MyOLSD is a cloud-based legal practice management software designed for law firms and attorneys to manage their cases, documents, billing, calendar, and client communications. With its comprehensive features and mobile accessibility, MyOLSD aims to help legal professionals streamline their practice and provide better service to clients. But is it actually legal and safe to use? This article provides an in-depth review of MyOLSD, analyzing its legality, safety, features, pricing, pros and cons, and user reviews to help you determine if it’s the right solution for your firm.
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Overview of MyOLSD
MyOLSD is an all-in-one legal practice management software built specifically for small and mid-sized law firms. Developed by AppFolio and launched in 2010, MyOLSD provides tools to manage the entire client lifecycle – from intake to invoicing and everything in between. It is cloud-based, so users can access it from any device via web browser or mobile app.
MyOLSD aims to help law firms with:
- Case and document management
- Billing and invoicing
- Calendaring, tasks and deadlines
- Client database and communications
- Time tracking
- Financial reporting
- And more
With its comprehensive feature set and easy-to-use interface, MyOLSD strives to provide an enterprise-level experience tailored for small firm needs and budgets. It integrates with common legal tools like Clio and LawPay to offer a streamlined ecosystem. MyOLSD is used by over 150,000 legal professionals across 2500+ law firms in the US and Canada.
Is MyOLSD Legal to Use?
When adopting any new software platform, law firms need assurance that it complies with regulations around client privacy and data security. So is MyOLSD legal for attorneys to use?
The short answer is yes. MyOLSD is designed as a legal practice management solution for law firms. It enables activities that align with State Bar rules around law office management, billing, calendars, client communication, and records retention.
As a cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform, MyOLSD is audited and verified to be compliant with relevant regulations including:
- ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct: MyOLSD meets ABA guidelines around fees, confidentiality, communication, and safekeeping of client property.
- IOLTA Compliance: MyOLSD’s trust accounting tools comply with Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) rules on managing client funds.
- State Bar Requirements: MyOLSD configurations can support individual state bar mandates on records retention and ethics compliance.
- ISO Certifications: MyOLSD has ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 certifications for information security management.
MyOLSD also signs Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) as needed to conform to HIPAA standards when dealing with protected health information.
With its rigorous compliance program, MyOLSD undergoes regular independent audits to ensure it meets necessary security, privacy and technology standards for legal practice management software.
Is MyOLSD Safe to Use for Client Data?
Data security is a critical concern when choosing online legal software that will store confidential client information. So how safe is MyOLSD?
MyOLSD utilizes enterprise-grade security measures to protect data access, transmission and storage:
- 256-bit SSL Encryption: Data transmission between MyOLSD apps and servers is encrypted end-to-end.
- Access Controls: User logins, two-factor authentication, and role-based permission settings limit data access.
- ISO Certified Data Centers: Servers are hosted in ISO 27001 certified facilities with controls like 24/7 monitoring, climate regulation, and backup power generators.
- Backups: Databases are regularly backed up for disaster recovery.
- 3rd Party Audits: MyOLSD infrastructure undergoes annual SOC 2 Type 2 audits by independent security firms.
While no system is 100% immune from security incidents, MyOLSD employs multiple layers of protection to secure client data as per legal ethics requirements. Each customer’s data is segregated via access controls.
For additional confidence, law firms can opt for features like single sign-on integration with their existing identity provider. Overall, reviews suggest firms are satisfied with MyOLSD’s security measures.
MyOLSD Features and Tools
MyOLSD packs an extensive suite of features to manage the end-to-end operations of a law practice:
Case Management
- Centralized dashboard to track cases
- Custom fields and workflows
- Tasks, deadlines, and calendars
Document Management
- Cloud storage for case files and documents
- Templates to standardize documents
- Email and fax archiving
Client Portal
- Branded self-service client portal
- Secure messaging and notifications
- Client data collection forms
Billing & Payments
- Time and expense tracking
- Invoice generation, delivery and reminders
- Payment tracking with trust account management
Reporting & Analytics
- Real-time reports on productivity, billing, more
- Financial statements for trust accounts
- Accounting and tax prep reports
Mobility
- Native apps for iOS and Android
- Access from anywhere via web browser
Integrations
- Connectors for mail, storage, calendar tools like Outlook and Dropbox
- 200+ integrations with Clio, LawPay, legal research tools and more
CRM
- Contact database to track individuals and organizations
- Calendars, tasks, and communication logs
Email Management
- Shared inbox with team collaboration
- Email templates and signature
- Private and confidential email options
Firm Websites
- Custom branded site with pages and blog
- SEO optimized
- Lead capture forms
With this robust feature set, MyOLSD aims to offer an all-in-one management and productivity platform tailored for legal professionals. Users particularly praise its ease of use, integration capabilities, and ability to centralize firm operations in one place.
