Cadence IP vs Equinox IP Practice Management Software Comparison

Feature comparison: Cadence IP vs Equinox

The table below compares capabilities across both platforms. Cadence IP features are based on the current platform. Equinox information is based on publicly available materials and may not reflect the latest functionality — buyers should confirm details directly with Equinox.

Equinox information is based on publicly available materials reviewed in May 2025. Features, plans and integrations may have changed. Confirm current functionality directly with Equinox.

How Cadence IP works for IP practices

Cadence IP is designed to bring together the daily workflows of an IP practice — matters, correspondence, deadlines, documents, billing and automation — in a single platform. Here is how key capabilities work in practice.

One platform for the matter timeline

Cadence IP brings matters, emails, SMS, file notes, documents, tasks and deadlines into a single matter-centric timeline. Instead of searching across inboxes, shared drives and spreadsheets, attorneys see every event on the matter in one chronological view. Read state, direction and attachments are tracked automatically. The result is a defensible, complete record of the matter without anyone filing correspondence manually.

Configurable matter management for IP practice

Cadence IP supports patents, trade marks, designs, oppositions and licensing files — each with its own configurable lifecycle steps, data fields, party roles, rules and family trees. Matters use sequential firm-wide reference numbers that stay consistent across emails, documents and conversation. Completed matters archive safely without losing history, and custom fields capture anything the practice needs — from application numbers and classifications to priority dates and examiner names.

Deadline calculation and docketing control

Deadlines in Cadence IP calculate themselves from reference dates — “filing date plus 18 months” or “office action plus 3 months” — and update automatically when the underlying date changes. A practice-wide calendar view shows every task, deadline and action date across the firm. The next critical deadline appears at the top of every matter. Stalled-matter detection alerts the team when a file has sat too long in any step, catching forgotten matters weeks before deadlines pass.

AI that proposes, attorneys approve

Cadence IP connects to Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini using the firm’s own API account — no vendor lock-in and no surprises about which provider processes client data. The AI assistant works with full matter context, including documents, emails, file notes, dates and parties. It can draft emails, propose documents, suggest tasks and recommend step changes. Critically, the AI never sends, files or changes anything without the attorney’s explicit approval. Drag a PDF into the conversation to ask questions about examiner reports, prior art or deeds. A knowledge base per matter type captures the firm’s preferred wording and policies, so AI output reflects the firm’s standards.

Automation with approval gates

The automation engine triggers work when a step changes, a field is updated, a document is uploaded, an email arrives, a date approaches or on a fixed schedule. Conditional rules control which automations fire — “only send this if the jurisdiction is Australia” or “only create this task if the field is set.” The action library includes sending emails, sending SMS, creating tasks, changing steps, updating fields, generating documents, raising invoices and asking the AI to propose. Approval gates let firms require human review before sensitive actions proceed — ideal for client-facing communications. Manual-trigger buttons provide reusable shortcuts on the matter page. Every automation is logged with timestamps, matter references and outcomes.

Document generation from existing Word templates

Firms upload their existing Word templates — letters of demand, response shells, deeds of assignment, opinions — and mark variable points. Cadence IP fills applicant names, application numbers, filing dates, attorney details, deadline dates and any other matter data automatically. Documents generate as polished, client-ready PDFs with consistent file naming and full provenance tracking. A document that took twenty minutes now takes ten seconds.

Email, SMS and correspondence

Every email — outbound and inbound — sits inside the matter where it belongs. Inbound email is captured automatically via subject prefixes or matter addresses. Attachments are extracted into the document repository. Email templates know who the applicant, inventor and foreign agent are, filling recipients by role. Duplicate detection prevents clutter from Bcc copies or accidental re-sends. Two-way SMS sits alongside email in the timeline, reaching clients on the channel they actually answer.

Billing, time recording and Xero

A live timer floats in the sidebar while attorneys work, capturing billable minutes without breaking flow. Per-attorney hourly rates calculate amounts automatically. Unbilled time is visible across the firm. Invoice templates vary by matter type, with mixed line items covering time entries, fixed fees, disbursements, discounts and GST. Foreign agent invoices convert with exchange rate and spread for accurate cost recovery. Invoices generate as branded PDFs and sync directly to Xero with the correct account codes, branding themes and tracking categories — no re-entry and no end-of-month reconciliation.

Intake forms, reporting and data views

Embeddable intake forms capture new work directly from the firm’s website. Submissions land in an approval queue for review before matters are created. Duplicate-client detection flags possible matches in existing contacts. Saved views provide flexible lenses across matters, tasks, deadlines, contacts, time and approvals — every custom field can become a column. Filter, sort and search across the practice; export any view as a CSV. A global search (Cmd+K) finds matters, contacts, tasks and field values in two keystrokes.

Security, migration and data ownership

Each firm’s data is isolated from every other organisation. Role-based access controls what each team member can see, with two-factor authentication available for every user. Sensitive credentials — AI accounts, accounting connections, email passwords — are protected so that even system administrators cannot read them. Data migration uses spreadsheet-based CSV imports with dry-run validation, background processing and a full audit trail. On-demand backups produce a complete export, downloadable via a secure link. Your data stays in your hands.

Which IP practice management platform is right for your firm?