The practice management platform Rocket Matter is releasing a variety of new features and tools today in an update that founder and CEO Larry Port calls the product’s second-biggest in its nine-year history, after only its 2016 top-to-bottom overhaul of its user interface.

Perhaps the most significant addition is a feature called Communicator, a tool that allows the members of a firm to securely message and collaborate among themselves within the Rocket Matter platform, in much the same way as they might use an external collaboration tool such as Slack or HipChat. Conversations within Communicator can be associated with a matter, so that the full discussion stream pertaining to a matter can be viewed within the matter.

Also today, Rocket Matter is introducing a completely redesigned mobile application for iOS and Android devices. This new version of the app adds many of the capabilities of the full platform that Rocket Matter had left out of the earlier version of its app. The app also incorporates the new Communicator tool so that users can engage in discussions directly from a mobile device.

Another new feature today is integration with LawToolBox. Subscribers to LawToolBox, a court rules and deadline management system, will now be able to import case deadlines directly into Rocket Matter. Port told me that his developers worked hard to make this integration flexible and functional, so that if deadlines for a matter later change, they can easily be updated.

One final feature introduced today is enhanced e-check acceptance, so that users can now accept payments from clients via e-checks in addition to by credit cards. Although Rocket Matter already had an e-check acceptance option, Port tells me that this new version uses a different provider and works better than before.

The Communicator tool uses a set of shortcuts to make it easy to reference specific people within the firm, clients and matters. To reference a client, for example, type “c:clientname” and, as you type, it will suggest the client name and then associate that conversation with the client and later view the stream associated with that client.

Conversations can be among all members of a firm or only selected members and you can create channels for specific groups.

A bot within Communicator recognizes dates, so that anytime a date is mentioned in a conversation, it suggests adding the event to the calendar.

With regard to the mobile app, new features include:

  • A persistent menu across the bottom for adding time, expenses, and other new entries.
  • Faster log-in via touch ID or, on devices where touch is not available, via PIN.
  • Multiple ways to launch timers.
  • Persistent view of timer as you move within the app.
  • Global search.
  • Preview documents (but not edit them).
  • Add new documents from the device or using the device’s camera as a scanner.

These new features will be rolled out to customers beginning today, but the roll out will be phased to different segments of customers.

Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.