Clio wants $89/mo per user plus payments. MyCase wants $79/mo per user plus add-ons. You'll have a working firm site, intake form, time tracker, document checklist, and retainer-invoice flow set up before the first client call of the day.
Intake form on your site captures matter type, parties, jurisdiction. WhatsApp lands with the summary and a conflict-check prompt. Decline or accept before time is spent.
Per-matter timer from the inbox or phone. Daily 6pm WhatsApp digest. End-of-month invoice generates from the ledger in one click.
Send a per-matter document checklist on WhatsApp. Client uploads from phone, files arrive named and tagged. Hearing reminders fire 7d / 1d / 2h to you and 24h to the client.
| Feature | DCS | The other guys |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time | 5 min | 1-4 weeks (Clio onboarding) |
| Cost per attorney | Flat $49-149/mo all attorneys | $79-129/mo per user |
| WhatsApp intake + comms | Native, 1 form | Email + secure-portal login |
| Document collection | WhatsApp checklist, auto-tagged | Client logs into a portal — or doesn't |
| Hearing + deadline reminders | Tiered alerts to firm + client | Calendar invite, hope someone opens it |
| Own your matter + client data | Yes — encrypted export | Locked into their platform |
Prospective client fills your intake form — matter type, parties involved, jurisdiction, summary. WhatsApp message lands with the full intake plus a conflict-check prompt. You confirm representation or decline before any time is spent.
Yes. Start a timer per matter from the inbox or your phone. Stop, add a note, the entry goes to the ledger. Daily summary on WhatsApp at 6pm. End-of-month invoice generates from the ledger in one click.
Build a checklist per matter — ID, contracts, prior filings — send via WhatsApp. Client uploads from their phone, files arrive named and tagged to the matter. Auto-reminders go out for missing items until the list is clear.
Add a hearing or filing deadline to the matter. WhatsApp reminders go to you 7d, 1d, and 2h before; to the client 24h before. Calendar invite included. Nothing slips through because the calendar wasn't checked that morning.
Yes. Retainer amount + scope go on a WhatsApp message with a Stripe / Razorpay / UPI payment link. Trust-account ledger is kept separate and audit-clean. Replenishment reminders fire when the balance drops below your threshold.