# Nexl > Nexl is CRM, marketing, and workspace software built for law firms, with relationship intelligence that captures contact and activity data automatically from email and calendar. It is used by business development and marketing teams, firm leadership, and lawyers, primarily at mid-sized firms of 100 to 500 lawyers and larger. --- ## Nexl Platform | Legal CRM & Business Development Software Source: https://nexl.cloud/platform/overview **Platform overview** ## **A single system for law firm growth** Sustainable growth comes from better systems. Nexl platform connects relationships, strategy, and execution so BD becomes systematic daily action across your firm. ### **Trusted by leading firms worldwide** How Nexl works ### Every relationship your firm has, in one place Most relationship intelligence sits locked in individual inboxes, invisible to the rest of the firm. Nexl connects to lawyer inboxes and automatically maps who knows whom using email metadata — never the content of a single message. Streamline BD execution ### **From visibility to action across your entire firm** Visibility is only the first step. The firms that grow systematically turn relationship intelligence into daily action with Nexl. ### Build a rich source of truth from day one **Most CRMs go stale because lawyers don't update them. Nexl captures and updates relationship activity automatically, so your firm always knows who knows whom, how strong each relationship is, and when contacts change roles or move firms.** Who Knows Who Data Enrichment Activity Management Pipeline Management ### Collaborate where the work happens **BD strategies too often live in documents nobody updates and threads nobody can find. Nexl Workspace brings lawyers, BD, and marketing into one shared space where plans, tasks, and live firm data sit together, so every initiative has an owner, a deadline, and a clear next step.** Team Spaces Task Lists Shared Work Planning Objective and Goal Setting ### Engage strategically with the right people **Send targeted campaigns and event invitations to exactly the right contacts, built from live relationship data with no manual exports or outdated lists. Every open, click, and RSVP ties back to a real client or opportunity, so your team can prove marketing is driving growth, not just activity.** Simple Email Builder Audience Segments Dynamic and Static Lists Referral Tracking ### Act on intelligence your firm already has **Lawyers and BD teams lose time to research that should already be at their fingertips. Nexl AI delivers client and prospect briefings in minutes, surfaces cross-sell opportunities automatically, and answers natural-language questions about your firm's relationships so every conversation starts from a position of strength.** Chat Company Research Reports Email Create Voice Logging Features built for lawyers ### Turn every lawyer into a BD contributor Adoption is where most BD systems fail and where Nexl is built differently. The Outlook add-in and mobile app mean lawyers never have to change their routine. Relationship activity is captured automatically, next steps surface in context, and growth becomes a shared habit across the firm. **Why 150+ leading firms choose Nexl** Greenberg Glusker "I was paying three different vendors for my CRM/ERM, email marketing, and pipeline tool. Nexl replaced all three." Sheenika Gandhi Chief Marketing Officer Harter Secrest & Emery LLP “In a highly competitive industry, Nexl stands out as a valuable solution for law firms. The onboarding and rollout process was seamless and fast, client support is exceptionally responsive, and the platform itself is very intuitive.” Nicole L. Kershaw Chief Client Relations Officer Marriott Harrison LLP “Nexl demonstrates a real understanding of law firms and how relationships are developed and grown. We are excited to have Nexl alongside us as we focus on helping our clients develop their businesses, supporting smart, informed decision making.” Dianne Skurray Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Sparkbox “Nexl is a pleasure to roll out. The lawyers love it!” Laura Collins Scott Consultant, Founder Wiersholm “Nexl has become a valuable tool that supports our central work processes; it is a dynamic and forward-looking system that will meet our requirements as we grow.” Christine Liæker Lindberg Director of Marketing and Communication Farrell Fritz “I would absolutely recommend Nexl to legal marketers, law firms, and quite honestly, to professional services firms in general. It's absolutely the right decision.” Lee Peretz Director of Marketing & Business Development Induslaw “The team at Nexl have a deep understanding of how lawyers work, and what they need from a CRM tool.  Nexl’s speed of deployment, ease of implementation, low data entry requirements and intuitive UX are stand out features of what is a true legal CRM.” Kartik Ganapathy Partner Gufa Law “We decided to partner with Nexl because we wanted a CRM completely different to what we had seen in the legal market. Nexl’s CRM is innovative, user-friendly, and has added value for our firm.” Mauricio Villeda Jr Managing Partner Ironbridge Legal “Maintaining engagement with clients and referrers requires a process and structure to ensure that contact is regular and value-adding. Done well, this is extremely time intensive. That’s where Nexl comes in! It saves a massive amount of time, and it really helps maximize your ability to stay on top of client and referrer engagement.” Trevor Withane Partner Use cases ### **For every role that drives growth** **For Partners & Lawyers** Get every lawyer contributing to growth consistently and effortlessly, with tools they actually want to use. Explore Solutions **For Marketing & BD Teams** Elevate Marketing & BD into strategic growth leaders with unified data, AI insights, and firmwide activation. Explore Solutions **Managing Partners & Leadership** Give leaders a clear, data-driven view of opportunities, risks, and growth levers across the entire firm. Explore Solutions What makes Nexl different **Built to solve the problems other platforms ignore** From lawyer adoption to BD execution, Nexl is built to solve the problems that hold law firm growth back. Four-in-one platform Collaborate across your firm with CRM, relationship intelligence, marketing, and workspaces in one centralized solution. Built for lawyer adoption Integrate into a lawyer's existing systems, processes and ways-of-working, and enhances them with AI capabilities. Drives BD execution Track every initiative across events, cross-selling, pitches, key client plans, and lateral integration in collaborative workspaces. Partnership from day one Nexl is more than a platform. You get a dedicated partner and program designed to turn relationships into systematic growth. --- ## CRM | Nexl: AI-Powered Growth Platform for Law Firms Source: https://nexl.cloud/platform/crm Nexl CRM ## **Turn everyday work into firmwide growth** Automatically capture and connect your firm’s relationship data so lawyers know the next step, BD teams see the full picture, and nothing falls through the cracks. ### **Legal CRM** ### **Unified view of your firm’s relationships** Nexl is a system of action, built for law firms to capture your firm's relationships automatically, intelligently map who-knows-who across every lawyer, and connects BD and marketing and client work in one place. #### Relationships capture themselves Nexl tracks every email, meeting and calendar interaction, analyzing metadata only and never reading email content. Lawyers don't log a thing, BD and marketing gets a complete firmwide view, and your relationship data stays accurate by default. #### See who-knows-who Stop asking "does anyone know someone at this firm?". Nexl maps your firm's strongest ties to any person or company, so partners pitch always warm, BD opens new doors, and marketing targets accounts the firm already knows. #### Spot every change When a contact is promoted, changes roles or moves firms, Nexl enriches the record automatically from trusted public sources. Lawyers stay credible in every email, BD spots opportunity early, and marketing reaches the right contacts. Firmwide visibility of relationships **Know your clients better than anyone else** Nexl analyzes emails, meetings, and activity trends to surface relationship strength in real-time, so lawyers and BD teams know which relationships and thriving, which are fading, and where to act next. See the full picture Manage a firmwide database of companies and contacts to turn siloed data into a strategic relationship map for your firm. Spot fading relationships Measure relationship strength and track cross-practice engagement so you know which connections to invest in and which need re-engaging. Know every contact Open any contact to see the firm's full history: emails, meetings, event engagement and colleague notes. Add your own context with a click. Additional CRM features ### **Modern tools your firm will actually use** #### Outlook add-in Nexl lives in Outlook so lawyers can seamlessly capture contact and opportunity data and see relationship intelligence without ever leaving their inbox. #### Mobile app Brief before client meetings, capture notes after, and stay close to your network from anywhere. See the firm's history with any contact and log activity in seconds, so no meeting starts cold. #### Opportunity and pipeline tracking Manage relationships and engagement across contacts and associated companies. #### Referral tracking Understand which referral sources deliver the most value so you can prioritize the highest-performing relationships. **Why Nexl is the best CRM for law firms** Gufa Law “We decided to partner with Nexl because we wanted a CRM completely different to what we had seen in the legal market. Nexl’s CRM is innovative, user-friendly, and has added value for our firm.” Mauricio Villeda Jr Managing Partner Peckar & Abramson, P.C. "One of our priorities was making sure our contact data was accurate and easy to access without adding administrative burden. Nexl has helped bring everything into one place and given us a clearer picture of our relationships across the firm." Megan Seybuck Director of Marketing and Client Service Hammad & Al-Mehdar “We are very pleased with the Nexl CRM platform. With the Re-Engage tool we were able to book quick wins, as it allowed us to successfully reach out to a couple of past clients, immediately resulting in an interesting business opportunity.” Huda Alkhodari Client Affairs Manager Ironbridge Legal “Maintaining engagement with clients and referrers requires a process and structure to ensure that contact is regular and value-adding. Done well, this is extremely time intensive. That’s where Nexl comes in! It saves a massive amount of time, and it really helps maximize your ability to stay on top of client and referrer engagement.” Trevor Withane Partner Bartier Perry I would recommend Nexl. Having the transparency, automation, and all the information we need about our contacts in one space for everyone to access has been very beneficial for us. Sylvia Papadios Business Development Advisor Induslaw “The team at Nexl have a deep understanding of how lawyers work, and what they need from a CRM tool.  Nexl’s speed of deployment, ease of implementation, low data entry requirements and intuitive UX are stand out features of what is a true legal CRM.” Kartik Ganapathy Partner Sparkbox “Nexl is a pleasure to roll out. The lawyers love it!” Laura Collins Scott Consultant, Founder ### **Everything you need to grow your firm** Nexl AI Nexl Marketing Nexl Workspace ### **Guides to help you** grow #### ERM vs CRM for law firms: What is enterprise relationship management? Enterprise relationship management (ERM) for law firms explained, including what ERM means, how it relates to CRM, and what to look for in a system that covers both. #### How to succeed in a new law firm marketing or BD leadership role Marketing and BD leaders from Reed Smith and Vedder on succeeding in a new law firm marketing or BD leadership role, covering pacing, partner buy-in, team structure, and AI. #### The 6 best LexisNexis InterAction alternatives for law firms in 2026 The best LexisNexis InterAction alternatives for law firms in 2026, comparing Nexl, Litera, and more on fit, speed, and firm size. --- ## Marketing | Nexl: AI-Powered Growth Platform for Law Firms Source: https://nexl.cloud/platform/marketing Nexl Marketing ## **Turn campaigns and events into growth** Run smarter email campaigns, events and follow-ups in one connected system reducing manual work and scaling BD and marketing activity across the firm.​ ### **Email marketing** ### **Tie every send to an opportunity** Run targeted, compliant campaigns from the same system as your CRM so every send and event invite ties back to a real relationship and opportunity. #### Reach the right audiences Create email and event lists from live Nexl CRM data. Filter by practice, industry, jurisdiction or relationship strength. No exports or stale lists. #### Build emails seamlessly Design responsive, on-brand emails with a drag-and-drop editor. Email templates keep firm branding consistent while BD and marketing teams draft, review and send in one place. #### Prove campaign impact See opens, clicks and attendance tied back to clients, prospects and opportunities so marketing activity is measured in pipeline, not just engagement. ### **Event management** ### **Invite to follow-up, in one place** Planning, invitations, check-in and follow-up in one place so every attendee becomes a tracked relationship, not a forgotten name badge. Collaborate in workspaces Tasks, owners, deadlines and content in one place. Repeat your best events with firmwide workspace templates. Create branded forms Ensure every email reflects firm standards with reusable layouts, styling, and approved blocks. Send invites in one workflow Build the email, pick the list, attach the form all inside the same event Workspace. Every invite sent from Nexl is tied back to the event and the contact. Additional marketing features **Marketing tools built for law firms** #### On-site check-in QR check-in from a phone, live dashboards, and attendance tied back to contacts in Nexl CRM so follow-up is relevant and targeted. #### Attendance tracking Capture attendees the moment the event ends. Feedback flows back to the CRM against the right contact so BD knows who to follow up with, and why. #### Static and dynamic lists Lock a list for a one-off campaign or build dynamic segments that update automatically as your CRM data changes. Newsletter and event audiences stay current without manual rebuilds. #### Consent and deliverability management Capture consent with built-in capture, preference centers, and hygiene checks that flag bounces, duplicates, and risky domains so every campaign lands where it should. **Why top firms choose Nexl** Greenberg Glusker "I was paying three different vendors for my CRM/ERM, email marketing, and pipeline tool. Nexl replaced all three." Sheenika Gandhi Chief Marketing Officer Harter Secrest & Emery LLP “In a highly competitive industry, Nexl stands out as a valuable solution for law firms. The onboarding and rollout process was seamless and fast, client support is exceptionally responsive, and the platform itself is very intuitive.” Nicole L. Kershaw Chief Client Relations Officer Marriott Harrison LLP “Nexl demonstrates a real understanding of law firms and how relationships are developed and grown. We are excited to have Nexl alongside us as we focus on helping our clients develop their businesses, supporting smart, informed decision making.” Dianne Skurray Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Sparkbox “Nexl is a pleasure to roll out. The lawyers love it!” Laura Collins Scott Consultant, Founder Wiersholm “Nexl has become a valuable tool that supports our central work processes; it is a dynamic and forward-looking system that will meet our requirements as we grow.” Christine Liæker Lindberg Director of Marketing and Communication Farrell Fritz “I would absolutely recommend Nexl to legal marketers, law firms, and quite honestly, to professional services firms in general. It's absolutely the right decision.” Lee Peretz Director of Marketing & Business Development Induslaw “The team at Nexl have a deep understanding of how lawyers work, and what they need from a CRM tool.  Nexl’s speed of deployment, ease of implementation, low data entry requirements and intuitive UX are stand out features of what is a true legal CRM.” Kartik Ganapathy Partner Gufa Law “We decided to partner with Nexl because we wanted a CRM completely different to what we had seen in the legal market. Nexl’s CRM is innovative, user-friendly, and has added value for our firm.” Mauricio Villeda Jr Managing Partner Ironbridge Legal “Maintaining engagement with clients and referrers requires a process and structure to ensure that contact is regular and value-adding. Done well, this is extremely time intensive. That’s where Nexl comes in! It saves a massive amount of time, and it really helps maximize your ability to stay on top of client and referrer engagement.” Trevor Withane Partner **Everything you need to grow your firm** Nexl CRM Nexl AI Nexl Workspace --- ## Nexl AI | CRM & Relationship Intelligence for Law Firms Source: https://nexl.cloud/platform/ai Nexl AI ## **Growth intelligence that drives action** Built for lawyers, BD, and marketing teams, Nexl AI surfaces actionable insights and new opportunities hidden in your firm’s relationship data. Embedded AI ### **AI built for how law firms work** Nexl AI fits into the daily workflows of lawyers, BD, and marketing teams — making it easy to surface insights, scale BD activity, and drive growth across your firm. #### Turn every lawyer into a BD contributor Surface opportunities, prep for client meetings, and stay on top of relationships without disrupting how lawyers work. Desktop now, mobile coming soon. #### Answers you can trust Every response draws on your firm's relationship intelligence and cited sources, including SEC filings and live web content, so your team always acts with confidence. #### Ask anything, drive action Nexl AI handles complex research and recommends intelligent next steps, so your lawyers and BD team can focus on what matters: building relationships and winning work. Features ### **AI where it matters** #### AI Company Research Reports Comprehensive client and prospect briefings, in minutes. Nexl AI combines your firm's relationship data with up-to-date external intelligence to deliver review-ready reports your team can act on. #### AI Chat Ask natural-language questions to surface intelligence about your firm’s relationships and cross-sell opportunities with AI Chat. Everyone gets instant BD intelligence without bottlenecks. #### AI Email Create Follow ups made easy. After any client interaction, AI Email Create generates a personalized draft pre-filled into your email app and ready to send from your mobile on the go. #### AI Voice Logging Simply speak into your mobile and capture your notes, meeting details, and follow-ups hands-free. Drive growth systematically across your firm Nexl AI is built on a foundation of robust security and a deep understanding of law firm workflows to surface the right insights at the right time. No training on your data We never use your firm's data to train AI models. Your client relationships, CRM data, and activity remain strictly confidential. Security built for law firms SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001 certified, meeting the highest standards of enterprise information security. Legal-specific intelligence Purpose-built for law firms, with an understanding of your unique workflows and business needs. Already where you work Easy-to-use insights built into the Nexl platform — no new vendor, no friction, no learning curve. **Powering growth for**the world's leading firms Greenberg Glusker "I was paying three different vendors for my CRM/ERM, email marketing, and pipeline tool. Nexl replaced all three." Sheenika Gandhi Chief Marketing Officer Harter Secrest & Emery LLP “In a highly competitive industry, Nexl stands out as a valuable solution for law firms. The onboarding and rollout process was seamless and fast, client support is exceptionally responsive, and the platform itself is very intuitive.” Nicole L. Kershaw Chief Client Relations Officer Marriott Harrison LLP “Nexl demonstrates a real understanding of law firms and how relationships are developed and grown. We are excited to have Nexl alongside us as we focus on helping our clients develop their businesses, supporting smart, informed decision making.” Dianne Skurray Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Sparkbox “Nexl is a pleasure to roll out. The lawyers love it!” Laura Collins Scott Consultant, Founder Wiersholm “Nexl has become a valuable tool that supports our central work processes; it is a dynamic and forward-looking system that will meet our requirements as we grow.” Christine Liæker Lindberg Director of Marketing and Communication Farrell Fritz “I would absolutely recommend Nexl to legal marketers, law firms, and quite honestly, to professional services firms in general. It's absolutely the right decision.” Lee Peretz Director of Marketing & Business Development Induslaw “The team at Nexl have a deep understanding of how lawyers work, and what they need from a CRM tool.  Nexl’s speed of deployment, ease of implementation, low data entry requirements and intuitive UX are stand out features of what is a true legal CRM.” Kartik Ganapathy Partner Gufa Law “We decided to partner with Nexl because we wanted a CRM completely different to what we had seen in the legal market. Nexl’s CRM is innovative, user-friendly, and has added value for our firm.” Mauricio Villeda Jr Managing Partner Ironbridge Legal “Maintaining engagement with clients and referrers requires a process and structure to ensure that contact is regular and value-adding. Done well, this is extremely time intensive. That’s where Nexl comes in! It saves a massive amount of time, and it really helps maximize your ability to stay on top of client and referrer engagement.” Trevor Withane Partner ### **More tools to** drive BD action Nexl CRM Nexl Marketing Nexl Workspace Insights ### **Guides to help you** grow Explore our expert insights designed to help small and emerging firms build a strong
 foundation for business development. #### ERM vs CRM for law firms: What is enterprise relationship management? Enterprise relationship management (ERM) for law firms explained, including what ERM means, how it relates to CRM, and what to look for in a system that covers both. #### How to succeed in a new law firm marketing or BD leadership role Marketing and BD leaders from Reed Smith and Vedder on succeeding in a new law firm marketing or BD leadership role, covering pacing, partner buy-in, team structure, and AI. #### The 6 best LexisNexis InterAction alternatives for law firms in 2026 The best LexisNexis InterAction alternatives for law firms in 2026, comparing Nexl, Litera, and more on fit, speed, and firm size. --- ## Workspace | Nexl: AI-Powered Growth Platform for Law Firms Source: https://nexl.cloud/platform/workspace Nexl Workspace ## **Turn firm strategy into action** Bring planning, tasks and execution into one place, systematizing BD activity across the firm. Collaborative and structured planning **Collaborate, execute, and grow** together Create shared work hubs that unite lawyers, BD, and marketing around live data, structured workflows, and coordinated execution, turning everyday work into measurable growth across the firm. #### Turn plans into action Give lawyers and BD teams a shared, dynamic workspace where briefs, pursuit plans, campaign outlines, and client strategies stay updated automatically with live firm data, reducing prep time and increasing execution clarity. #### Shared workspace Eliminate disconnected documents by creating real-time collaborative pages enriched with contacts, companies, pipelines, and lists—making every plan fully informed and every update instantly shared across the team. #### Collaborate faster Enable multi-user editing, comments, and mentions directly inside each workspace, ensuring client teams, partners, and BD can coordinate quickly and keep every initiative moving without email chains or version confusion. ### **Task management** ### **Drive**accountability and action Create, assign, and manage tasks linked to contacts, companies, opportunities, and workspace items—giving every initiative clear ownership, deadlines, and progress visibility across the firm. Make follow-up inevitable Ensure every next step is captured, assigned, and tracked so nothing critical—client, BD, or matter-related—falls through the cracks. Keep teams aligned Give lawyers, BD, and marketing one shared task view across all workspace to stay coordinated and accountable. Move work forward Automate task creation from forms, lists, or actions to keep momentum high and reduce manual admin. Workspace features **Everything you need to** drive BD execution #### Lists Build relational, Airtable-style tables connected to firm data for tracking clients, pursuits, tasks, or initiatives in structured, automation-ready formats. #### Task management Assign, track, and organize work across teams with linked tasks that keep every initiative accountable and moving forward. #### Objectives Set firm, practice, or initiative-level goals with measurable progress tracking to align teams and clarify what success looks like. Move fast with law firm strategy templates designed to drive real world planning and execution. **Powering growth for**the world's leading firms Greenberg Glusker "I was paying three different vendors for my CRM/ERM, email marketing, and pipeline tool. Nexl replaced all three." Sheenika Gandhi Chief Marketing Officer Harter Secrest & Emery LLP “In a highly competitive industry, Nexl stands out as a valuable solution for law firms. The onboarding and rollout process was seamless and fast, client support is exceptionally responsive, and the platform itself is very intuitive.” Nicole L. Kershaw Chief Client Relations Officer Marriott Harrison LLP “Nexl demonstrates a real understanding of law firms and how relationships are developed and grown. We are excited to have Nexl alongside us as we focus on helping our clients develop their businesses, supporting smart, informed decision making.” Dianne Skurray Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Sparkbox “Nexl is a pleasure to roll out. The lawyers love it!” Laura Collins Scott Consultant, Founder Wiersholm “Nexl has become a valuable tool that supports our central work processes; it is a dynamic and forward-looking system that will meet our requirements as we grow.” Christine Liæker Lindberg Director of Marketing and Communication Farrell Fritz “I would absolutely recommend Nexl to legal marketers, law firms, and quite honestly, to professional services firms in general. It's absolutely the right decision.” Lee Peretz Director of Marketing & Business Development Induslaw “The team at Nexl have a deep understanding of how lawyers work, and what they need from a CRM tool.  Nexl’s speed of deployment, ease of implementation, low data entry requirements and intuitive UX are stand out features of what is a true legal CRM.” Kartik Ganapathy Partner Gufa Law “We decided to partner with Nexl because we wanted a CRM completely different to what we had seen in the legal market. Nexl’s CRM is innovative, user-friendly, and has added value for our firm.” Mauricio Villeda Jr Managing Partner Ironbridge Legal “Maintaining engagement with clients and referrers requires a process and structure to ensure that contact is regular and value-adding. Done well, this is extremely time intensive. That’s where Nexl comes in! It saves a massive amount of time, and it really helps maximize your ability to stay on top of client and referrer engagement.” Trevor Withane Partner **More tools to** drive BD action Nexl CRM Nexl Marketing Nexl AI Insights ### **Guides to help you** grow #### ERM vs CRM for law firms: What is enterprise relationship management? Enterprise relationship management (ERM) for law firms explained, including what ERM means, how it relates to CRM, and what to look for in a system that covers both. #### How to succeed in a new law firm marketing or BD leadership role Marketing and BD leaders from Reed Smith and Vedder on succeeding in a new law firm marketing or BD leadership role, covering pacing, partner buy-in, team structure, and AI. #### The 6 best LexisNexis InterAction alternatives for law firms in 2026 The best LexisNexis InterAction alternatives for law firms in 2026, comparing Nexl, Litera, and more on fit, speed, and firm size. --- ## Nexl Growth System: Systematic BD for Law Firms Source: https://nexl.cloud/growth-system ## **Nurturing relationships through firmwide, systematic BD is** more important than ever AI is reshaping the legal market and clients are expecting more for less. The firms growing fastest are the ones where every lawyer contributes to growth, supported by a system that fits the way they already work. ### **More than 150+ law firms globally trust Nexl** The data is clear ### **Firms** growfaster **when business development becomes systematic** Download our Rethinking Rainmakers report: How top firms multiply and drive 42% better growth. Produced in cooperation with Camojee. 