Lawyaw Vs. Essential Forms: Which Legal Document Software Is Best?

Creating professional legal documents is critical for law firms. But drafting specialized forms and templates from scratch can be time-consuming. That’s where legal document software comes in.

Lawyaw and Essential Forms are two top solutions helping law practices automate document creation. But how exactly do they compare?

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll analyze the key features, integration, pricing, support and more for Lawyaw and Essential Forms. Read on for a detailed comparison of these leading document automation tools for lawyers.

A Brief Comparison Table

AspectsLawyawEssential Forms
# of Templates2,000+140+
IntegrationsClio, MyCase, etc.MyCase only
Pricing$159 – $599/month$50/user/month (requires MyCase subscription)
SupportEmail, chat, phoneVia MyCase resources
CustomizationUnlimited custom templatesSome custom form creation
Standalone PlatformYesNo, requires MyCase
Best ForSolo firms, existing Clio usersLoyal MyCase users

Overview of Lawyaw

Lawyaw provides a legal document automation solution helping law firms generate customized contracts, agreements, motions and other documents 10x faster.

Lawyaw
Lawyaw

Here are the basics on Lawyaw:

  • Founded in 2018 and headquartered in New York.
  • Serves over 150 law firms across the US.
  • Library includes 2000+ customizable templates across all practice areas.
  • Templates are automated using variables and conditional logic for precision.
  • Custom templates can also be created from existing documents.
  • Built-in e-signature workflows and other tools to manage documents end-to-end.
  • Integrates with Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther and other legal software.
  • Available monthly subscription plans for solos up to large practices.
  • Dedicated customer support included.

Overview of Essential Forms

Essential Forms, part of MyCase legal practice management software, offers automated document generation for law firms.

Here are the key facts on Essential Forms:

  • Acquired by MyCase which is owned by AppFolio.
  • Over 140 document templates available.
  • Customizable templates use variables and conditional logic.
  • Practice-specific templates for criminal law, family law, PI law, etc.
  • Batch generation and auto-save drafts features.
  • Built to fully integrate with MyCase’s practice management platform.
  • Access provided as add-on to MyCase subscription – no standalone purchase option.
  • MyCase provides phone, email and chat support.

Also Read: Comparison Between Workiva And AuditBoard

Key Differences Between Lawyaw Vs. Essential Forms

As you can see, Lawyaw and Essential Forms take very similar approaches to streamlining legal document creation. Now let’s compare them across some key factors for legal software:

1. Template Library and Customization

The breadth of the template library determines how likely the software can meet a firm’s needs out-of-the-box. Customization features are also key.

  • Lawyaw offers 2000+ templates across all major practice areas. Custom templates can also be added.
  • Essential Forms has a template library of 140+ documents so far. Ability to create some custom forms.
  • Both use variables and conditional logic to auto-fill and customize documents.

Lawyaw provides a much more extensive template library spanning far more legal use cases. The ability to create unlimited custom templates is also an advantage.

2. Integrations

Seamless integration between document software and existing practice tools maximizes efficiency.

Essential Forms
  • Lawyaw integrates directly with Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther and other top legal platforms.
  • Essential Forms was purpose-built to integrate solely with MyCase practice management. No third-party software integrations.

Lawyaw offers broader compatibility across various platforms like Clio. Essential Forms only syncs with its parent platform, MyCase.

3. Pricing and Plans

Budget threshold and value for money are important factors when selecting legal software.

  • Lawyaw plans range from $159 to $599 per month based on number of users and features. Unlimited templates included.
  • Essential Forms is only accessible as a MyCase add-on starting at $50 per user/month (requires MyCase subscription).

Lawyaw offers tiered direct pricing with all features and templates included. Essential Forms is only available via MyCase subscription, but starts at a lower monthly cost.

4. Support and Training

Ongoing customer support and learning resources help users adopt the software.

  • Lawyaw provides unlimited email, chat and phone support. Plus an online knowledge base and video tutorials.
  • Essential Forms users gain access to MyCase support resources like knowledge base, chat, email, and phone assistance.

Both platforms offer solid training materials and multiple support channels included. Lawyaw provides support for their platform specifically.

Also Read: Comparison Between Everlaw and DISCO

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Lawyaw included in Clio?

No, Lawyaw is a standalone legal document automation software that integrates with Clio, but must be purchased separately. It is not included as part of a Clio subscription. Lawyaw offers pricing plans starting at $159/month for solo attorneys to add automated document generation capabilities to Clio’s other tools.

Who is the CEO of Lawyaw?

Lawyaw was co-founded by CEO Sam Barry, who previously worked at several major law firms before starting the company. As CEO, Barry leads the company’s product vision focused on using technology to simplify legal document creation for attorneys. The company is headquartered in New York.

How do you format a legal document in Word?

In Microsoft Word, use styles like “Heading 1” and “Heading 2” for document structure. For the body, use left-aligned text, line spacing of 1.5, and fonts like Times New Roman 12pt or Arial 11pt for easy reading. Add page numbers and ensure adequate white space. Proofread carefully and run a spellcheck. Use clear headers/footers and bluebook legal citations. Save as a PDF/A for uneditable documents.

What are essential forms?

In legal software, “essential forms” refers to standardized document templates created for common legal use cases. Rather than drafting repetitive documents like contracts or motions from scratch, essential legal forms provide pre-made templates that can be customized and auto-populated with client details to save attorneys time. Top platforms like Lawyaw, Legal Templates, and Rocket Lawyer provide extensive libraries of essential legal form templates.

Also Watch This Review Video:

Final Verdict

So which legal document software comes out ahead in this detailed comparison – Lawyaw or Essential Forms?

The right solution depends on your firm’s specific needs and preferences.

Lawyaw shines when it comes to its vast template library spanning all major practice areas. The unlimited customization and open integrations are also huge benefits. Solo firms or those using software like Clio will see advantages.

Essential Forms offers a more narrowly focused solution optimized for existing MyCase customers. The seamless integration and lower entry pricing make it appealing if you already leverage MyCase. Firms needing a wider breadth of document templates may find it limiting.

For most law firms without a practice management platform already, Lawyaw provides the most document automation power and flexibility. But those committed to a full MyCase ecosystem may find enough value in Essential Forms if the template library suits their needs.

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