Master Clio Manage with our step-by-step tutorial, detailed feature walkthrough, and expert tips.
Start the 7
day free trial at clio.com/manage — no credit card required. Choose the plan tier that matches your firm's needs (Essentials is the most common starting point for firms wanting the client portal and integrations). Import existing client and case data using Clio's CSV import tool or request free migration assistance from Clio's support team. The import process covers contacts, matters, billing history, and calendar events. Connect your existing tools through the App Directory — start with your calendar (Google or Outlook), email, and accounting software (QuickBooks or Xero). Most integrations take under 5 minutes to set up. Create your first matter and walk through the full workflow: add a client, log a time entry, generate a test invoice, and send it through the client portal to see how the billing cycle works end
end. If on the Advanced or EliteSuite plan, schedule the included live onboarding session with Clio's team to configure automation rules, custom reports, and team permissions.
💡 Quick Start: Follow these 3 steps in order to get up and running with Clio Manage quickly.
Explore the key features that make Clio Manage powerful for legal/compliance workflows.
An add-on that reads court documents and converts them into verified calendar events, generates draft invoices from tracked time entries, and creates client update messages from case activity. This performs specific completed tasks rather than offering suggestions, and is available on Advanced and EliteSuite plans via Clio Duo.
Each matter gets a dedicated workspace for deadlines, documents, time entries, tasks, contacts, and notes. Calendar integration imports court dates and filing deadlines with automated reminders. Task assignment and tracking keeps team members aligned on multi-attorney matters.
Time entries flow directly into draft invoices for review and approval. ACH payment processing starts at 1%, significantly lower than the 2.9-3.5% credit card rates common with standalone legal payment tools. Supports payment plans, automated reminders, and client portal payments.
Clients access a secure portal to view case updates, download documents, pay invoices, sign documents electronically, and send messages. Two-way secure messaging maintains attorney-client privilege while keeping communication centralized rather than scattered across email threads.
Unlimited cloud storage with folder organization by matter, version control, and document generation from templates populated with case data. The Clio Draft add-on provides fillable court forms for all 50 U.S. states and custom template creation for repeated document types.
Over 250 connections including QuickBooks, Xero, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoom, Slack, Dropbox, and legal-specific tools. Most integrations configure in minutes through the Clio App Directory. This is roughly 2-3x the integration count offered by MyCase or PracticePanther.
Clio Manage is sold on a per-user monthly subscription with four tiers when billed annually: EasyStart at about $49/user/month, Essentials at about $89, Advanced at about $129, and EliteSuite at about $179. Month-to-month pricing is higher, and AI features via Clio Duo plus advanced automation are only available on the Advanced and EliteSuite tiers.
Yes. Clio Duo is Clio's built-in AI assistant available on Advanced and EliteSuite plans. It can summarize matters, draft emails and notes, answer questions about documents and case data, generate time entries from work activity, and automate routine tasks directly inside Clio Manage.
Yes — solos and small firms are Clio's core market. EasyStart and Essentials tiers cover matter management, time tracking, billing, trust accounting, and a client portal, which is typically enough for a solo or boutique practice. Larger firms tend to move to Advanced or EliteSuite for AI, automation, and custom reporting.
Yes. Clio supports trust and IOLTA accounting with retainer tracking, three-way reconciliation, separate trust ledgers per matter, and audit-ready reports. It's designed to meet state bar compliance requirements in the U.S. and law society rules in Canada and other jurisdictions.
Clio Manage is generally the most feature-complete and best-integrated of the major mid-market options, with the largest App Directory and the most mature AI layer via Clio Duo. MyCase and PracticePanther are often cheaper and simpler for solos, while Smokeball is stronger on automatic time capture and document automation for Windows-based litigation practices.
Now that you know how to use Clio Manage, it's time to put this knowledge into practice.
Sign up and follow the tutorial steps
Check pros, cons, and user feedback
See how it stacks against alternatives
Follow our tutorial and master this powerful legal/compliance tool in minutes.
Tutorial updated March 2026