42% Higher revenue growth 50% Higher return on marketing 60% Lower client churn The Nexl growth system ### **Nexl is the growth system** lawyers actually want to use A platform built into the tools your lawyers already use every day, and a program that turns business development from a one-off push into a firm habit. #### One connected platform **CRM, relationship intelligence, marketing, and workspaces in one platform. Embedded in Outlook and mobile to meet lawyers where they work.** #### A true partner from day one **Hands-on implementation, an active client community and our optional growth program. We help you launch with confidence and refine over time.** Why it works ### **How Nexl turns BD from a firm priority** into a daily habit Built for how lawyers work Nexl works inside Outlook and on mobile, capturing relationship activity automatically as lawyers work, with no data entry required. Four tools in one Everything your firm needs for BD in one place: CRM, relationship intelligence, email marketing, events and pipeline. A program that makes it stick Coaches, curriculum and a peer community to help your firm build habits that turn into lasting results. --- ## Nexl Pricing | Legal CRM & Business Development Software Source: https://nexl.cloud/pricing Request custom pricing for your firm ### Get help with pricing and plans, schedule a personalized demo, and learn how Nexl fits into your daily workflows. Fill out the form and our team will get back to you shortly. Greenberg Glusker LLP "I was paying three different vendors for my CRM/ERM, email marketing, and pipeline tool. Nexl replaced all three." Sheenika Gandhi Chief Marketing Officer at Greenberg Glusker LLP Farrell Fritz "I would absolutely recommend Nexl to legal marketers, law firms, and quite honestly, to professional services firms in general. It's absolutely the right decision." Lee Peretz Director of Marketing and Business Development at Farrell Fritz Bartier Perry "I would recommend Nexl. Having the transparency, automation, and all the information we need about our contacts in one space for everyone to access has been very beneficial for us." Sylvia Papadios Business Development Advisor at Bartier Perry ### **More than 10,000 lawyers trust Nexl** --- ## What is relationship intelligence? A guide for law firms Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/what-is-relationship-intelligence-a-guide-for-law-firms Every law firm already has thousands of valuable relationships. The problem is that no one has a clear picture of who knows whom. A client opportunity comes in, the team prepares a pitch, and only afterwards does someone realize that three other partners already had strong relationships with that company's general counsel. The pitch goes ahead without them and... it fails. The opportunity was there, but the visibility wasn't. This happens more often than most firms realize. A partner closes a major matter. Six months later, the client needs a service owned by another practice group and the opportunity goes nowhere because there is no system to flag it. An associate meets a referral source at a conference and thinks of a partner who should connect with them. The introduction never happens because there is no way to link that signal to action. Relationship intelligence helps solve that by making those connections visible and actionable. ### What is relationship intelligence? Relationship intelligence is the ability to capture, map, and act on the full network of connections across your firm. It helps answer questions your team asks regularly: who at our firm knows this company's CFO, which clients is this partner most active with, and who should be part of this pitch? This is different to a standard CRM. A CRM records transactions, showing that you closed a matter, who was involved, and what it was worth. Relationship intelligence captures the network of connections, engagement patterns, and growth signals that sit behind those transactions. The data already exists inside your firm. It lives in email headers, calendar invites, and communication patterns. A relationship intelligence platform pulls that data together, organizes it, and makes it useful. You may also see this described as relationship intelligence software, client intelligence, or enterprise relationship management. These labels overlap, and all point to the same goal of making your firm's relationships visible and useful across every practice group. ### Why CRM alone is not enough A CRM is essential. It keeps matters organized, contacts clean, and history searchable. Where many CRM implementations fall short is that lawyers don't consistently update contact records. They send emails, accept calendar invites, and take calls, but CRM data becomes stale when it relies on manual input. Relationship intelligence stays current because it reflects what’s happening in the tools lawyers already use. A partner sends an email to a client contact; a lawyer accepts a meeting with a prospect. These are engagement signals. These moments happen across the firm all day and together they create a far more accurate view of relationship strength. The two systems work best together. A CRM provides structure and context, while relationship intelligence provides visibility and accuracy. A CRM may tell you that a client is a $500K annual relationship. Relationship intelligence can show that the same client is active with five partners, that the CFO is the strongest relationship, and that a likely restructuring need is emerging. ### The four pillars of relationship intelligence | Pillar | What it does | Why it matters | | Relationship mapping | A clear, up-to-date view of who knows who across the firm's client base | Reveals connections that would otherwise stay hidden in individual inboxes | | Engagement signals | Tracks who is hot, warm, or cooling across your client and prospect base | Surfaces relationships at risk before the client decides to leave | | Relationship strength scoring | Scores the depth and recency of each relationship across the firm | Helps prioritize where to invest BD time and who to include in pitches | | Opportunity surfacing | Identifies cross-sell, referral, and expansion signals automatically | Turns passive relationship data into active pipeline | ### How relationship intelligence works in practice A partner at a mid-size firm is preparing a pitch for a new client in the financial services sector. Without relationship intelligence, they would ask around informally, check a few emails, and walk into the pitch with an incomplete picture of who else in the firm knew this prospect. With relationship intelligence, the picture can be assembled immediately. Three other partners have existing relationships with the company's CFO and GC. One of them worked on a matter for a related entity two years ago. The pitch becomes a coordinated effort across practice groups, with the right people in the room. The same logic applies to retention. A client's engagement score starts to drop. Fewer emails, fewer matter openings, a key contact who hasn't been reached out to in 90 days. Relationship intelligence surfaces this before anyone notices the relationship has gone quiet, giving the right partner the chance to reach out before the client makes a decision. #### **Relationship intelligence vs CRM: a comparison** | CRM | Relationship intelligence | | Records what happened | Shows what should happen next | | Relies on manual data entry | Captures data automatically from email and calendar | | Transaction-focused | Relationship-focused | | Tells you who the client is | Tells you who knows the client and how well | | Static unless updated | Updates continuously in the background | The best type of platform for law firms is a legal CRM with relationship intelligence features built in. ### What to look for in a relationship intelligence tool Relationship intelligence software for law firms varies widely in how it captures and surfaces data. The features that matter most for law firms are automatic data capture from email and calendar, privacy-safe header-only processing so message content is never stored, firm-wide visibility rather than per-user silos, relationship strength scoring, and mobile access for lawyers who are rarely at their desks. The system should also integrate cleanly with your existing CRM so that relationship data enriches your existing records rather than creating a parallel database that needs separate maintenance. ### Frequently asked questions What is the difference between relationship intelligence and CRM? No CRM records transactional history: matters, contacts, revenue. Relationship intelligence captures the living network of connections across your firm, who knows whom, how active those relationships are, and which are growing or cooling. The two systems work best together, with relationship intelligence feeding richer data into the CRM. Does relationship intelligence require lawyers to do anything differently? No No. Relationship intelligence works by capturing data automatically from the tools lawyers already use, primarily email and calendar. There is no manual logging required, and the system builds a relationship map in the background without changing how lawyers work day-to-day. Is it safe to use relationship intelligence with confidential client data? No Yes, when implemented correctly. Platforms like Nexl use header-only capture, meaning only the metadata of communications is processed: sender, recipient, and timestamp. The content of emails is never stored. How does relationship intelligence help with cross-selling? No By revealing which clients are only engaged with one practice area and which partners have the strongest existing relationships with those clients, relationship intelligence gives BD teams a prioritized list of cross-selling and expansion opportunities that would otherwise stay hidden. What size of firm benefits most from relationship intelligence? No Any firm with more than 20 lawyers benefits from relationship intelligence. That is typically the point where informal knowledge of who knows whom starts to break down, and the value grows significantly in firms with multiple practice groups, offices, or locations. Is relationship intelligence the same as client intelligence? No Client intelligence is a related label that some vendors use for a similar idea, focused on what a firm knows about a client’s business, needs, and buying signals. Relationship intelligence is broader, covering the firm-wide network of who knows whom and how strong each connection is, alongside those client signals. The two overlap, and a strong platform delivers both, giving your firm a full picture of every client and the people behind the relationship. What is the best relationship intelligence software for law firms? No The best relationship intelligence software for law firms captures data automatically from email and calendar, maps connections across the whole firm, scores relationship strength, and integrates with your existing CRM. Nexl is built for law firms specifically and includes all of these as standard, with privacy-safe header-only processing so message content is never stored. Firms often shortlist Nexl alongside options such as InterAction+, Intapp DealCloud, and Litera when comparing legal relationship intelligence tools. How does AI change relationship intelligence for law firms? No AI strengthens relationship intelligence by turning raw connection data into recommendations a lawyer can act on. Instead of only showing who knows whom, an AI layer can flag relationships that are cooling, suggest the right partner to make an introduction, and surface cross-sell signals inside existing clients. Nexl AI applies this to your firm’s own relationship data, so the insights reflect your clients and your network. --- ## The complete guide to choosing a CRM for law firms Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/article-the-complete-guide-to-choosing-a-crm-for-law-firms Choosing the right CRM is one of the most consequential technology decisions a law firm can make. Research shows that 70% of CRM implementations fail, and that figure has barely moved in a decade. The problem is rarely the software itself. Most implementation failures come down to a mismatch between how a CRM is designed to work and how law firms grow their books of business. Law firm growth rarely follows a simple sales funnel. New opportunities come from a broad range of sources, like partner introductions, existing client relationships, referrals, events, sector campaigns, or conversations that started months earlier. The best CRM for a law firm is one that supports this workflow. For most commercial and corporate firms, whether mid-sized practices of 100–500 attorneys or larger AmLaw 200 and global firms, that means you need a platform built around relationships, referrals, partner networks, and cross-practice collaboration. This guide covers how to choose a CRM for a law firm, what to look for in legal CRM software, and how Nexl compares to the major platforms commonly considered by law firms. 1. **How law firms grow** 2. **What a legal CRM needs to do** 3. **The types of CRM law firms consider** 4. **Questions to ask when evaluating a legal CRM** 5. **Red flags to watch for** 6. **How to build the internal business case** 7. **Comparison table of common legal CRMs** 8. **Key takeaways and an implementation checklist** 9. **Frequently asked questions** ### **How law firms grow** ***The short answer:*** *Law firm growth is relationship-led. A legal CRM reflects that by capturing connections automatically and giving the whole firm visibility into who knows who.* In many industries, CRM systems are built around sales teams, lead scoring, pipeline stages, and individual activity. That model works well when prospects move through a defined funnel, but most law firms work differently. Growth at most firms relies on relationships. Partners develop trust with clients over time, lawyers identify opportunities through active matters, and BD and marketing teams build pipeline through campaigns, events, and client programs. Across all of it, firm leadership needs visibility into what's happening at the client, sector, and practice group level. A CRM for law firms needs to go beyond contact storage, giving the firm visibility into who knows who, which relationships are active, where follow-up is needed, and what growth opportunities exist. What that looks like in practice differs from firm to firm. The most useful distinction is between firms that grow primarily through high-volume intake and those that grow through long-term relationship development. **Intake-led firms** Some firms need CRM software to manage high-volume inquiries. These firms often have consumer-facing practices such as family law, personal injury, immigration, or smaller business advisory work. The CRM focus for these firms is usually intake, matter conversion, automated follow-up, and lead management. A system built for this helps firms capture inquiries, qualify potential clients, and move them toward an initial consultation or engagement. **Relationship-led firms** Larger commercial, corporate, and full-service firms, including mid-sized firms of 100-500 attorneys and AmLaw 200 or Magic Circle practices, usually have a different growth model. Their opportunities tend to come from existing client relationships, referral networks, partner introductions, and cross-practice collaboration. For these firms, the CRM needs to support long-term relationship management. It should help the firm understand client engagement, map relationships, coordinate activity across the firm, and identify where it can add more value to existing clients. This is where a CRM built specifically for law firms is most useful. ### **What a legal CRM needs to do** ***The short answer:*** *The best legal CRM captures relationship data automatically, surfaces connections across the firm, and connects marketing and BD activity in one place, so lawyers can contribute to growth without changing how they work.* The right legal CRM gives lawyers, BD teams, and firm leaders a shared view of the firm's relationships, reducing manual work, improving visibility, and making it easier to act on growth opportunities. This comes down to a handful of core capabilities that you should look out for when evaluating your options. A CRM that supports how law firms grow should be able to: - **Capture relationship activity automatically** - **Surface the connections that exist across the firm** - **Connect marketing and CRM data in one place** - **Support event planning and follow-up** - **Give partners and BD teams a practical way to track pipeline** **Capture interactions automatically** A CRM that relies on lawyers manually logging every meeting, email, or phone call won't be adopted. Lawyers are busy, and adding administrative tasks to their day is one of the most reliable ways to ensure a system goes unused. A zero-data-entry CRM for lawyers captures relationship activity from the systems lawyers already use, like Microsoft Outlook, giving the firm a more accurate view of client engagement without asking lawyers to change how they work. Automatic capture helps firms answer practical questions without additional admin, like who last spoke to specific clients, which partners have the strongest connection, whether the firm has been in touch recently, and which relationships are active or starting to go quiet. > *"Instead of us asking attorneys who their key contacts are, Nexl can tell us. It's offered a whole new level of interaction with attorneys where we can provide informed data versus relying on them for information." — Tanya Riggan, Director of Client Relations, Koley Jessen* **Surface connections across the firm** Relationship intelligence is one of the most valuable features a legal CRM can offer. Law firms tend to have far more relationship capital than they can see. Partners, lawyers, and BD professionals each hold pieces of the puzzle, but without a system to bring those connections together, the firm is working with an incomplete view of who it knows and how well. A law firm CRM with relationship intelligence built in surfaces those connections, showing who has the strongest relationship with a client, prospect, referral source, or target contact. That visibility supports many practices across the business of law, including pitch strategy, client planning, lateral integration, and cross-practice collaboration. **Connect marketing and CRM data** Marketing activity is more effective when it draws on the same relationship data the rest of the firm uses. When email marketing, event management, and CRM operate as separate systems, the firm ends up with a fragmented view of its own client relationships. A well-integrated CRM gives marketing and BD teams a shared foundation, making it easier to segment audiences, plan campaigns, follow up after events, and report on engagement across the firm. **Support events and follow-up** Events are a significant part of law firm business development, but the return on them often depends less on the event itself than on the work that surrounds it. Firms that get the most from their events invest in preparation and structured follow-up, using their CRM to coordinate both. That means knowing who to invite and why, tracking who attends, and making sure the right conversations lead to the right next steps rather than getting lost in the week that follows. **Track pipeline and opportunities** Pipeline management in a law firm should help the firm track opportunities, proposals, referrals, cross-sell activity, and client growth plans. For relationship-led firms, opportunity tracking works best when it connects directly to relationship context. A potential matter is easier to progress when the firm can see the client history, key contacts, relationship owners, and recent engagement alongside the opportunity itself. ### **The types of CRM law firms consider** ***The short answer:*** *The right category of CRM depends on your firm's growth model. A CRM designed for law firms is the strongest fit for relationship-led firms; enterprise CRMs and marketing platforms require significant adaptation before they serve legal BD well.* A law firm CRM comparison usually comes down to a handful of platform categories. Each can make sense in the right context, and the choice depends less on which platform is most capable in the abstract and more on which one fits the way your firm grows. **Purpose-built legal CRM** A CRM designed for law firms, like Nexl or ContactEase, is built around how legal businesses develop relationships and win work. These platforms tend to focus on relationship intelligence, automatic interaction capture, client engagement, pipeline visibility, events, and BD workflows, making them a natural fit for commercial, corporate, and full-service firms, from mid-sized practices to global firms, that want to improve relationship-led growth. **Horizontal enterprise CRM** Enterprise CRM platforms, like Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics, are built for broad use across many industries. They can be powerful and highly configurable, but that flexibility comes with a cost: significant setup, ongoing administration, and internal ownership to keep them running well. For law firms, a horizontal enterprise CRM often needs considerable adaptation before it can support legal business development. This category tends to suit firms with large technology teams, complex enterprise requirements, and the budget to support ongoing configuration work. **Practice management platforms with CRM features** Practice management systems like Clio Grow are built to handle legal operations: matters, documents, time, billing, and client service workflows. Some include CRM or intake features, which can work well for firms that primarily need inquiry management or straightforward contact tracking. For relationship-led firms, these features tend to be too limited, built around matter operations rather than the kind of firmwide relationship visibility that drives client development. **Deal management platforms adapted for legal** Some firms, particularly those working across private equity, M&A, finance, or capital markets, consider deal management platforms like Intapp DealCloud as part of their CRM evaluation. These systems can be useful for tracking transactions, mandates, and deal flow, but are generally less suited to the broader relationship management needs of a full-service firm, where growth depends on firmwide connections rather than a single deal pipeline. **Marketing automation platforms used as CRMs** Marketing automation platforms like HubSpot can be strong for campaigns, email programs, landing pages, and inbound lead activity, making them a reasonable fit for firms with high-volume marketing programs or intake-led practices. For relationship-led firms, they tend to fall short on relationship intelligence, partner networks, and client development, usually requiring additional tools or custom processes to cover the gaps. ### **Questions to ask when evaluating a legal CRM** ***The short answer:*** *The most important questions to ask a legal CRM vendor are about adoption, implementation timeline, data capture, and total cost of ownership. Firms that skip these questions tend to discover the gaps six months after go-live.* Choosing the right CRM for your firm takes more than a product demo and cost comparison. The questions below will help your firm evaluate platforms with more discipline and avoid the gaps that tend to surface after a decision has been made. **Does it capture interactions automatically?** Ask how the CRM captures email, calendar, and relationship activity. A system that relies on manual input will create adoption issues from the start, and the gaps in data will widen over time. Lawyers need a CRM that works in the background and gives them value without adding to their administrative load. A system that passively captures relationship activity from email and calendar gives every user an accurate, up-to-date view without requiring any behavior change. The difference between automatic and manual capture determines whether the CRM will have reliable data six months after launch. **Does it include relationship intelligence?** Relationship intelligence should be built into the core CRM experience. Ask whether the platform can show who knows who, relationship strength, contact history, and engagement patterns across the firm. For firms with multiple offices, practice groups, or sector teams, this capability changes how partners collaborate and how BD teams coordinate activity. You should also ask whether relationship intelligence is included in the core platform or sold as a separate add-on. When it requires an additional license, firms often end up paying more while still working with fragmented data. **Can marketing and CRM data work from the same foundation?** Ask whether the CRM includes email marketing and event management, or whether your firm will need separate platforms and additional integrations. Separate systems create reconciliation work and make it harder to see the full picture of client engagement. When marketing and CRM share a foundation, BD teams can see which contacts engaged with a campaign, attended an event, and received a partner follow-up, all in one place. **How long does implementation take?** A CRM that takes six months to configure is six months of value the firm is not capturing, and implementation complexity has a habit of increasing cost well beyond the initial license price. You should ask what is required before launching, including data migration, integrations, training, configuration, and internal administration. Ask for a clear implementation timeline with specific milestones and ask how many firms of your size the vendor has implemented for. A platform may look affordable on paper, but the true cost of a long or difficult implementation can have lasting impacts. **What does adoption look like for lawyers?** Find out what lawyers need to do day-to-day to use the CRM. Do they need to log activity manually? Do they need to update contacts? Do they need to work inside a separate system? The answers to these questions will tell you more about expected adoption rates than any product demo. A CRM that captures interactions passively and surfaces useful relationship data without manual input gives lawyers a reason to engage with it. **What is the true total cost of ownership?** Look beyond the license price. The total cost of ownership includes implementation, integrations, add-ons, consultant support, admin time, training, and ongoing customization. Some platforms require dedicated internal administrators, while others require external consultants for routine configuration changes. Ask for a breakdown of every cost the firm will incur in the first two years, including any features that require separate licenses. A lower license cost can become significantly more expensive once the full picture is clear. **Is it built for law firms?** A CRM built for law firms should understand legal workflows, partner relationships, client teams, referrals, cross-practice collaboration, and long-term relationship management from the outset. A generic CRM can often be adapted to approximate this, but that adaptation takes time, budget, and internal effort that rarely appears in the initial quote. Firms that choose a horizontal platform typically spend months configuring it to do what a law firm-specific system offers from day one. **Does it meet your security and compliance requirements?** Law firms handle some of the most sensitive client data in any industry, and the CRM that holds relationship and communication data needs to meet a high bar. Ask whether the vendor holds ISO 27001 or SOC 2 certification, how data is stored and processed, and whether the platform supports GDPR compliance for firms with European clients. Also ask what access controls are in place and how the vendor handles email and calendar data capture from a privacy standpoint. **What integrations does it support?** Ask which systems the CRM connects to natively, including your document management system, practice management platform, email, and calendar. Ask whether connections between systems are maintained by the vendor or require separate tools to manage. Firms that rely on Microsoft 365 should confirm the depth of Outlook and Teams integration, since this is often where day-to-day lawyer engagement is strongest. **What AI and mobile capabilities does it offer?** Ask what AI capabilities are included in the core platform, what requires an additional license, and how the features actually surface in a lawyer's day. On mobile, ask whether lawyers can capture notes, review relationship context, and act on reminders from their phone without logging into a separate system. For mid-sized and larger firms, mobile access is what turns a CRM into something lawyers reach for between meetings as well as at their desks. ### **Red flags to watch for** ***The short answer:*** *The most common red flags in a legal CRM evaluation are relationship intelligence sold as an add-on, email marketing in a separate system, heavy customization requirements before the platform works for legal BD, and pricing that is difficult to understand upfront.