The verdict in three sentences
A custom management platform for a law firm in Dubai costs between 7,000,000 and 16,000,000 FCFA (about 10,700-24,400 EUR), with time tracking, billing and the document vault as the structuring items. The specific issue for a commercial firm is confidentiality and the choice of hosting for sensitive data. Custom is justified once the firm bills by time on complex matters and serves demanding corporate clients.
What a commercial firm must cover
A firm advising banks, telecoms and mining groups sells qualified time and trust. The tool must capture billable time, produce multi-currency fees (FCFA, EUR, USD) and protect data with an encrypted vault.
| Module | Custom (FCFA) | Lead time | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matter management | 2,000,000 - 3,500,000 | 5-6 wks | High |
| Time tracking + fee billing | 2,500,000 | 4-6 wks | High |
| Encrypted document vault | 1,500,000 | 3-4 wks | High |
| Multi-currency FCFA/EUR/USD | 1,200,000 - 2,000,000 | 3-4 wks | High |
| Conflict-of-interest checks | 900,000 - 1,600,000 | 2-3 wks | Medium |
| Secure client portal | 1,400,000 - 2,400,000 | 4-5 wks | Medium |
A full project takes 5 to 6 months, with time-tracking and vault acceptance being the step to secure.
Confidentiality and hosting: the 5-year math
The hosting choice (local, regional or EU) drives both budget and the confidentiality argument. Here is a 2026 order of magnitude for a 10-lawyer firm.
| Item | Imported suite (10 users) | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront investment | 400,000 FCFA (setup) | 11,000,000 FCFA |
| Annual subscription | 4,200,000 FCFA | 0 FCFA |
| Encrypted vault | paid add-on | included |
| Maintenance/evolutions/yr | partly included | 1,600,000 FCFA |
| Secure hosting + backups | included | 960,000 FCFA/yr |
| 5-year TCO | ~21,400,000 FCFA | ~23,800,000 FCFA |
| Hosting control | No | Yes |
Over five years the two converge, but custom gives the firm control over hosting and encryption, a decisive argument for corporate clients concerned with privilege. Native multi-currency billing is rarely handled well by imported suites.
Mini case study
Mr. Kouassi, partner at a 10-lawyer firm in central Dubai, estimates 10% of billable time is lost for lack of entry. On hourly revenue of 420,000,000 FCFA, that's 42,000,000 FCFA of unbilled time. He invests 11,000,000 FCFA in a custom tool with mobile time tracking and reminders. By cutting the 10% loss to 4%, he recovers 6 points, or 25,200,000 FCFA of extra billing in the first year. The tool pays back in just over five months, before confidentiality gains with clients.
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FAQ
Where should a Dubai firm host sensitive data?
Depending on sensitivity, choose regional or EU hosting, encrypted at rest. Budget 700,000 to 1,000,000 FCFA per year for secure hosting with redundant backups.
Does mobile time tracking really change revenue?
Yes. Real-time entry cuts lost billable time by 40-60%. On a firm with 420 M FCFA hourly revenue, each recovered point is worth 4,200,000 FCFA.
Is multi-currency billing handled natively?
Yes: a custom build handles FCFA, EUR and USD with configurable rates, essential for international clients. The module runs 1,200,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA.
How long to deploy?
Between 5 and 6 months for a full project, including 3-4 weeks of migrating live matters. A time-tracking-plus-billing base can ship in 10-12 weeks.
What annual maintenance budget should we plan?
Expect 12-18% of the investment, roughly 1,300,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA for an 11,000,000 FCFA project, security updates included.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your lawyer headcount, your billing model and your hosting and confidentiality requirements, and we'll price a fitting quote. 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.
