledgers side by side. Get a demo.