* A CRM can look compelling in a product demo and still struggle inside a law firm. These are the warning signs to watch out for during your evaluation process. **Relationship intelligence is treated as an add-on** Relationship intelligence is central to legal business development, and a platform that treats it as a separate module or additional license creates problems from the start. When the core CRM relies on the firm to piece together who knows who from other sources, the firm ends up with fragmented data and higher costs over time. **Email marketing sits in a separate system** When campaigns and events are managed in separate platforms, BD and marketing teams have to spend more time reconciling data. You should be able to map client engagement across events, email, and meetings in a single view. Separate systems make that view difficult to build and harder to trust over time. **Implementation depends on heavy customization** Customization can be useful, but it can also derail a project. A CRM that needs extensive configuration before it maps to legal workflows adds complexity and cost to your technology budget. Ask how much of the system works for legal BD out of the box and how much needs to be built. If the answer involves months of consulting time, factor that into both the timeline and the total budget. **Lawyers need to manually log activity** Manual data entry is one of the fastest ways to lose lawyers. When lawyers are expected to log meetings, update contact records, or enter notes after every interaction, most will stop doing it within weeks. A CRM that works passively in the background, capturing relationship activity without asking lawyers to change how they work, is far more likely to maintain engagement over time. **Legal workflows are missing** Law firms need workflows that reflect how they operate. A CRM built for a non-legal sales team may need significant work. Look for specific legal BD workflows during the evaluation and ask how the platform handles referral tracking, client team coordination, and cross-practice visibility. **Pricing is hard to understand** Pricing that is difficult to understand at the evaluation stage tends to become more difficult to manage after the contract is signed. Ask for a clear view of the full cost, covering licenses, setup, add-ons, integrations, training, and ongoing support. ### **How to build the internal business case** ***The short answer:*** *The strongest CRM business case for a law firm is built around three areas: the risk of losing clients without visibility into relationship health, the growth potential sitting inside the existing client base, and the cost of fragmented data that the firm is already paying.* A strong CRM business case focuses on business value rather than product features. For most law firms, that case sits across three areas: retention, growth, and cost of the status quo. If you need a more detailed playbook for building internal support, our guide on how to get lawyer buy-in for a new CRM walks through the process step by step. **Retention risk** Client relationships can deteriorate when no one has a clear view of what is happening across the firm. A CRM gives your firm visibility into which clients are active, which relationships have gone quiet, and where follow-up is overdue. For larger clients with multiple practice groups, partners, and matters, that shared view is particularly valuable. Firms that lose clients often find, after the fact, that the warning signs were visible months earlier. **Growth from existing clients** Your fastest growth opportunities are often already inside your firm's client base. Expanding a client from one practice area to two costs significantly less than winning a new client, because the relationship foundation is already in place. A CRM helps surface those opportunities by giving partners and BD teams visibility into cross-sell potential, referral pathways, and client needs across different practice areas. When the firm can see where clients are engaged and where they have more to give, the growth plan becomes specific and easier to act on. > *"The largest benefit of working with Nexl has been seeing what our data can do. Nexl allowed Farrell Fritz to see our data in a way we had never been able to before." — Lee Peretz, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Farrell Fritz* **The cost of the status quo** Most firms already have the data they need. The problem is where it lives: scattered across inboxes, calendars, spreadsheets, event lists, and individual partner relationships. That fragmentation is easy to overlook day-to-day and expensive over time, as partners pursue prospects their colleagues already know or miss warm opportunities for lack of visibility. A CRM creates a shared foundation for action. The business case becomes stronger when the firm puts a number to what that fragmentation is already costing. ### **CRM comparison: Nexl vs. the alternatives** The legal CRM market includes purpose-built platforms, enterprise CRMs, intake systems, marketing platforms, and practice management tools. Each has a role, and the right choice depends on your firm's size, growth model, internal resources, and appetite for implementation complexity. The comparison table below evaluates the major platforms against the criteria covered earlier in this guide. It's designed to give you a structured starting point for your evaluation, helping you identify which platforms are worth a closer look and which are likely to be a poor fit before you invest time in a full demo process. For a detailed breakdown of each individual platform, click the link for a full comparison article. | Platform | Relationship intelligence | Integrated marketing | Implementation speed | AI features | Mobile app | Total cost | | NexlLegal CRM | Yes, in core platform | Yes, unified | Weeks | Relationship insights, meeting summaries, nudges | Yes, full-featured | Transparent, all-in-one | | SalesforceEnterprise CRM | Requires add-ons | Separate products | Months | Einstein AI, add-on | Yes | High, multi-license | | Microsoft DynamicsEnterprise CRM | Requires add-ons | Separate products | Months | Copilot, add-on | Yes | High, multi-license | | HubSpotMarketing automation | Limited | Strong marketing, limited business development | Weeks to months | Content AI, add-on | Yes | Moderate, escalates | | Clio GrowPractice management CRM | No | Limited | Weeks | Limited | Yes | Moderate | | Intapp DealCloudDeal management | Deal context only | Separate module | Months | Some | Yes | High | | InterActionLegal CRM | Separate module | Partial | Months | Limited | Yes, native | High, multi-component | | PeppermintLegal CRM | Available | Partial | Months | Limited | Yes, via Teams/mobile | Moderate to high | | IntrohiveClient intelligence layer | Core strength | No | Weeks to months | Some | Limited | Moderate, add-on model | | ContactEaseLegal CRM | Basic | Email only | Months | None | Limited | Moderate | | Client SenseEngagement tracking | Activity-based | No | Weeks | Limited | Limited | Moderate | | LawmaticsLegal intake CRM | Limited | Basic automation | Weeks | Limited | Yes | Low to moderate | | InsightlyGeneral CRM | Basic linking | Separate tier | Weeks | Some | Yes | Low to moderate | ### **Key takeaways: implementation checklist** Before committing to a legal CRM, work through these steps: 1. Identify your growth model. **Is your firm intake-led or relationship-led? Most mid-sized firms of 100–500 attorneys and larger AmLaw 200 or global practices are relationship-led.** 2. Audit your current state. **Where does your relationship data live today? Inboxes, spreadsheets, individual partner knowledge?** 3. Run through the evaluation questions above. **Score each platform against the criteria covered earlier in this guide, weighing the questions that matter most for your firm.** 4. Watch for red flags. **Look for a CRM built for law firms with zero-data-entry that offers relationship intelligence and email marketing in the same platform.** 5. Build your business case around value. **Retention risk, cross-sell opportunity, and the cost of fragmented data are the three strongest arguments for investment.** 6. Plan for adoption from day one. **The CRM that gets used is the one that asks the least of lawyers. Platforms with passive data capture and zero manual entry will lead to stronger adoption.** 7. Compare total cost of ownership. **License prices are the starting point. Add implementation, integrations, add-ons, admin, and training to get the real number.** ### **Choosing with confidence** The right CRM for your law firm is built around how your firm grows. For firms that depend on relationships, referrals, partner networks, and cross-practice collaboration, whether mid-sized practices of 100–500 attorneys or larger global firms, the platform should be designed around those behaviors from the outset. It should capture relationship data passively, surface who knows who across the firm, connect marketing and BD activity in one place, and make adoption straightforward for lawyers. Firms that struggle with CRM often do so because the platform was built for a different kind of business. A system designed for sales teams running defined pipelines requires significant adaptation before it works for a relationship-led law firm, and that adaptation comes at a cost in time, budget, and internal resource that could be directed toward client work. Nexl is built for the way law firms develop business. It brings together CRM, relationship intelligence, email marketing, event management, and pipeline tracking in a single platform, with no manual data entry required. Request a demo to see how it works for firms like yours. ### Frequently asked questions What is the best CRM for law firms? No The best CRM for a law firm depends on how your firm grows. For relationship-led firms, including most commercial, corporate, and full-service practices, a CRM built for legal with relationship intelligence, automatic interaction capture, and integrated marketing tends to be the strongest fit. Nexl is built specifically for this model. What is the difference between a legal CRM and a generic CRM? No A legal CRM is designed around the way law firms develop business: through relationships, referrals, partner networks, and cross-practice collaboration. A generic CRM is built for sales teams running defined pipelines. It can be adapted for legal use, but that adaptation takes time, budget, and ongoing maintenance that rarely features in the initial evaluation. How much does a legal CRM cost? No Cost varies significantly across platforms. CRM platforms built for law firms like Nexl typically offer transparent, all-in-one pricing. Horizontal enterprise CRMs often require separate licenses for CRM, marketing, relationship intelligence, and implementation support, which can push the total cost of ownership well beyond the initial license fee. How long does it take to implement a CRM in a law firm? No Implementation timelines range from a few weeks to several months depending on the platform. Legal CRM software with automatic data capture like Nexl can often go live quickly. Enterprise CRMs with heavy customization requirements tend to take considerably longer and often need dedicated internal resources or external consultants to get there. Why do CRM implementations fail at law firms? No Research suggests that around 70% of CRM implementations fail to meet expectations. The most common causes are low user adoption, poor data quality, and a lack of clear objectives at the outset. For law firms, the risk is higher when the CRM requires lawyers to manually log activity, because most will stop doing it within weeks. A platform with passive data capture removes that barrier from the start. What security certifications should a legal CRM have? No For most law firms, ISO 27001 certification and SOC 2 compliance are the standard to look for. Firms with European clients should also confirm GDPR compliance and ask how the vendor handles email and calendar data. Nexl holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and SOC 2 certifications. Full security details are available at trust.nexl.cloud. Is there a good CRM for mid-sized law firms? No Mid-sized law firms of 100–500 attorneys typically need a CRM that supports relationship-led BD without requiring a large internal technology team to maintain it. The strongest fit is usually a CRM designed for law firms with automatic data capture, built-in relationship intelligence, and transparent all-in-one pricing. Nexl is built specifically for firms of this size. --- ## The 9 best CRMs for law firms in 2026 Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/article-the-9-best-crms-for-law-firms-in-2026 The best CRM for law firms in 2026 depends on how your firm grows. Firms that grow through relationships, referrals, and cross-selling get the most from a growth system for law firms with automatic data capture and firm-wide relationship mapping, like Nexl. This guide covers nine of the leading options in 2026, with a short look at what each platform does well, how long implementation typically takes, and which firm size suits best. | CRM | Best for | Built for law firms | Implementation | Typical firm size | | Nexl | Relationship-led growth, referrals, and cross-selling across practice groups | Yes | Weeks | Mid-market to enterprise, including AmLaw 100 | | Intapp DealCloud | Transaction-driven firms serving capital markets and private equity | Yes | Months | Large and enterprise | | InterAction | Firms invested in the LexisNexis research ecosystem | Yes | Months | Mid to large | | Salesforce | Alternative legal services providers and firms in a corporate group already on Salesforce | No | Months | Medium to enterprise | | Microsoft Dynamics 365 | Firms standardized on Microsoft 365 with IT support | No | Months | Mid to large | | HubSpot | Consumer-facing, inbound and intake-led practices | No | Weeks | All sizes, intake-led fit | | Clio Grow | Intake-led consumer practices such as personal injury, family, and estate law | Yes | Weeks | Solo to mid-sized | | Foundation 365 (formerly Peppermint) | Large firms wanting CRM and practice management on a Microsoft foundation | Yes | Months | Large | | ContactEase (SurePoint) | Firms wanting Outlook-based contact management alongside SurePoint finance | Yes | Weeks | Small to mid-sized | ### 1. Nexl Nexl is a growth platform built for law firms by former lawyers and legal professionals. It brings CRM, workspaces, marketing, and relationship intelligence together in a single cloud-native system. Nexl’s zero-data-entry CRM captures interactions automatically from email and calendar systems, without logging privileged information, so relationship records stay current without any input from fee earners. Their “who knows who" mapping shows connections across the entire firm, while cross-sell insights surface opportunities inside existing client relationships, and AI features suggest actionable insights and new opportunities hidden in your firm’s relationship data. Marketing campaigns can be targeted by engagement history and relationship strength because marketing and relationship data live in one place. **Implementation timeline:** Weeks. Nexl runs implementation in-house, which gives firms one point of accountability. **Typical firm size:** Mid-market to enterprise. Nexl customers include AmLaw 100 firms and growing firms making their first investment in CRM. ### 2. Intapp DealCloud DealCloud, part of the Intapp ecosystem, has expanded from its investment banking roots into the legal market. It is a data-rich, analytics-heavy platform with strong pipeline management, deal tracking, and third-party data enrichment from providers like PitchBook and FactSet. Intapp DealCloud's legal module adds relationship intelligence, automated Outlook capture, and matter tracking. Firms that already use Intapp for conflicts, time entry, or compliance may benefit from a unified data layer, however the trade-off is complexity. Implementation usually involves Intapp's professional services team and meaningful configuration to align the platform with legal workflows. **Implementation timeline:** Months ‍**Typical firm size:** Large and enterprise, particularly transaction-driven firms serving capital markets, private equity, and investment banking clients. ### 3. InterAction InterAction has been a dominant large law firm CRM for decades, used by a share of the AmLaw 100. Launched in 1993 and acquired by LexisNexis in 2004, it offers strong contact management, relationship intelligence, and integration with LexisNexis content, including litigation analytics through Context. Their cloud platform, InterAction+, launched in 2023 for firms of 20-200 lawyers. The platform carries the weight of legacy architecture, and many firms report that lawyers find the interface cumbersome, which makes adoption a persistent challenge. Firms already invested in LexisNexis research products gain the most from its integrations. **Implementation timeline:** Months for the on-premises version. Implementation requires dedicated IT resources and often a full-time CRM administrator. **Typical firm size:** Mid to large ### 4. Salesforce Salesforce is the most widely used CRM in the world, setting the benchmark for pipeline management, sales automation, and customer data across almost every industry. Its strength is structured selling: defined opportunity stages, dedicated sales teams, and consistent data entry. Those assumptions fit software companies and financial services firms well, however, most law firms grow through personal relationships, referrals, and partner networks. Adapting Salesforce to legal workflows takes extensive customization, usually with a consulting partner. It can suit alternative legal services providers that operate like traditional B2B businesses, or firms inside a larger corporate group already running Salesforce. **Implementation timeline:** Six months or more, with extensive customization. **Typical firm size:** Medium to enterprise ### 5. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Microsoft Dynamics is a natural consideration for firms running Microsoft 365. It is a broad, capable platform offering contact management, pipeline tracking, workflow automation, and reporting through Power BI, with the Power Platform available for custom applications and low-code development. Out of the box it has no native understanding of law firm relationships, referral patterns, or the legal BD cycle. Relationship intelligence and "who knows who" mapping require the Dynamics 365 Sales module, and email marketing requires Dynamics 365 Customer Insights, each with its own licensing and fees. Building legal-specific workflows typically calls for a specialist consulting partner. **Implementation timeline:** Six to twelve months, requiring dedicated IT resources for ongoing maintenance. **Typical firm size:** Mid to large ### 6. HubSpot HubSpot is one of the most popular CRM and marketing platforms in the world, known for its free CRM tier, friendly interface, and powerful inbound marketing tools. It excels at content management, lead scoring, automated email sequences, and conversion tracking, so it works well for firms with a digital-first, consumer-facing intake model where inbound marketing drives client acquisition. The platform is built around B2B and B2C sales funnels, so it has no native relationship intelligence, "who knows who" mapping, or automatic capture of lawyer email and calendar activity. Firms need to review compliance when using HubSpot because their automations and data capture can copy privileged email contents. **Implementation timeline:** Days to weeks for a standard setup, longer if you customize it for legal workflows. **Typical firm size:** All sizes, with the strongest fit for consumer-facing or intake-led practices. ### 7. Clio Grow Clio is the most widely used practice management platform in the legal market, trusted by more than 150,000 lawyers globally. Clio Grow, its CRM and client intake module, streamlines client acquisition with customizable online forms, appointment booking, automated email sequences, visual pipelines, and e-signatures for engagement letters. Conflict checking is built in, and the integration with Clio Manage means converted leads flow straight into matter management and billing. The model works well for personal injury, family law, estate planning, and other areas where clients arrive through search, advertising, or referral platforms. It does not include relationship intelligence, "who knows who" mapping, or cross-sell insights, which sit outside its intake-focused scope. **Implementation timeline:** Weeks **Typical firm size:** Solo to mid-sized, especially consumer-facing practice areas. ‍ ### 8.Foundation 365 (formerly Peppermint) Foundation 365, formerly Peppermint and acquired by Litera in early 2025, is a modular platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365. It combines CRM, matter management, document management, and work management for large firms, with deep integration across Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Power BI. It offers a broad scope for firms that want client engagement and practice management on a single Microsoft foundation. Its reliance on Dynamics 365 results in trade-offs: deployment needs Microsoft licensing, partner involvement, and significant configuration, along with internal IT capability or an external partner. Relationship intelligence and "who knows who" mapping are optional features at additional cost, and email marketing requires Dynamics Marketing as a separate add-on with additional fees. **Implementation timeline:** Months **Typical firm size:** Large ### 9. ContactEase ContactEase, now part of SurePoint Technologies, has been a popular CRM for US law firms. It is built for law firms and designed around Outlook, so lawyers can view and update contact records without leaving their email client, which drives solid adoption. The platform offers list management, business development tracking, and integration with SurePoint's financial management software, giving firms a combined view of relationship and revenue data. However, it is primarily a contact management tool, so it does not include "who knows who" mapping, built-in email marketing, event management, or AI-powered insights. Firms that want to send campaigns need a separate Constant Contact license for additional cost. **Implementation timeline:** Weeks **Typical firm size:** Small to mid-sized firms ### How to choose the best legal CRM software The best legal CRM software for your firm comes down to your growth model. If your work arrives through inbound inquiries and a defined intake process, an intake-led tool such as Clio Grow or a marketing-led platform such as HubSpot can serve you well. If you operate inside a heavily customized Microsoft or Intapp environment, Dynamics, Peppermint, or DealCloud may fit your wider stack. For firms that grow through partner relationships, referrals, and cross-selling across practice groups, a platform like Nexl which is built around relationship intelligence and high lawyer adoption will give you the most value. Want to see how Nexl works for your firm? Book a demo now. ### Frequently asked questions What is the best CRM for law firms in 2026? No There is no single best CRM for every firm, because the right choice depends on how your firm grows. Firms that win work through inbound inquiries and structured intake are well served by intake-led tools like Clio Grow or marketing-led platforms like HubSpot. Firms that grow through partner relationships, referrals, and cross-selling tend to get the most value from a platform built around relationship intelligence and high lawyer adoption, such as Nexl. The best approach is to match the platform to your growth model, your firm size, and the technology you already run. What is the difference between a legal CRM and a generic CRM? No A generic CRM like Salesforce or HubSpot is built around structured sales funnels, with leads moving through defined stages toward a close. A legal CRM is designed for the way law firms develop business, through personal relationships, referral networks, and repeat engagements with existing clients. Legal CRMs include capabilities that generic platforms lack out of the box, including relationship intelligence, "who knows who" mapping across the firm, and cross-sell insights based on client engagement. Adapting a generic CRM to work this way usually requires extensive customization and a consulting partner. Why do so many law firm CRM projects fail? No The most common reason is low adoption, and the usual cause is manual data entry. Many traditional CRMs rely on lawyers actively updating records, which rarely happens during busy periods. Low adoption leads to incomplete data, which means the system never delivers the insights it was bought for. Platforms that capture interaction data automatically from email and calendar systems remove this barrier, because the records stay current without any input from fee earners. How long does it take to implement a CRM at a law firm? No It varies widely by platform. Cloud-native systems built for law firms can deploy in weeks. Enterprise platforms that need heavy customization, such as Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics, often take six to twelve months and require dedicated IT resources. Platforms built on Microsoft Dynamics, including Peppermint, typically take several months with Microsoft licensing and partner involvement. Legal CRMs like Nexl take weeks, as the platform was built around legal workflows. What size law firm needs a dedicated CRM? No Firms of any size benefit from organized client and relationship data, but the case for a dedicated CRM grows stronger as a firm scales. Solo practitioners and small consumer-facing firms often do well with a simple intake tool. Mid-sized firms of 100-500 attorneys, along with AmLaw 200, Magic Circle, and global firms, gain the most from relationship intelligence and firm-wide "who knows who" mapping, because their growth depends on coordinating relationships across many partners and practice groups. --- ## What is a growth system for law firms? Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/article-what-is-a-growth-system-for-law-firms A growth system for law firms is a platform that brings together CRM, relationship intelligence, marketing, and collaborative workspaces. It is built around the way lawyers work so growth becomes a firmwide discipline instead of a personal skill held by a few rainmakers. Many law firms have invested in technology, like a CRM or marketing tool, to support business development. However, despite investing in tools, firm growth still depends on a handful of partners. A growth system addresses that gap by connecting relationships, strategy, and execution to make business development accessible and simple for everyone at a firm. ### What a growth system includes A growth system unifies four capabilities that usually live in separate tools: 1. CRM**, which documents your contacts, interactions, and relationship history. In a growth system built for law firms, the** **CRM captures this data automatically** **from email and calendar systems, so records stay current without any manual data entry.** 2. **‍**Relationship intelligence **(sometimes called ERM), which maps who knows whom across the entire firm, scores the strength of each relationship, and surfaces** **cross-sell opportunities** **inside your existing client base. It answers the question every partner asks before a pitch: who here already has a strong connection to this client?** 3. **‍**Marketing**, including email campaigns and event management. When marketing shares the same relationship data as your CRM, you can target communications by engagement history and relationship strength and easily track campaign results.** 4. **‍**Collaborative workspaces**, meaning shared documentation for business development and marketing teams to plan client targeting, practice group strategy, and account growth together.