Working with Smokeball feels like an extension of our firm
De Maria & Associates is a family-focused law firm founded by Principal Solicitor Lillian De Maria, which has grown from a start-up to a 13-person team, including Lillian’s daughter Natalie De Maria who joined as a family law paralegal.

“With Smokeball, everything just works. It’s simple, it’s reliable, and it helps us keep our focus where it belongs—on our clients”.
Area of Law: Conveyancing, Wills & Estates, Family Law
Firm size: 13
Location: Victoria
De Maria & Associates is a family-focused law firm founded by Principal Solicitor Lillian De Maria, which has grown from a start-up to a 13-person team, including Lillian’s daughter Natalie De Maria who joined as a family law paralegal. Their mission is to build lasting client relationships while achieving the best possible legal outcomes.
With client experience central to the firm, Lillian was pleased to receive a similar experience from Smokeball. Says Lillian, “The face-to-face contact and phone support that we now have with Smokeball saves us time. Even when we have an issue, which is very rare, the support from Smokeball is immediate and very responsive. A major reason we switched from our previous PMS was that it was very expensive and not justified.” Conveyancer Donna Baillie agrees, “The workflow helps to remind you to follow up on tasks to ensure that the matter is running smoothly and to avoid last minute panic”.
The Results
- 20% increase on productivity and time saved.
- Reduced stress from technical issues.
- Improved client experience.
-
When Lillian switched to Smokeball, she saw improvements across the firm straight away.
- User-friendly workflows: Conveyancer Donna Baille customises precedent tasks to ensure no conveyancing deadline is ever missed.
- Archie saves time: Lillian recalls reducing a 38-page family law report to two pages of key information in seconds using Archie, Smokeball’s AI matter assistant.
- Streamlined invoicing: Trust-to-office transfers are now completed in one easy step.
- Responsive local support: Tech assistance is immediate—no more waiting days for a callback.
-
.png)
More customer stories
Stay informed with articles and updates that matter to your firm.

Fountain Law
Discover how Graham Fountain uses the Smokeball and Xero integration for a consolidated, one-stop shop approach to managing his firm's financials.

Carr Legal Group
Discover how Carr Legal Group use Smokeball for billing reliability, capturing billable time, and Archie AI for drafting, summarising, and other communications.

Tee Legal
Discover why Sydney-based lawyer Tendayi Chivunga chooses Smokeball as her Practice Management Software for her firm.
Ready to re-love the law?
Our local team will show you exactly how much time your firm could get back. 30 minutes. No pressure. No commitment.

FAQs
Everything you want to know before taking the next step.
How long does setup take?
Most firms are up and running within a week. Our local team handles the configuration - you just show up and start practising.
Does Smokeball work for my practice area?
If you're practising family law, property, wills, personal injury or criminal law - yes. From solo law firms through to growing teams right across Australia.
Can I integrate Smokeball with other tools?
Yes. Smokeball connects with the accounting software, document management systems and tools your firm already relies on. No starting from scratch.
What about data security?
Your client data is encrypted and backed up automatically. Smokeball meets the security standards required by Australian law firms - so you can focus on the work, not the risk.
Is there a free trial?
We offer a personalised demo with our local team instead. Book a time that works for you and we'll walk you through everything. No commitment required.
Still have questions?
We're here. Reach out anytime and a real person will get back to you.