Since the industrial revolution, most industries have sought to increase efficiencies and maximise profits through automating as much of their routine workflow as possible. Until the 80s and 90s, the majority of automation concerned physical processes, such as factory work. But once computers had become a more established part of professional workplaces, it was possible to start automating routine office tasks. Over the past decade or so, law firms have joined the automation revolution, adopting various forms of legal technology which allow them to leave various routine tasks to computer software.
Fee earners have traditionally had to spend time at the end of each monthly billing period on billing administration, especially in the case of smaller firms without a dedicated finance team. Calculating invoices obviously detracts from valuable time which could otherwise be used on dealing with client matters or generating new work.
Many firms now use automated time recording and billing software. This can usually be integrated with the case management system, automatically calculating the time spent on dealing with each individual client matter (eg by recording time spent on phone calls to a client or responding to related emails). At the end of each billing period, the software will then come up with the total amount of time spent dealing with each matter, and can automatically generate invoices. This all saves time and streamlines the overall billing process.
Most firms have their own bank of template legal documents which they can use as the basis of creating bespoke contracts or other documentation for their clients. In the past, these templates would need to be regularly updated to take account of legislative changes, which could be a very time consuming and painstaking process. Nowadays, firms can subscribe to a variety of services which offer up-to-date suites of legal document templates, such as LexisSmart Precedents. Meanwhile, products such as Lexis Create can automatically check for inconsistencies in existing documents and flag any areas that require attention, avoiding potentially costly mistakes. LexisCreate will also help you search and use your own precedent back - or the massive ³ÉÈËÓ°Òô database. Automated document building software can also make the process of creating custom contracts far simpler and more efficient.
Even the complex task of legal research has been infused with a degree of automation. Products such as can aim to predict the outcomes of cases by analysing the data of historic judgments where the facts were similar. Legal research automation is a new and developing technology, but it can already help lawyers decide on an optimal litigation strategy.
The financial services industry has traditionally been faster to adopt technology in general compared to the legal sector, and this holds true for automation systems. For example, robotic process automation (RPA), a form of business process automation technology based on complex software, has been adopted (or planned to be adopted) by . According to , RPA can drive 25-50% cost savings by automating repetitive tasks, and improving accuracy and efficiency.
But although law firms often lag behind their financial peers when it comes to automation technology, this means they have much larger efficiency gains to explore - whether this is by adopting RPA or another innovation.
At ³ÉÈËÓ°Òô, our suite of legal solutions will ensure that firms are primed for success. Our drafting, research and guidance tools work together within a single ecosystem, making it seamless to move from one tool to another. Speak to our team of experts to find out how LawTech can benefit you and your firm.
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