** Woven through all four is an intelligence layer. When firms bolt several disconnected tools together, you lose the benefit of shared intelligence from a unified data source. ### How is a growth system different from a CRM? A CRM is the system of record that stores your relationship data. A growth system is the execution layer that sits on top of that data and turns business development plans into coordinated action across the firm. While a CRM gives you a clean, central database of contacts and interactions, it's passive. It tells you what you know, but not what to do with it. A growth system uses a CRM as one component inside a wider system, taking the relationship data and turning it into prompts, plans, and measurable activity. ### Why law firms need a growth system Research from the Rethinking Rainmakers report, shows that firms with systematic BD cultures grow 42% faster than firms that depend on individual rainmakers. These firms also see 60% lower client churn, 50% better marketing ROI, and 2.3 times better success when integrating lateral hires. Systematic firms also sell an average of 3.33 services per client, compared with 1.25 at rainmaker-dependent firms. Only 6-10% of firms operate with a systematic business development culture today. For most firms, growth is dependent on the actions of a few senior people and is reliant on those people staying at the firm. A growth system spreads business development capability across the firm, so a strong relationship held by one partner becomes visible and useful to the whole organization. ### How to know if your firm is ready A growth system best suits firms where revenue comes from deepening client relationships, cross-selling across practice groups, and turning partner networks into warm introductions. That describes most mid-sized firms of 100-500 attorneys, along with AmLaw 200, Magic Circle, and global firms. If your business development currently lives in the heads of a few partners and a scatter of spreadsheets, a growth system gives you a way to make it a firmwide discipline that scales with you. If you want to see how a growth system works in practice, you can book a demo now. ### Frequently asked questions No A growth system is a single platform that combines CRM, relationship intelligence, marketing, and collaborative workspaces, built around the way lawyers work. It connects the tools a firm uses for business development so that growth becomes a firmwide discipline supported by shared data, instead of a skill held by a few individual rainmakers. What is the difference between a CRM and a growth system? No A CRM is the system of record that stores your contacts, interactions, and relationship history. A growth system uses that data as its foundation and adds an execution layer on top, turning business development plans into prompts, introductions, campaigns, and measurable activity. Why do most legal CRM projects fail, and how does a growth system help? No Around 70% of CRM implementations fail, and the cause is almost always low adoption rather than a technical fault. Traditional systems ask busy lawyers to enter and update data. A lawyer-first growth system like Nexl captures interaction data automatically, without logging privileged information, so lawyers do not need to change how they work. What size law firm needs a growth system? No A growth system suits firms where revenue comes from deepening client relationships, cross-selling across practice groups, and turning partner networks into warm introductions. That includes most mid-sized firms of 100-500 attorneys, along with AmLaw 200, Magic Circle, and global firms. Smaller firms with a simple, intake-led model may not need one yet, though any firm that wants to make business development a firmwide discipline rather than an individual talent will benefit from one. --- ## The complete law firm business development guide Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/article-law-firm-business-development-guide > Summary: Law firm growth depends on relationships, but most firms still rely on a handful of rainmakers to manage them. Firms that build systematic BD cultures, with shared data, visible pipelines, and lawyer-friendly tools, grow 42% faster and experience 60% lower client churn. This guide covers how to shift from rainmaker-dependent to implementing a systematic growth system, including defining what effective BD looks like to closing the operational gaps that hold most firms back. Law firm growth has a structural problem. Most firms depend on a handful of partners for the majority of their revenue, and when those partners retire, get recruited, or burn out, the firm scrambles for a replacement rather than rethinking a system that continues to fail them. The Rethinking Rainmakers report, a global benchmark study of 235 business development leaders across 202 firms, found that practices with systematic BD cultures grow 42% faster and experience 60% lower client churn than firms reliant on individual rainmakers. Over five years, that gap compounds into an $83 million annual revenue delta for a $300 million firm. The firms at the systematic end of that spectrum have built BD into how they operate: shared data, visible pipelines, incentives that reward collaboration, and systems that give every lawyer a way to contribute to growth without competing with client work. Fewer than one in ten law firms have made that shift. This guide is the framework for how to do it. It covers what law firm BD is and how it works in practice, the four maturity archetypes that determine growth outcomes, the five operational gaps that keep most firms dependent on rainmakers, and a practical framework for building a system that compounds over time. Whether you are a managing partner rethinking a law firm growth strategy, a BD leader building the case for investment, or a CMO at a mid-sized firm of 100–500 attorneys or a larger AmLaw 200 or global practice, this guide provides the data and the framework you need to move forward. ### What is law firm business development? *The short answer: Law firm BD is the systematic process of identifying, developing, and retaining client relationships that drive revenue. It operates through relationships, spans the full client lifecycle, and requires shared infrastructure across partners, BD teams, and firm leadership.* Business development in a law firm is the systematic process of identifying, developing, and retaining client relationships that drive firm revenue. It is not a sales function in the way most industries understand that term. Growth at most firms comes through trust built over years, referrals from people who have seen the work up close, introductions from existing clients, and the quality of what the firm delivers on every matter. Law firm BD operates largely through relationships and spans the entire client lifecycle. At the start, it involves identifying target clients and sectors, building awareness through events and thought leadership, and developing the firm's reputation in specific markets. In the middle, it requires managing relationships with existing clients, identifying where the firm can add more value, and coordinating activity across practice groups. At the end, it entails retaining clients and measuring engagement. The challenge is that these activities are spread across different people, teams, and systems. Without a shared infrastructure, each activity happens in isolation, and the firm can't see the full picture. Partners and lawyers, BD and marketing teams, and firm leadership are all responsible for different aspects of legal BD, but they have different needs from BD systems. **Partners and lawyers are relationship holders.** They sit closest to the client and have the most direct influence on whether a relationship grows or stalls. They need a system that makes BD activity easy to sustain alongside client work, with minimal admin and clear next steps. Most partners won't log meetings in a CRM, but they will respond to a prompt that tells them a key client has gone quiet. **BD and marketing are the operational engine**. They design programs, run campaigns, coordinate events, manage data, and build infrastructure that makes firmwide BD possible. They need shared data, workflow tools, and visibility into what is happening across the firm. When BD teams can't see which partners have active relationships with a target client, they won’t be able to make informed decisions about outreach plans. **Firm leadership sets the direction.** Managing partners, practice group leaders, and executive committees need to see whether the firm is growing, what practice areas are at risk, and whether BD investment is producing results. They need measurement, reporting, and a clear connection between BD activity and firm performance. When these three audiences work from separate systems and separate data, the cost shows up in the firm’s results: partners pursue prospects their colleagues already know; BD teams build campaigns without knowing which relationships are warm; and leadership approves investment in programs that can't be measured. A connected growth system that gives all three audiences a shared view of the firm’s relationship capital is what turns those individual efforts into institutional capability. ### What effective law firm BD looks like *The short answer: Effective law firm BD combines structured client relationship management, consistent lawyer participation, coordinated marketing activity, and shared pipeline visibility. The firms that do it well have built systems that make each of these things easier to sustain.* BD in a law firm is a set of processes, including key account management, events, and thought leadership, that produce consistent growth. Most firms have some version of each process in place. #### **Client planning and key account management** The foundation of effective law firm BD is knowing which clients matter most and having a structured plan for each of them. Key account programs, sometimes called client teams or client development plans, bring together the partners and lawyers who work with a client, the BD professionals who support them, and a shared brief that covers the client’s business priorities. Research from Gardner & Co. found that clients served by coordinated teams generate up to five times the revenue of those managed by a single partner. What drives the revenue difference is the coordination around those relationships. Firms that bring partners, lawyers, and BD professionals together around a shared client brief, and maintain a consistent rhythm of review and follow-up, extract significantly more value from the relationships they already have. Running an effective key account program requires four things: 1. **Selecting the right clients to prioritize** 2. **Building a shared brief before each review** 3. **Running a structured conversation that covers current matters, new intelligence, cross-sell opportunities, and relationship health** 4. **Assigning clear ownership of every follow-up action** Most firms do the first two reasonably well. The third and fourth are where execution tends to stall, because sustained follow-through requires someone being explicitly accountable for it, and that accountability is rarely built into how most firms operate. For most firms, the barrier to running effective key account programs is visibility. Partners prepare for client reviews based on what they personally know, which is a fraction of the firm's collective knowledge. A CRM with relationship intelligence built in gives the whole team a shared view of the client relationship before the conversation starts, surfacing recent interactions, relationship strength across the firm, and intelligence that would otherwise stay in individual inboxes. #### **Getting lawyers to participate in BD** Lawyer participation is where most BD programs run into difficulty. Partners are busy, BD feels like it competes with billable work, and the tools that were supposed to make participation easier often add to the administrative load instead. The result is a firm where a small number of motivated partners carry the BD effort, and the majority participate inconsistently or not at all. Most lawyers want to develop their practices and deepen their client relationships. The resistance to BD programs is almost always about friction: the effort required to participate is disproportionate to the value it visibly returns. The firms with the highest lawyer participation rates have addressed this at a structural level in a few ways. Firstly, they implement a zero data entry CRM for lawyers that: - **Captures relationship data automatically from email and calendar, so lawyers don’t need to manually log activity** - **Automates prompts to encourage lawyers to follow up at the right time** Secondly, they encourage desired attorney behavior by: - **Planning events around the things lawyers care about, so participation feels like a natural extension of existing interests** - **Recognizing BD activity in compensation and performance reviews, so lawyers who invest time in client relationships see that reflected in how the firm values their contribution** The two levers that move the needle most are system design and incentive alignment. A system that does the administrative work for lawyers removes the friction that stops participation. While compensation that rewards collaborative BD removes the structural barrier that stops even motivated lawyers from sharing clients across practice groups. #### **Events and thought leadership as BD tools** Events are one of the highest-investment BD activities most firms run, and one of the hardest to measure. The firms that get consistent returns from their event programs approach them the same way they approach client planning: with a clear objective, a structured process before and after the event, and a method to track ROI. Before an event, the most effective firms research who will be in the room, identify which attendees already have connections inside the firm, and brief the lawyers attending with specific context about who to speak to and why. After an event, they follow up systematically, adding contacts to their CRM, connecting with them on LinkedIn, and making sure follow-up conversations happen within 48 hours. Thought leadership, sector campaigns, and content programs work on a longer cycle but follow the same logic. The goal is to build a reputation in specific markets where the firm wants to win work. When thought leadership is connected to BD activity through a shared CRM, the firm can see which contacts engaged with a piece of content, attended a webinar, or responded to a campaign, and use that engagement as a signal for where a follow-up conversation makes sense. #### **How BD and marketing teams work together** In firms where BD and marketing work well together, the relationship is built on shared data and objectives. Marketing builds awareness, runs campaigns, manages events, and creates content that keeps the firm visible in its target markets. BD turns that activity into pipeline by connecting campaign engagement to relationship data, coordinating partner follow-up, and tracking which marketing investments are producing opportunities. The breakdown happens when the two functions operate from separate systems. Without a shared data layer, campaign engagement stays invisible to the BD team, event attendance never reaches the relationship record, and the connection between marketing activity and pipeline opportunity has to be rebuilt manually every time. A connected platform that brings CRM, email marketing, event management, and pipeline tracking together gives BD and marketing a shared foundation, so campaigns are targeted based on relationship data, event follow-up is coordinated through the same system that tracks the relationship, and pipeline visibility is shared. #### **BD metrics that matter at the lawyer level** Firmwide metrics tell leadership whether the BD strategy is working. Lawyer-level metrics tell BD teams where to focus their support. The most useful lawyer-level signals are: - **Relationship activity, specifically which clients and prospects a lawyer has been in contact with recently and where engagement is starting to cool** - **Follow-up completion, meaning whether the actions committed to after client meetings and events are getting done** - **Cross-sell contribution, which tracks whether lawyers are actively connecting clients to colleagues in other practice areas** Most firms don't have visibility into these signals because they rely on lawyers to self-report activity. A CRM that captures relationship activity automatically gives BD teams the data they need to support lawyers proactively, reaching out when a key relationship has gone quiet rather than waiting for a partner to raise it as a problem. ### How AI is changing legal BD *The short answer: AI in legal BD is moving past content generation into operational use cases like meeting summaries, relationship insights, and activity prompts.* AI is reshaping the practice of law faster than the business of law. The legal side has clear, structured use cases: drafting, deal point extraction, document review, and research. The BD side has been slower to find its footing, in part because the inputs are messier. Relationship judgment, client context, and pipeline strategy are harder to systematize than contract review. The firms making progress with AI in BD are using it for specific operational lifts rather than broad transformation. Additionally, those with strong relationship intelligence foundations are getting more value from AI because they have more data for it to work with. The most common use cases include: - **Meeting summaries that get filed automatically to the relationship record** - **AI-generated prompts that flag clients who have gone quiet or relationships that are cooling** - **Automated email enrichment that adds context to contact records without manual input** - **Content briefing tools that help marketing teams build thought leadership faster** ### The four BD culture archetypes The Rethinking Rainmakers report identifies four stages of law firm BD maturity: solo, spontaneous, structured, and systematic. Only 6–10% of firms reach the systematic stage, where growth is institutional rather than individual. Where your firm sits on this spectrum has a direct effect on growth outcomes. Once you understand where your firm sits, you can build a BD strategy that produces results. **Solo** Firms in this category see BD as relevant only to specific operators. Partners work in isolation, with no shared system, coordinated activity, or firmwide visibility. Growth depends entirely on the personal networks and motivation of a few individuals. If a top rainmaker retires or moves firms, revenue follows them out the door. Solo firms often do not realize how concentrated their growth is until it becomes a problem. The firm may be profitable, but the model is fragile and entirely dependent on individuals. **Spontaneous** These firms recognize that BD matters, but activity is uncoordinated. Individual partners and teams run their own programs, marketing support is reactive, data is scattered across inboxes and spreadsheets, and follow-up is inconsistent. There is no shared view of pipeline or client engagement, and no way to know whether two partners are currently pursuing the same prospect. **Structured** Structured firms have invested in BD infrastructure. They have a marketing team, a CRM, defined processes, and some level of accountability. Activity is more coordinated, but execution is still uneven. Partners engage when it suits them. Data quality varies because the CRM depends on manual entry, and the firm can see some of what is happening, but the picture is incomplete. These firms often describe their BD culture as "good in pockets," meaning they have some systematic BD processes, but parts of their strategy are still partner-dependent. **Systematic** Only 6-10% of firms reach this stage. In a systematic firm, BD is embedded in how the firm operates. Collaboration is rewarded, pipelines are visible, and data is shared. Every lawyer plays a role in growth, and the system supports them with tools, prompts, and relationship intelligence. These firms do not depend on rainmakers because their system produce growth. They achieve 42% higher revenue growth, 60% lower client churn, and are twice as likely to succeed with lateral hires. #### Where does your firm sit? Most firms overestimate their maturity. Having a CRM and BD team is a starting point, but the gap between having that foundation versus a system that drives firmwide growth is where most firms get stuck. If your firm's growth system relies on five or six individual partners, you are likely in the **solo** or **spontaneous** stage. Having a CRM and a BD team puts your firm closer to **structured**, though uneven adoption and inconsistent data quality are signs the system has not fully taken hold. A firm approaching **systematic** has firmwide pipeline visibility, incentivized collaboration, and every lawyer contributing to growth through a shared system. ### The five gaps holding most law firms back Despite good intentions, most firms remain trapped in rainmaker dependence by five predictable operational gaps. Nexl's BD benchmark report found these gaps across firms of every size and geography, which suggests the problem is structural rather than cultural. The five gaps are: 1. **Willing leaders, weak systems. You have leaders who champion BD, but there aren’t any accountability structures to sustain it.** 2. **Blind without metrics. Useful BD activity occurs across the firm, but you lack the ability to track how it impacts core business metrics.** 3. **Tech without traction. Firms that buy technology to support systematic growth don't have enough adoption to make it useful.** 4. **Pipelines missing, potential lost.** **Only 38% of law firms use active pipeline management****, compared to 79% in non-legal professional services firms.** 5. **Lateral hires, recurring failures. Lateral hires who join without the integration to help them succeed.** The sections below are designed to help you diagnose which gaps are most active in your firm and where to start. **Willing leaders, weak systems** Nearly 70% of firm leaders champion business development, featuring it in partner meetings and strategic plans. However, more than half of this group lack clear accountability frameworks and run reward programs that actively undermine the collaborative behaviors they say they want. A firm that compensates partners primarily on individual origination while asking for cross-practice collaboration is sending mixed signals. When incentives and stated strategy point in different directions, partner behavior follows the incentives. This is the leadership-execution chasm. The partners at the top are willing, but the firm has not built the infrastructure to translate that willingness into consistent action. BD programs get off the ground, run without clear ownership, and stall because nobody is accountable for sustained execution. The result is a firm where motivated partners have no clear next step, BD teams cannot get consistent engagement from the lawyers they support, and leadership mistakes a structural problem for a cultural one. The research is specific on what this costs. The 35% of firms running reward programs that undermine collaborative behavior are actively paying for the outcomes they say they want to move away from. The fix starts with clear BD ownership at the practice group and firm level, accountability structures that connect BD activity to performance review, and compensation aligned to collaborative behaviors. When the incentive structure matches the stated strategy, partner behavior follows. The goal is alignment between what the firm says it values and how it rewards performance. Getting lawyers to engage consistently with business development is where most firms need to start. **Blind without metrics** Most law firms are flying blind on the metrics that matter most for BD. Over 50% lack visibility into core BD measures, which means investment decisions are made on instinct. Six core metrics separate firms that grow through deliberate BD activity from firms that grow through circumstance: - **Revenue growth rate** - **Service penetration across clients** - **Win rates on proposals and pitches** - **Lateral hire success** - **Marketing ROI** - **Client churn** Revenue growth and service penetration show whether the firm is deepening its relationships with existing clients. Win rates indicate whether the firm's pitching process is competitive, and lateral hire success shows whether new partners are building practices. Marketing ROI measures whether campaigns and events are producing results, and client churn tells you whether clients are being retained. Most firms track revenue at the firm and practice group level. Far fewer track it at the client level in a way that connects to BD activity. A firm that knows total revenue grew 8% last year knows less than a firm that knows which clients opportunities grew, shrank, or left entirely. The client-level view is where actionable insight lives and building that view requires a CRM that connects relationship activity to financial outcomes rather than treating them as separate data sets. The consequences of flying blind on these metrics extends beyond the BD team. When a managing partner asks whether BD investment is working and the answer requires a manual spreadsheet compiled over two weeks, the firm is wasting time that could be spent on strategic work. A growth system that makes these metrics visible from day one better allows BD teams to expand programs or demonstrate what value their team is delivering based on data. Of these metrics, client churn is the most dangerous one to ignore. By the time most firms notice a client relationship has gone quiet, they've already engaged someone else. Building strong measurement practices to catch those signals early is what allows firms to retain clients systematically. **Tech without traction** 42% of firms lack quality data for business development, and 41% do not use core technologies like a law firm CRM. Many of them have purchased CRM software, attempted implementation, and watched adoption stall, and the reason is rarely technical. Most legal CRM projects stall because the system was built around data entry and requires too much manual administration. If a CRM creates more work than it saves, usage drops, data degrades, and the system loses credibility across the firm. When adoption works, it's often because a firm has chosen a CRM for law firms that captures relationship activity from email and calendar automatically, surfaces relationship insights in the workflows lawyers already use, and gives them a reason to engage without changing how they work. Firms that get traction with technology consistently outperform their peers. Firms using BD technology are nearly twice as likely to manage pipeline effectively (68% vs. 37%) and capture client feedback systematically (65% vs. 29%). The performance gap is significant, and it comes down to whether the technology was designed around how lawyers work. The most common reasons legal CRM projects fail are predictable and avoidable, and the firms that get it right tend to address them before go-live. **Pipelines missing, potential lost** Pipeline management has the strongest correlation with firm performance of any factor measured in the Rethinking Rainmakers report, and it is the area where law firms lag furthest behind other professional services. Only 38% of law firms use active pipeline management, compared to 79% in non-legal professional services firms. The performance difference is significant: firms with active pipeline management see 10.4% revenue growth compared to 8.3%, lower client churn (6.6% vs. 7.5%), and higher win rates (47.5% vs. 41.1%). Tracking proposals is where most firms begin, and stopping there leaves the most valuable pipeline opportunities unmanaged. Genuine pipeline management in a law firm means knowing which clients have needs across practice areas, understanding which partner has the strongest relationship with each key contact, recognizing where a client's situation has changed in a way that opens up additional work, and building enough structure around follow-up that opportunities do not disappear between matters. Cross-selling represents the most immediate pipeline opportunity for most firms. Expanding an existing client relationship into a second practice area costs significantly less than winning a new client, especially given the commercial relationships are already in place. Using relationship data to identify those opportunities allows firms to turn cross-selling into a managed, repeatable part of the firm's growth activity. Most of the required relationship information already exists in partner inboxes, notes from client meetings, or event attendance lists. The gap is whether your firm has a system that collates the data in one place, and surfaces it for the right stakeholders. **Lateral hires, recurring failures** 73% of firms do not track lateral hire success, and for those that do, the average success rate is only 52%. The pattern that produces these outcomes is structural. Firms hire laterals to fill a growth gap, then place them inside the same rainmaker-dependent culture that created the gap. The lateral arrives with a network and expectation of support, and the firm, lacking the infrastructure to deliver it, is poorly placed to meet either. Their relationships sit inside their own contacts, invisible to the rest of the firm. Cross-selling requires building favor with partners who have little structured incentive to share clients, and the lateral enters the firm with no visibility into who knows who or where the warm relationships already exist. The lateral spends the first year building internal goodwill rather than growing the practice, and the firm repeats the cycle. The cost of this pattern extends well beyond the recruitment fee. A lateral who does not meet expectations within two to three years represents a significant investment in salary, origination expectations, and opportunity cost, and most firms do not have the data to understand what went wrong or how to do it differently next time. The 73% of firms that do not track lateral success are repeating the same structural mistake without the information needed to correct it. Firms with systematic BD cultures see dramatically different outcomes: 65% lateral hire success compared to 28% in highly rainmaker-dependent firms. When laterals are integrated into a collaborative BD environment from day one, given visibility into firmwide relationships through a shared CRM, and connected to the firm's existing network through relationship intelligence, they start contributing faster and stay longer. Giving a lateral visibility into who knows who across the firm from the first week means they can begin building on the firm's existing relationships immediately, rather than spending months working out where they fit. ### How to start implementing legal BD at your firm *The short answer: A new law firm BD plan should involve new technology, building better pipeline visibility, connecting marketing and BD activity, aligning incentives, and better tracking core metrics.