Matter DueWe build a deadline tool, so it would be easy to say every firm needs one. That would not be true. Most case-management systems let you record key dates against a matter and set reminders. LEAP, for example, says on its own site that it tracks key dates, limitation periods and filing deadlines and sends automated reminders to the responsible fee earner and their supervisor. For some firms that is all they need. This guide is an honest look at when a separate deadline layer earns its place, and when you would do better getting more out of the system you already pay for.
Start with what you already have
Before buying anything, find out what your current system can do and how your team really uses it. Ask your supplier, or check its help pages, for answers to these questions:
- Can key dates be recorded on every matter, with a named responsible person?
- Do reminders go to the responsible person automatically, and can the timing be set firm-wide?
- Can a supervisor or manager see every open key date across the firm in one list?
- Is anyone told automatically when a key date passes without being completed?
- Is there a record of who completed each key date and when?
Then ask the harder question: does everyone use it that way? In many firms the features exist, but one fee earner diarises everything, another keeps dates in Outlook, and a third has a notebook. The system is only as good as its least consistent user.
When you probably don't need a separate tool
- Your case-management system's key dates are used by everyone, consistently, for every matter.
- Managers already have a firm-wide view of what is due and overdue, and they use it.
- Overdue dates are escalated reliably, whether by the system or by a well-run weekly review.
- You are a small team in one room, and a ten-minute weekly review covers everything.
If that describes your firm, the best investment is usually training and a firm rule, not new software. Our guide to building a key dates system works with any tool.
When a separate deadline layer genuinely helps
Use of the case system is uneven
If you cannot rely on every fee earner using the system's diary the same way, a single, simple place for the deadlines that really matter can be easier to enforce than changing everyone's habits.
Managers need a firm-wide picture
Supervisors and practice managers often want one screen showing overdue, due this week and at-risk deadlines across every person, without opening matters or running reports. That is the core of supervising deadlines.
You want escalation, not just reminders
A reminder to the fee earner is one safety net. A rule that tells a manager when a deadline is still open after it is due is a second, independent one.
You want the whole office to see what is coming
A deadline board on an office TV changes the conversation: everyone sees this week's pressure points without logging in to anything. It is hard to do with a system designed to be used one person at a time.
People need reminders where they actually look
Fee earners at court or out of the office may miss an email but see a text or WhatsApp message.
The trade-offs to weigh honestly
| Consideration | What to think about |
|---|---|
| Double entry | Without an integration, a key date is entered in two places. Keep the separate tool for the dates that carry real risk (limitation, filings, hearings, appeal windows), not every task, and enter them at the moment they arise. |
| Which system is the record? | Decide in writing. The case-management system stays the record of the matter. The deadline tool is the firm's control layer for key dates. |
| Cost | Compare the full cost: licences, per-user fees, setup and the time it takes to run. |
| Data | Check where the data is hosted, who at the supplier can access it, and whether you can export everything and leave. |
| Clients | Check whether the tool ever contacts clients. For a deadline tool, staff-only reminders are usually the right default. |
What not to do
- Don't switch your case-management system to fix a deadline problem. A migration is a large project. If the problem is visibility and follow-through, solve that directly.
- Don't run three systems. If you add a deadline tool, retire the spreadsheet and the personal workarounds once you trust it. Our guide to spreadsheets vs software covers that switch.
- Don't expect software to calculate UK time limits. Many deadline-calculation products are built around US court rules. Working out the date stays with your fee earners.
Matter Due is built to sit next to Clio, LEAP or any other case-management system. There is nothing to integrate and nothing to replace. Your case system stays the record of the matter. Matter Due gives each key date a named owner, sends automatic reminders by email, SMS or WhatsApp, tells a manager when a deadline is still open once it is overdue, and puts the firm's deadlines on an office board. It costs £29 a month for the whole firm, not per person, and you can export your data at any time.
Questions firms ask
Does Matter Due integrate with Clio or LEAP?
No. It runs alongside them with no integration, so there is nothing to set up or maintain between the two. The trade-off is that key dates are entered in Matter Due as well, so most firms use it for the dates that carry real risk.
Is Matter Due a replacement for case-management software?
No. It does not handle documents, time recording, billing or accounts. It focuses on one job: making sure important deadlines are seen, owned and acted on.
How is it priced compared with per-user software?
Matter Due is a flat £29 a month (or £290 a year) for the whole firm, with unlimited users, plus a one-time setup package from £99. See pricing for the details.
Sources
- LEAP, Case management software for UK law firms (viewed 5 November 2026).
This guide is general information for law-firm managers, not legal or regulatory advice. Check time limits against the rules and directions that apply to each matter. Last reviewed .