Grist for legal practices
Flexible legal case management software for law firms
Stop fighting rigid software. Manage cases, matters, and witnesses in a secure, custom tool that adapts to your law firm (not the other way around).
Custom case management software that adapts to your workflow
Track every detail of your case
Connect the dots: Link clients to matters, opposing counsel, judges, and witnesses. Click on a case and see every related document and deadline instantly.
Beyond simple lists: Unlike standard spreadsheets, Grist lets you attach PDFs, notes, and evidence logs directly to a case record.
Visual dashboards: View your caseload as a calendar, a Kanban board, or a high-level summary list.
Billing that fits your fee structure
Custom rates: Handle split-fees, contingency tracking, or complex hourly rates that standard software can’t calculate.
Instance invoices: Generate professional invoices automatically from your time logs.
Profitability analysis: Use simple formulas to see which practice areas are actually driving revenue.
The structure of a database, the flexibility of a spreadsheet
Most firms are stuck choosing between two bad options. Spreadsheets are flexible but fragile (one wrong entry breaks a formula). Dedicated lawyer software is secure but rigid because you can’t track data outside of what’s afforded by the tool.
Grist is the spreadsheet-database that gives you the best of both. You get the familiar grid of a spreadsheet, backed by a rugged relational database that keeps your mission-critical data secure, organized, and connected.
Protect client privilege with granular control
Build ethical walls with custom access rules
Protect sensitive details: Share a case file with a co-counsel while keeping your internal notes and billing rates completely hidden.
Limit team exposure: Ensure associates and paralegals only see the matters they are actively working on.
Total data sovereignty with self-hosting
Host on your terms: Keep your data on your own private servers, compliant with your specific IT protocols.
No vendor lock-in: You own your data structure and your records. You are never trapped in a “black box” proprietary system.
Templates
Pre-built templates
Get a running start with many templates to choose from,
to use as is or customize to your needs.
Billable Hours Spreadsheet Template
Track billable hours and generate invoices in this streamlined template.
View TemplateExpert Witness Database
Easily manage a database of expert witnesses for your law firm. Customizable to suit your area of law.
View TemplateLightweight CRM Template
Manage customer info and interactions in a user-friendly, spreadsheet-style CRM template.
View TemplateProfessional Services
Grist Solutions
Don’t have time to build? Let us architect a custom legal case management system for you.
Map your firm’s unique workflow
We translate your specific intake, discovery, and billing processes into a structured database schema.
Safe migration of mission-critical data
Don’t risk your records. We expertly handle the complex transfer of active cases, client lists, and document history from your legacy software or messy spreadsheets.
Advanced legal automation
Need to calculate statutory deadlines or complex split-fee structures? Our experts use Python to build sophisticated logic that standard legal software can’t handle.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grist a legal CRM?
Grist is a flexible relational database that can easily be used as a CRM. You can track leads, client intake forms, and communication logs. While it doesn’t send automated email drip campaigns out of the box, it integrates with tools like Zapier (and more) to automate your intake workflows.
Can I host Grist on my own servers?
Yes. Unlike most legal SaaS tools, Grist offers a self-managed version that allows you to keep your data entirely within your own infrastructure, ensuring total data sovereignty and compliance with your security requirements.
Can Grist replace my document management system?
Grist is excellent for organizing case files, evidence logs, and contracts. You can attach PDF, DOCX, and image files directly to specific case records. For massive file storage, Grist works best when integrated with dedicated storage solutions like Google Drive or Dropbox.
Is there a free version for solo practitioners?
Yes. Grist offers a generous free plan that is perfect for solo lawyers or small practices getting started. You can build your entire case management system and use it for free, upgrading only when you need to collaborate with a larger team or increase document limits.
How is this different from Excel or Google Sheets?
Basic spreadsheets are risky for legal work because it’s easy to accidentally overwrite formulas or expose sensitive data. Grist combines the flexibility of a spreadsheet with the structure of a database, giving you granular access control to lock down specific cells and prevent costly errors.
I’m currently using Excel. Is it hard to switch?
Not at all. You can upload your existing Excel or CSV files directly into Grist. It will instantly import your data, allowing you to turn flat spreadsheets into a relational database without manual data entry. You can start linking clients to matters in minutes.
Manage your practice with Grist
Stop fighting with messy spreadsheets and rigid case software. Join the law firms that switched to Grist for secure, custom legal case management. It is free to start, easy to customize, and built to scale.