* A law firm BD plan has to start somewhere. The framework below covers five steps to take a firm from disconnected effort to systematic growth. #### 1. Start with technology A practical first step for building a law firm BD plan for most mid-sized law firms of 100–500 attorneys, as well as larger AmLaw 200 and global firms, is finding a legal CRM with zero data entry. When your CRM captures relationship data passively from email and calendar, the firm gets accurate data without needing attorneys to change how they work. The first sign this is working is when BD teams are able to proactively provide contact updates and relationship information to partners. #### **2. Build pipeline visibility** With relationship data flowing and contacts visible across the firm, practice group leaders can see which clients are engaged, what opportunities are in play, and where cross-sell potential exists. Pipeline visibility only delivers on that promise when the underlying data is reliable, which is why your technology foundation matters before anything else. A firm that builds pipeline management on top of incomplete data is only tracking a partial picture. #### ‍**3. Connect marketing and BD activity** When your CRM, email marketing, and event management share a data layer, BD and marketing teams no longer need to reconcile spreadsheets. They can follow up on events consistently, target campaigns to the right contacts, and get engagement reporting they can act on. #### **4. Align incentives** When your firm can see who is engaging with clients and following up on opportunities, the conversation about accountability becomes much harder to sidestep. Visibility into BD activity does not create accountability on its own, but it gives leadership the evidence they need to move forwards on structural change. #### **5. Measure and iterate** Tracking core metrics (revenue growth, service penetration, win rates, lateral hire success, marketing ROI, and client churn) gives your firm a baseline to improve against. Firms that track these consistently can make more informed decisions about BD investment, identify at-risk clients earlier, and improve performance over time. Establishing a baseline is an important first step, and it makes every subsequent investment conversation easier because the firm can point to what changed. ### The case for making changes now The 42% growth gap between systematic and rainmaker-dependent firms is an argument for a specific set of operational decisions: who owns BD, how performance gets measured, what the CRM asks of lawyers, and whether the incentives in place actually support the behaviors the firm says it wants. The compounding nature of that gap is worth sitting with. A firm that closes its operational gaps this year and begins growing at 12.5% annually rather than 8.8% outperforms their peers by a larger margin every year, because it is growing from a larger base. For a $300 million firm, the research estimates that gap translates to an $83 million annual revenue delta over five years. The firms that close them do not do it by launching a firmwide initiative. They do it by fixing one thing at a time, building evidence, and using that evidence to bring the partnership with them. The framework in this guide is a starting point for that process. For firms ready to see how Nexl supports it in practice, request a demo. ### Frequently asked questions What is law firm business development? No Law firm business development is the systematic process of identifying, developing, and retaining client relationships that drive firm revenue. It encompasses relationship management, pipeline tracking, cross-sell activity, events, marketing campaigns, and the coordination of BD efforts across a firm. In a firm with a mature BD model, every lawyer plays a role in growth, supported by shared systems and data. BD sits downstream of marketing, taking the awareness and positioning that marketing builds and converting it into active client relationships and revenue. How do law firms measure BD performance? No The six core BD metrics are revenue growth rate, service penetration across clients, win rates on proposals and pitches, lateral hire success, marketing ROI, and client churn. Firms that track these consistently make more informed decisions about BD investment, identify at-risk clients earlier, and improve performance over time. Research from the Rethinking Rainmakers report found that over 50% of firms lack visibility into these metrics. For most firms, the starting point is establishing a baseline for each metric so that progress becomes visible. What does a law firm BD strategy include? No A law firm BD strategy covers four connected areas: leadership and accountability, systems and technology, pipeline management, and culture. - **Leadership and accountability** defines who owns BD and how performance is measured. - **Systems and technology** covers CRM, relationship intelligence, and marketing tools. - **Pipeline management** tracks opportunities, cross-sell signals, and client needs. - **Culture** encompasses compensation, collaboration incentives, and lateral hire integration. The most effective strategies address all four areas as a connected system. Firms that invest in technology without aligning incentives, or set BD targets without providing tools, typically find that each component undermines the other. How can law firms get lawyers to do business development? No The key to getting attorneys to do business development is removing friction. Lawyers are more likely to participate in BD when the system does the work of capturing relationship activity, surfacing useful insights, and prompting the right next step at the right time. A CRM with passive data capture, relationship intelligence surfaced in existing workflows, and clear next steps makes BD activity feel like a natural extension of client work. Participation increases when collaborative BD is recognized, rewarded, and visible in the data. The firms with the highest BD participation rates are the ones where the system removes the barriers to participation. What is the difference between a rainmaker model and a systematic BD culture? No A rainmaker model concentrates growth in a small number of high-performing partners, making the firm dependent on their individual networks, energy, and tenure. A systematic BD culture distributes growth across the firm through shared systems, visible pipelines, relationship intelligence, and collaborative incentives. Research from the Rethinking Rainmakers report shows that systematic firms grow 42% faster and experience 60% lower client churn, and are twice as likely to succeed with lateral hires. The structural advantage compounds over time because the system continues to produce growth regardless of which partners stay, leave, or retire. What is a good BD system for mid-sized law firms? No Mid-sized law firms of 100–500 attorneys typically need a BD system that supports relationship-led growth without requiring a large internal technology team to maintain it. The strongest fit is usually a CRM designed for law firms with automatic data capture, built-in relationship intelligence, and transparent all-in-one pricing. Nexl is built specifically for firms of this size, as well as larger AmLaw 200 and global firms that need the same capabilities at greater scale. What is the difference between a CRM and relationship intelligence? No A CRM manages contact records, interaction history, and pipeline activity. It is a system of record that stores what the firm knows about its clients and prospects. Relationship intelligence goes a layer deeper, surfacing the strength, recency, and depth of the connections that exist across the firm's entire network, including connections individual lawyers may not be aware of. Where a CRM answers the question "what do we know about this client?", relationship intelligence answers the question "who in our firm knows this client, how well, and when did they last speak?" For law firms, that distinction matters because the most valuable BD insight is often not in a contact record. It is in an email thread between a partner and a GC that nobody else in the firm knows about. Relationship intelligence makes that connection visible without accessing the content of the communication, giving the whole firm a shared view of its relationship capital for the first time. --- ## The 6 best LexisNexis InterAction alternatives for law firms in 2026 Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/article-best-lexisnexis-interaction-alternatives For three decades, InterAction has been one of the most popular CRM for large law firms. With LexisNexis moving their product line to the cloud through InterAction+ AI, launched in commercial preview in March 2026, many firms are treating their next contract renewal as a moment to review alternatives. This guide covers the six best LexisNexis InterAction alternatives for law firms in 2026, with a clear view of what each one does well, how long it takes to implement, and the firm size it suits best. | CRM | Best for | Built for law firms | Implementation | Typical firm size | | Nexl | Relationship-led growth, referrals, and cross-selling across practice groups | Yes | Weeks | Mid-sized through AmLaw 200, Magic Circle, and global firms | | Intapp DealCloud | Transaction-driven firms serving capital markets and private equity | Yes | Months | Large, transaction-driven firms | | Foundation 365 | Large firms wanting CRM and practice management on a Microsoft foundation | Yes | Months | Large and global firms invested in Microsoft 365 | | Introhive | Large firms enriching an existing CRM with relationship intelligence | Yes | Weeks to months | Large firms with an existing CRM | | Salesforce | Alternative legal services providers and firms in a corporate group already on Salesforce | No | Months | Alternative legal services providers and corporate-group practices | | Microsoft Dynamics 365 | Firms standardized on Microsoft 365 with IT support | No | Months | Firms already invested in Microsoft 365 | ### **1. Nexl** Nexl is a growth system built for law firms by former lawyers and legal professionals. It brings CRM, relationship intelligence, email marketing, event management, and collaborative workspaces together in one cloud-native platform. Its zero-data-entry CRM captures interactions automatically from email and calendar, without recording privileged content, so relationship records stay current without any input from fee earners. The "who knows who" mapping shows connections across the firm, surfacing cross-sell and referral opportunities from relationship data. Nexl is also ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified. Implementation timeline: Weeks, run in-house so firms have one point of accountability. Typical firm size: Mid-sized firms of 100 to 500 attorneys through AmLaw 200, Magic Circle, and global firms. ### **2. Intapp DealCloud** Intapp DealCloud began in capital markets and has expanded into the legal market. Its strengths are pipeline management, deal tracking, and third-party data enrichment from providers like PitchBook and FactSet, which makes it a strong fit for transaction-heavy practices. The platform sits inside the wider Intapp ecosystem, so firms already using Intapp for conflicts or compliance gain a unified data layer. Implementation usually involves Intapp's professional services team, and users note a learning curve and significant configuration to align the system with legal workflows. Implementation timeline: Months. Typical firm size: Large, transaction-driven firms. ### **3. Foundation 365** Foundation 365 is Litera's AI-powered legal CRM, built on Microsoft Dynamics 365. It combines CRM, matter management, document management, and work management for large firms, with deep integration across Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Power BI. For firms already using Microsoft 365, the native integration is appealing. However, the trade-off is the configuration and administration that a Dynamics deployment requires. Implementation timeline: Months. Typical firm size: Large and global firms invested in Microsoft 365. ### **4. Introhive** Introhive is one of the most established relationship intelligence platforms in the legal market. Its strength is data automation: cleaning, enriching, and maintaining contact records, then mapping relationship strength across the firm. Many large firms run Introhive alongside an existing CRM to keep data current. Because it focuses on the intelligence layer, Introhive works as a complement to a system of record instead of replacing one, so firms still need a CRM underneath it. Implementation timeline: Weeks to months, depending on data sources. Typical firm size: Large firms with an existing CRM to enrich. ### **5. Salesforce** Salesforce is the world's most widely adopted CRM and the reference point for sales pipelines, automation, and customer data in almost every sector. Where it excels is structured selling, built around clear deal stages, a dedicated sales function, and disciplined record-keeping. That model maps neatly onto software vendors and financial services companies. Law firm growth, however, tends to run on personal relationships, referrals, and partner networks, so shaping Salesforce around legal business development calls for heavy customization and, in most cases, a consulting partner to deliver it. The firms that get the most from it are alternative legal services providers that run like conventional B2B operations, and practices sitting within a larger corporate group that already standardizes on Salesforce. Implementation timeline: Months, usually with a consulting partner. Typical firm size: Alternative legal services providers, and practices within a larger corporate group already using Salesforce. ### **6. Microsoft Dynamics 365** Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a common starting point for firms already invested in Microsoft 365. It has contact management, pipeline tracking, workflow automation, and reporting through Power BI, with the Power Platform on hand when a firm wants to build low-code, custom apps. What it lacks out of the box is similar to Salesforce: legal workflows. Mapping it to legal BD processes requires add-ons like Dynamics 365 Sales for relationship intelligence and Dynamics 365 Customer Insights for email marketing, each licensed and priced separately. Turning the platform into something that fits legal business development almost always takes a specialist consulting partner to build and maintain. Implementation timeline: Months, usually with a specialist consulting partner. Typical firm size: Firms already invested in Microsoft 365 with IT support ### How to choose the right InterAction alternative The right choice depends on how your firm grows and what it already runs. Firms that grow through partner relationships, referrals, and cross-selling will get the most from a legal CRM with automatic data capture and firm-wide relationship mapping like Nexl. Firms deep in transaction work may value Intapp DealCloud's deal and data tooling. Whichever way you lean, adoption is the factor that decides whether the investment pays off, so weight ease of use for lawyers heavily in your decision. Ready to see how Nexl works? Book a demo. ### Frequently asked questions What is the best alternative to LexisNexis InterAction? No The best alternative depends on your firm’s growth model and size. Nexl is the strongest fit for mid-sized and enterprise law firms that grow through relationships and referrals, bringing CRM, relationship intelligence, email marketing, and workspaces together in one legal growth system, with a zero-data-entry approach that drives high adoption among lawyers. How does InterAction+ AI compare to legacy InterAction? No InterAction+ AI, launched in commercial preview in March 2026, is a cloud-native version of InterAction with the LexisNexis Protégé AI assistant embedded. Firms on the legacy on-premises version would migrate to use it, which is why many are reviewing alternatives at the moment. What should law firms look for in an InterAction alternative? No Prioritize adoption, breadth, and deployment speed. Look for platforms like Nexl with automatic data capture, firm-wide relationship intelligence, built-in marketing and event tools, a clear security certification, and an implementation timeline measured in weeks. Are intake CRMs like Clio or Lawmatics good InterAction replacements? No For most firms replacing InterAction, no. Intake CRMs are built to capture and convert new inquiries, which suits smaller and consumer-facing firms. InterAction’s role is managing existing relationships and business development across a large partnership, so an enterprise business development CRM is the closer replacement. How long does it take to switch from InterAction? No It depends on the platform. Cloud-native systems such as Nexl deploy in weeks, with in-house implementation covering data transfer, configuration, and training. Platforms built on general CRM foundations, including several enterprise options, are usually measured in months. --- ## LexisNexis InterAction alternatives: A migration guide for law firms Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/article-lexisnexis-interaction-alternatives-migration-guide For years, InterAction has been the default CRM at large law firms, used by roughly three quarters of the Am Law 100 and a similar share of the largest firms globally. In March 2026, LexisNexis announced the commercial preview of InterAction+ AI, a cloud-native rebuild of the platform with its Protégé AI assistant embedded. For firms still running the legacy on-premises version, upgrading to the new platform will require a platform migration, making this a good time to consider other options if your InterAction contract is coming up for renewal. This guide explains why firms are reviewing InterAction now, what to look for in a replacement, and how a migration works. ### Why law firms are looking at InterAction alternatives now The relaunch of InterAction as a cloud AI platform means legacy customers face a migration regardless, so the renewal window is a natural point to compare alternatives. InterAction launched in 1993 and was acquired by LexisNexis in 2004. It built its position on deep contact management and integration with LexisNexis research content. Much of that install base still runs the on-premises version, which depends on lawyers updating records by hand and requires dedicated IT resources and a full-time CRM administrator to maintain. The March 2026 commercial preview of InterAction+ AI signals a shift to cloud across their product line. A commercial preview is an early release, so firms adopting it now are moving onto a platform that is still maturing. For a firm whose contract is coming up, the two options are migrating onto a newer version of the same system or evaluating a law firm-specific system that was built for the cloud from the start. ### Is InterAction reaching end of life? LexisNexis has not published a formal end-of-life date for legacy InterAction, though the launch of InterAction+ AI as the next-generation platform points to where ongoing investment is heading. There is no public sunset date today but firms using the legacy on-premises product should plan for a move on their own timeline instead of waiting for one to be forced on them. Treating an upcoming contract renewal as your planning trigger keeps means the decision is in your hands. ### What to look for in an InterAction CRM replacement The top priorities in an InterAction CRM replacement are lawyer adoption, breadth of features, cloud-native architecture, implementation speed, and security certification. The reason most legal CRM projects disappoint is low adoption. Around 70% of CRM implementations fail to deliver their intended value. In law firms the usual cause is manual data entry that lawyers deprioritize. Any replacement you consider should reduce that burden, ideally to zero. Beyond adoption, look at how much functionality the platform has. A system that combines CRM, relationship intelligence, email marketing, and event management in one place removes the integration overhead of stitching several tools together. Check the deployment model and implementation timeline, since these decide how quickly your team sees value, and confirm the vendor's security posture too. ### Nexl vs InterAction at a glance | Feature | Nexl | InterAction | | Built for law firms | Yes | Yes | | Zero-data-entry capture | Yes | Manual updates on legacy version | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | Yes | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | Yes | | Built-in email marketing | Yes | No (requires integration) | | Event management | Yes | No (requires integration) | | Deployment | Cloud-native | On-premises and cloud (InterAction+ AI in commercial preview) | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | Months | | Pricing | Per user / month | Custom (enterprise) | | Security | ISO/IEC 27001:2022 | Verify with vendor | ### How Nexl compares to InterAction Nexl is the growth system for law firms that brings CRM, workspaces, marketing, and relationship intelligence together in one place. It was built by former lawyers and legal professionals as a cloud-native platform. Nexl's zero-data-entry CRM captures interactions automatically from email and calendar systems, without recording privileged information, so relationship records stay current with no input from fee earners. The "who knows who" mapping then shows connections across the whole firm, which surfaces cross-sell and referral opportunities from real relationship data. Nexl also includes built-in email marketing with drag-and-drop builders and campaign analytics, event management with RSVP tracking, and collaborative workspaces for business development planning. Firms running InterAction usually have to add third-party tools for these functions, which increases both cost and complexity across the technology stack. Additionally, Nexl runs implementation in-house and deploys in weeks, giving firms one point of accountability. Legacy InterAction deployments are measured in months and lean on dedicated IT support and a full-time administrator. ### How to migrate from InterAction Migrating from InterAction requires auditing your data, mapping relationships, running a phased cutover, and leaning on in-house implementation support. A migration is more manageable than most firms expect when it follows a clear sequence: 1. **Start by auditing what is in your current system, so you carry across clean contact and leave duplicates/dormant records behind.** 2. **Next, map the relationships that matter most, meaning the clients, referrers, and prospects your growth depends on, so the new system reflects how the firm operates.** 3. **Then, agree on a phased cutover with your provider and run the two systems in parallel for a short period, so nothing is lost in the handover.** For firms coming off the on-premises version of InterAction, the automatic capture in Nexl solves the data quality problem that dogged the old system. Records stay current on their own once the migration is complete, so the firm doesn't have to chase lawyers for updates. ### Which firms should consider switching InterAction still suits Am Law 100 firms that are deeply embedded in the LexisNexis research ecosystem, have dedicated CRM administration teams, or want to stay with a single vendor for both content and CRM. Nexl is the stronger fit for mid-sized law firms of 100 to 500 attorneys, along with AmLaw 200, Magic Circle, and global firms, that want high adoption from lawyers, fast deployment, and a single platform covering CRM, relationship intelligence, marketing, and collaboration. Firms in this group tend to grow through relationships and cross-selling, and Nexl is designed around that model of growth. Ready to see how a migration would work for your firm? Book a demo now. ### Frequently asked questions What are the main alternatives to LexisNexis InterAction? No The legal CRM market includes several options, among them Nexl, Intapp DealCloud, Salesforce, and Microsoft Dynamics. For firms that grow through relationships and referrals, Nexl offers CRM, relationship intelligence, email marketing, and workspaces in one law firm-specific system, with a zero-data-entry approach that drives high adoption among lawyers. Is InterAction+ AI different from the InterAction I already use? No Yes. InterAction+ AI, launched in commercial preview in March 2026, is a cloud-native version of the platform with the LexisNexis Protégé AI assistant embedded. Firms on the legacy on-premises version would migrate to use it, which is why many are comparing alternatives. Is InterAction being discontinued? No LexisNexis has not announced an end-of-life date for legacy InterAction. The newest features and cloud architecture will likely be focused on InterAction+ AI, so firms on the older on-premises product are advised to plan a migration on their own schedule. How long does it take to migrate from InterAction to Nexl? No Nexl deploys in weeks and runs implementation in-house, covering data transfer, configuration, and training. That is faster than typical InterAction implementations, which are measured in months. Will we lose our relationship data if we switch? No No. A structured migration audits and transfers your existing contact and relationship data, and Nexl’s automatic capture keeps records current afterward with no manual entry. Does Nexl include email marketing when InterAction needs add-ons for it? No Yes. Nexl includes email marketing with drag-and-drop builders and analytics as standard, so campaign data and CRM data work together without extra integration. --- ## Rethinking Rainmakers: How Top Firms Drive 42% Better Growth Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/white-paper-rethinking-rainmakers Top firms aren’t growing the traditional way. Business development cultures that rely less on a handful of rainmakers and democratize BD activities across the firm achieve higher growth and overall better outcomes. #### What you’ll learn in this white paper This paper, produced in collaboration with Camojee, uncovers industry benchmarks from recent research, as well as provides a tangible framework for achieving a high performing business development culture: - Benchmark & assess your firm’s business development maturity - Understand the traits of top performing business development cultures - Gain clarity on the four steps to achieve a mature, systematic BD function #### Improve performance Firms with mature, “systematic”, business development (“BD”) culture rely less on traditional rainmakers and are are overall higher performing, achieving 42% higher revenue growth, 60% less client churn and are twice as likely to achieve lateral hire success. #### Business development maturity model There are four stages of BD maturity, with lesser reliance on rainmaker as you mature: Solo, Spontaneous, Structured and Systematic. #### Five obstacles to firm performance There are five obstacles to firms achieving BD maturity and high performance, the biggest being lack of pipeline management. #### Download your copy Download the full report to uncover the four steps to achieve BD maturity and accelerate your firm’s growth. --- ## Nexl vs Salesforce: Find the ultimate CRM for lawyers Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-salesforce-find-the-ultimate-crm-for-lawyers ### **Why the world’s biggest CRM often fails in law firms** Salesforce is the most widely used CRM platform in the world. In almost every industry, it sets the benchmark for pipeline management, sales automation, and customer data. Often, law firms consider it for that exact reason, assuming that the market leader must be the safest choice. In practice, Salesforce implementations in law firms frequently underdeliver because it’s built for a type of selling that most law firms do not do. