My entire character and fitness interview consisted of an attorney asking me, “Can you commingle funds?” After responding in the negative, he said, “congratulations,” and that was it. While perhaps more perfunctory than it should’ve been, it underscores the importance of keeping client funds separate from the lawyer funds and how this gets botched with disturbing frequency.
This morning, Smokeball announced a new partnership to deliver free access to Smokeball’s trust accounting and billing software to State Bar of Texas members.
For all the hype about replacing first-year associates with bespoke generative AI solutions, most lawyers are still struggling to computerize billing and basic case management. It’s not unheard of for solo and small law firms to still employ manual processes to keep track of this stuff. In the best case scenario, that unnecessarily complicates a lawyer’s day and in the worst case, gets lawyers suspended.
“Community is at the heart of everything we do. This initiative is a way to help the communities of Texas by assisting the law firms that serve them,” said Jane Oxley, CRO and co-founder of Smokeball. “Being able to manage finances in an efficient and compliant manner shouldn’t be reserved just for those with the resources or large firms.”
The announcement concludes noting that future partnerships may be in the offing, a welcome prospect for smalls and solos out there.
Joe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.
