Bloomberg Law
Bloomberg Law is a comprehensive legal research platform that combines AI-powered tools, real-time news, and primary source data to help legal professionals work faster and make more informed decisions.
Smokeball
Smokeball is a cloud-based legal practice management software that helps small to mid-sized law firms manage matters, track time automatically, and generate documents to increase overall firm productivity.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Bloomberg Law | Smokeball |
|---|---|---|
| Website | bloomberglaw.com | smokeball.com |
| Pricing Model | Custom | Subscription |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | $39/month |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 0 days 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 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Arlington, USA | Chicago, USA |
Overview
Bloomberg Law
Bloomberg Law provides you with an all-in-one legal research environment that integrates primary law, expert analysis, and practice tools. You can navigate complex litigation with AI-driven dockets, track legislative changes in real-time, and access a massive library of practitioner manuals. The platform is designed to eliminate the need for multiple subscriptions by bundling news, data, and analytics into a single interface.
You can streamline your drafting process using automated templates and clause libraries that reflect current market standards. Whether you are managing corporate transactions or preparing for trial, the software helps you identify risks and opportunities through data-driven insights. It is built for law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies that require high-stakes accuracy and comprehensive regulatory coverage without the hassle of per-search charges.
Smokeball
Smokeball is a cloud-based legal practice management platform designed to help you run a more productive and profitable law firm. It centralizes your entire practice by combining matter management, automated document creation, and lead tracking in one interface. You can manage every detail of a case from initial intake to final billing without jumping between different applications or manual spreadsheets.
The platform solves the common headache of manual time entry by automatically recording every minute you spend working on documents and emails. This ensures you never miss a billable hour and provides deep insights into your firm's profitability. Whether you practice family law, estate planning, or personal injury, you can use pre-built matter types and automated forms to slash the time spent on administrative tasks.
Overview
Bloomberg Law Features
- AI-Powered Points of Law Find the best supporting language for your legal arguments quickly using machine learning that identifies key judicial holdings.
- Smart Code Tools Track changes in statutes and regulations visually so you can see exactly how the law has evolved over time.
- Drafting Assistant Analyze your documents for errors and find missing citations or better-market-standard clauses directly within your word processor.
- Litigation Analytics Predict judge behavior and evaluate opposing counsel's track record using data from millions of court filings and dockets.
- Practical Guidance Access step-by-step checklists, annotated forms, and expert overviews to handle unfamiliar legal tasks with total confidence.
- Real-Time News Alerts Stay ahead of market shifts with integrated Bloomberg News and Law Reports tailored to your specific practice areas.
Smokeball Features
- Automatic Time Tracking. Capture every billable second automatically as you work on documents and emails so you never miss a minute of revenue.
- Document Automation. Generate complex legal documents in seconds using a library of over 20,000 automated forms that pull data directly from your matters.
- Matter Management. Organize all your files, contacts, and deadlines in one digital location to keep your entire team synchronized on every case.
- Legal Billing. Create professional invoices and manage trust accounting effortlessly with built-in tools that sync directly with your tracked time and expenses.
- Lead Management. Track potential new clients from the first phone call through the intake process to ensure no new business falls through the cracks.
- Mobile App. Access your entire law firm from your pocket to view matter details, call clients, and track time while you are on the go.
Pricing Comparison
Bloomberg Law Pricing
Smokeball Pricing
- Time and expense tracking
- Legal billing and invoicing
- Trust accounting
- Smokeball Payments integration
- Basic reporting
- Mobile app access
- Everything in Bill, plus:
- Full matter management
- Document management
- Email management with Outlook
- Tasks and workflows
- Shared firm calendar
Pros & Cons
Bloomberg Law
Pros
- Predictable flat-fee pricing prevents unexpected monthly billing surprises
- Integrated news and law reports provide excellent situational awareness
- User-friendly interface makes navigating complex dockets much faster
- Comprehensive secondary materials and practitioner manuals add deep value
Cons
- Search filters can feel less granular than some competitors
- Large volume of data can be overwhelming for new users
- Premium pricing reflects its position as an enterprise-grade tool
Smokeball
Pros
- Automatic time tracking captures revenue you might otherwise miss
- Extensive library of automated legal forms saves hours of drafting
- Deep integration with Microsoft Word and Outlook streamlines workflows
- Excellent customer support and personalized onboarding experience
Cons
- Higher price point compared to some basic competitors
- Steep learning curve due to the vast feature set
- Full automation features require the desktop version