gold-trophies

Clio's Launch/Code Contest wants to find the best app that both excels at helping a law firm manage its operations and integrates into its Clio Manage practice management software, and award it $100,000.

The company officially launched the second year of the Launch/Code Contest following last year when Tali, a voice activated billing app, was declared the winner. While there's no major changes to the contest this year, entrants will now be able to submit more than one app into the contest. 

To enter this year's competition, interested companies fill out registration forms and submit an app that both integrates into Clio Manage and mitigates a difficulty legal professionals face daily when managing their business. Later, finalists are invited to the 2019 Clio Cloud Conference to pitch their idea to a panel. Apps will be judged on their innovation, impact and business potential. While the winning company receives $100,000, all approved entrants will be featured in Clio's app directory.

Jack Newton, CEO and co-founder of Clio, said the contest's intention is to spur interest in companies building integrations for the growing Clio ecosystem. 

To be sure, along with highlighting Clio's offerings, the contest also aims to have permanent impact in the practice and business of law.

“The reason we are doing this at a macro level is one of the meaningful ways to bridge the access to justice gap and provide more effective legal services is legal technology,” Newton said.

While Clio, lawyers and those seeking justice benefit from the innovative apps, Newton noted the contest also helps companies looking for an entryway into the legal tech market.

Indeed, Clio's press release announcing the contest boasted its app directory reaches 150,000-plus legal professions. Such exposure and client acquisition is highly valuable for companies aiming to break into the legal tech market, Newton explained.

“Integration of apps for good, [and] is the reason we are continuing to invest in the contest this year,” Newton said. “More companies [will] be created by the opportunity that the Clio app offers.”

Recently, Clio announced 20 new app integrations that include a crowdfunding app for lawyers and an artificial intelligence-powered app that allows firms to tailor their work to what their clients are likely to pay for. That announcement came just months after Clio acquired client intake and customer-relationship management software Lexicata in October.