Actionstep
Actionstep is a cloud-based legal practice management platform combining practice management and legal accounting for midsize law firms (20–300 employees). Founded in 2004 and backed by Serent Capital, it serves 5,000+ law firms across North America, UK, Australia, and New Zealand via per-seat SaaS subscriptions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersRichmond, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Actionstep does
Actionstep is a cloud-based legal practice management platform that combines practice management and legal accounting within a single AWS-hosted system, targeted at midsize law firms with 20 to 300 employees. Its core platform provides matter management, workflow automation, document management, client portal, CRM, calendaring, billing, time tracking, trust accounting, payment processing, and financial reporting, with add-on modules including Builder for document automation, Trace for AI-powered time capture, a native iManage document management integration, an Outlook add-in for Office 365, and mobile applications on iOS and Android.
The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with regional operating entities in Auckland (New Zealand), Milton/Brisbane (Australia), and London (UK). The platform is sold on an annual per-seat SaaS subscription model billed in USD, AUD, NZD, EUR, and GBP, with implementation delivered exclusively through a global network of certified partners (WorkCloud has been a founding global partner since 2012). The company is privately held and backed by Serent Capital following a 2021 investment, with subsequent acquisitions of LawMaster (2022, 11,000+ subscribers), FilePro (2023, ~4,000 Australian professionals), and Traced Technologies (2026, AI time-capture IP). Actionstep claims 5,000–5,500 law firm customers globally, holds SOC 2 Type 2 certification as of 2026, and operates through a go-to-market motion of direct sales plus partner-led implementation supported by content marketing, proprietary research (UK Midsize Law Firm Priorities Report), and industry event presence.
Actionstep firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Actionstep
- Legal name
- Actionstep
- Website
- https://actionstep.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Actionstep is a cloud-based legal practice management platform combining practice management and legal accounting for midsize law firms (20–300 employees). Founded in 2004 and backed by Serent Capital, it serves 5,000+ law firms across North America, UK, Australia, and New Zealand via per-seat SaaS subscriptions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Actionstep industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Practice Management Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Legal Practice Management & Case Management (BPAEAPAC)
Keywords
Where Actionstep is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Actionstep business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- SaaS Subscription Licenses: Actionstep operates on a subscription licensing model where law firms pay per user per subscription period. Subscription Periods automatically renew until terminated. Licenses can be reassigned between users within a subscription period. Implementation and onboarding are delivered through certified partners for additional cost.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Per seat | Annual | Per-user subscription licensing model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels9 records
Actionstep product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Actionstep sells a cloud-based legal practice management platform that enables law firms to run their entire operations from a single system: matter and case management, time tracking and billing, trust and operating legal accounting, document automation, client portals, and mobile access. It also monetises standalone add-on products such as the Builder document automation tool and the Trace AI-powered time capture tool, targeting law firms globally with a SaaS subscription model.
Product overview
Actionstep is a cloud-based legal practice management platform with a unified architecture combining practice management and legal accounting in a single system. The core Actionstep Practice Management platform provides matter management, client management, calendaring, document management, email management, workflow automation, CRM, client intake, billing, time tracking, trust accounting, financial reporting, and business intelligence. Actionstep Legal Accounting is integrated into the same platform providing multi-currency general ledger, banking, billing, payment processing, and trust/client accounting. Key add-on modules include Builder for document automation with template creation, dynamic logic, and Microsoft Word integration; Trace for AI-powered time capture that automatically detects and logs billable work across applications; the native iManage integration for enterprise-grade document management; the mobile app for iOS and Android; and the Client Portal for secure client communication. The platform is backed by Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure and supports 5,000+ law firm customers across North America, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Trace: AI-powered time capture module that automatically detects and logs billable work across applications like Outlook, Word, and PDFs
- Builder
Products and services
- Actionstep Practice Management Core cloud-based legal practice management platform that combines matter management, time and billing, trust and operating legal accounting, document management, and client collaboration for law firms of all sizes, delivered as SaaS.
- Builder Document automation tool that lets law firms turn routine templates and precedents into self-service client-facing workflows, reducing manual drafting effort for partners and paralegals.
- Trace (AI Time Capture) AI-driven time and activity capture product that automatically identifies billable work from lawyers' digital activity and posts suggested time entries to matters, helping firms reduce revenue leakage.
- Actionstep Mobile App Mobile application that gives lawyers secure access to matters, documents, time entry, and tasks away from the desktop, supporting firm productivity on the go.
- Actionstep Client Portal Secure client-facing portal that allows law firm clients to share documents, exchange messages, and view matter progress directly with their law firm from the Actionstep platform.
- Outlook Add-in Microsoft Outlook integration that lets lawyers capture emails and calendar events directly into Actionstep matters, supporting time tracking and matter filing without leaving Outlook.
- LawMaster Long-standing on-premises legal practice management product acquired by Actionstep, serving law firms that continue to operate the classic LawMaster system with a planned migration to the Actionstep cloud platform.
- FilePro Established on-premises legal practice management product acquired by Actionstep, providing continuity for incumbent FilePro customers while they transition toward the Actionstep cloud offering.
