Step-by-step guides for moving off legacy legal software — what to export, what to expect, and how to avoid the most common migration mistakes.
Software migrations are not IT projects. They are business decisions with legal, financial, and operational consequences. Firms that treat a migration as a simple data transfer — “we'll just export everything and import it into the new system” — usually discover that the hard part is not the data. It is the reconfiguration of billing codes, matter numbering, trust ledgers, document templates, and integrations that were never fully documented in the first place.
The most common triggers for a migration are firm growth (a solo or small firm outgrowing a lightweight tool), software end-of-life or acquisition (vendors sunset products, merge them into platforms, or raise prices substantially), and a specific capability gap that the current platform cannot close — trust accounting added to a billing-only tool, or native e-signature that the current platform doesn't support. Occasionally a pricing restructure changes the total cost calculus enough to justify the disruption of switching.
Each migration guide on Owlesq covers the data that typically needs to move, what does and doesn't transfer cleanly, and what to verify before and after cutover. They are written for the attorney or office manager who will manage the migration, not for an IT professional — which means the emphasis is on business logic and client continuity, not technical configuration. Read the relevant guide before you commit to a platform, not after you've signed the contract.
Practice Management
Migrate from Time Matters to Clio
Step-by-step guide for firms leaving LexisNexis Time Matters and moving to Clio Manage.
Billing & Practice Management
Migrate from PCLaw to Clio
How to move off PCLaw — covering billing history, trust accounting, and the Clio onboarding process.
Billing & Practice Management
Migrate from Tabs3 to Clio
Migrating Tabs3 billing data, trust accounts, and GL to Clio Manage — what to export and what to watch for.
Practice Management
Migrate from AbacusLaw to Clio
Moving from AbacusLaw to Clio — including Rules-Based Docketing considerations and data mapping.
Practice Management
Migrate from Amicus Attorney to MyCase
Amicus Attorney is discontinued. This guide covers migrating to MyCase with minimal disruption.
Practice Management
Migrate from PracticePanther to MyCase
A lateral migration between two modern platforms — what transfers easily and what needs rebuilding.
Billing & Time Tracking
Migrate from Timeslips to TimeSolv
The most direct upgrade from Sage Timeslips — LEDES billing, trust accounting, and cloud access.
Practice Management
Migrate from ProLaw to Smokeball
Moving from Thomson Reuters ProLaw to Smokeball — automatic time capture and document assembly.
Practice Management
Migrate from Needles to Filevine
For PI and workers' comp firms leaving legacy Needles — Filevine's PI-native case schema and what the migration involves.
Document Management
Migrate from Worldox to NetDocuments
iManage wound down Worldox development. This guide covers migrating to NetDocuments — the leading cloud DMS for mid-market firms.
Looking for software options before you migrate? Browse practice management software or legal billing tools on our directory.