Overview
Smokeball is a Windows-native law practice management platform built around automatic time capture. The Activity Feed monitors document edits in Word, emails in Outlook, and phone calls, then builds a draft timesheet without any attorney input. For Windows-based real estate, estate planning, and family law practices, this passive capture typically recovers 20–30% more billable hours than practices relying on manual timers. Smokeball embeds directly inside Microsoft Word and Outlook rather than running as a parallel application. Attorneys manage matters, log time, file emails, and access documents without leaving the Office apps they already use — eliminating the context-switching that makes other practice management systems feel like extra work on top of actual legal work. The platform includes an extensive court form library well-suited for real estate closings, with state-specific forms, settlement statements, and document assembly that generates completed forms from matter data fields. IOLTA trust accounting with three-way reconciliation is included at all tiers. Pricing starts from $149/month across all plan tiers (Bill, Boost, Grow, Prosper+). AutoTime automatic time capture is built into Prosper+ and available as an add-on on Grow. Boost adds full matter management and Microsoft 365 integration over the base Bill tier; Grow adds advanced document automation and the Archie AI assistant. Contact Smokeball for a firm-specific quote. The desktop Windows application requires a Windows environment for full Office integration. Boost and higher tiers offer browser-based access. No self-serve trial — access begins with a sales demo.
Key features
Automatic Time Capture (AutoTime)
AutoTime runs a background Windows process that monitors Word documents, Outlook emails, and phone calls, then generates draft time entries attributed to the relevant matter. Attorneys confirm entries with one tap instead of reconstructing billables manually from memory at day end. AutoTime is built into the Prosper+ tier and available as an add-on on the Grow tier. This passive capture is Smokeball core differentiator — no other mainstream practice management platform includes it natively.
Microsoft Office Integration
Smokeball embeds inside Word and Outlook — attorneys manage matters, log time, and access documents without leaving the Office apps they already use. All emails sent and received on a matter auto-associate with the correct client file, eliminating the manual step of cc-ing a filing address or dragging emails into a folder. Documents created or edited in Word attach to the relevant matter automatically, keeping the file complete without attorney action. This depth of Office integration means Smokeball works with attorney behavior rather than requiring it to change.
Document Automation and Form Library
Extensive court form library, particularly strong for real estate closings (state-specific forms, HUD-1, settlement statements) and estate planning. Document automation generates completed forms from matter data fields — attorneys fill in the matter record once and Smokeball populates the forms. Available court forms vary by state; most US jurisdictions with active real estate transaction markets are supported. Advanced document automation and custom templates are available on Grow and Prosper+ tiers.
Matter and Case Management
Standard matter management puts tasks, calendar events, client records, and billing together in a single matter file — no switching between applications to see the full case picture. Outlook email auto-files to the correct matter based on the contact email address, eliminating manual filing for the firm highest-volume document type. Deadline tracking and task assignment let paralegals and assistants manage workload across the firm open files from a single queue view. Custom fields and matter templates speed up new file creation for repetitive matter types like real estate closings or uncontested divorces.
IOLTA Trust Accounting
Full trust accounting with three-way reconciliation is included at all Smokeball tiers, including the base Bill plan — there is no extra charge for this core compliance function. Client trust ledgers track balances at the matter level with overdraft prevention built in. Trust account reports formatted for state bar compliance can be generated on demand for an audit or bar inquiry. QuickBooks Online integration for trust accounting is available on Boost and higher tiers.
Built-in Billing
Hourly, flat-fee, and contingency billing are all native billing types — no add-on required for fixed-fee matters or contingency case tracking. Invoice generation flows from time entries and expenses in the matter record. Built-in credit card processing handles online payments. LEDES billing format is not supported, which rules Smokeball out for insurance defense and corporate electronic billing requirements.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Automatic time capture recovers 20-30% more billable hours — no other platform does this without manual timers
- True Office integration — embedded in Word and Outlook, not a parallel application
- Best document automation for real estate and estate planning with state-specific forms
- All key features included within each tier
- Trust accounting included at all tiers
Cons
- Windows-only with no Mac support — a dealbreaker for any firm with Mac users
- Automatic time capture (the core differentiator) requires $149/user/month Boost tier
- No LEDES billing format — not suitable for insurance defense or corporate electronic billing
- No free trial — requires a sales demo before evaluation
- Smaller integration ecosystem than Clio or MyCase
Pricing
Pricing current as of May 2026; verify with vendor before purchasing.
Who it's best for
Best fit for
- Windows-based real estate closing and conveyancing firms
- Estate planning and elder law practices with high document volume
- Family law and hourly practices that chronically underreport billable time
- Firms doing transactional document work where form automation saves hours per matter
Not a fit for
- Firms with any Mac users — no Mac support exists
- Insurance defense or corporate practices requiring LEDES billing (use Clio Manage or TimeSolv)
- Budget-constrained firms evaluating practice management (use MyCase at $39 or PracticePanther at $49)
- Plaintiff-side high-volume litigation firms (use Filevine)
Frequently asked questions
Smokeball pricing starts from $149/month across all plan tiers. Bill covers billing and invoicing only; Boost adds full matter management and Microsoft 365 integration; Grow adds document automation and the Archie AI assistant; Prosper+ adds built-in AutoTime automatic time capture, firm insights reporting, and profitability dashboards. Contact Smokeball for a firm-specific quote.
Smokeball desktop application is Windows-only and requires a Windows installation for full functionality, including the embedded Word and Outlook integration. Boost and higher tiers offer browser-based access, which may allow limited use on Mac. Full document management, AutoTime capture, and Office integration require a Windows environment. There is no published Mac client roadmap.
Smokeball AutoTime runs a background process that monitors time spent in Word documents, Outlook emails, and phone calls, then creates draft time entries attributed to the relevant matter. Attorneys review and approve entries rather than building them from scratch. AutoTime is built into the Prosper+ tier and available as an add-on on the Grow tier.
Yes. IOLTA trust accounting with three-way reconciliation is included at all tiers, including the base Bill plan.
No. Smokeball requires a sales demo before granting access. There is no self-serve trial.
Smokeball wins on automatic time capture and document automation for Windows-based firms — AutoTime recovers 20–30% more billable hours without manual timers. Clio wins on Mac compatibility, LEDES billing for insurance defense, a larger integration ecosystem (200+ integrations vs Smokeball smaller set), and a lower starting price. The choice is clear for firms with Mac users: use Clio. Windows-based real estate, estate planning, and family law practices with hourly billing should evaluate Smokeball Boost or Prosper+ seriously.