Quantifiable outcome
- Firms can lose up to $70,000 annually per attorney due to inefficient processes
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Actionstep
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Actionstep technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
AI capability2 records
Feature11 records
Actionstep partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- iManagecoreActionstep announced a native integration with iManage that embeds iManage's document management experience directly within Actionstep's practice management platform. The integration automatically creates and links iManage workspaces when matters open in Actionstep, syncing client names, matter types, and responsible lawyers without manual setup. Available in North America, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
- BoostDraftcoreBoostDraft and Actionstep announced a strategic partnership combining AI-assisted document automation with Actionstep's cloud-based legal practice management platform for midsize law firms. Through the integration, Actionstep users gain access to BoostDraft's drafting intelligence features including automated formatting, cross-reference error detection, and contract audit trails.
- WorkCloudcoreWorkCloud is a founding global Actionstep partner since 2012, offering consulting, training, and migration services for legal technology. They specialize in PMS & DMS migrations, training, and configurations for law firms. WorkCloud has revolutionized over 400 global law firms and supports implementations for over 400 law firm users. They are also an iManage Certified Partner. Locations available in NZ, AU, and UK.
- forsytecoreforsyte integrates directly with Actionstep to embed firmwide risk assessment into existing workflows, turning compliance (AML/CTF, SRA requirements) from a disconnected afterthought into a seamless part of everyday practice. The integration provides a single source of truth for risk data and audit-ready documentation generated automatically.
- Microsoft Office 365coreMicrosoft Office 365 integration enables matter management features to work with Microsoft Office applications. The Outlook add-in for Office 365 provides email management integration, and Google Workspace integration (Google Drive, Gmail, Google Calendar) is also supported.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Actionstep competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MyCase: MyCase (by AffiniPay) is a cloud-based legal practice management platform serving small and midsize law firms with case management, billing, client portals, and AI features. It competes head-to-head with Actionstep for midsize firm deals in North America and offers a comparable per-user SaaS pricing model.
- Clio: Clio is the category-leading cloud legal practice management platform for law firms, offering matter management, billing, document management, and an AI suite (Clio Duo). It directly competes with Actionstep for the same midsize and small-firm segment across North America, the UK, Australia, and beyond, and is widely regarded as Actionstep's primary global competitor.
- CARET Legal: CARET Legal is a cloud-based legal practice management platform for solo, small, and midsize law firms with matter management, billing, document automation, and reporting. It directly competes with Actionstep in the midsize segment and is commonly compared in PMS selection.
- Smokeball: Smokeball is a cloud legal practice management platform with strong document automation and productivity automation for small and midsize firms. Its document automation + automatic time tracking positioning closely mirrors Actionstep's Builder + Trace thesis, making it a directly comparable peer.
- Zola Suite: Zola Suite is an all-in-one practice management platform built for solo and small law firms, offering case management, billing, email, and document management in a unified system. It is a comparable peer for Actionstep's lower end of the midsize market.
- CosmoLex: CosmoLex combines legal practice management with built-in legal accounting and trust accounting in a single cloud platform, mirroring Actionstep's unified PMS + accounting value proposition. It targets small and midsize law firms needing integrated back-office functionality.
- PracticePanther: PracticePanther is a cloud-based legal practice management solution built for small and midsize law firms, with matter management, billing, time tracking, and integrations. It overlaps with Actionstep's core mid-market offering and is a frequent alternative considered by prospects.
Broad incumbents
- iManage: iManage is the dominant enterprise document management system for law firms and professional services. While Actionstep has a native iManage integration (announced 2026), iManage itself competes for firm-level technology budget against integrated PMS stacks, especially at the upper-mid-market and enterprise tier.
- Docket Alarm / Firmex (legal tech suite): Thomson Reuters (via products such as Elite 3E, ProLaw, and Practical Law) and Wolters Kluwer (TeamMate) are broad incumbents in legal practice management, accounting, and compliance for mid-market and enterprise law firms. They are less direct competitors at the small-midsize end but compete for the upper-mid-market and global accounts Actionstep is pursuing.
- NetDocuments: NetDocuments is a leading cloud document management and productivity platform for legal professionals with native document, email, and matter-centric workflows. It is broader than Actionstep but increasingly overlaps with practice management, and competes as an alternative platform stack for midsize and large firms.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Actionstep social profiles
Digital presenceActionstep compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Actionstep financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Actionstep leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Actionstep subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Actionstep funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Actionstep M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Actionstep
What does Actionstep do?
Actionstep sells a cloud-based legal practice management platform that enables law firms to run their entire operations from a single system: matter and case management, time tracking and billing, trust and operating legal accounting, document automation, client portals, and mobile access. It also monetises standalone add-on products such as the Builder document automation tool and the Trace AI-powered time capture tool, targeting law firms globally with a SaaS subscription model.
Is Actionstep a public or private company?
Actionstep is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Actionstep founded?
Actionstep was founded in 2004. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Actionstep based?
Actionstep is headquartered in Richmond, United States, in the North America region.
How does Actionstep make money?
One revenue line is on record: saaS Subscription Licenses.
Who are Actionstep's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MyCase, Clio, CARET Legal, Smokeball, Zola Suite, CosmoLex and PracticePanther. Broad incumbents are iManage, Docket Alarm / Firmex (legal tech suite) and NetDocuments.
Does Actionstep have an API?
No public API is recorded for Actionstep.
What industry is Actionstep in?
Actionstep's product category is Legal Practice Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAPAC, Legal Practice Management & Case Management. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7370.