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | Salesforce | | Built for law firms | Yes | No | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | No | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | No (requires add-ons) | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | No | | Email marketing (built-in) | Yes | No (requires Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement) | | Event management | Yes | No (requires integrations) | | Cloud-native | Yes | Yes | | Outlook integration | Yes | Yes | | Mobile app | Yes | Yes | | Pipeline tracking | Yes | Yes | | AI-powered insights | Yes | Yes | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | 6+ months | | Customization required | Minimal | Extensive | | Pricing | Per user / month | $25–$500+ / user / month | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | Medium – Enterprise | ### The mismatch between sales CRMs and legal business development Salesforce assumes structured sales pipelines, dedicated sales teams, formal opportunity stages, and regular data entry. These assumptions work well for software companies, financial services firms, and other organizations with defined sales processes. However, law firms grow differently. Work comes through personal relationships, informal referrals, partner networks, and repeat engagements with existing clients. There is rarely a structured pipeline, and the people responsible for business development (partners) are also responsible for delivering the work, meaning they have minimal time for CRM data entry. Adapting Salesforce to fit these legal workflows requires extensive customization, and the work often requires a Salesforce consulting partner at significant cost. ### Total cost of ownership Salesforce licensing starts at $25 per user per month and scales to $500 or more for enterprise tiers. Add marketing automation, consulting fees, custom development, data migration, training, and ongoing administration, and the total cost of ownership for a mid-sized law firm can quickly reach six figures annually. ### What Nexl does differently Nexl is designed around the way law firms actually grow. Zero-data-entry CRM captures interactions automatically from email and calendar systems, without logging any privileged information. Relationship intelligence maps connections across the firm and identifies cross-sell opportunities. Email marketing, event management, and collaborative workspaces are all included in a single platform. The platform deploys in weeks rather than months, quickly giving business development and marketing teams a joint view of relationships, campaigns, and pipeline in one place. ### When Salesforce might make sense There are some scenarios where Salesforce might work for a legal organization. Alternative legal services providers that operate more like traditional B2B companies may benefit from Salesforce’s pipeline management. Firms that are part of a larger corporate group already using Salesforce across the business may find it easier to extend the existing platform. However, for the vast majority of law firms a purpose-built legal CRM delivers better results at a fraction of the cost. ### The bottom line Salesforce is a powerful platform for sales-driven organizations, while Nexl was built for relationship-driven law firms. Nexl delivers features law firms need without the same cost, complexity, and adoption challenges that come with adapting the world’s biggest CRM to a fundamentally different business model. ### Frequently asked questions Why do Salesforce implementations often fall short at law firms? No Salesforce is built around structured sales pipelines, formal opportunity stages, and regular data entry by dedicated sales teams. Most law firms do not operate this way. Work comes through personal relationships, informal referrals, and partner networks, and the people responsible for business development are also responsible for billing hours, leaving minimal time for manual CRM updates. Adapting Salesforce to fit these workflows requires extensive customization and, in most cases, a specialist consulting partner at significant cost. How much does it cost to implement Salesforce for a law firm? No Salesforce licensing starts at $25 per user per month and can reach $500 or more at enterprise tiers. Add marketing automation, consulting fees, custom development for legal workflows, data migration, training, and ongoing administration, and the total cost of ownership for a mid-sized law firm can quickly reach six figures annually. Nexl offers a transparent per-user price with CRM, relationship intelligence, marketing, and workspaces all included. Does Nexl include the same features as Salesforce? No Nexl and Salesforce take different approaches. Salesforce is a horizontal CRM built for sales-driven organizations that require significant customization for legal use. Nexl is purpose-built for law firm business development, with relationship intelligence, “who knows who” mapping, zero-data-entry CRM, and built-in email marketing and event management all included in a single per-user fee, without the need for separate modules or custom development. How does Nexl handle data entry differently from Salesforce? No Nexl captures interaction data automatically from email and calendar systems, without logging any privileged information. Lawyers do not need to enter data or update records for the platform to stay current. Salesforce does not offer this natively, which is one of the primary reasons adoption tends to be low when law firms implement it. Low adoption means poor data, which means the investment rarely delivers its intended value. When might Salesforce be a reasonable choice for a legal organization? No Salesforce may suit alternative legal services providers that operate more like traditional B2B businesses with structured sales processes, or firms that are part of a larger corporate group already running Salesforce across the business. For the majority of law firms, a purpose-built legal CRM like Nexl delivers better outcomes at a fraction of the cost and with far less complexity. --- ## Nexl vs HubSpot: How to choose a legal CRM for your law firm Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-hubspot-how-to-choose-a-legal-crm-for-your-law-firm HubSpot is one of the most popular CRM and marketing platforms in the world. Its free CRM tier, user-friendly interface, and powerful inbound marketing tools make it an attractive option for businesses of any size. Some law firms, particularly those with digital-first marketing strategies, have adopted HubSpot for exactly these reasons. The challenge is that HubSpot was designed for a type of marketing and selling that looks very different from how most law firms develop business. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | HubSpot | | Built for law firms | Yes | No | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | Yes | | Compliant automations for law firms | Yes | No | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | No (requires add-on) | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | No | | Email marketing | Yes | Yes | | Event management | Yes | Yes | | Outlook integration | Yes | Yes | | Mobile app | Yes | Yes | | Pipeline tracking | Yes | Yes | | AI-powered insights | Yes | Yes | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | Days to weeks | | Pricing | Per user / month | $0–$720+ / user / month | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | All sizes | ### What HubSpot does well HubSpot excels at inbound marketing, content management, lead scoring, automated email sequences, and conversion tracking. If your growth strategy relies on attracting prospects through content, nurturing them through automated workflows and converting them through digital touchpoints, then HubSpot might be the right fit. The platform is accessible and well-documented. Teams can get started quickly, and the breadth of marketing automation features is impressive. ### Where HubSpot falls short for law firms HubSpot is a generic CRM and therefore wasn’t built with the intention of supporting legal relationships and how firms grow. There is no relationship intelligence, “who knows who” mapping, automatic interaction capture from lawyer email and calendar activity, referral tracking, or cross-sell insights based on matter history or client engagement patterns. The platform is built around B2B and B2C sales funnels: leads enter at the top, move through defined stages, and convert at the bottom. Most law firms do not acquire clients this way. Work comes through existing relationships, partner introductions, conference connections, and informal referrals. HubSpot has no framework for tracking or strengthening these types of relationship pathways. While you can customize your setup to solve some of these issues, it requires a significant cost and time investment, including the support of a HubSpot consultant or agency. Firms using HubSpot for legal business development can also find themselves in hot water in terms of compliance. HubSpot isn’t compliant for most law firms because their automations, data capture, and AI features copy the contents of emails into your CRM, meaning that partners’ emails to clients can be read by all other HubSpot users at your firm. The only way around this is to disable automations and data capture, creating a lot of manual data entry work and negating all the benefits of using HubSpot. ### What Nexl provides Nexl was purpose-built by former lawyers and law firm professionals to empower firms to grow their business systematically. The platform captures interaction data automatically, maps connections across the firm, scores relationship strength, and surfaces cross-sell opportunities. Email marketing is built in, with campaign analytics and event management that share the same relationship data. The difference is fundamental. HubSpot tracks where leads are in a funnel, while Nexl shows how strong your firm’s relationships are and where the best opportunities for growth exist within your existing client base and network. ### When HubSpot might work HubSpot can work for alternative legal services providers, legal tech companies, or firms with a strong consumer-facing intake model where inbound marketing drives client acquisition. In these cases, HubSpot’s marketing automation is directly relevant. For the majority of law firms where business development is relationship-led, HubSpot’s platform may not suit as well as a legal CRM. ### The bottom line HubSpot is a useful platform for organizations where growth follows a clear funnel, while Nexl was built for relationship-driven law firms. The distinction matters because the tools you choose shape the behaviors you encourage. A funnel-based CRM encourages transactional thinking, while a relationship-based CRM encourages long-term client development that drives sustainable firm growth. ### Frequently asked questions Can law firms use HubSpot as their legal CRM? No HubSpot can work for law firms with a consumer-facing practice and a digital-first marketing strategy, such as alternative legal services providers or firms where inbound marketing drives client acquisition. For most law firms, where business development is relationship-led and growth comes through partner introductions, referrals, and existing client relationships, HubSpot’s funnel-based model is not well suited, and firms often end up working around its limitations. Where does HubSpot fall short for law firms? No HubSpot does not include relationship intelligence, “who knows who” mapping, automatic interaction capture from lawyer email and calendar activity, referral tracking, or cross-sell insights based on client engagement patterns. These are the capabilities that support relationship-driven business development, and firms using HubSpot for legal BD often find themselves building workarounds to approximate what a purpose-built legal CRM provides natively. Does Nexl include email marketing like HubSpot? No Yes. Nexl has built-in email marketing, and because it shares the same data as your CRM, campaigns can be targeted based on relationship strength and engagement history. The marketing and relationship data work together in one platform rather than requiring separate systems. How is Nexl different from HubSpot in the way it tracks relationships? No HubSpot tracks where leads are in a funnel. Nexl shows how strong your firm’s relationships are and where the best growth opportunities exist within your existing client base and network. Nexl captures interaction data automatically and maps connections across the firm, giving partners and business development professionals a view of relationship strength that HubSpot is not designed to provide. Is HubSpot’s free CRM enough for a law firm? No HubSpot’s free CRM offers basic contact management and pipeline tracking, which may cover simple needs for a very small firm. As firms grow and relationship-driven business development becomes more important, the absence of relationship intelligence, automatic data capture, and legal-specific features quickly becomes a limiting factor. For firms serious about growing through relationships, a purpose-built legal CRM is a more effective investment. --- ## Nexl vs Microsoft Dynamics: The proven CRM for law firms Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-microsoft-dynamics-the-proven-crm-for-law-firms Microsoft Dynamics is a natural consideration for law firms that already operate Microsoft 365 across their business. When Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Power BI are already part of workflows, extending that ecosystem into CRM feels logical. Some firms implement Dynamics directly, while others use legal-specific layers like Peppermint. The appeal makes sense, but the gap between a horizontal enterprise CRM and a platform built for legal business development is wider than it appears. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | Dynamics 365 | | Built for law firms | Yes | No (requires customization) | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | No | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | No (Dynamics Sales) | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | No | | Email marketing | Yes | No (requires Dynamics Customer Insights) | | Event management | Yes | No (requires Dynamics Customer Insights) | | Outlook / Teams integration | Yes | Yes | | Mobile app | Yes | Yes | | Pipeline tracking | Yes | Yes | | AI-powered insights | Yes | Yes | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | 6–12 months | | Customization required | Minimal | Extensive | | Pricing | Per user / month | $65–$200+ per user / month | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | Mid to large | ### What Dynamics 365 offers Dynamics is a broad, capable platform. It offers contact management, pipeline tracking, workflow automation, reporting through Power BI, and integration with the Microsoft stack. The Power Platform enables custom applications, automated workflows, and low-code development. For firms with strong internal IT teams, Dynamics provides a flexible foundation that can be shaped to fit almost any business process. Security, compliance, and data residency options are enterprise-grade. ### What it lacks out of the box Dynamics has no native understanding of law firm relationships, referral patterns, matter-based workflows, or the legal BD cycle. Building these capabilities requires custom entities, tailored dashboards, configured workflows, and in most cases, a specialist consulting partner. Relationship intelligence and “who knows who” mapping requires Dynamics 365 Sales, a separate module with its own licensing and learning curve. Email marketing requires Dynamics 365 Customer Insights, another additional module. Implementation timelines of six to twelve months are common, and dedicated resources are required for ongoing maintenance. ### What Nexl provides Nexl was built specifically for law firms by ex-lawyers and legal professionals to empower firms to grow their business systematically. The platform captures interaction data automatically, maps connections across the firm, scores relationship strength, and surfaces cross-sell opportunities. Email marketing, campaign analytics, and event management are all available out of the box, and they share the same data, eliminating fragmentation that comes from bolting multiple tools onto a horizontal platform. ### Cost and timeline Dynamics licensing starts at $65 per user per month for Sales Professional and scales to $200 or more for enterprise tiers. Add Microsoft consulting fees, custom development, Introhive licensing, Dynamics Marketing, and ongoing administration, and total cost of ownership climbs significantly. Additionally, there may be a need for a full-time CRM Administrator to manage the system effectively. Nexl offers per-user pricing, deploys in weeks and includes CRM, relationship intelligence, workspaces, and marketing tools without separate add-ons. For firms focused on CRM and business development, the cost difference is substantial. ### Which firms should choose which Dynamics 365 suits firms that want a unified platform for CRM, ERP, matter management, and operations, and have the Microsoft expertise and budget to maintain a tailored solution. Nexl is the right choice for firms that want a legal CRM with relationship intelligence that can be deployed quickly and maintained easily. ### Frequently asked questions Can Microsoft Dynamics work as a CRM for a law firm? No Dynamics can be configured as a legal CRM, but it requires significant customization. Relationship intelligence and “who knows who” mapping require the Dynamics Sales module, while email marketing requires Dynamics Customer Insights, both of which are separate licensed products. Building legal-specific workflows, dashboards, and data models typically requires a specialist consulting partner and timelines of six to twelve months. Nexl is ready to use from the start, with all of these capabilities included out of the box. Does Nexl integrate with Microsoft 365? No Yes. Nexl integrates with Microsoft 365 and captures interaction data automatically from Outlook and calendar systems. Lawyers can continue working with their existing Microsoft tools while Nexl builds an accurate picture of relationship strength and engagement across the firm. How does Nexl pricing compare to Microsoft Dynamics for a law firm? No Dynamics licensing starts at $65 per user per month and can reach $200 or more for enterprise tiers. Add in consulting fees, custom development, Dynamics Customer Insights, and Dynamics Sales, and the total cost of ownership rises considerably. Nexl includes CRM, relationship intelligence, marketing tools, and workspaces in a single per-user fee, making the total cost significantly lower for most firms. What is zero-data-entry CRM, and does Dynamics offer it? No Zero-data-entry CRM means the platform captures interaction data automatically from email and calendar systems, so lawyers do not need to manually log calls, update contact records, or record meeting notes for the system to stay current. Nexl is built around this approach. Dynamics does not offer this natively, and lawyers using a standard Dynamics setup are expected to enter and maintain their own records, which is one of the most common reasons legal CRM adoption falls short. How long does it take to implement Nexl? No Nexl deploys in weeks. This is a significant advantage over Dynamics, where implementations of six to twelve months are typical, require dedicated IT resources, and carry ongoing maintenance costs. For firms that want to get value from their CRM quickly, the difference is substantial. --- ## Nexl vs Intapp DealCloud: How to choose between a legal CRM and deal management platform Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-dealcloud-how-to-choose-between-a-legal-crm-and-deal-management-platform Intapp DealCloud has expanded from its investment banking roots into the legal market. For firms evaluating CRM options, it’s a data-rich, analytics-heavy platform built for deal-driven environments. The question is whether that approach fits the way your firm actually grows. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | DealCloud | | Built for law firms | Yes | No | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | Yes (requires at least one data steward internally to check contacts have been committed) | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | Yes | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | Yes | | Email marketing (built-in) | Yes | Limited | | Event management | Yes | Limited | | Cloud-native | Yes | Yes | | Outlook integration | Yes | Yes | | Mobile app | Yes | Yes | | Pipeline tracking | Yes | Yes | | AI-powered insights | Yes | Yes | | Third-party data enrichment | Yes | Yes | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | Months | | Pricing | Per user / month | Custom (enterprise) | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | Large / enterprise | ### Different origins, different strengths DealCloud was designed for capital markets. Its core strength is pipeline management, deal tracking, and third-party data enrichment from providers like PitchBook and FactSet. Intapp has added a legal module that brings relationship intelligence, automated Outlook capture, and matter tracking to the platform. It’s a powerful system for firms that operate in transaction-heavy practice areas, particularly those with investment banking or private equity clients. DealCloud’s data models, terminology, and workflows reflect this heritage. Nexl takes a different approach. It was built specifically for how law firms grow: through relationships, referrals, and partner networks. The platform combines CRM, relationship intelligence, email marketing, event management, and collaborative workspaces in a single system designed for lawyers, marketers, and business development professionals. ### Adoption and ease of use DealCloud’s offering is strong, but it comes with complexity. Implementation typically requires Intapp’s professional services team, and the platform requires meaningful configuration to align with legal workflows. Users on review sites note a steep learning curve and a mobile experience that lags behind the desktop version. Nexl’s zero-data-entry approach removes the adoption barrier that undermines most legal CRM projects. Lawyers benefit from the system without needing to change how they work, and the interface is designed to surface actionable insights rather than require data input. ### Platform scope DealCloud’s advantage is its position within the broader Intapp ecosystem. Firms that use Intapp for conflicts, time entry or compliance can benefit from a unified data layer across those functions. Third-party data enrichment is also more extensive than most legal CRM platforms. Nexl’s advantage is focus. Rather than serving multiple professional verticals, Nexl concentrates entirely on law firm growth. The platform includes features that DealCloud does not match out of the box, including built-in email marketing with analytics, event management with RSVP tracking, digital business cards, and collaborative workspaces. ### Cost and deployment DealCloud pricing is not publicly disclosed but sits at the enterprise level. Combined with implementation fees and the potential need for the broader Intapp suite, the total cost of ownership is significant. Nexl offers transparent per-user pricing and deploys in weeks rather than months. For firms that want to move quickly and see value fast, the difference in time-to-value is substantial. ### Which firms should choose which DealCloud suits large, transaction-driven firms that primarily serve capital markets clients and want deep integration across the Intapp platform. Nexl is the better choice for firms focused on relationship-driven growth, cross-selling, and client development. It provides a faster, more intuitive path to value without the complexity of an enterprise deal management platform. ### Frequently asked questions Is DealCloud a good fit for law firms? No While DealCloud is a strong platform for large, transaction-driven firms that serve capital markets clients, Nexl is a better fit for firms whose growth is driven by relationships, referral networks, and cross-practice collaboration. How long does it take to implement Nexl compared to DealCloud? No Nexl deploys in weeks. DealCloud implementations typically take months and require involvement from Intapp’s professional services team along with meaningful configuration work. For firms that want to move quickly and see value fast, Nexl offers a significantly faster path. Does Nexl include email marketing? No Yes. Email marketing is built into Nexl as a standard feature, with drag-and-drop builders, campaign analytics, and consent management. Nexl’s marketing tools are designed specifically for law firm business development and share the same relationship data as your CRM, so campaigns can be targeted based on engagement history and relationship strength. How does Nexl pricing compare to DealCloud? No Nexl offers transparent per-user monthly pricing. DealCloud pricing is not publicly disclosed but operates at the enterprise level. When combined with implementation fees and the potential cost of the broader Intapp suite, the total cost of ownership for DealCloud can be substantially higher. What does Nexl include that DealCloud does not offer out of the box? No Nexl includes collaborative workspaces for business development and marketing teams in their standard per-user pricing. Beyond that, Nexl’s focus on law firm growth means every feature is designed with legal business development in mind, rather than adapted from a deal management platform originally built for capital markets. --- ## Nexl vs Clio Grow: How to choose a legal CRM in 2026 Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-clio-grow-how-to-choose-a-legal-crm-in-2026 Clio is the most widely used practice management platform in the legal market, trusted by over 150,000 lawyers globally. Clio Grow, its CRM and client intake module, has become a natural starting point for firms looking to organize their client acquisition process. It’s well designed, supported, and integrated with Clio’s broader ecosystem. Nexl serves a different purpose. It’s a growth platform built around the way most law firms actually win and expand work: through relationships, referral networks, and cross-practice collaboration. Understanding where each platform excels will help firms choose the right tool for their growth model. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | Clio Grow | | Built for law firms | Yes | Yes | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | Yes | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | No | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | No | | Email marketing (built-in) | Yes | Yes | | Event management | Yes | No | | Outlook integration | Yes | Yes (via Clio Manage) | | Mobile app | Yes | Yes | | Pipeline tracking | Yes | Yes | | AI-powered insights | Yes | Yes (via Clio Manage AI) | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | Weeks | | Pricing | Per user / month | Per user / month + account set up fee + add-ons for certain features | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | Solo to mid-sized | ### What Clio Grow does well Clio Grow is designed to streamline client intake. Customizable online forms capture prospect information, appointment booking removes the back-and-forth of scheduling, and automated email sequences keep prospects engaged through the intake process. Visual pipelines show where every lead sits, and e-signatures allow firms to send and execute engagement letters without leaving the platform. Conflict checking is built in, which is a practical feature for firms that need to screen for conflicts early in the intake process. The integration with Clio Manage means that once a lead converts to a client, their data flows directly into matter management, billing, and document systems. For firms in consumer-facing practice areas where clients find you through search engines, advertising, or referral platforms, Clio Grow is a strong tool. ### Where the two platforms diverge The biggest difference becomes Clio and Nexl is how each platform defines growth. Clio Grow is built around a linear intake funnel: a prospect finds your firm, fills in a form, books a consultation, signs an engagement letter, and becomes a client. That model works well for personal injury, family law, estate planning, and other areas where client acquisition is driven by inbound inquiries. Most mid-sized and large law firms grow differently. Revenue comes from deepening relationships with existing clients, cross-selling services across practice groups, leveraging partner networks for warm introductions, and maintaining engagement with key contacts over months and years. This kind of growth does not follow a linear funnel, and the tools that support it look very different from an intake CRM. Nexl is designed for this second model. The platform captures interaction data automatically from email and calendar systems, so relationship records stay current without manual entry. Additionally: - “Who knows who” mapping shows connections across the entire firm, making it easy to identify who has the strongest relationship with a target contact - Cross-sell insights surface opportunities within existing clients - Email marketing is built in with campaign analytics and consent management - Event management covers everything from invitation to follow-up ### Relationship intelligence versus intake automation Clio does not include relationship intelligence, “who knows who” mapping, or cross-sell insights. These capabilities are outside its scope because it solves a different problem: converting inbound leads efficiently. On the other hand, Nexl’s platform has robust relationship intelligence features to support partners, business development professionals, and marketing teams with strategic growth. ### Cost and ecosystem Clio Grow is available as a standalone product or included in the Clio Complete at a per user per month cost. Most firms combine it with Clio Manage, their matter management software, which increases costs further. Nexl offers per-user pricing and operates as a standalone platform that integrates with Microsoft 365 and other firm systems. It does not require a specific practice management system to function, giving firms flexibility in how they structure their technology stack. ### Which firms should choose which Clio Grow suits solo practitioners and small to mid-sized firms in consumer-facing practice areas that need efficient client intake. Nexl is the right choice for firms where growth is driven by partner relationships, referral networks, cross-selling, and strategic client development. That includes most mid-sized and large firms, and any boutique firm where existing client relationships are the primary source of new revenue. ### Frequently asked questions What is the main difference between Clio Grow and Nexl? No Clio Grow is built around client intake. It handles online forms, appointment booking, automated follow-up sequences, and e-signatures for firms that convert inbound inquiries. Nexl is designed for relationship-driven growth, helping firms deepen existing client relationships, cross-sell services, and leverage partner networks. The two platforms serve different growth models, and for most mid-sized and large firms, Nexl’s relationship-driven approach is a better fit. Which platform is better for partner-led business development? No Nexl. Partner-led business development relies on relationship intelligence, “who knows who” mapping, and cross-sell insights, none of which Clio Grow offers. Nexl is built specifically for firms where growth comes from existing relationships, referral networks, and cross-practice collaboration. Does Nexl work for mid-sized law firms? No Yes. Nexl is designed for medium to large enterprise law firms. These firms benefit most from Nexl’s relationship intelligence, email marketing, and collaboration tools, with per-user pricing that scales with the size of your team. Does Nexl include email marketing? No Yes. Email marketing is built into Nexl, including campaign analytics and consent management. What does Nexl offer that Clio Grow does not? No Nexl includes relationship intelligence, “who knows who” mapping across the firm, cross-sell insights, and event management. These are the capabilities that drive growth in most mid-sized and large law firms, where business development is led by partners and existing client relationships rather than inbound inquiries. For firms in this category, Nexl provides a more complete growth platform. --- ## Nexl vs Foundation 365 (formerly Peppermint): How to choose a legal CRM in 2026 Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-peppermint-how-to-choose-a-legal-crm-in-2026 Foundation 365, formerly known as Peppermint CX365, is a modular platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365. It offers CRM, matter management, document management, and work management for large law firms. Acquired by Litera in early 2025, Foundation 365 delivers deep integration with the Microsoft ecosystem including Outlook, Teams, and Power BI. The platform leverages Microsoft’s infrastructure for security, compliance, and scalability. Foundation 365's strength lies in its ability to unify client engagement, matter lifecycle and business operations on a single Microsoft foundation. For firms already set up in the Microsoft ecosystem, it represents a way to unify client engagement and operations on a single technology foundation. