MyCase for Solo Attorneys: Which Plan, What It Costs, and Whether It's Worth It
A solo attorney needs four things from practice management software: reliable time tracking, a client portal that reduces phone interruptions, trust accounting that satisfies the bar, and billing that gets paid. MyCase Basic covers all four for $39/month annual ($49 monthly). Here is the honest case for and against.
The Solo Attorney Cost Calculation
| Configuration | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Basic, annual billing, 1 user | $39/mo | $468/yr |
| Basic, monthly billing, 1 user | $49/mo | $588/yr |
| Basic + accounting add-on (annual) | $78/mo | $936/yr |
| Pro, annual billing, 1 user | $89/mo | $1,068/yr |
| Pro + accounting add-on (annual) | $128/mo | $1,536/yr |
LawPay fees are separate (2.95% CC / $2 eCheck) and depend on your monthly billing volume. See full LawPay cost analysis.
What Solo Attorneys Get from Basic ($39-49/month)
Time Tracking
Captures billable time during client calls, court appearances, and drafting sessions. Start/stop timers available on desktop and mobile. Mobile timers are particularly valuable for courthouse time that would otherwise be reconstructed (and undercounted) later.
Client Portal
Reduces the volume of 'case status' phone calls from clients. Industry estimates suggest 5-10 calls per week eliminated per attorney. At 10 minutes per call, that is 50-100 minutes per week recaptured. Clients access their case through a secure portal with document sharing, messaging, and appointment scheduling.
Trust (IOLTA) Accounting
IOLTA-compliant trust ledger for all client funds. Three-way reconciliation for bar audits. Separates operating and trust account transactions. Included at no extra cost on Basic. This alone is sufficient justification for the subscription for any attorney holding client funds.
Billing and Invoicing
Create invoices from time entries, send to clients via email or client portal. Track payment status. Integrates with LawPay for online payment links at the Pro tier ($89/mo). Basic includes invoice creation and tracking without the online payment link feature.
Mobile App
Time capture from courthouse, deposition, client office. Calendar and deadline access. Client portal messaging. Available on iOS and Android at no extra cost on any plan.
When Solo Attorneys Should Upgrade to Pro ($89/month)
The Pro tier adds $50/month over Basic. Here is when that pays off:
Intake forms save 20-40 minutes per intake. At 3 intakes/week, that is 1+ hour/week recovered. At $200/hr, payback is under 2 weeks.
Document templates in Pro eliminate repetitive drafting for retainer agreements, engagement letters, and practice-specific filings. Family law and estate planning solos hit this threshold easily.
These practice areas have high document volume and frequent client intake. The Pro features directly address the core administrative burden in these areas.
LawPay integration (Pro tier) embeds payment links directly in invoices, reducing days outstanding from 30-45 days to 1-3 days. Cash flow improvement alone may justify the upgrade.
Solo Attorney Plan Recommendation by Practice Area
| Practice Area | Recommended Plan | Monthly Cost (annual) | Key Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal injury | Basic | $39/mo | Low document volume, contingency billing, client portal reduces status calls |
| Criminal defense | Basic | $39/mo | Straightforward billing, court calendar critical, limited document automation value |
| Family law | Pro | $89/mo | High intake volume, repetitive document drafting, retainer-heavy billing |
| Estate planning | Pro | $89/mo | Repetitive documents (wills, trusts), intake forms capture family/asset data |
| General practice | Basic or Pro | $39-89/mo | Depends on intake and document volume; start Basic and upgrade at renewal if needed |
| Immigration | Pro | $89/mo | High intake volume, significant document templates, client communication priority |
| Real estate closing | Pro | $89/mo | Document templates for closing packages, LawPay for closing funds (with trust accounting) |
What Solo Attorneys Typically Don't Need
The Advanced plan ($109/mo) adds custom matter fields, advanced reporting and analytics, text message campaigns, and billing analytics by attorney. These features are designed for multi-attorney firms that need to track productivity across their team. A solo attorney almost never needs to pay for Advanced. Start with Basic, and only consider the Advanced upgrade if you grow to a multi-attorney practice and need firm-level analytics.
Solo Attorney FAQ
What does a solo attorney actually use MyCase for every day?
Daily use typically includes: starting a timer when a client calls or a task begins, reviewing calendar for court dates and deadlines, sending invoices to clients via the client portal, responding to client messages (replacing phone calls), and entering mobile time entries after court appearances. Trust accounting entries happen when retainer deposits or disbursements occur. Setup and customisation is front-loaded; daily use takes 15-30 minutes for most solos.
Can I share MyCase with a part-time paralegal?
Yes, but the paralegal needs their own user seat at the same per-user rate as attorney seats. There is no reduced-rate paralegal seat. A solo attorney with a part-time paralegal on Basic would pay $39 x 2 = $78/month on annual billing. Both users get full access to the platform. Consider whether a paralegal truly needs a seat or whether they can work from printed outputs and the attorney's account.
Does MyCase have resources specifically for solo attorneys?
Yes. MyCase has a customer success team, community forum, and online training resources. Their knowledgebase covers solo attorney setup guides. They host webinars on trust accounting setup, billing workflows, and client portal onboarding. MyCase was designed primarily for solo and small firm attorneys, so their support reflects that audience.
How long does it take to set up MyCase?
Most solo attorneys complete initial setup in 2-4 hours: importing contacts from a spreadsheet, configuring billing rates, setting up trust account information, and customising the client portal. The 10-day free trial gives enough time to complete setup and evaluate the platform. Plan to invest 4-6 hours in the first week to get full value from the trial period.
Can I migrate from other practice management software to MyCase?
Yes. MyCase supports migration from Clio, PracticePanther, Rocket Matter, and other platforms via CSV import. Contacts, matters, time entries, and billing history can be imported. Document migration requires manual upload. MyCase's support team assists with migrations at no extra cost for subscribers. Test the migration process during your free trial before committing to annual billing.