The State Bar of Texas and Smokeball Grant Texas Lawyers Free Access to Trust & Billing Software

Smokeball will put software solutions for trust accounting & billing in the hands of all Texas lawyers at no cost, enabling them to improve client services and maintain compliance

Austin, Texas — June 18, 2024 - Smokeball, the industry-leading legal practice management software platform, today announced an exclusive partnership with the State Bar of Texas to provide all State Bar of Texas members with free access to Smokeball Bill, Smokeball’s trust accounting and billing software solution for law firms. This tool will help solo and small firm practitioners effectively, efficiently and compliantly manage their client trust accounts for improved client service.  

Solo and small law firms play critical roles in every local community, but many struggle to handle trust accounting and billing compliantly. According to the 2023 State of U.S. Small Law Firms Report, software for case management, legal research and e-billing/invoicing are some of the biggest technology needs for law practices. Firms often rely on manual processes that hinder, disrupt or delay more high-value client work. By providing Smokeball Bill for free, all attorneys in the state will now have access to a user-friendly software solution that helps ensure trust accounting compliance and simplifies billing.

“Equipping all Texas attorneys with this innovative software will empower them to efficiently manage their trust accounting compliantly and spend more time practicing law,” said Trey Apffel, Executive Director of the State Bar of Texas. “This offering supports all Texans, allowing them to benefit from the power of technology.”  

Manually managing trust accounting often leads to compliance errors and malpractice claims. Smokeball Bill makes it simple for law firms to easily comply with trust accounting regulations. The software also helps firms more easily send and collect invoices and bills.  

“Community is at the heart of everything we do. This initiative is a way to help the communities of Texas by assisting the law firms that serve them,” said Jane Oxley, CRO and co-founder of Smokeball. “Being able to manage finances in an efficient and compliant manner shouldn’t be reserved just for those with the resources or large firms.”  

This is Smokeball's first product partnership of its kind with a state bar association. More collaborations with other bar associations will be announced at a later date. To learn more about Smokeball’s free product offering with the State Bar of Texas or to sign up, please visit www.smokeball.com/texasbill.

About Smokeball

Smokeball is your partner to drive your law firm into the future. As the industry's leading cloud-based legal practice management software, Smokeball empowers you to run your firm specific to your area of law. Our platform gives you all the insights and tools you need to work smarter, not harder: automatic time tracking and invoicing, streamlined workflows for your specific practice area, a library of over 20,000 standard legal forms and documents, and actionable reports. Smokeball is a member benefit of over 20 US bar associations. Learn how to run your best firm at smokeball.com.

About State Bar of Texas

The State Bar of Texas is a public corporation and an administrative agency of the judicial department of state government that provides educational programs for the legal profession and the public, administers the minimum continuing legal education program for attorneys, and manages the attorney discipline system. For more information, follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram @statebaroftexas, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/statebaroftexas, or visit texasbar.com.