The verdict in three sentences
A custom practice management platform for a New York law firm costs between 45,000 and 110,000 EUR depending on modules (matters, time tracking, fixed/hourly billing, confidentiality, EU/regional hosting). Market tools start at 40-90 EUR/user/month but impose their logic and bill add-ons separately. Custom targets -25% billing time and improved collections, paying off from 6-8 billing lawyers.
Custom vs market solution
A law firm has strong confidentiality needs (data protection, professional privilege) and mixed billing models. The core question: how much does the gap between a standard tool and your real way of working cost you.
| Criterion | Custom | Market tool |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 45,000-110,000 EUR | 0-4,000 EUR (setup) |
| Recurring cost | 7,000-16,000 EUR/yr | 40-90 EUR/user/month |
| Fixed + hourly billing | Native, flexible | Standard |
| Confidentiality / hosting | Custom, guaranteed | Vendor-dependent |
| Time to deploy | 5-8 months | 3-8 weeks |
| Code ownership | Firm | Vendor |
Modules and 5-year TCO
For a 12-lawyer firm, a 70 EUR/user/month licence means 10,080 EUR/year, roughly 50,000 EUR over five years before add-ons. Custom bundles everything and removes surcharges.
| Module | Build cost (order of magnitude) | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Matter management + deadlines | 15,000-25,000 EUR | No missed matter |
| Time tracking + billing | 14,000-24,000 EUR | -25% billing time |
| Confidential client portal | 10,000-20,000 EUR | +trust, -chasing |
| Collections / reminders | 8,000-16,000 EUR | +10-15% collection |
| Data protection / audit | 6,000-12,000 EUR | Risk controlled |
| Data migration | 4,000-10,000 EUR | Clean migration |
Mini case study
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Mr. Diallo, partner at a 12-lawyer firm in New York, loses about 6 h/week per lawyer preparing invoices. A custom tool at 86,000 EUR (delivered in 7 months) cuts that time by 25%. Gain: ~18 h/week combined at 120 EUR/h = ~8,640 EUR/month, plus a 10% improvement in collections. Payback in 9-10 months.
FAQ
What budget should we plan? A matters + billing core starts at 45,000 EUR; a full firm with portal and collections reaches 80,000-110,000 EUR.
Does custom respect professional privilege? Yes, encryption, controlled hosting and fine-grained permissions are designed for privilege and data protection.
Can we mix fixed and hourly billing? Yes, mixed billing (fixed, hourly, subscription) is native, which few standards handle finely.
What is the delivery timeline? Expect 5-8 months depending on modules and migration from existing tools.
What ROI should we expect? Firms typically see -25% billing time and +10-15% collections in year one.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of billing lawyers, your billing models, an indicative budget of 45,000-110,000 EUR and target date. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
