Actionstep
Actionstep is a cloud-based legal practice management software that automates workflows and centralizes matter management, accounting, and billing to help law firms run more productive and profitable businesses.
Equinox IPMS
Equinox is a comprehensive intellectual property management system designed to help law firms and corporate departments manage their entire portfolio of patents and trademarks with automated task tracking.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Actionstep | Equinox IPMS |
|---|---|---|
| Website | actionstep.com | equinox-ipms.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Custom |
| Starting Price | $49/month | Custom Pricing |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2004 | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Auckland, New Zealand | Leeds, UK |
Overview
Actionstep
Actionstep is a comprehensive legal practice management platform designed to help you run your entire firm from a single cloud-based system. Instead of jumping between disconnected tools, you can manage every aspect of a legal matter—from initial intake and document generation to time tracking and final billing—within a unified environment. The platform is built around a powerful workflow engine that lets you automate repetitive administrative tasks and ensure your team follows consistent processes for every case.
You can customize the software to match your specific practice areas, whether you handle family law, personal injury, or corporate litigation. It scales effectively for mid-sized and growing firms that have outgrown basic tools and need integrated features like trust accounting, email management, and client portals. By centralizing your data, you gain better visibility into firm performance and can focus more time on practicing law rather than managing paperwork.
Equinox IPMS
Equinox provides a centralized platform to manage your entire intellectual property lifecycle. You can track patents, trademarks, designs, and contentious matters through a highly automated interface that reduces manual data entry. The system integrates directly with official IP offices to pull live status updates, ensuring your records remain accurate without constant manual checking.
You can manage your team's workload using built-in document generation and automated reminders for critical deadlines. Whether you are a boutique law firm or a large corporate IP department, the software scales to handle complex portfolios while maintaining a clean, searchable database of all your intellectual property assets and associated correspondence.
Overview
Actionstep Features
- Automated Workflows Build custom step-by-step processes for your matters to ensure your team never misses a deadline or a critical document.
- Integrated Accounting Manage your firm's business accounts and client trust accounts in one place without needing separate third-party accounting software.
- Document Automation Generate complex legal documents instantly by pulling data directly from your matters into your own customized Word templates.
- Email Management File emails directly to specific matters from Outlook or Gmail so your entire team can access the latest correspondence.
- Client Portal Share documents and updates securely with your clients through a private portal that improves communication and transparency.
- Time & Billing Capture every billable minute with built-in timers and generate professional, accurate invoices with just a few clicks.
- Conflict Checking Run comprehensive searches across your entire database to identify potential conflicts of interest before taking on new clients.
- Reporting & Analytics Track your firm's profitability and productivity with real-time dashboards that show you exactly where your business stands.
Equinox IPMS Features
- Automated Task Management. Generate pre-set task lists for different IP types so you never miss a critical filing deadline or renewal date.
- Official Office Integration. Link your records directly to IP offices to automatically update case statuses and verify your portfolio data in real-time.
- Document Generation. Create professional letters and forms instantly using custom templates that pull data directly from your existing case files.
- Client Portal. Give your clients secure access to view their own portfolios and track project progress through a branded online interface.
- Financial Management. Track your time, manage disbursements, and generate invoices directly within the platform to streamline your billing process.
- Email Integration. Save your correspondence directly to the relevant case file using the Outlook add-in to maintain a complete audit trail.
Pricing Comparison
Actionstep Pricing
- Matter management
- Contact management
- Document storage
- Basic time & billing
- Standard reporting
- Mobile app access
- Everything in Express, plus:
- Full office & trust accounting
- Advanced workflow automation
- Document assembly
- Email integration
- Client portal access
Equinox IPMS Pricing
Pros & Cons
Actionstep
Pros
- Highly customizable workflows adapt to any practice area
- All-in-one system eliminates the need for separate accounting
- Strong document automation saves hours of manual drafting
- Centralized email filing keeps matter history organized
- Excellent visibility into firm-wide productivity and billing
Cons
- Significant learning curve due to deep customization options
- Initial setup requires time and careful planning
- Mobile app features are limited compared to desktop
- Occasional slowness when loading large document folders
Equinox IPMS
Pros
- Highly customizable workflows tailored to specific IP types
- Excellent customer support and responsive implementation team
- Clean and modern interface compared to legacy systems
- Strong automated reporting capabilities for portfolio oversight
Cons
- Initial configuration requires significant time and planning
- Learning curve for setting up complex automation rules
- Pricing is not transparent for small firms