Efficiently and securely collecting signatures for important documents is a critical part of any law firm. Electronic signature software streamlines the documentation process and reduces agreement turnaround time.
There are a variety of electronic signature solutions available, and selecting the best solution can be time consuming. To accelerate the purchasing process, we created a list of the five best electronic signature solutions for lawyers, and offer a detailed look into their pricing and features.
Table of Contents
- What Features Matter Most to Lawyers?
- How Much Does Electronic Signature Software Cost?
- Does Electronic Signature Software Integrate With My Practice Management Solution?
- Is Electronic Signature Secure?
- The Best Electronic Signature Software for Lawyers
What Features Matter Most to Lawyers?
Electronic signature software includes useful features that help lawyers securely send, track, and receive signed documents. Here are some of the most important and legal-specific features found in electronic signature solutions:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Court-admissible electronic signatures | Every solution listed below allows you to collect electronic signatures that are lawful and court admissible. However, there are several types of documents that can not be legally e-signed such as divorce papers and court orders. |
| Data protection | Most electronic signature software includes stringent security measures that allow you to securely send and receive signed documents. Solutions help keep your data confidential with advanced encryption, and some solutions include two-factor authentication. Below, we include a table that highlights some of the security features found in electronic signature software. |
| Editing capabilities | Most solutions include a built-in editor that allows you to add fields to your documents. Additionally, some solutions allow you to edit the text copy of documents directly in the application. |
| Status tracking | Many solutions include tracking tools that will notify you when documents have been viewed, declined, voided and completed. |
| Automated reminders | Some solutions include automated reminders that will send notifications for unsigned documents to your clients. You can customize the time intervals that the reminders are sent. |
| Audit trails | Most solutions include audit trails that record document activity. Information collected in audit trails include document statuses, party names, time stamps, and public ip addresses. |
| Payment collection | Some solutions include payment processing tools. This allows law firms to quickly collect payments from clients for important items such as retainer agreements. |
How Much Does Electronic Signature Software Cost?
Electronic signature software typically costs between $15 to $60 per month. Solutions that are more expensive generally include a wider breadth of features such as two-factor authentication, recipient authentication, and password access for documents.
There are a variety of free-to-use electronic signature solutions available. Also, many legal practice management solutions include built-in electronic signature tools. Although native electronic signature features may not be as robust as features found in third-party standalone solutions, it may be sufficient for your law firm’s needs.
Does Electronic Signature Software Integrate With My Legal Practice Management Solution?
Many legal practice management solutions offer electronic signature software in their platforms. Some vendors include native electronic signature tools. Additionally, many vendors offer built-in integrations with third-party solutions, and others integrate with e-signature software through Zapier. Below are a few legal practice management solutions that offer electronic signature tools:
| AbacusNext |
|
| CASEpeer |
|
| Clio |
|
| MyCase |
|
| PracticePanther |
|
Is Electronic Signature Secure?
The solutions listed below offer robust security features that allow you to send and receive signed documents securely. Our top electronic signature solutions offer the following features to your data confidential:
- Audit reports
- HIPAA compliant
- International law compliant
- Secure document storage
- SSL encryption
- Two-factor authentication
Additionally, each of our top electronic signature solutions maintain certifications in various regulatory and industry standards. Here are the document storage security and international law compliances each solution ensures.
| Solution | Secure Document Storage | International Law Compliant |
|---|---|---|
| DocuSign |
|
|
| signNow |
|
|
| PandaDoc |
|
|
| Formstack Sign |
|
|
| HelloSign |
|
|
The Best Electronic Signature Software for Lawyers
Here is a list of the top electronic signature solutions for lawyers. These vendors offer useful and legal-specific features that make them particularly useful for law firms.
DocuSign
DocuSign is an electronic signature solution that supports law firms of all sizes through quick turnaround times, cost reductions, and document privacy & security assurances. DocuSign offers key legal and security features like legally binding signatures, recipient authentication settings, multiparty signing, access codes for documents, and audit trails. DocuSign also integrates with many document management systems commonly found at law firms like iManage, netdocuments, Intapp, and Doxly.
DocuSign’s Business Pro plan costs $60 per user per month. It is one of the most robust solutions available, but also one of the least affordable. Also, only its Advanced Solutions plan allows you to send unlimited documents. We recommend DocuSign for those who have the budget and need the most advanced security compliances & features on the market.
signNow
signNow is an electronic signature solution that helps streamline legal procedures by automating signing processes, data collection, and document management. SignNow offers features like legally binding signatures, multiparty signing, two-factor authentication, audit trails, and Advanced Threat Protection for signing links. signNow also integrates with systems like Virtual Law Direct and iManage Work.
SignNow’s Business Premium plan costs users $30 per month. Among the advanced solutions on the market, it is one of the most affordable options. We recommend signNow for those who need an advanced solution with a wide range of security compliances at a lower price.
PandaDoc
PandaDoc is an electronic signature solution that supports law firms through accelerating contract reviews, increasing compliances, and streamlining documentation. PandaDoc offers key legal and security features like legally binding signatures, multiparty signing, audit trails, and workspace and member permissions for Enterprise users. PandaDoc also secures your data through encryption and stores your documents in the AWS cloud platform.
PandaDoc’s Business plan costs $59 per user per month. It is one of the most popular electronic signature solutions in the market. However, this solution is specifically designed to support sales teams. We recommend PandaDoc if sales features like interactive quotes and content libraries are important for you and your business.
Formstack Sign
Formstack Sign is an electronic signature solution that modernizes your legal processes by automating documents and protecting legal data through encryption. Formstack Sign offers key features like legally binding signatures, audit trails, multi-party signing, advanced password settings, session timeouts, and role permissions settings. Formstack Sign also offers secure document storage with the AWS cloud platform.
Formstack Sign’s Pro plan costs $32 per user per month. It is one of the more affordable solutions in the market, but is not as advanced as many of its competitors, like DocuSign. We recommend Formstack Sign for those who need an effective e-signature solution with a wide range of security features and compliances.
HelloSign
HelloSign is an electronic signature solution that securely stores and encrypts your documents and data. HelloSign offers key features like legally binding signatures, multiparty signing, audit trails, two-factor authentication, and user permission codes. Overall, HelloSign is designed to support contract authenticity.
HelloSign’s Business plan costs $50 per user per month. It is one of the more advanced tools in the market. We recommend HelloSign if you need an advanced solution without the bells and whistles offered by other advanced competitors.
software/electronic-signature-for-lawyers-image Best Legal Software 2021 electronic signature for lawyers image false false true true