ApproveThis manages your Clarra Integration approvals.

Why Approval Workflows Are Killing Your Law Firm’s Efficiency

Let’s cut to the chase: if your firm still runs approvals through email chains, sticky notes, or (god forbid) actual paper, you’re hemorrhaging billable hours. Clarra’s great at keeping cases organized, but when it comes to getting decisions made? That’s where things get sticky. Enter ApproveThis – the missing piece that turns Clarra from a digital filing cabinet into an actual productivity engine.

Here’s the deal: Combining Clarra’s matter management with ApproveThis’ structured approval workflows means you can automate every “Hey, can you sign off on this?” moment. We’re talking new client intake approvals, expense sign-offs for expert witnesses, or even internal compliance checks – all handled without a single follow-up meeting.

Clarra vs. ApproveThis: What Each Does (And Why They’re Better Together)

Clarra’s Wheelhouse: Tracking case details, deadlines, documents, and client communications. It’s where your firm lives day-to-day.

ApproveThis’ Superpower: Making decisions happen fast. Custom approval chains, automatic escalations, and approvals via email so even technophobe partners can participate.

When you connect them through Zapier, you get:

• New Clarra matters auto-triggering approval workflows
• Approval statuses updating Clarra records in real-time

Bonus: Approvers don’t need Clarra licenses. Huge for getting quick sign-offs from external counsel or clients without paying for extra seats.

Real-World Use Cases (No Hypothetical BS)

1. New Client Intake That Doesn’t Require Babysitting

The Problem: Every new matter in Clarra needs 3 partners to sign off, but someone’s always on a golf course or in court.

The Fix: Zapier triggers an ApproveThis workflow whenever a Clarra matter is created. Approval thresholds auto-approve routine cases below $50k, while big-ticket matters get escalated. Partners approve via email – no login required.

Firm Type This Helps Most: Personal injury firms handling high-volume, varying-risk cases.

2. Expert Witness Expenses That Don’t Require a Forensic Audit

The Problem: Tracking which partner approved that $400/hr handwriting expert.

The Fix: Attach expense requests directly to Clarra matters. ApproveThis uses calculated fields to flag anything over budget, automatically routing to the managing partner. All approvals are timestamped and tied to the matter record.

Firm Type This Helps Most: Litigation boutiques with expert-heavy cases.

3. Compliance Checklists That Actually Get Completed

The Problem: Missing a conflict check because someone “forgot” to click approve.

The Fix: Create sequential approvals in ApproveThis that lock each step (conflicts check → engagement letter → retainer payment). Each approval updates the Clarra matter’s compliance status. Vacation delegation ensures no holdups when partners are out.

Firm Type This Helps Most: Corporate firms with strict regulatory requirements.

Setting This Up Without Losing Your Mind

Step 1: Create your ApproveThis account (takes 3 minutes).

Step 2: In Zapier, connect Clarra and ApproveThis. Key triggers:

• “New Matter” in Clarra → “Create Request” in ApproveThis
• “Request Approved” in ApproveThis → “Update Matter” in Clarra

Pro Tip: Use ApproveThis’ calculated fields to auto-flag matters needing special review (e.g., contingency fee % over 40%).

Why Your Specific Team Will Care

Managing Partners

See approval bottlenecks in real-time dashboard. Vacation delegation stops cases from dying because Jim’s fly fishing in Montana.

Associates

Stop playing approval tag. Get automatic reminders when sign-offs are pending, with all docs attached via Clarra.

Finance Team

Approval thresholds auto-approve routine expenses, while keeping CFO in loop on big spends via escalation rules.

IT/Operations

No more building custom approval modules in Clarra. ApproveThis handles the logic, Clarra stays clean.

The Unsexy (But Critical) Details

Security: ApproveThis meets SOC 2 Type II standards – crucial for client data in legal workflows.

Audit Trails: Every approval is logged with timestamp, approver name, and comments. Perfect for malpractice insurance reviews.

Mobile: Approve/reject directly from iPhone email. Partners can sign off between court sessions.

“But We’re Different!” – Customization Options

ApproveThis isn’t some rigid template. Tailor it to your firm’s quirks:

Consensus vs. Sequential Approvals: Need all partners to agree on class action cases? Set consensus mode. Want strict hierarchy for insurance defense? Go sequential.

Conditional Paths: Automatically route IP matters to the patent team, PI cases to the litigation group.

Auto-Approvals: Set rules like “All matters under $10k with no conflicts = auto-approved.”

Objections We’ve Heard (And Shut Down)

“Partners won’t learn new software.” They don’t have to. Approve via email or a 2-click portal.

“We already have Clarra workflows.” Great – now add enforceable approval steps with accountability.

“We’re too small.” Approval chaos gets worse as you grow. Fix the process now.

How to Not Screw This Up

Do: Start with one high-impact workflow (e.g., new client intake). Expand after quick win.

Don’t: Try to replicate every existing approval process day one. Automate the worst offender first.

Do: Use ApproveThis’ real-time analytics to find which partners are bottlenecks.

Don’t: Let IT build custom integrations. Zapier already works.

Bottom Line

Your firm bills in six-minute increments. Why waste them chasing approvals? Connecting Clarra to ApproveThis via Zapier isn’t about cool tech – it’s about eliminating the administrative crap that makes lawyers hate practicing law.

Ready to stop being a professional nagger? Get ApproveThis or schedule a 15-minute demo. We’ll even show you how other midsize firms cut approval time by 70%.