For many legal businesses, automation may feel like a harder-said-than-done proposition. However, a substantial number of repetitive, rule-based activities are ideal for automatization, freeing up attorney time to concentrate on client-facing work and other strategic tasks that generate revenue.
The benefits of automatizing legal practice are obvious – allowing lawyers to perform the work they were taught to do offering a better client experience while reducing the risk of human error. However, what may not be as obvious is the cost savings that can be realized.
In the current climate of the high cost of staffing and other costs automation of a process may result in you not having to hire more legal team members. This can help a solo or small firm remain competitive on the same budget as larger firms.
A great example is document automation. Legal teams can develop templates for documents that are frequently used, such as NDAs, employment documents, or privacy compliance documents. Instead of spending hours in meetings and sending documents back and forth, they can create and save templates. Once a template is established, the team can self-serve and create the document without the necessity for a lawyer to be involved, leading to quicker turnaround times for clients and less work for legal teams.
Automating a workflow can provide legal professionals with the tools they need to succeed and improve their efficiency. If you’re not sure where to start, keep each day’s log for the week. This will help you identify tasks that can be automated. Look for tools that will help you automate these tasks. Implement them slowly so that they don’t disrupt your daily work.
