The verdict in three sentences
For a 5-to-15-lawyer firm in London, a vertical licence (Clio, LEAP, Actionstep) starts at 50-150 EUR/user/month and is enough when your processes are standard. A custom build (45,000-120,000 EUR, 4 to 8 months) pays off when time-based billing, procedural deadlines and legal privilege demand logic that off-the-shelf software forces awkwardly. The real KPI is not the licence price but billable time recovered: +20 % reshapes the entire P&L.
Vertical licence vs custom build: the numbers
The two models suit different firms. A licence pools maintenance and compliance costs; a custom build makes you the owner of your tool and data, with no per-seat fee.
| Criterion | Vertical licence | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 0-8,000 EUR (setup) | 45,000-120,000 EUR |
| Recurring cost | 50-150 EUR/user/month | Maintenance 10-15 %/yr |
| 5-year cost (10 users) | 30,000-90,000 EUR | 60,000-150,000 EUR |
| Time to go live | 4-10 weeks | 4-8 months |
| Fit to your process | Low to medium | Total |
| Data ownership | Vendor (SaaS) | Firm |
| Roadmap | Vendor-driven | On demand |
| Exit / portability | Limited export | Full |
Read it this way: below 8 users with standard needs, the licence wins. Above 12 users, or if you bill complex fees (fixed, subscription, success fee), the custom build recovers its premium in 3 to 4 years.
What the tool must cover in 2026
Modern firm software is no longer just document management. It orchestrates the matter, the deadlines and the money.
| Module | Key function | Estimated gain (2026 order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Matter management | Timeline, documents, parties, DMS | -30 % document search time |
| Deadline tracking | Procedure and limitation alerts | Near-zero missed-deadline risk |
| Time tracking | Real-time entry, timer | +20 % billable time captured |
| Billing | Fees, retainers, dunning | -25 % payment delay |
| Client portal | Secure sharing, e-signature | -40 % email exchanges |
| GDPR compliance | Encryption, access log, privilege | Lower professional-liability risk |
Legal privilege requires EU/UK hosting, encryption at rest and in transit, and access logging: these are non-negotiable and belong in the specification.
Mini case study
Sarah, managing partner of a 9-lawyer commercial firm in London, loses roughly 1 billable hour per lawyer per day for lack of a time-capture tool. At an average 250 EUR/h and 210 working days, that is 9 x 1 x 250 x 210 = 472,500 EUR of theoretical uncaptured time. Recovering just 20 % of it yields 94,500 EUR/year in extra revenue. A custom project at 75,000 EUR amortised over 5 years costs about 15,000 EUR/year plus 9,000 EUR maintenance: payback within the first year, even capturing only half the estimated gain.
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FAQ
Is a licence like Clio or LEAP enough for a small firm?
Yes, below 8 users with classic fee structures, a licence at 50-150 EUR/user/month covers 80 % of needs. Custom builds mainly justify themselves above that or for atypical billing models.
How long to deploy a custom build?
Budget 4 to 8 months depending on scope: 4 months for a matters + billing core, 8 months with client portal, e-signature and history migration.
How do we guarantee legal privilege?
EU/UK hosting, AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS in transit, named access logging and matter-level partitioning. These requirements must be contractual with the vendor or provider.
What annual maintenance budget should we plan?
Between 10 and 15 % of development cost for custom, i.e. 7,500 to 18,000 EUR/year on a 75,000 EUR project, covering fixes, security updates and small enhancements.
Can we migrate matter history from the old system?
Yes, data migration is almost always possible from a CSV/XML export or an existing database. Budget 5,000 to 15,000 EUR depending on volume and data quality.
Let's scope your project. Tell us about your firm (number of lawyers, billing model, client-portal need) and we will price licence vs custom with an indicative budget and a realistic timeline. 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.
