Big system projects at law firms rarely fail on the software. They fail on time, people and ownership: who is running the project, who is testing, and who is keeping the firm’s real work moving while it happens.
This national insurance defence firm had all three problems at once. Here’s how the project got back on track.
Quick answer: To rescue a stalled law firm system rollout, put one accountable project manager in charge, break the work into modules with a named lead for each, track every test and issue in one place, and treat change management as part of the project, not an afterthought. Then support the team through the first billing and month-end cycles.
Case study: a national insurance defence firm’s stalled rollout
Situation. A national insurance defence firm with over 120 employees across five branches was stuck in a technology standstill. It was replacing PCLaw with an enterprise financial and practice management system, but its project lead had left, and the rollout was eight months behind schedule. Accounting staff were fitting testing around their regular work. Trust reconciliations were still done on paper. The partners were divided on the project, and the accounting team feared the new system would replace them.
Task. Overhaul the firm’s technology and project management approach, manage the software transition from start to finish, and keep the software vendor and data migration consultants aligned through go-live.
Action. We took over project management and rebuilt the rollout from the ground up:
- A module-based plan. We split the project into modules, with a lead for each module and clear tasks for every member of the accounting team, so no one was guessing what they owned.
- One source of truth. We tracked hundreds of testing cards and every issue in Smartsheet, with a testing dashboard and an implementation issue log that leadership, the vendor and the consultants could all see.
- Weekly rhythm. We ran weekly project meetings and status reports for leadership, kept notes and action items for every meeting, and opened a shared chat for all consultants and firm staff.
- Testing that matched real work. Many of the original test scripts had been written without staff input and didn’t reflect how the firm actually worked. We reworked them, scheduled testing and training workshops for billing, payables, receivables, trust, conflicts and new business intake, and completed functional testing across those critical modules. We planned sessions around month-end so billing staff weren’t pulled away at their busiest time.
- Complex technical fixes. We pushed issues to resolution with the vendor and data team, from sorting out 150 different client rate structures to tax codes, trust cheques and user security permissions. When a system update wiped test data and user permissions, we worked with the vendor to restore them and kept testing moving.
- Change management. We documented processes that had never been written down, captured the legacy knowledge of long-serving staff, and asked the team to track the time the project took so leadership could see its real impact. Hands-on training and steady support brought a burnt-out, resistant group on board.
- Cutover. We planned the cutover and blackout period so entries made in the old system could be re-entered after go-live, and ran mandatory training in every office.
Result. The firm went live on the new system with staff trained and engaged. We stayed on to support the billing team through its first pre-bill and invoice cycles, sorted the must-have fixes it needed to keep invoicing, from invoice templates for e-billing clients to ledger code mapping and cheque printing, and helped accounting with ledger postings and month-end.
Is your system project stuck?
Start with an honest look at where the project stands: scope, testing, data and people. Technology & Operations Audit
What it takes to get a stalled rollout moving again
1. One owner. When a project lead leaves, the work doesn’t stop, but the decisions do. Someone has to own the plan, the vendor relationship and the status reporting to leadership.
2. Smaller pieces. A whole-firm system is too big to test as one thing. Modules with named leads turn an overwhelming project into work people can finish.
3. Tests that reflect reality. If the test scripts don’t match how your firm bills, receipts and handles trust, passing them proves very little. Build them with the people who do the work.
4. People before software. Accounting teams that fear being replaced will slow a project down. Training, support and honest communication do more than any deadline.
5. Support after go-live. The first bills and the first month-end are where gaps show up. Plan for them.
Choosing and implementing the right system
Not every firm needs an enterprise platform. Depending on your size and practice, a cloud system may fit better. We help you choose, then manage the move. Actionstep implementation · Clio migration
We work with law firms in every province and territory across Canada and throughout the United States.
We’re not lawyers or accountants. We handle the operational side and work alongside your advisors, your accountant and your regulator’s requirements.
FAQ
Can you take over a law firm software project that is already underway?
Yes. We review where the project stands, take over project management, and work with your software vendor and data migration consultants to get testing and go-live back on track.
Do you replace the software vendor or data migration consultant?
No. We coordinate them. The vendor and data team do their technical work, and we manage the plan, testing, issues, training and communication with your firm.
How do you get a resistant accounting team on board?
By involving them. We break the work into modules they own, build tests around how they actually work, and back them with hands-on training and support.
Do you support the firm after go-live?
Yes. We support billing through the first pre-bill and invoice cycles, help with ledger postings and month-end, and prioritize the fixes the firm needs to keep invoicing.
Ready to get your system project back on track?
Explore our Technology & Operations Audit or see more client stories in our portfolio
