Key takeaways
Centralized case management, billing, and accounting
Eliminated reliance on an external bookkeeper
Reduced monthly overhead with MyCase Accounting
Improved reconciliation speed and financial visibility
The Law Office of Leslie J. Boykin brings bookkeeping in-house with 8am
| 2 min read
Overview
The Law Office of Leslie J. Boykin centralizes casework, billing, payments, and accounting with 8am
Challenge
As a solo criminal defense attorney, Leslie runs a fast-moving practice that demands organization. But managing her firm across multiple systems, including QuickBooks and an outside bookkeeper, created extra stress and friction. She needed a simpler way to manage cases, billing, and accounting.
Solution
Leslie unified firm operations with 8am™ solutions, including 8am MyCase for case management, 8am LawPay for secure online payments, and MyCase Accounting for in-house bookkeeping. Consolidating case records, billing, payments, and accounting eliminated manual tracking and outside vendors.
Results
With 8am, Leslie no longer relies on an outside bookkeeper and reduced monthly overhead. Reconciliation is faster, financial visibility is clearer, and daily operations run more efficiently. Most importantly, she spends less time managing systems and more time advocating for her clients.
A practice grounded in fairness
Leslie knew early on that she wanted to be a criminal defense attorney. Growing up in East Texas, she saw inequities firsthand and felt called to work that protects individuals and holds the system accountable.
“We need defense attorneys to stand between the individual and the government to make sure that things are fair,” she shared.
For more than 20 years, Leslie has represented clients facing misdemeanor and felony charges across Travis County and surrounding areas, including federal court. She serves both private and court-appointed indigent clients and was among the first attorneys to participate in Travis County’s mental health specialty docket.
Inspired in part by growing up with a mother in special education, she brings added understanding to cases involving mental health challenges.
“If we can get them connected to services, housing lists, and medications again, then maybe they won’t be arrested from there on,” she says. “That’s the goal.”
Fairness, though, requires discipline. Leslie reviews discovery line by line, compares reports to video footage, and tracks details across months of court settings. That level of focus demands systems that are just as organized as the work itself.
Built for the pace of criminal defense
Before 8am, Leslie relied on several disconnected systems to run her firm. Case information lived in one place, billing in another, and bookkeeping with an outside provider. The fragmentation slowed her down and created unnecessary confusion. “It was just more confusing to try to use three or four different things to run the law office,” she recalls.
Today, MyCase serves as the operational backbone of her practice. Case notes, deadlines, billing, payments, and accounting live in one connected system.
The shift also made it possible to add a remote paralegal.
“I don't see how we would be able to do it if we didn't have the functionality and capabilities that we get from the software.”
When she heads into court, the MyCase mobile app keeps everything within reach.
“It’s so quick. I love having that in my hand,” Leslie says.
Communication that reduces client stress
When someone is facing criminal charges, uncertainty can be overwhelming. Leslie makes it a priority to reduce stress wherever she can, including how clients pay and how they stay informed.
With LawPay, clients pay securely online.
With LawPay built into MyCase, payments automatically sync to the correct matter and accounting records. That eliminates manual entry and keeps billing organized without extra administrative work.
Instead of drafting and mailing letters, her firm now sends notices electronically through MyCase.
“Drafting the letters, putting them in envelopes, addressing them, stamping them, mailing them…all of that is gone now because [clients] have a link they can check and we are able to send them notices electronically.”
From outside bookkeeper to in-house clarity
One of the biggest operational shifts in Leslie’s practice came on the financial side of the practice. For years, her firm relied on QuickBooks and an outside bookkeeper to manage accounting.
“We actually were using QuickBooks as the credit card transaction software, as well as bookkeeping,” she says.
Switching to MyCase Accounting brought bookkeeping in-house and connected it directly to case management and LawPay payments. The financial impact was immediate.
Just as important as the savings was the reduction in stress.
“Reduction in stress, more accurate and prompt reconciliation of the accounts…that was the big game changer.”
Now, billing, payments, and reconciliation live inside the same system she uses every day. There are no separate logins, fewer manual adjustments, and far fewer year-end surprises.
For a solo attorney balancing court appearances and client advocacy, that clarity matters.
Focus on advocacy, not administration
By simplifying operations and bringing bookkeeping in-house, 8am helps The Law Office of Leslie J. Boykin run with greater clarity and control.
Instead of managing disconnected tools or coordinating with outside vendors, Leslie can focus her time where it belongs: protecting her clients and ensuring a fair process.
Ready to bring your bookkeeping in-house? Schedule a demo today.