Quick answer: PCLaw is Windows desktop software designed to run on a server. It is not a native cloud application. You can run it remotely by having an authorized hosting provider run it on a private cloud or virtual desktop, or you can move to a cloud-based practice management system. Hosting keeps the software your team knows. Moving gives you browser access, automatic updates and modern workflows, but it’s a bigger project. The right choice depends on how long you plan to stay, how much you rely on PCLaw’s accounting, and how much change your firm can take on right now.
Firms usually start searching “PCLaw cloud” for one of three reasons: the server is aging, lawyers want to work from home or court without a remote desktop workaround, or the person who maintained the setup has left.
Option 1: Host PCLaw on a private cloud or virtual desktop
The software stays the same. Instead of running on a server in your office, it runs on a hosted server that your team connects to over the internet.
When it makes sense
- You’re happy with PCLaw’s accounting and billing and just need remote access
- You plan to stay on PCLaw for the next few years
- You want to retire office server hardware without changing how people work
What to check
- That the provider is authorized to host PCLaw
- Where your data is stored, how it’s backed up, and who can access it
- How Mac users and mobile devices will connect
- What happens to your data if you leave the provider
Hosting solves the access problem. It doesn’t change PCLaw’s workflows, and you’re still running desktop software, just somewhere else.
Option 2: Move to a cloud-based practice management system
This means converting your data into a system built for the browser. For firms that want workflow automation along with accounting, a system such as Actionstep is one option. There are others, and the right one depends on your practice areas and how you bill.
When it makes sense
- You want matter workflows, intake, documents and accounting in one place
- You’re tired of maintaining servers or remote desktops
- Your team is ready to change how some work gets done
What makes it a bigger project
- Trust and general ledger balances must be converted and verified
- Templates and precedents need rebuilding
- People need training on new workflows, not just new screens
How to decide
Ask your firm three questions:
- How long will we stay? If you’d switch within two years anyway, paying to host PCLaw and then migrate later means doing two projects instead of one.
- What actually hurts? If the only problem is access, hosting may be enough. If the problems are double entry, manual processes and reporting, a move is more likely to fix them.
- Can we take on the change now? A conversion during your busiest season, or with a key staff member leaving, adds risk. Timing matters.
If you’re unsure, a law firm technology audit looks at your current setup, your workflows and your accounting, and tells you which path fits.
If you move: plan the conversion properly
- Clean up before you convert. Close finished matters, reconcile trust and resolve old balances. Converting messy data creates messy data in the new system.
- Decide what history moves. Open matters and balances always. Closed matters, time entries and documents depend on your needs and retention obligations under your law society’s or state Bar Association’s rules.
- Verify trust balances to the cent. Run a reconciliation on both systems for the same date and keep the reports.
- Run a short overlap period. Have a defined window where you can check the new system against the old.
- Train by role. Lawyers, assistants and accounting staff use the system differently. Train each group on its own work.
To see how this played out for one firm, read our case study on launching a new law firm and moving from PCLaw to Actionstep. For how we handle setup, data conversion and training, see Actionstep implementation.
Talk it through
We’ve worked with over 120 law firms across Canada and the US, including firms moving off PCLaw. If you’re weighing hosting against a move, we can help you decide what fits your firm.
Frequently asked questions
Is PCLaw cloud-based?
No. PCLaw is Windows desktop software designed to run on a server. To use it remotely, your firm can have an authorized hosting provider run it on a private cloud or virtual desktop, or move to a cloud-based practice management system.
Should we host PCLaw or move to a new system?
If remote access is the only problem and you plan to stay on PCLaw for a few years, hosting may be enough. If the problems are double entry, manual processes and reporting, or you would switch within two years anyway, a move is more likely to be worth it.
What is the riskiest part of moving off PCLaw?
Trust and accounting. Clean up and reconcile before you convert, verify trust balances to the cent on both systems for the same date, and keep a short overlap period to check the new system against the old.
Sources
- Law Society of British Columbia, Law Society Rules, Part 3, Division 7 (Trust Accounting): lawsociety.bc.ca
