Why Small Law Firms Choose Susan
Small UK law firms face a dilemma that larger practices don't. The leading cloud-based practice management systems are either priced for large firms, require expensive IT consultants to configure, or create data sovereignty and SRA compliance risks that the firm's principal is personally responsible for.
Susan was designed specifically for UK firms with between 1 and 20 fee-earners — sole practitioners, two-partner firms, specialist boutiques, and growing regional practices. It delivers the AI automation that reduces administrative overhead without requiring your IT to be managed by a US-headquartered vendor whose servers are somewhere in Ireland.
Core Features for Small Firms
AI Time Recording
Automatically captures billable time from calendar entries, email metadata, and matter activity. Fee-earners review and approve — no manual entry required.
Automated Billing
Generates draft bills from captured time entries. Billing reminders triggered automatically when matters go inactive. Reduces WIP write-off by an average of 22%.
Matter Management
Full matter lifecycle tracking from instruction to archive. Automated milestone updates, critical date tracking, and matter status visibility for the whole firm.
Document Generation
Auto-populate client care letters, engagement letters, and standard documents from matter data. Firm-wide template library with jurisdiction-specific variants.
SRA Compliance Monitoring
Automated alerts for key SRA reporting windows, AML review triggers, supervision records, and compliance diary. Reduces risk of missed regulatory deadlines.
Client Portal
Secure client-facing portal for matter updates, document sharing, and billing queries. Reduces inbound phone and email volume significantly.
Accounts Integration
Integrates with Sage, QuickBooks, and other common UK small firm accounts packages. Eliminating double-entry between billing and accounts.
On-Premises Deployment
Runs on your Windows Server. Your data stays in your building. No cloud dependency, no internet outage risk, no third-party data processing.
How Susan Compares for Small Firm Use
| Feature | Susan | Typical Cloud Alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Data location | Your own servers — on premises | Vendor cloud, often outside UK |
| SRA data compliance | No third-party data processing | Requires active DPA management |
| Pricing (5 users) | £175/month + £500 setup | £250–£500/month typical |
| Implementation time | 1–2 weeks with VPN support | 4–12 weeks typical |
| Internet dependency | None — works offline | Full dependency on connectivity |
| AI time recording | Included | Extra cost add-on with most vendors |
| Setup support | Included in £500 fee | Often billed separately |
Pricing
- All features included — no add-on tiers
- £500 one-time setup, installation, and training
- No minimum user count — works for sole practitioners
- Annual billing available (one month free)
- UK telephone and email support included
- Free updates for the life of your subscription
What the Setup Process Looks Like
- Discovery call (30 min) — We understand your practice area, matter types, and current software setup.
- Server assessment — We remotely assess your existing Windows Server environment (or advise on a new one if needed).
- Installation (Day 1) — Susan is installed on your server, configured for your practice, and connected to your network.
- Data migration — We import your existing matter and client data from your current system (most formats supported).
- Staff training — A half-day training session for your whole team, conducted via video call. Recorded for future reference.
- Go live — Your firm is live on Susan. Ongoing support is available by phone and email.
Built for Small UK Law Firms. Priced for Them Too.
See Susan running on real matter types for your practice area. Book a 45-minute demo — no preparation required.
Book Your Free Demo →