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | Foundation 365 | | Built for law firms | Yes | Yes | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | Yes | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | Yes (add-on feature for additional cost) | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | Yes (add-on feature for additional cost) | | Email marketing (built-in) | Yes | No (requires integration) | | Event management | Yes | Limited | | Cloud-native | Yes | Yes | | Outlook / Teams integration | Yes | Yes | | Mobile app | Yes | Yes | | AI-powered insights | Yes | Yes | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | Months | | Pricing | Per user / month | Custom (enterprise) | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | Large | ### Foundation's 365 Microsoft advantage Foundation 365's core strength is its foundation on Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform. Firms that already use Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Power BI get native integration across their technology stack. The platform offers client engagement (CRM), matter management, work management, and case management as modular components that share a single data source. For large UK and international firms that want CRM and practice management on one platform, Foundation 365 provides a comprehensive solution. ### The trade-offs Foundation 365's reliance on Dynamics 365 is both its strength and its limitation. Deployment requires Microsoft licensing, partner involvement, and significant configuration. Firms need internal IT capability or an external partner to implement, maintain, and evolve the system. Implementation timelines of several months are common. Relationship intelligence is an optional feature with an additional cost. Firms that want “who knows who” mapping and automatic engagement tracking will need to pay for access. Built-in email marketing requires Dynamics Marketing, another add-on with its own licensing and configuration. ### What Nexl offers instead Nexl combines CRM, relationship intelligence, email marketing, event management and collaboration in a single cloud-native platform designed for law firms. All these features are included out of the box rather than requiring separate add-ons or Microsoft licensing. With zero data entry and automatic interaction capture, Nexl removes the adoption barriers that undermine most legal CRM projects. The platform is designed to work for lawyers, marketers and business development professionals alike, with a modern interface that surfaces actionable insights without requiring specialist training. ### **How to compare the platforms** The choice between Nexl and Foundation 365 often comes down to what a firm is trying to achieve. Foundation 365 appeals to firms that want to consolidate CRM, matter management, and document management on a single Microsoft platform. The investment is larger, but the scope is broader. Nexl appeals to firms that want a dedicated, purpose-built CRM and growth platform that can be deployed quickly, with relationship intelligence and email marketing included rather than added on. ### Which firms should choose which Foundation 365 suits large firms that want CRM and practice management unified on Microsoft Dynamics 365 and have the IT resources to support systems investment. Nexl is the better option for medium to large enterprise firms that want a focused CRM platform that can be deployed quickly, with relationship intelligence and email marketing included rather than added on. Foundation 365 is a strong choice for large UK and international firms committed to the Microsoft ecosystem that want CRM and practice management on a single platform. Nexl offers a faster, more focused solution for firms that want a relationship-driven CRM, marketing, and business development tools without the complexity and cost of a Dynamics 365 build. ### Frequently asked questions What is the main difference between Nexl and Foundation 365? No Foundation 365 is a modular platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 that combines CRM with matter management, document management, and work management. It is a broader platform for large firms that want CRM and practice management on a single Microsoft foundation. Nexl is a focused CRM and growth platform that includes relationship intelligence, email marketing, and event management out of the box, deploys in weeks rather than months, and does not require Microsoft licensing or extended implementation. Does Foundation 365 include relationship intelligence? No Foundation 365 offers relationship intelligence and “who knows who” mapping, but these are add-on features available at additional cost. In Nexl, relationship intelligence is a core part of the platform included in the standard subscription, so firms do not need to pay extra or configure additional modules to access it. How long does it take to implement Foundation 365 compared to Nexl? No Foundation 365 implementations typically take several months and require Microsoft licensing, partner involvement, and significant configuration. Nexl deploys in weeks. For firms that want to be productive quickly and see results without a lengthy setup process, Nexl offers a considerably faster path to value. Does Foundation 365 include email marketing? No Foundation 365 does not include built-in email marketing. It requires Dynamics Marketing, a separate Microsoft product with its own licensing and configuration. Nexl includes email marketing as a standard feature, so marketing and CRM data work from the same foundation without any additional cost or integration work. Does Nexl work with Microsoft 365? No Yes. Nexl integrates with Microsoft 365, including Outlook, so interaction data is captured automatically from email and calendar systems. Firms do not need to choose between Nexl and the Microsoft tools their lawyers already use every day. --- ## Nexl vs InterAction: New vs Legacy - Which Wins? Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-interaction-new-vs-legacy-which-wins If your firm is evaluating CRM platforms, InterAction is probably on the shortlist. It’s been a dominant large law firm CRM for decades, used by roughly three quarters of the Am Law 100 and a similar share of the largest firms globally. But dominance in the past does not automatically make it the right choice for your firm today. Nexl is a newer platform for law firms that brings CRM, workspaces, marketing, and relationship intelligence together. Through tools, frameworks, and strategies, Nexl empowers firms to grow their business systematically and make growth a firmwide discipline. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | InterAction | | Built for law firms | Yes | Yes | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | Yes | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | Yes | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | Yes | | Email marketing (built-in) | Yes | No (requires integration) | | Event management | Yes | No | | Outlook integration | Yes | Yes | | Mobile app | Yes | Yes | | Pipeline tracking | Yes | Yes | | AI-powered insights | Yes | Embedded (InterAction+ AI, commercial preview) | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | Months | | Pricing | Per user / month | Custom (enterprise) | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | Mid to large | ### How each platform approaches legal CRM InterAction was launched in 1993 and acquired by LexisNexis in 2004. It is deeply established in the legal market, with strong contact management, relationship intelligence, and integration with LexisNexis content, including litigation analytics through Context. The platform has historically been on-premises, with a cloud version (InterAction+) launched in 2023 targeting firms of 20 to 200 lawyers. While InterAction offers powerful data and analytics, it carries the weight of legacy architecture. Many firms report that lawyers find the interface cumbersome, and adoption remains a persistent challenge. In March 2026, LexisNexis launched InterAction+ AI in commercial preview, a cloud-native version of the platform with its Protégé AI assistant embedded. For firms on the legacy on-premises system, using these features requires a migration, which is prompting many to compare their options while their contract is up for renewal. Nexl was built from the ground up as a cloud-native platform by former lawyers, marketers, and business development professionals. Its zero-data-entry CRM captures interactions automatically from email and calendar systems (without recording privileged information), removing the biggest adoption barrier in legal CRM. It also offers relationship intelligence, email marketing, event management, workspaces, and mobile as part of their platform. ### Where Nexl pulls ahead The core difference comes down to adoption and breadth. Nexl’s automatic interaction capture means lawyers benefit from the system without changing how they work. The “who knows who” feature maps connections across the entire firm, allowing opportunities to surface based on relationship data rather than manual input. Nexl also includes built-in email marketing with drag-and-drop builders, event management with RSVP tracking, and collaborative workspaces for business development and marketing projects. InterAction typically requires third-party tools for email marketing and campaign management, adding complexity to the technology stack. Implementation is another differentiator. Nexl deploys in weeks, while InterAction implementations, particularly for the on-premises version, can take months and requires dedicated IT resources, including a full-time CRM administrator. ### Where InterAction holds its ground InterAction’s strength lies in its depth of data and integration with the broader LexisNexis ecosystem. Firms already invested in LexisNexis research products benefit from seamless connections to litigation analytics, company intelligence, and news monitoring. For Am Law 100 firms with established InterAction deployments and dedicated CRM teams, the switching cost may outweigh the benefits of moving to a new platform. InterAction+ also offers a cloud path for mid-sized firms, though the feature set and user experience are still catching up to fully cloud-native platforms. ### Which firms should choose which InterAction is best suited to Am Law 100 and large international firms that are deeply embedded in the LexisNexis ecosystem, have dedicated CRM administration teams, and can invest in ongoing maintenance and training. Nexl is a better fit for medium to large enterprise firms that want high adoption from lawyers, fast deployment, and a single platform that combines CRM, relationship intelligence, email marketing, and collaboration. Mid-sized firms in particular will find Nexl delivers more capability at a lower cost. ### Frequently asked questions Is InterAction the right CRM for large law firms? No InterAction has deep roots at Am Law 100 firms and remains valuable for organizations already embedded in the LexisNexis ecosystem with dedicated CRM administration teams. For most mid-sized firms and those evaluating their options fresh, Nexl offers more capability out of the box, faster implementation, lower cost, and a modern cloud-native interface that drives higher adoption among lawyers. What is InterAction+ AI, and does it change the comparison? No InterAction+ AI is the cloud-native version of InterAction that LexisNexis launched in commercial preview in March 2026, with its Protégé AI assistant built in. For firms on the legacy on-premises system, using it requires a migration, so a contract renewal is a good moment to compare InterAction+ AI against a platform like Nexl that has been cloud-native from the start. Why do most CRM platforms fail to get lawyers to use them? No The most common reason lawyers don’t use traditional CRMs is the manual data entry required, which lawyers rarely prioritize during busy periods. InterAction, in its on-premises form, relies on lawyers actively updating records. Nexl addresses this with a zero-data-entry CRM, capturing interactions automatically from email and calendar systems, so your data stays up-to-date without any input from fee earners. Higher adoption leads to better data and more valuable insights for the whole firm. Does InterAction include email marketing? No InterAction does not include email marketing and typically requires third-party tools for campaign management. Nexl includes email marketing with drag-and-drop builders and campaign analytics as part of its standard platform, so marketing and CRM data work together without any integration overhead. How does Nexl compare to InterAction for mid-sized law firms? No For mid-sized firms, Nexl offers a strong combination of CRM, relationship intelligence, email marketing, event management, and workspaces in a single platform at a competitive cost. InterAction’s greatest strength is its integration with LexisNexis content and litigation analytics, which is most relevant to larger firms with established deployments and dedicated CRM teams. For mid-sized firms, that level of complexity and cost is often not worth it. How long does it take to implement Nexl compared to InterAction? No Nexl deploys in weeks. InterAction implementations, particularly the on-premises version, can take months and require dedicated IT resources. In March 2026, LexisNexis launched InterAction+ AI in commercial preview, a cloud-native version of the platform, though as an early release it is still maturing. For firms that want to be productive quickly, Nexl's deployment timeline is a clear advantage. --- ## Nexl vs ContactEase: How to choose the right legal CRM Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-contactease-how-to-choose-the-right-legal-crm ContactEase has been a reliable CRM for US law firms for years. Now part of SurePoint Technologies, it offers straightforward contact management with strong Outlook integration, making it easy for lawyers to adopt without specialist training. For firms that want a simple, no-fuss contact database, it does the job well. However, it’s worth considering whether their contact database has enough functionality to empower your firm’s growth. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | ContactEase | | Built for law firms | Yes | Yes | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | No | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | Yes | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | No | | Email marketing (built-in) | Yes | No (requires Constant Contact) | | Event management | Yes | No | | Outlook integration | Yes | Yes | | Mobile app | Yes | Yes | | Pipeline tracking | Yes | Basic | | AI-powered insights | Yes | No | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | Weeks | | Pricing | Per user / month | Custom | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | Small to mid-sized | ### What ContactEase does well ContactEase is built for law firms and designed around Outlook. Lawyers can view and update contact records without leaving their email client, which drives solid adoption rates. The platform offers list management, business development tracking, and integration with SurePoint’s financial management software, giving firms a combined view of relationship and revenue data. For small to mid-sized US firms already using SurePoint’s Legal Management System, ContactEase may fit neatly into their existing technology stack. ### Where ContactEase falls short ContactEase is primarily a contact management tool. It does not include “who knows who” mapping, built-in email marketing, event management, or AI-powered insights. If you want to send email campaigns, you’ll need a Constant Contact license, adding additional costs to your setup. For firms that want to move beyond basic contact management toward strategic growth, these gaps are significant. Identifying cross-sell opportunities, tracking engagement strength, and mapping firm-wide connections all require capabilities that ContactEase does not provide. ### What Nexl brings to the table Nexl is a complete growth platform for law firms. It combines CRM, relationship intelligence, email marketing, event management, and collaborative workspaces in a single cloud-native system. The platform captures interaction data automatically from email and calendar systems, so lawyers benefit without entering data manually. “Who knows who” mapping shows connections across the entire firm, cross-sell opportunities are surfaced in existing client profiles, and AI features suggest next actions and automate follow-ups. Email marketing is built in, with drag-and-drop builders, analytics, and domain health monitoring. Event management includes RSVP tracking, attendee management, and post-event follow-up workflows. These features work together because they share the same data, creating a holistic view of every client relationship. ### The bigger picture The difference between these platforms reflects a broader shift in how law firms think about legal CRM. A contact database is a starting point, but a growth platform connects relationships, marketing, collaboration, and intelligence to make growth a firmwide discipline. ### Which firms should choose which ContactEase suits small to mid-sized US firms that use SurePoint for financial management and want an uncomplicated, Outlook-based CRM for contact management and list building. Nexl is the right choice for medium to large enterprise firms that want relationship intelligence, automated data capture, built-in marketing tools, and a platform that grows with their ambitions. ### Frequently asked questions Does Nexl integrate with Outlook? No Yes. Nexl integrates with Outlook and captures interaction data automatically from email and calendar systems, so lawyers can use the platform without changing how they work. This delivers the same ease of adoption that ContactEase is known for, with significantly more capability alongside it. Can Nexl replace both ContactEase and a separate email marketing tool like Constant Contact? No Yes. Nexl includes built-in email marketing with drag-and-drop builders, analytics, and domain health monitoring. Firms that currently use ContactEase alongside Constant Contact can consolidate both into a single Nexl subscription, reducing costs and removing the friction of managing two separate systems. What does Nexl offer that ContactEase does not? No Nexl adds “who knows who” mapping, AI-powered insights, built-in email marketing, event management, and cross-sell opportunity detection. ContactEase provides solid contact management and Outlook integration but does not offer these capabilities. For firms that want to move beyond basic contact management toward strategic growth, Nexl is the more capable platform. Is ContactEase a good CRM for law firms? No ContactEase works well for smaller US firms that want a simple, Outlook-based contact management tool and are already using SurePoint’s financial management software. For firms that want to go further, including tracking engagement strength, identifying cross-sell opportunities, and mapping firm-wide connections, Nexl provides a meaningful step up in capability. How does Nexl handle data entry? No Nexl captures interaction data automatically from email and calendar systems, meaning lawyers do not need to manually update records. This zero-data-entry approach keeps contact records accurate and current without placing any additional burden on fee earners, giving firms a more complete and reliable view of their relationships. --- ## Nexl vs Lawmatics: Discover the best legal CRM Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-lawmatics-discover-the-best-legal-crm-now Lawmatics and Nexl are both built for law firms, but they serve very different markets. Understanding where each platform excels can help firms choose a tool that fits their growth strategy. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | Lawmatics | | Built for law firms | Yes | Yes | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | Yes | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | No | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | No | | Email marketing (built-in) | Yes | Yes | | Event management | Yes | Yes | | Cloud-native | Yes | Yes | | Outlook integration | Yes | Yes | | Mobile app | Yes | Yes | | Pipeline tracking | Yes | Yes | | AI-powered insights | Yes | No | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | Days to weeks | | Pricing | Per user / month | Per user / month | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | Solo / small firms | ### What Lawmatics does well Lawmatics is a CRM and marketing automation platform focused on lead management. Its primary use is converting website inquiries into signed clients for consumer-facing practice areas like personal injury, family law, immigration, and estate planning. The platform offers customizable intake forms, automated follow-up sequences, e-signatures, document automation, appointment scheduling, and basic pipeline management. For small and solo firms that need to capture and convert inbound leads efficiently, Lawmatics is a well-designed tool. ### Where Lawmatics reaches its limits Lawmatics is designed for intake-driven growth. It assumes clients find your firm through search, advertising, or referral platforms, and then move through a structured intake process. This model fits consumer-facing practices well, but it does not fit the way most mid-sized and large firms grow. Their platform lacks relationship intelligence features, including “who knows who” mapping across the firm, automatic capture of lawyer interactions, and cross-sell insights. These missing features are fundamental for strategic client development and revenue growth in commercial, corporate, and litigation practices. ### What Nexl is designed for Nexl’s best serves firms where growth is driven by partner relationships, referral networks, and extending engagements with existing clients. Their CRM platform captures interaction data automatically, maps connections across the firm, and surfaces opportunities based on relationship strength and engagement patterns. Alongside CRM and relationship intelligence capabilities, Nexl’s platform also offers workspace and marketing functionality. This allows firms to replace 3-4 disconnected tools with one purpose-built system. ### Two different models of firm growth The difference between these platforms reflects two fundamentally different models of how law firms acquire and grow clients. Lawmatics optimizes for the intake funnel, while Nexl strengthens the relationship ecosystem. Some firms need both. A consumer-facing practice group might benefit from Lawmatics for intake, while the firm’s corporate, commercial, and litigation teams use Nexl for relationship-driven business development. ### Which firms should choose which Lawmatics suits solo practitioners and small firms in consumer-facing practice areas that need intake automation, lead nurture sequences and e-signature capability. Nexl is designed for the full cycle of relationship-driven growth, from identifying opportunities to nurturing connections and measuring results across the firm. That makes it best suited for firms where growth depends on partner-led relationships, cross-practice collaboration, and strategic client development. This includes most mid-sized and large firms, and any boutique firm focused on high-value, relationship-driven work. ### Frequently asked questions What is the difference between Lawmatics and Nexl? No Lawmatics is designed for intake automation. It helps consumer-facing practices capture leads, move them through a structured intake process, and convert them into signed clients. Nexl is designed for relationship-driven growth, helping firms strengthen existing client relationships, identify cross-sell opportunities, and grow through partner networks. For firms where growth comes from partners, referrals, and existing clients rather than inbound inquiries, Nexl is the more capable platform. What relationship intelligence features does Nexl have that Lawmatics lacks? No Nexl includes “who knows who” mapping across the firm, automatic capture of lawyer interactions from email and calendar systems, relationship strength scoring, cross-sell insights based on engagement data, and AI-powered next action suggestions. Lawmatics is focused on intake automation and does not offer these capabilities. For firms where growth depends on deepening existing client relationships and leveraging partner networks, these are the features that can make a real difference. Can a firm use both Lawmatics and Nexl? No Yes. Some firms run both. A consumer-facing practice group, such as personal injury or family law, might use Lawmatics for intake, while the firm’s corporate, commercial, or litigation teams use Nexl for relationship-driven business development. Does Nexl include email marketing? No Yes. Email marketing is built into Nexl, along with event management and pipeline tracking. The key differentiator is that Nexl’s email marketing shares the same relationship data as your CRM, so you can target campaigns based on engagement history and relationship strength. Lawmatics also offers email marketing, but it lacks the relationship intelligence layer that makes Nexl’s marketing more strategic. Is Nexl suitable for mid-sized law firms? No Yes. Nexl is designed for medium to large enterprise law firms. Its greatest value is for firms where growth depends on partner relationships, referral networks, and expanding existing client engagements. Lawmatics is better suited to solo practitioners and small firms focused on consumer-facing intake, while Nexl serves the full cycle of relationship-driven growth. --- ## Nexl vs Introhive: Full CRM vs Client Intelligence Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-introhive-full-crm-vs-client-intelligence Introhive is one of the most well-recognized relationship intelligence platforms in the legal market. Many large firms use it alongside their CRM to automate data capture, clean contact records, and map relationship strength across the firm. Nexl is an all-in-one growth system for law firms that brings CRM, workspaces, marketing, and relationship intelligence together. Unlike Introhive, Nexl is a complete CRM offering with relationship intelligence included, rather than a tool to extend your existing CRM’s capabilities. