For many legal businesses, automation may feel like a harder-said-than-done proposition. But, a lot of repetitive, rule-based activities are ideal for automatization which allows attorneys to concentrate on client-facing work and other strategic tasks that generate revenue.
The benefits of automatizing the legal process are clear – allowing attorneys to perform the work they were taught to do and delivering a better customer experience and reducing the chance of human error. But what may not be so evident is the savings in costs that can also be achieved.
In a world with the high cost of staffing and other fees, automating a process can make it easier to add more legal staff members. This could allow a solo or small business to remain competitive while using the same budget as larger rivals.
Document automation is an excellent example. Rather than spending hours in meetings and emailing documents back and back, legal teams can create and store templates for recurring documents like NDAs, forms for employment or privacy documents. Once a template has been created, colleagues can self-serve to produce the document, without the need for a legal team. This leads to faster turnaround times for clients and less rework on the part of legal teams.
Automating workflows can provide all lawyers with the tools they need to be successful as well as increase efficiency. If you are unsure what to do, you could start by keeping a record of your daily tasks for a week and then identify any tasks that would be suitable to be automated. Then, search for tools to help you automate these tasks. Make them gradual to ensure that they do not interfere with your daily work.