MyOLSD Pricing and Plans
MyOLSD offers tiered pricing plans to suit firms of different sizes:
Starter
- Up to 2 users
- 2GB cloud storage
- Core features like documents, tasks, shared calendar
- $65/user/month
Grow
- 3-10 users
- 5GB storage
- Expanded features like templates, time tracking, Nielsen ratings
- $90/user/month
Scale
- 11-35 users
- 10 GB storage
- Premium features like client portal, payments, SSO
- Group pricing starts at $77/user/month
Enterprise
- 36+ users
- 15GB storage
- VIP support and onboarding
- Customized pricing
Discounts are offered for annual contracts. Overall, MyOLSD is competitively priced compared to other legal practice management tools with robust capabilities. Some users feel upgraded features come at an additional cost, but value is strong for starter plans. Support and training resources are included for all tiers.
Pros and Cons of MyOLSD
Pros
- Comprehensive features for end-to-end firm management
- User-friendly and easy to learn interface
- Simplified workflows for time tracking, billing, documents
- Robust mobility with iOS and Android apps
- Packaged solutions for firm website, CRM, payments
- Broad third-party integrations with legal tools
- SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001 certified security
- Dedicated customer support and extensive knowledge base
Potential Cons
- Can feel overwhelming for brand new solo practitioners
- Steeper learning curve for advanced configurations
- Must upgrade for more sophisticated features like accounting integration
- Mixed reviews of document generation and templates
- Limited visibility for trust accounting and IOLTA management
- Requires transition time from legacy systems
While MyOLSD has extensive capabilities, it performs best for established small or mid-sized firms looking to scale and enhance productivity. Users recommend investing time upfront to customize settings and workflows. Ongoing training is advised to get the most value from its comprehensive platform.
MyOLSD User Reviews
MyOLSD currently scores 4 out of 5 stars on Capterra based on 500+ user reviews. On G2, it earns 4.5 out of 5 stars from 300+ reviews. Most feedback highlights:
Pros
- Streamlined end-to-end firm management
- Significantly improved efficiency and productivity
- Easy to set up and intuitive interface
- Reliable customer support
Cons
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Limitations for document generation compared to dedicated tools
- Can be costly as firm size grows
- Mixed feedback on accounting functionalities
Specific features users love include the document management system, centralized dashboards, robust API for integrations, time tracking, and communication tools. Common suggestions for improvement include expanding accounting capabilities, enhancing document generation, and offering more out-of-the-box templates.
While a few complain about the pricing, most describe My OLSD as providing excellent value. It earns praise for customer support and training resources. Overall, feedback indicates My OLSD delivers significant time savings and efficiency gains to help firms grow their business while providing high-touch client service.
Conclusion: A Recommended Practice Management Solution
In summary, MyOLSD offers a well-rounded, cloud-based legal practice management software with comprehensive capabilities for small to mid-sized firms. Reviewing its compliance, security, features, pricing and user feedback indicate that MyOLSD is:
- Legal: MyOLSD adheres to all relevant regulations and ethics rules around law practice management.
- Safe: It employs rigorous security measures to protect confidential firm and client data.
- Feature-rich: With its robust tools and broad integrations, My OLSD can handle the end-to-end needs of most law firms.
- Cost-effective: Its tiered pricing provides strong value, especially for smaller firms.
- Efficient: Reviews highlight significant time savings and productivity gains.
- Intuitive: The platform is relatively easy to use and learn with invested time.
For law firms seeking an all-in-one solution to streamline systems and processes while delivering top-notch client service, My OLSD emerges as a leading choice. While weighing alternatives like Clio and Rocket Matter, small to mid-sized firms should strongly consider MyOLSD to take their practice to the next level.