The verdict in three sentences
For a Dublin law firm specialised in debt recovery with 8,000 active files for landlords and banks, custom bulk litigation software costs between 50,000 and 90,000 EUR and takes around 4 months to deliver. The value comes from three automations: generation of 30 document templates, automatic interest calculation (statutory late payment interest, compensation amounts) and a client portal with real-time reporting. At 8,000 files, every minute saved per file frees more than 130 hours per reminder cycle.
General practice management software or bulk litigation tool
Mainstream practice management software handles diaries, billing and document management well. It struggles with the flow logic of a bulk portfolio: batches of demand letters, service deadline tracking, automatic escalation to court proceedings and reporting per client.
| Criterion | General practice software | Custom bulk litigation tool |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 2,500 to 7,000 EUR | 50,000 to 90,000 EUR |
| Annual subscription (12 users) | 8,000 to 14,000 EUR | 5,000 to 10,000 EUR (hosting, maintenance) |
| Batch document generation | limited, often file by file | 500 demand letters in minutes |
| Interest calculation | manual or spreadsheet | automatic, statutory rate updated each half-year |
| Pre-litigation and court workflow | configured by hand | firm's business rules built in |
| Client portal | missing or basic | reporting per landlord or bank, Excel export |
| Set-up time | 2 to 6 weeks | about 4 months |
Statutory late payment interest on commercial debts in the euro area sits at ECB rate plus 8 points, above 10% in recent periods. A calculation error across 8,000 files can mean tens of thousands of euros in disputes. Automation is therefore also a legal risk issue.
Functional scope and budget
Here is a realistic breakdown by work package, with a 2026 order of magnitude.
| Package | Content | Estimated budget |
|---|---|---|
| Files and parties core | debtors, claims, documents, history | 11,000 to 18,000 EUR |
| Document library | 30 templates: demand letters, summonses, reminders, settlement agreements | 10,000 to 17,000 EUR |
| Interest and costs engine | statutory rate, compensation, payment allocation | 6,000 to 11,000 EUR |
| Workflow and deadlines | deadlines, alerts, escalation to court | 8,000 to 14,000 EUR |
| Client portal | client dashboard, statistics, collections | 9,000 to 18,000 EUR |
| Integrations | client file imports, Courts Service e-filing, accounting | 6,000 to 12,000 EUR |
The client portal is often underestimated. For a property fund or a bank, seeing the recovery rate by segment in real time weighs as much in mandate renewal as the result itself.
Mini case study
Aoife, partner at a 12-person firm in Dublin, handles 8,000 files including around 1,500 new demand letters a month. Today each document takes 9 minutes of input and checking, or 225 hours a month. With batch generation and automatic interest, this drops to 2 minutes per document, or 50 hours. The gain is 175 hours a month, about 7,000 EUR monthly at an internal cost of 40 EUR per legal executive hour. For a 72,000 EUR project, payback comes in just over 10 months, and the firm can take on two new clients without hiring.
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FAQ
How much does custom debt collection software cost for a law firm?
Expect 50,000 to 90,000 EUR for a firm of 10 to 15 people. A first package limited to documents and interest calculation can start around 25,000 EUR.
Is client confidentiality protected?
Data is hosted in an EU region with an ISO 27001 provider, encrypted and with access logging, in line with GDPR. Hosting costs 150 to 450 EUR a month.
Can we migrate our 8,000 existing files?
Yes, migration runs from Excel exports or the legacy database. It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks, with a sample check of 200 files.
Can clients send new files directly?
The portal accepts a standard file upload or single entry. A landlord sending 300 arrears cases a month saves several hours of preparation.
What happens when the statutory rate changes?
The rate is updated every half-year in the tool. Interest is recalculated by period, avoiding errors on older files.
Let's scope your project. We map your recovery flows, an indicative budget between 50,000 and 90,000 EUR and a 4-month plan with phased go-live. 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.
