How Do You Switch from CaretLegal?
Quick Answer
Switching from CaretLegal to another time capture system requires careful data export, workflow mapping, and training. LegalTime AI offers a desktop app that captures time automatically without manual timers and connects with major billing platforms, easing transition challenges.
What Are the First Steps to Switch from CaretLegal?
The first step is to export all your existing time and billing data from CaretLegal. This ensures you preserve your historic records for client billing and audits. Next, review your current billing codes, matter setups, and workflows in CaretLegal to understand how they map to the new system.
CaretLegal users often track time manually or with timers. If you want to automate more of this, consider a product like LegalTime AI. It captures screen activity, call audio, and emails automatically, reducing missed time. Before switching, confirm that the new software supports your firm’s billing codes and integrates with your practice management system.
What Challenges Should You Expect When Switching from CaretLegal?
One common challenge is reconciling time entries and ensuring no billable work falls through the cracks during transition. CaretLegal users who bill by task or phase codes must align these with the new platform’s codes to avoid billing errors.
Another challenge is training staff on the new workflows. CaretLegal’s interface and workflows differ from others, so allocate time for attorneys and admins to get comfortable. LegalTime AI’s automatic capture reduces the need to start and stop timers, which can ease adoption but still requires review and approval steps.
Data migration can also be tricky if CaretLegal’s export formats are limited. You might need CSV exports and manual mapping to the new system’s import templates. Test the import process with a small data set first to catch errors early.
How Does LegalTime AI Help Firms Moving from CaretLegal?
LegalTime AI offers a desktop app that runs in the background on Mac and Windows. Unlike CaretLegal, it captures billable work automatically from screen activity, calls, emails, and calendars without manual timers. This reduces lost time and increases accuracy.
It connects with major billing systems like Clio, MyCase, and TimeSolv, reading your matters and billing codes directly. After capture, LegalTime AI drafts time entries with narratives for your review and approval before sending to billing. This can reduce the realization lockup, which averages 43 days for law firms (Clio Legal Trends Report, 2025).
While switching, LegalTime AI’s automatic capture helps firms regain time lost from manual entry or missed timers common in CaretLegal workflows.
What Specific Workflow Adjustments Are Needed When Leaving CaretLegal?
CaretLegal users often rely on manual timers or task-based entries tied to detailed matter phases. Moving away means adjusting to automatic capture or different timer setups.
With LegalTime AI, billing codes are read from your connected system. You review AI-drafted entries rather than inputting time live. This requires a shift from manual entry to supervisory review.
Firms with heavy phone or video calls benefit from LegalTime AI’s on-device call transcription, which CaretLegal lacks. This reduces the need to take notes during calls for billing purposes.
Administrative staff should update internal policies to reflect these changes, especially about approving AI-drafted entries promptly to keep billing cycles tight.
Key facts
- The average law firm utilization rate in 2025 was 38%, meaning lawyers captured 3.0 billable hours in an 8-hour day. [source]
- The average law firm realization rate in 2025 was 88%, meaning lawyers invoiced 2.6 hours worth of billable work per 8-hour day. [source]
- LegalTime AI is a desktop app for Mac and Windows that captures billable work automatically from screen activity, call audio, emails, and calendar.
- LegalTime AI integrates with Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, Smokeball, Harvest, LeanLaw, Actionstep, Sage Timeslips, and TimeSolv.
Frequently asked questions
Can I export all my billing data from CaretLegal before switching?
Most time capture and billing systems like CaretLegal offer export options. Export your data in CSV or compatible formats to preserve client billing history and invoices. Confirm you have complete data before deactivating CaretLegal.
Will switching from CaretLegal affect my billing codes and matter setups?
Yes. Different platforms handle billing codes and matter data differently. You need to map your CaretLegal codes to the new system’s codes carefully to avoid billing mistakes or lost revenue.
Does LegalTime AI require manual timers like CaretLegal?
No. LegalTime AI captures billable work automatically from your screen, call audio, emails, and calendar. You do not need to start or stop timers manually.
How long does it take to train staff after switching from CaretLegal?
Training time varies by firm size and workflows. Expect at least a few days for attorneys and billing staff to adjust, especially if moving from manual time entry to AI-assisted capture.
Can LegalTime AI integrate with my existing billing software?
LegalTime AI integrates with Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, Smokeball, Harvest, LeanLaw, Actionstep, Sage Timeslips, and TimeSolv. Check if your billing platform is supported before switching.
Related reading
Stop losing billable time.
LegalTime AI captures every minute automatically inside Clio.