Why Switching Practice Management Software Is Worth It
If your practice management system isn't supporting your work efficiently, you're not alone. Many Australian law firms recognise their current software has limitations, but the perceived complexity of switching keeps them in place.
Changing practice management software is more straightforward than many anticipate.
You’re Paying Twice for Outdated Systems
Law firms often continue to use outdated practice management systems due to existing investments in licensing, training, and familiarity.
What this overlooks is the daily inefficiency cost. Time spent on manual workarounds, duplicate data entry, or system troubleshooting is time that could be spent on fee-earning work. SILQ addresses these inefficiencies by:
- Including automatic bank feeds that eliminate manual transaction entry
- Automating document generation for standard correspondence and court forms.
- Tracking emails and documents automatically within matter files.
- Integrations so that data flows between systems without duplicate entry.
These features eliminate hours of administrative work per solicitor per week.
Your Environment Has Changed, Even If Your Software Hasn’t
"But we've always done it this way." Yet, client expectations have evolved. Court processes have digitised significantly. Regulatory requirements around Trust accounting, cybersecurity, and reporting have become more stringent. A system that was adequate five years ago may now be creating unnecessary friction with clients or exposing the firm to compliance gaps.
Modern practice management software like SILQ addresses these demands by providing:
- Secure connections with mainstream document storage systems such as Dropbox, SharePoint, and NetDocuments to facilitate document sharing and storage.
- SOC 2 compliant infrastructure with top-tier security controls including encryption, two-factor authentication, and intrusion detection systems.
Data Migration Is More Reliable Than You Think
Data migration is consistently cited as the primary barrier to switching to a new practice management system. The prospect of potentially losing or corrupting years of client data and financial records is understandably daunting.
SILQ addresses data migration concerns directly by offering free data migration as part of the onboarding process and providing a free 14-day trial using a sample of your actual data—not generic demo data.
While the type and volume of data migrated vary across systems, and data migration is never a perfect process, being able to test SILQ using segments of your legitimate information reduces the leap-of-faith element that makes switching to a new legal software feel risky.
Standing Still Comes with Hidden Costs
When evaluating the cost of change, consider what maintaining the status quo actually costs. Compliance risk represents a significant exposure for law firms.
Trust accounting compliance remains a foundational requirement. Australian legal practices operate under strict Trust accounting obligations, with state law societies conducting regular audits. SILQ’s Trust accounting feature is certified under the Legal Profession Uniform General Rules (2015) by the NSW Law Society, providing robust Trust accounting that automatically logs all transactions and generates audit-friendly reports.
Banking security and data compliance present an emerging risk. Many legal practice management systems rely on screen scraping for bank feeds—a practice the Albanese Government announced it would ban from mid-2026. Australian banks are already implementing enhanced security that makes screen scraping impractical. If your current system uses screen scraping, you face the real possibility that your bank feeds will suddenly break when your bank implements new security protocols.
SILQ is the first legal practice management system offering automatic bank feeds that utilise CDR-compliant practices, providing a secure connection to 138 Australian banks and financial institutions.
Ready to See How Modern Practice Management Software Can Transform Your Firm?
SILQ offers a 14-day free trial using portions of your actual data. With no lock-in contracts and dedicated Australian support, it’s easy to see whether SILQ is the right fit for your practice.
About SILQ
SILQ has been a leading Legal Software provider since 2002, offering flexible pricing with month-by-month billing and no lock-in contracts to both Solicitors and Barristers. SILQ is the only browser-based Legal Practice Management Software that offers Australian-based phone and email support.
