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.
Fastcase
Fastcase is a comprehensive legal research software providing access to a massive library of primary law, including case law, statutes, and regulations to help you build stronger legal arguments.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Actionstep | Fastcase |
|---|---|---|
| Website | actionstep.com | fastcase.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Starting Price | $49/month | $65/month |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✓ 24 days 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 | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Auckland, New Zealand | Washington, D.C., USA |
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.
Fastcase
Fastcase is a modern legal research platform designed to help you find the law you need without the complexity of traditional legacy systems. You can search through an extensive database of federal and state case law, statutes, regulations, and court rules. The platform uses smart sorting technology to surface the most relevant results first, saving you hours of manual filtering through dense legal documents.
You can visualize search results using interactive maps to see how cases relate to one another and identify the most influential precedents quickly. Whether you are a solo practitioner or part of a large firm, the software provides the tools to track your research history and organize your findings into folders. It integrates directly with many state bar associations, often providing you with premium access as a member benefit.
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.
Fastcase Features
- Forecite Research. Discover important cases that your keyword search might have missed by identifying decisions frequently cited by your search results.
- Interactive Timeline. View your search results on a visual map to quickly spot the most seminal cases and see how the law has evolved.
- Authority Check. Generate a list of other cases that cite your current document to ensure your legal authority remains valid and persuasive.
- Mobile Sync. Access your saved folders and research history on the go with native apps that sync across your desktop and mobile devices.
- Advanced Filtering. Narrow your results by jurisdiction, date, or document type using intuitive filters that help you pinpoint specific legal points.
- Cloud Folders. Organize your research into custom folders and share them with your colleagues to keep your entire firm on the same page.
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
Fastcase Pricing
- Federal and State Case Law
- Statutes and Regulations
- Interactive Timeline
- Authority Check tool
- Mobile app access
- Unlimited printing
- Everything in Appellate, plus:
- Briefs and Pleadings
- Expert Witness profiles
- Advanced data analytics
- Expanded secondary sources
- Priority customer support
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
Fastcase
Pros
- Often free for members of participating state bar associations
- Intuitive visual search tools help identify key cases quickly
- Clean interface is easier to navigate than legacy competitors
- Mobile app allows for effective research while in court
- Excellent customer support and live training webinars
Cons
- Secondary source library is less extensive than Westlaw
- Search syntax can occasionally feel less flexible than competitors
- Loading speeds can vary when handling very large documents