Satbir Lally

Quebec Law is a growing high-street law firm in London with strong community ties and a clear client-first ethos. Led by Director Zahila Bi, the firm was founded to better support individuals who may previously have felt uncomfortable or underserved when seeking legal advice, particularly women within the local community.

Today, the firm acts for a broad mix of clients across family law, civil litigation, property disputes and employment matters. With a team of 10, including four solicitors, Quebec Law combines the technical knowledge of lawyers trained in larger firms with a more personal, accessible approach to client care.

Seeking a system that truly supported the firm

Before moving to Smokeball, Quebec Law had experience with both Proclaim and LEAP. While those systems met some of the firm’s operational needs, they increasingly fell short in one critical area: support.

As Satbir explains, “A big issue for us with LEAP was customer service. We felt like smaller firms weren’t being prioritised. It could take days to get a response.”

At the same time, the firm knew it needed more than just functional software. It wanted a modern, cloud-based system that could be accessed easily, felt intuitive for staff at all levels, and gave the team confidence that the platform would continue to evolve with the legal industry.

Switching to Smokeball

When Quebec Law came across Smokeball, the difference was immediate.

“It wasn’t just the software, it was the people,” says Satbir. “The team demonstrated that they genuinely care about their customers, and that never changed.”

That early impression mattered. The platform felt modern and logical, the web and mobile access gave the firm confidence in its long-term usability, and the level of care shown by the Smokeball team made the decision feel easy. For Quebec Law, it was not simply about choosing another practice management system. It was about choosing a provider they felt they could trust.

A seamless transition

Having already experienced the challenges of moving between legal software platforms, Quebec Law approached migration carefully. Their previous move had been difficult, with disorganised data exports and little support on exit. By contrast, the transition to Smokeball felt structured and well supported from the outset.

“The training was excellent,” says Satbir. “We felt guided through the process from the outset, which made the move much easier.”

That support helped make rollout across the firm remarkably smooth. Staff adapted quickly, and the system proved easy to learn from day one.

“With Smokeball, no one struggles,” Satbir says. “It’s logical and easy to pick up straight away.”

In practical terms, that ease of use has saved the firm significant time. Satbir estimates Smokeball has reduced training time by around 10 to 15 hours per staff member compared with previous systems.

Less admin, more time for clients

For Quebec Law, one of the biggest benefits of Smokeball has been the time it gives back to the team.

Day-to-day tasks that once felt slower or more fragmented are now more streamlined. Features such as PDF merging, document handling and matter management have made routine work simpler, while reducing reliance on additional tools.

That efficiency has had a direct impact on their client service.

“We have more time to spend with clients and deliver a higher quality service,” says Satbir.

Rather than spending valuable hours navigating clunky systems or training staff on overly complex workflows, the firm can focus more of its energy on clients, communication, legal work and growing the business.

Working smarter with AI

Quebec Law also sees strong potential in Smokeball’s AI capabilities, particularly for matter-specific support that helps the team communicate more efficiently.

For example, Smokeball AI can assist with practical tasks such as summarising recent activity on a matter, drafting client updates, or helping explain what has happened on a file over a defined period of time. For a busy firm handling multiple matters, this kind of support helps save time while keeping client communication clear and professional.

As Satbir puts it, “It’s helpful for things like explaining to clients what’s happened over the last couple of weeks on a matter, quickly and easily.”

Creating capacity for growth

The efficiencies Quebec Law has gained through Smokeball are not only helping the firm operate better today, they are also creating space for future growth.

With less time lost to admin and training, the team can see more clients, maintain strong service standards, and think more strategically about the next phase of the business. That includes investing more time and energy into marketing and reputation-building, which Satbir sees as a key focus for the future.

“Smokeball has freed up time across the firm, allowing us to focus more on clients while also investing in marketing and growth,” says Satbir.

Customer support that sets the standard

If there is one area where Smokeball has particularly stood out, it is customer support.

For Quebec Law, the difference has been tangible. Instead of feeling like a small firm waiting in line for help, they feel known, valued and supported.

“Outstanding. Gold standard,” says Satbir. “It’s very rare to find a product that matches excellent software with excellent customer service, but Smokeball has both.”

That confidence matters. Knowing support is there when needed gives the firm reassurance not just in the product itself, but in the relationship behind it.

“We know if there’s ever an issue, we can pick up the phone and it will be solved immediately, and it feels personal.”

Confidence in the future

With Smokeball now embedded in the business, Quebec Law feels more confident in its systems, its service delivery, and its future direction.

The software has helped the firm work more efficiently, support clients more effectively, and build with greater confidence. Just as importantly, it has given the team the sense that they are backed by a provider that understands what matters to smaller, growing firms.

For Satbir, the conclusion is simple: “We made the right choice.”

Advice to other firms

For firms considering a switch, Satbir’s view is clear.

“It’s probably the best thing you can do for your firm and your clients,” he says. “Smokeball does everything other platforms do, but better. And the support makes all the difference.”

For Quebec Law, choosing Smokeball was not just a software decision. It was the right choice for the firm, the team and the clients they serve.

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