Case management web app for a law firm: cost and security in Dublin (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

For a firm of 18 solicitors in Dublin, the real cost of shared folders is unrecorded billable time and the risk of a missed court date, not the price of software. Off-the-shelf packages (€60 to €90 per user per month) are solid and quick to deploy, and for many firms they are the right answer. A custom application (€40,000 to €80,000, delivered in 4 months) earns its place when you need a specific workflow, deep integration with your document system or a data model the vendors do not support, with encrypted documents under your control.

What shared folders really cost

In many Irish firms, the setup is a network drive, an Outlook calendar for court dates and a spreadsheet for fees. Three risks keep coming back: an adjourned hearing not updated in the diary, hours of work never recorded and therefore never billed, and sensitive documents sent by email without encryption.

2026 pricing: custom or subscription

With 18 solicitors and 6 support staff, or 24 users, the 3-year comparison gives the following orders of magnitude.

In Dublin, where development rates are high, the subscription is usually cheaper over 3 years. Custom pays off over a longer horizon (5 years and more) or when the package forces workarounds that cost the firm hours every week.

Security: the minimum requirements

Legal professional privilege, the GDPR and guidance from the Law Society of Ireland and the Data Protection Commission call for concrete measures. A serious application provides:

• AES-256 encryption of documents at rest and TLS in transit;
• two-factor authentication for every lawyer;
• per-matter permissions: staff only see matters they are assigned to;
• a tamper-proof access log, retained for 5 years;
• daily encrypted backups to a second site, with restore tested every quarter.

Mini case study

Ciara, managing partner of an 18-solicitor firm in Dublin, estimates that each lawyer fails to record 3 billable hours a month. At an average rate of €200 an hour, the loss reaches €10,800 a month, or €129,600 a year. Because the firm runs a specialised litigation workflow that two packages could not model, she chooses a custom application at €62,000, plus €11,000 a year for hosting and maintenance. If the per-matter timer recovers only two thirds of those hours, the annual gain is about €86,400, and the project pays back in about 10 months.

FAQ

Can we migrate our existing matters?

Yes. Files from the server are imported and linked to matter records, typically in 2 to 3 weeks for 1,500 to 3,000 active matters.

Can solicitors work from court?

Yes, the app is responsive and works on 4G. An adjournment can be logged in under 30 seconds from a smartphone.

Where is the data hosted?

In an EU cloud region, typically Ireland or Frankfurt, for €200 to €300 a month. Data never leaves the EU, which simplifies GDPR compliance.

Does billing handle VAT and client account rules?

Yes. Invoices apply 23% VAT, and a connector pushes fees and outlays to your accounts system, keeping client money separate as Law Society rules require.

How long does training take?

Two 2-hour sessions are usually enough: one for solicitors, one for support staff and accounts.

Let's scope your project. Tell us how many lawyers and active matters you have and your security requirements: we will price a V1 between €40,000 and €80,000 with a 4-month plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.