Are you considering switching to a new practice management system (PMS) in 2026, perhaps to Legalsense, but still have doubts? Maybe you’re concerned about the migration process, user adoption among colleagues, or the investment involved? Read on to discover why 2026 is the perfect year to make the move.
1. Capitalize on the power of integration
Looking at the legal industry, more and more firms are choosing specialized SaaS providers that excel in one area of a fully digital office environment. Together, these providers form the ideal digital workspace for your firm. While Legalsense focuses on client and matter management, other SaaS solutions cover areas like CRM, document management, accounting, compliance, and AI-assisted document automation. Based on your preferences, you combine these best-in-class tools into a complete solution that fits your firm. This best-of-breed trend will only continue to grow in 2026.
Key themes that will become even more important for law firms in 2026 include:
- Compliance and regulation (e.g. AML / KYC)
- Advanced document management
- Business Intelligence and data-driven decision making
- Document assembly and automation
- e-billing via Peppol
For these topics, you may need specialised solutions. In a best-of-breed environment, you can easily connect them to the core of your firm: your PMS.
With technology, regulation, and society evolving so rapidly, flexibility is essential. A best-of-breed setup gives you that flexibility. More and more firms are adopting an open API strategy instead of an all-in-one solution, enabling them to adapt quickly to new developments. With a PMS that supports this approach, integrations with other tools are straightforward and proven in practice.
Get rid of that financial migration anxiety
Switching to a new PMS often means implementing a new financial administration as well. Many firms working in a best-of-breed setup now choose accounting providers such as Exact and Fortnox. Understandably, this can raise concerns about migrating financial data. But in 2026, that fear should be a thing of the past. You’ll be working with specialists who know data migration inside out.
The advantages far outweigh the effort: automated bank feeds, real-time payment insights, and seamless posting of invoices and payments. Having worked with many of these providers, we can confidently say that migrations now run smoothly and reliably.
2. Working (together) within Microsoft 365
More and more law firms are discovering the benefits of working within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem (formerly Office 365) and this trend continues in 2026. Not only because of collaboration tools like Teams, but also thanks to the ability to work together on documents, calendars, and emails in the cloud.
If you want your PMS to integrate seamlessly with Microsoft 365, make this a key consideration in your 2026 selection process. Legalsense runs in your browser and therefore works smoothly with all Microsoft 365 apps. Some PMS solutions use their own mail systems, making integration with Outlook or Teams more difficult.
If you already use a SharePoint-based document management system such as Epona DMSforLegal, you can take collaboration even further, giving you direct access to your matters within Teams and Microsoft 365. With Copilot integrated directly into such a system, AI support is applied in the right context, helping users find, summarize and work with matter-related documents without leaving their familiar Microsoft environment. A must-have item on your checklist.
3. Practice based on Business Intelligence (BI).
“Measure to manage” — and in 2026, that will be more important than ever. What is the cost per practice area, which departments are most profitable, and where is time being lost? With well-designed BI dashboards, you can make informed decisions about your firm’s performance.
Most PMS solutions offer standard reports, but if you want deeper insights, you can connect a BI tool to your system. It’s a good idea to involve a BI specialist — for example, Cleversight or RSULT — who can help turn data from your accounting systems (such as those integrated with Legalsense) into clear, actionable insights.
In 2026, AI will play an even bigger role in BI, from predictive analysis to automated recommendations. Intelligent tools will combine data from matters, finances, and operations to highlight opportunities, risks, and efficiency improvements before you even have to ask.
Looking around: always a good idea
Whether you’re thinking about Business Intelligence, a best-of-breed setup, cloud integration or easier time recording, 2026 is the ideal year to explore your options. The technology is mature, integrations are proven, and migrations are no longer the challenge they once were. Maybe it deserves a spot on your New Year’s resolutions for 2026?