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | Introhive | | Built for law firms | Yes | No | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | No (enriches existing CRM) | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | Yes | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | Yes | | Relationship strength scoring | Yes | Yes | | Email marketing | Yes | No | | Event management | Yes | No | | Contact management | Yes | Yes | | Pipeline tracking | Yes | No (relies on CRM) | | Cloud-native | Yes | Yes | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | Weeks(requires an external CRM) | | Pricing | Per user / month | Add-on to CRM cost | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | Mid to large | ### What Introhive does Introhive connects to email and calendar systems to capture interaction data automatically. It analyzes communication patterns to score relationship strength, identifies when client engagement is dropping off, tracks alumni job changes, and maps who knows who across the firm. The platform integrates with CRM systems like InterAction, Salesforce, and Dynamics, enriching contact records with data that would otherwise require manual entry. For firms struggling with CRM data quality, Introhive can dramatically improve accuracy and completeness. It also has basic contact management and signals features. ### What Introhive does not do While Introhive has limited contact management features, it’s not a CRM. It doesn’t have complex contact management features, track pipeline, run email marketing campaigns, or manage events. Many firms using Introhive still need a full CRM platform alongside it. In practice, this means buying and maintaining two systems: a CRM for core contact and opportunity management, and Introhive for mapping relationship intelligence. The combined cost of a CRM platform (InterAction, Dynamics, or Salesforce) plus Introhive is substantial. Each system requires its own implementation, maintenance, licensing, and integration effort. ### How Nexl approaches relationship intelligence Nexl includes relationship intelligence as a core feature of its platform. Automatic interaction capture, “who knows who” mapping, relationship strength scoring, engagement tracking, and alumni monitoring are all built in. Firms using Nexl get the same relationship insights that Introhive provides, plus a complete CRM and tools for email marketing, event management, and collaborative workspaces. This connection is important, because robust relationship data allows for more strategic client actions. As an example, in Nexl, you can spot client relationships that are underserved and take actions to strengthen them. This may be mapping which lawyer in your firm has the strongest connection to make sure your outreach has the most impact, adding them to a re-engagement campaign, or assigning a follow-up task to a partner. ### One system versus two The practical advantages of a single platform are also significant when you consider vendor relationships, implementation, and user training. For firms already running InterAction or Dynamics with Introhive, the switch to Nexl would consolidate two platforms into one. For firms building their CRM strategy from scratch, starting with Nexl avoids the complexity of a multi-vendor approach entirely. ### When Introhive makes sense Introhive is a strong choice for firms that have already invested heavily in a CRM like InterAction or Dynamics and want to improve data quality and add relationship intelligence without replacing their core system. It solves the adoption and data accuracy challenges that undermine many existing CRM deployments. ### When Nexl is the better path Nexl is the better choice for firms that want relationship intelligence integrated into their CRM from the start, with email marketing, event management, and collaboration tools included. It is also the right choice for firms rethinking their CRM strategy entirely, where the opportunity exists to simplify the stack and reduce total cost. ### Frequently asked questions What is the difference between Nexl and Introhive? No Introhive is a relationship intelligence platform that enriches an existing CRM. It captures interaction data, scores relationship strength, and maps connections across the firm, but it requires an external CRM. Nexl is a complete CRM with relationship intelligence built in, so firms get both the relationship data and the tools to act on it in a single platform, without needing two vendors and two sets of licenses. Do I still need a CRM if I use Introhive? No Yes. Introhive is designed to work alongside an existing CRM such as InterAction, Dynamics, or Salesforce. If you choose Introhive, you are still paying for and maintaining two separate systems. Nexl eliminates that complexity by combining CRM and relationship intelligence in one platform, which is more practical and typically more cost-effective. Can Nexl replace both my CRM and Introhive? No Yes. Nexl includes the relationship intelligence capabilities that Introhive provides, including automatic interaction capture, “who knows who” mapping, relationship strength scoring, engagement tracking, and alumni monitoring, alongside a full CRM, email marketing, and event management. Firms currently running a CRM alongside Introhive can consolidate both into Nexl and simplify their technology stack significantly. Does Nexl capture interaction data automatically from email and calendar systems? No Yes. Nexl captures interaction data automatically, without recording any privileged information. This keeps relationship records current without requiring any input from lawyers, which is the same core capability that makes Introhive valuable for firms with poor CRM data quality. In Nexl, that capability is part of the platform rather than an add-on to a separate CRM. What can firms do with relationship data in Nexl that they cannot do with Introhive? No Because Nexl combines relationship intelligence with CRM and marketing tools, your team can act directly on the insights. When Nexl identifies a client relationship that is underserved, your team can immediately see which lawyer has the strongest connection, add that client to a re-engagement campaign, and assign a follow-up task, all within the same platform. --- ## Nexl vs Insightly: Do you need a legal CRM? Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-insightly-do-you-need-a-legal-crm Insightly is a modern, affordable CRM designed for mid-sized businesses across all industries. It offers solid contact management, pipeline tracking, project management, workflow automation, and easy integrations through its AppConnect tool. For many businesses, it represents excellent value. For law firms, the question is whether a general-purpose CRM can meet the specific demands of legal business development. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | Insightly | | Built for law firms | Yes | No | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | No | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | No | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | No | | Email marketing (built-in) | Yes | Yes (add-on) | | Event management | Yes | No | | Project management | Yes | Yes | | Outlook integration | Yes | Yes | | Mobile app | Yes | Yes | | Pipeline tracking | Yes | Yes | | AI-powered insights | Yes | Limited | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | Days to weeks | | Pricing | Per user / month | $0–$99 / user / month | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | Small to mid-sized | ### What Insightly offers Insightly delivers core CRM functionality at a competitive price. Contact and account management, opportunity tracking, workflow automation, configurable dashboards, and project management are all included. The platform is cloud-native, easy to set up, and scales with growing businesses. Marketing automation and customer service are available as add-ons, and AppConnect provides a no-code integration tool for connecting Insightly to other business applications. Pricing starts with a free tier for up to two users and tops out at $99 per user per month. ### What it lacks for law firms Insightly has no legal-specific functionality. There is no relationship intelligence, “who knows who” mapping, automatic interaction capture from lawyer email systems, referral tracking or cross-sell insights. Unlike a legal CRM, Insightly isn’t built with an understanding of how law firms manage client relationships. Firms that choose Insightly would need to build legal workflows from scratch using custom fields, custom objects, and manual configuration. Even then, the platform would lack the relationship intelligence layer that drives the most valuable legal CRM insights. ### What Nexl delivers Nexl is a growth system built for law firms that brings CRM, workspaces, marketing, and relationship intelligence together in one place. Every feature, from “who knows who” mapping to AI-powered cross-sell insights, was designed for the way lawyers, business development teams, and marketers work together to grow a firm. The platform captures interaction data automatically, surfaces relationship strength and engagement patterns, and provides collaborative workspaces for business development initiatives and marketing campaigns. ### Value versus price Insightly is less expensive on a per-user basis than most legal CRM platforms. For law firms, it’s worth considering the value delivered by the platform as well as the cost. A CRM that does not understand legal relationships, referral patterns or cross-practice collaboration delivers limited value regardless of the license fee. Firms that invest in Nexl get a platform built to solve the specific challenges of legal business development, with features that would take significant custom work to approximate in a general-purpose system. ### Which firms should choose which Insightly suits small to mid-sized businesses outside the legal sector that need an affordable, versatile CRM with project management. Nexl is the clear choice for any law firm that wants a legal CRM purpose-built for law firm business development, relationship intelligence, and client growth. ### Frequently asked questions Is Insightly suitable for law firms? No Insightly offers general-purpose CRM features at a competitive price, but it has no legal-specific functionality. There is no relationship intelligence, “who knows who” mapping, automatic interaction capture from lawyer email systems, or cross-sell insights. Firms that use Insightly would need to build legal workflows from scratch through custom configuration and would still be missing key relationship intelligence features. Does Nexl offer collaboration tools similar to Insightly’s project management? No Yes. Nexl includes collaborative workspaces for business development initiatives and marketing campaigns. These workspaces are integrated with the relationship and marketing data your team is already working with, rather than sitting as a separate project management layer disconnected from your CRM. How does Nexl pricing compare to Insightly? No Insightly is less expensive on a per-user basis than most legal CRM platforms. For law firms, though, the value a platform delivers matters as much as the license fee. A CRM that does not understand legal relationships, referral patterns, or cross-practice collaboration delivers limited business impact regardless of what it costs. Firms that invest in Nexl get a platform built specifically for legal business development, with capabilities that would take significant custom work to approximate in a general-purpose tool. Can I track business development opportunities in Insightly? No Insightly offers pipeline and opportunity tracking at a basic level. It doesn’t provide relationship intelligence, so you can’t see relationship strength, identify cross-sell opportunities from engagement data, or map who in the firm has the best connection to a target client. These are the insights that make a legal CRM genuinely useful for law firm business development. Does Nexl capture data automatically from email and calendar systems? No Yes. Nexl captures interaction data automatically, which means lawyers can use the platform without any manual input. Insightly does not offer this capability, so contact records require ongoing manual maintenance. In practice, this is one of the most common reasons CRM adoption breaks down in law firms, and is a problem Nexl is specifically designed to solve. --- ## Nexl vs Client Sense: When to choose a growth platform versus an engagement tracking tool Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/nexl-vs-client-sense-when-to-choose-a-growth-platform-versus-an-engagement-tracking-tool Client Sense is a relationship analytics tool that tracks email and calendar engagement between lawyers and their clients. It provides alerts when communication drops off, helping business development teams spot at-risk relationships before revenue is lost. For firms that want a focused, lightweight solution for engagement monitoring, it fills a specific gap. The question is whether that gap is best filled by a standalone tool or by a platform that includes engagement tracking alongside CRM, marketing, and collaboration. ### Feature comparison | Feature | Nexl | Client Sense | | No-data-entry CRM | Yes | No (requires external CRM) | | Relationship intelligence | Yes | Yes | | "Who knows who" mapping | Yes | Yes | | Engagement tracking | Yes | Yes | | At-risk client alerts | Yes | Yes | | Email marketing | Yes | No | | Event management | Yes | No | | Contact management | Yes | No (relies on CRM) | | Pipeline tracking | Yes | No (relies on CRM) | | Implementation timeline | Weeks | Weeks (on top of external CRM implementation) | | Pricing | Per user / month | Add-on to CRM cost | | Typical firm size | Mid to large | Mid to large | ### What Client Sense does Client Sense analyzes email and calendar data to measure communication frequency and engagement strength between lawyers and their contacts. It provides dashboards showing relationship health, flags clients where engagement is declining, and helps business development teams prioritize outreach. The tool integrates with existing CRM systems and sits alongside them as a monitoring layer. ### The limitation of a point solution Client Sense does not provide CRM, email marketing, event management, pipeline tracking, or project collaboration. Firms using Client Sense still need a separate CRM platform for contact management and a separate marketing tool for campaigns. Each additional system adds cost, integration effort, and the risk that data becomes fragmented across platforms. Client relationship insights are only as valuable as the actions they trigger. If the engagement alert sits in one system while email campaigns live in another and client records in a third, turning insight into action requires manual effort and coordination between tools. ### How Nexl handles engagement tracking Nexl monitors client engagement natively in its CRM. The platform tracks communication patterns, surfaces clients where engagement is declining, and provides cross-sell insights, all using the same data that powers contact management, pipeline tracking, and marketing campaigns. When Nexl identifies a weakening relationship, the business development team can immediately track who in the firm has the closest connection, add the client to a targeted re-engagement campaign, assign a follow-up task, and review the client’s engagement history, all in the same platform. This connected workflow is the core advantage of an integrated approach. Insight and action live in the same system, reducing the time between identifying a risk and responding to it. ### Cost and complexity Client Sense is priced as an add-on to an existing CRM stack. Firms pay for Client Sense on top of their CRM license, plus any marketing automation tools they use separately. The combined costs and administrative burden of multiple platforms can easily add up. Nexl includes CRM, marketing, relationship intelligence, and collaboration in a single per-user fee. Many firms who use Nexl are able to replace 3-4 disconnected systems with Nexl’s paltform, resulting in lower costs, simpler administration, and a better experience for the people using the tools every day. ### Which firms should choose which Client Sense suits firms that already have a CRM they are committed to and want a focused, lightweight tool to add engagement monitoring without replacing their existing platform. Nexl is the right choice for firms that want engagement tracking as part of a complete growth platform, with CRM, relationship intelligence, marketing, and collaboration working together from a shared data foundation. That includes most mid-sized and large firms, and any boutique firms looking for a complete solution. ### Frequently asked questions Can Nexl track client engagements the same way Client Sense does? No Yes. Nexl monitors client communication and flags when engagement declines, giving your business development team the same at-risk alerts that Client Sense provides. The difference is that Nexl does this within a complete CRM platform. When an alert fires, your team can immediately respond by running a re-engagement campaign, assigning a follow-up task, or identifying who in the firm has the strongest connection to that client, all in the same system. Do I still need a separate CRM if I use Client Sense? No Yes. Client Sense is an engagement monitoring tool that sits alongside an existing CRM, which means you are managing and paying for multiple platforms. If you choose Client Sense, you will still need a separate CRM for contact management and a separate marketing tool for campaigns. Nexl combines CRM, engagement tracking, email marketing, event management, and pipeline tracking in a single platform, eliminating the need for a multi-system setup. Is Nexl more cost-effective than using Client Sense alongside a separate CRM? No For many firms, yes. Client Sense requires a full-service CRM to operate, so you need to pay for two systems. Nexl includes CRM, marketing, relationship intelligence, and collaboration in a single per-user fee. Firms that switch to Nexl often consolidate three or four disconnected systems into one, which typically results in lower overall costs and simpler administration. Does Nexl show who knows who across the firm? No Yes. Nexl maps connections across your entire firm so your team can identify which lawyer has the strongest connection and is best placed to lead outreach. This means relationship intelligence drives direct action rather than sitting as a data point in a separate monitoring tool. Which firms are best suited to Nexl versus Client Sense? No Client Sense is a reasonable option for firms that are firmly committed to their existing CRM and want lightweight engagement monitoring on top of it. Nexl is the right choice for firms that want engagement tracking as part of a complete growth platform, where CRM, relationship intelligence, marketing, and collaboration all work together from shared data. For most mid-sized and large firms, and any boutique firm looking for a complete solution, that integrated approach delivers more value. --- ## Nexl | Farrell Fritz Source: https://nexl.cloud/customer-case-studies/farrell-fritz Farrell Fritz Transforming BD and marketing with cleaner relationship data Lee Peretz Director of Marketing and Business Development, Farrell Fritz Farrell Fritz is a full-service law firm serving the New York region across Long Island, New York City, and Albany. Lee Peretz is the Director of Marketing and Business Development at the firm, and his team had valuable relationship data scattered across systems with no way to see the full picture. That changed when the firm started looking for a solution built specifically for how law firms work. Farrell Fritz I would absolutely recommend Nexl to legal marketers, law firms, and quite honestly, to professional services firms in general. It's absolutely the right decision. Lee Peretz Director of Marketing and Business Development, Farrell Fritz ### **Bringing fragmented data into one view** "The largest benefit of working with Nexl has been seeing what our data can do," says Peretz. "Nexl allowed Farrell Fritz to see our data in a way we had never been able to before." With all their relationship data in one place, the team can make faster decisions about where to focus their efforts. ### **Implementation in under a week** One of the team's biggest concerns when evaluating new technology was the disruption it might cause. The last thing the team needed was a lengthy implementation that pulled attorneys away from their clients. Thankfully this wasn’t the case with Nexl. "The implementation process was next to nothing," says Peretz. "It was completely seamless and took less than a week. It's made our lives much easier as a marketing and business development team," Peretz explains. ### **Understanding what attorneys need** For Farrell Fritz, the team behind Nexl mattered as much as the technology itself. Nexl’s founders are former in-house legal technologists who understand the unique challenges law firms face. "They get what we're talking about," says Peretz. "They understand our pain and our needs, and what our attorneys want. They've built the system in a way that really speaks to the desires and wants of our lawyers," Peretz adds. Nexl gives the team the visibility they need to demonstrate value, spot opportunities, and support attorney growth in ways that weren't possible before. "Now we have the power of information, and we really believe that Nexl will help us take our marketing and business development to the next level," says Peretz. --- ## Nexl | Koley Jessen Source: https://nexl.cloud/customer-case-studies/koley-jessen Koley Jessen Using relationship data to drive client growth Tanya Riggan Vice President of Client Relations, Koley Jessen Koley Jessen is a full-service law firm with 125+ attorneys based in Omaha, Nebraska. Tanya Riggan is the Vice President of Client Relations at the firm and her team had long relied on attorneys to provide information about their client relationships to inform sales and marketing activity. Getting that information was time-consuming, inconsistent, and left gaps that were hard to see. Koley Jessen Instead of us asking attorneys who their key contacts are, Nexl can tell us. It's offered a whole new level of interaction with attorneys where we can provide informed data versus relying on them for information. Tanya Riggan Vice President of Client Relations ### **From manual data updates to automatic insights** Finding a better way to capture that information was what brought Riggan to Nexl. "Instead of us asking [attorneys] who their key contacts are, Nexl can tell us,” says Riggan. "It's offered a whole new level of interaction with attorneys where we can provide informed data versus relying on them for information." ### **Smarter client interactions** With reliable relationship data in place, Koley Jessen's BD team was able to be far more precise in how they managed client interactions. "Nexl has made it a lot easier to ensure that the right people are invited to things, receiving gifts, and getting the right information," says Riggan. This is particularly evident in how the firm handles client gifting. Previously, the team relied on attorneys to flag who should receive a gift. With Nexl surfacing those connections automatically, that's no longer necessary. "We've increased our gift giving because of that." ### **Relationships that lead to results** Even the best relationship builders miss things when they're busy. Having a system that flags who to reach out to and when means fewer connections slip through the cracks. "The connections we've made that we wouldn't have otherwise are huge," she says. "It’s really hard to quantify that sort of thing but having that information and the ability for attorneys to get those notifications, like 'hey, you should reach out to this person', is really valuable." "We just had this happen recently where an attorney reached out to somebody, sent them a note, checking in on them,” says Riggan. "Sure enough, the next day a referral came through from that person." Nexl's workspaces have also helped Riggan as a business development coaching tool for attorneys across the firm, giving her a structured way to work through BD activity. ### **A team that goes further** For Riggan, what sets Nexl apart is the team. "Whenever there’s something that we're trying to do and we can't quite figure it out, all we have to do is get on the phone and we get the help we need," she says. "The support that we get from Nexl is really fabulous." --- ## Nexl | Bartier Perry Source: https://nexl.cloud/customer-case-studies/bartier-perry Bartier Perry ### **Bartier Perry** Turning contact management into a firm-wide growth asset Sylvia Papadios Business Development Advisor, Bartier Perry Bartier Perry is a commercial law firm based in Sydney, Australia. With around 150 lawyers and a recent period of significant growth, the firm needed a way to manage relationships at scale. Bartier Perry I would recommend Nexl. Having the transparency, automation, and all the information we need about our contacts in one space for everyone to access has been very beneficial for us. Sylvia Papadios Business Development Advisor ### **Moving beyond manual data entry** "Before we had Nexl, our database was ancient," says Papadios. "We had to manually enter all the information ourselves. It was very time-consuming." For a growing firm, this wasn't sustainable. They needed a solution that could keep pace with their expansion without adding to lawyers' administrative load. Nexl gave them that. "It's all automated now, which has saved us a lot of time," says Papadios. ### **Immediate answers to "who do we know?"** These time savings extended beyond the business development team too. For the first time, anyone at the firm could quickly answer a question that had always been harder than it should be: who do we know at [company]? "We can now go into Nexl and get that information," says Papadios. This capability has had a significant impact on how the firm operates. Instead of searching for information or relying on institutional knowledge, the business development team can provide instant answers. The visibility has also helped the firm move faster on business development opportunities. When partners can quickly see existing relationships, fewer opportunities slip through the cracks. ### **Simple to use, powerful in practice** For any new technology, ease of use is critical to adoption. The Bartier Perry team needed something that lawyers would use without extensive training or ongoing support. "We found [Nexl] really simple and easy to use," says Papadios. "It gives us ... a clear overview of what's happening between our lawyers and clients." That simplicity has been central to the platform's success at the firm. "We can see who's talking to who now, and we never had that before," Papadios explains. --- ## Nexl is now ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified Source: https://nexl.cloud/resources/article-the-new-standard-of-trust-why-nexls-iso-27001-2022-certification-is-the-foundation-for-global-legal-growth Law firms are custodians of some of the most sensitive information in business. From client relationship data to deal strategy and litigation positions, the data that flows through a firm's systems demands a level of protection that goes beyond standard compliance. As Nexl grows its work with global firms and AmLaw 100 leaders, we wanted our security posture to reflect that responsibility. We're pleased to share that Nexl has achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification. #### **Why ISO/IEC 27001:2022** SOC 2 is a well-respected standard, and one we take seriously. Our decision to pursue ISO/IEC 27001:2022 alongside it was deliberate. Law firms operate globally, and so do the threats they face. The ISO standard is widely recognised as the benchmark for international information security management, and it aligns closely with the requirements of GDPR, making it particularly relevant for our clients in Europe and the APAC region. The 2022 update is more rigorous than its 2013 predecessor. It reflects the realities of a cloud-first, AI-driven environment and required us to implement 11 new controls covering areas including threat intelligence, cloud security, data masking, and data leakage prevention. These controls ensure sensitive client data stays protected as it moves through our platform. #### **What this means for law firms** For a law firm to adopt new technology, the platform has to clear the firm's own internal compliance bar. IT and security teams ask hard questions, and they should. Achieving this certification means we can answer those questions with documentation and evidence, reducing the friction that often slows down procurement and implementation. Our clients should be focused on growth strategy, not security due diligence. This certification gives them the confidence to do that. #### **What comes next** Security is the foundation everything else is built on. With our Series B funding from Tidemark Capital, we're accelerating our product roadmap and expanding what's possible for law firm growth. Doing that on a stable, certified security foundation means the innovation we're building is something firms can trust and adopt with confidence. The business of law is becoming more data-driven, more collaborative, and more global. We're committed to being a platform that's built for that world. For more information, visit our Trust Center at trust.nexl.cloud. ---