CRM for Law Firms: Managing Cases and Clients

Law firms need a CRM that handles client relationships, case tracking, deadlines, and billing — all without sending sensitive privileged data to a third-party cloud. DenchClaw is a local-first, open-source AI CRM that stores everything on your machine. Client files, case notes, and billing records never leave your network unless you choose to sync them. Here's how to set it up for a legal practice.

Why Generic CRMs Fall Short for Law Firms#

Most CRMs are built for sales pipelines: lead → prospect → close. Law firm relationships don't work that way. You have clients with multiple active matters, cases with deadlines tied to court schedules, opposing counsel to track, billing rates that vary by matter type, and strict confidentiality obligations.

Off-the-shelf CRMs force you to shoehorn cases into "deals" and clients into "accounts." You end up with broken workflows and data stored on servers you don't control — which is a problem when you're bound by professional responsibility rules around client confidentiality.

DenchClaw solves this by letting you define your own objects and fields. You're not adapting your practice to the software — you're building the software around your practice.

Setting Up DenchClaw for a Legal Practice#

1. Install DenchClaw

npx denchclaw

Opens the local web UI at http://localhost:3000. Your data goes into a local DuckDB file — no account required, no cloud sync by default.

2. Create a Clients object

Go to Settings → Objects → New Object. Create Client with fields:

• Name (text)
• Entity Type (select: Individual, Corporation, LLC, Partnership)
• Primary Contact (text)
• Intake Date (date)
• Originating Attorney (text)
• Status (select: Active, Inactive, Prospective, Former)

3. Create a Matters object

Create a Matter object linked to Client:

• Matter Name (text)
• Matter Number (text)
• Practice Area (select: Litigation, Corporate, Real Estate, IP, Employment, etc.)
• Status (select: Open, Closed, On Hold, Pending)
• Open Date / Close Date (date)
• Billing Attorney (text)
• Billing Rate (number)
• Court/Jurisdiction (text)
• Opposing Counsel (text)

4. Create a Deadlines object

Track statutes of limitations, filing deadlines, and court dates:

• Deadline (date)
• Matter (linked)
• Type (select: Filing, Hearing, Discovery, Statute of Limitations, etc.)
• Notes (text)
• Status (select: Upcoming, Completed, Missed)

5. Switch to Table view and sort by deadline date

Now you have a rolling deadline calendar you can query with plain English.

Using AI Queries to Manage Your Caseload#

DenchClaw's natural language interface runs on top of DuckDB. You can ask questions like:

• "Show all open matters for clients with active status"
• "List all deadlines in the next 30 days sorted by date"
• "Which clients have had no activity in the past 90 days?"
• "Show all litigation matters where billing attorney is Sarah"

These queries return results instantly from your local database. No API calls, no latency, no data leaving your machine.

For more on how the query interface works, see how DenchClaw's AI query engine works.

Tracking Billable Relationships and Referrals#

Law firms grow through referrals. DenchClaw lets you track referral sources the same way you track any other relationship.

Add a Referral Source field to your Client object. Over time, you'll be able to query:

"How many clients came from referral source X in the last 12 months?"

You can also create a Contact object for referral partners — other attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, and real estate agents who send you work. Track every touchpoint and set follow-up reminders using the notes and date fields.

For firms with multiple practice groups, you can use the kanban view to organize matters by status within each practice area. Drag cards from "Intake" to "Active" to "Closing" as matters progress.

See how to build custom views in DenchClaw for step-by-step instructions.

Conflict Checks and Client History#

Before taking on a new client, law firms run conflict checks. With DenchClaw, you can search across all your client and matter records:

"Show all matters involving Acme Corp as a party" "List all clients and matters where John Smith appears in any field"

Because all data is local in DuckDB, these searches are fast and comprehensive. You can also export results to a CSV for formal conflict check documentation.

For firms that need a more structured conflict check process, you can build a custom Conflict Check object with fields for the incoming client, related parties, matters searched, date, and attorney sign-off.

Integrating with Your Existing Tools#

DenchClaw's browser agent uses your existing Chrome profile, which means it can pull information from any web app you're already logged into — your court filing system, billing software, or document management platform.

The skills system lets you extend DenchClaw with custom automations. For example, you could build a skill that:

1. Pulls upcoming court dates from your court's e-filing portal
2. Creates deadline records in DenchClaw automatically
3. Flags any deadline within 14 days in a daily digest

For teams already using DenchClaw for other workflows, see how the skills system works.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is client data really stored locally? Yes. DenchClaw uses DuckDB, which stores data in a local file on your machine. Nothing is sent to external servers unless you configure a sync. This is important for law firms with confidentiality obligations.

Can multiple attorneys share the same DenchClaw instance? Yes. You can run DenchClaw on a shared office server or use the sync features to share a workspace across a team. Access controls and permissions are configurable.

Does DenchClaw replace practice management software like Clio or MyCase? No — DenchClaw is a CRM, not a full practice management system. It doesn't handle billing invoices, trust accounting, or document storage out of the box. It's best used alongside those tools to manage client relationships and business development.

Can I import existing client data? Yes. DenchClaw supports CSV import. Export your existing client list from whatever system you use, map the fields, and import. For complex migrations, the DuckDB layer accepts SQL directly.

Is DenchClaw suitable for solo practitioners? Absolutely. The npx denchclaw install takes under a minute and requires no account or subscription. Solo practitioners often get the most value from it because they can customize the data model exactly to their practice without IT involvement.

Ready to try DenchClaw? Install in one command: npx denchclaw. Full setup guide →