Most people imagine lawyers spending their days in court delivering eloquent speeches, but the reality is different. Many legal professionals are overwhelmed by the need to draft, review, and manage tons of documents — from contracts and pleadings to wills and corporate filings.
This is where legal document automation comes to the rescue.
Automation streamlines data management to free up your time for more important work. In this post, we’ll explain legal document automation and its practical applications and benefits.
What is document automation in law?
Legal document automation is the process of optimizing the creation, management, and processing of legal documents using technology. Simply put, it means using templates and predefined workflows to automate document generation.
It takes a specialized tool — legal document management software — to do this. It’s a platform that integrates with existing data sources to automatically populate new files with accurate information.
Legal document automation software creates text-based variables and logic functions:
Instead of spending hours writing a new document, you can use a template and automatically populate it based on a predetermined set of rules. The system pulls data from various third-party sources such as legal CRM or client onboarding forms.
Automation solves the problems of traditional data management
Traditional ways of managing documents hinder accuracy and overall productivity. Document automation is designed to address these issues:
Time constraints and deadlines
Lawyers usually work under tight deadlines because they have to juggle multiple cases simultaneously. However, the last thing you want is to manually draft, review, and manage documents. Automation relieves the pressure to meet deadlines, so you can do more strategic legal work and build client relationships.
Related: How to build successful client relationships
Mistakes and inconsistencies
Manual document drafting is inherently prone to human error. We are talking about typos, incorrect data entries, and all those small formatting inconsistencies that can compromise the integrity of legal documents.
On the other hand, document automation tools feature preset templates and categories that keep your files error-free and consistent:
Resource-intensive processes
Manual document management requires major administrative support. For example, paralegals, assistants, and junior lawyers spend countless hours on routine tasks such as data entry or cross-referencing. This not only diverts valuable human resources from more substantive work but also increases operational costs for the firm.
Chasing clients for onboarding data and documents
Client onboarding should be simple, but it usually ends up with lawyers manually sending countless follow-ups and email reminders. Tools like Content Snare solve this problem by automating the information collection process.
For instance, you can use it to create custom forms and automated reminders:
It’s a highly optimized approach that reduces administrative overhead and speeds up the client onboarding process. In other words, Content Snare allows you to focus on delivering quality legal services instead of doing digital paperwork.
Improve your onboarding process with Content Snare
Content Snare helps you collect accurate data and files in record time.
Pick a platform that will WOW your clients and make your job easier.
How does legal document automation work?
Legal document automation software can provide dozens of useful features, but five of those are mandatory for every lawyer or law firm.
Templates and standard clauses
Templates are the backbone of document automation — they include standardized language, legal clauses, and formatting that ensure all documents adhere to firm policies and regulatory requirements. However, you can customize templates to fit your specific needs.
Data integration and import
Automation tools for lawyers can integrate with existing databases, case management platforms, and productivity tools. That’s how they import client and case-related information directly into the document templates.
Related: The best productivity apps and tools for lawyers
Workflow automation
Workflow automation features streamline the document review and approval process. For instance, it’s possible to set up predefined actions that automatically route documents to the appropriate parties for review, feedback, and approval.
Many tools also allow you to add conditional logic to the files. That lets you define conditional text and clauses that depend on the values of other fields.
Electronic signatures
Your clients will naturally have to sign many documents, and that makes e-signatures a critical feature of document automation software.
Questions to ask before choosing document automation software
We know you’re interested in document automation tools, but they can have many nuances that make them more or less appropriate for your team. The simplest way to find an appropriate solution is to answer the following questions:
Do I need a standalone document automation tool?
There are two types of legal document automation systems. The first is a standalone product, while the other type can come as part of broader software for law firms. In such circumstances, you should ask yourself:
- “Is a dedicated document automation tool necessary for my practice, or can I utilize existing features within my current software suite?”
This is important for practical reasons. Let’s say your law firm already uses comprehensive practice management software with basic document automation features. In this case, you probably don’t need a standalone platform.
However, if you require advanced automation capabilities, such as complex clause management or sophisticated data integrations, investing in a standalone document automation tool could be more beneficial.
Is it too expensive for me?
Every business should maintain a balance between tech costs and the corresponding benefits. That’s why we encourage you to think about this:
- “Does the cost of document automation software fit within my budget, considering both the initial investment and ongoing expenses?”
Cost is a major factor for solo practitioners or small legal practices with limited resources. These are likely to skip document automation or pick a platform with affordable plans tailored to small firms. On the other hand, larger firms will probably opt for a tool that offers advanced features but comes at a higher price point.
Can I get it up and running quickly?
Not all legal professionals are tech-savvy. Before choosing your document automation system, make sure to answer this question:
- “How quickly can it be implemented and used effectively within my practice?”
If your firm needs a quick solution, consider tools that allow you to start automating documents within hours, with minimal training required. Conversely, more complex software with extensive customization options will probably have a steeper learning curve and longer implementation timelines.
Does it fit my current tech infrastructure?
Compatibility with your current tech infrastructure prevents disruptions while maximizing the efficiency gains from your new software. In such circumstances, it’s important to answer one more question:
- “Will this document automation software integrate seamlessly with my existing tech stack?”
For instance, Clio is one of the most popular case management solutions among lawyers. If you’re already using it, make sure that the document automation tool integrates well with it.
Related: Client portals for law firms: 5 tools to make your work (and life) easier
Legal document automation software: Some of the best options
This post is a general introduction to law firm document automation, but we also want to briefly discuss three tools worth your attention.
1. Clio: Best all-in-one software
- Pricing plans: From $39 to $139 per user/month
- Free trial: 7 days
- User reviews: 4.7 on Capterra, 4.6 on G2
Clio is an all-in-one legal practice management software with document automation features. It integrates with the standard law firm tools and databases, making it easy to import client information and create legal documents. If you want a platform that combines document automation with case management, billing, and client communication tools, Clio is definitely worth considering.
2. HotDocs: Best for large-scale teams
- Pricing plans: Custom pricing — available upon request
- Free trial: No
- User reviews: 4.1 on Capterra, 4.4 on G2
Though it doesn’t strictly focus on lawyers, HotDocs is still a top-level document assembly software for legal professionals. This platform specializes in complex document automation and generation — it can create complex templates with embedded logic, conditional text, and calculations.
The main purpose of HotDocs is to successfully manage high-volume document generation, which is great for large-scale organizations. On the other hand, many users say that HotDocs has a steep learning curve that demands “a certain kind of analytical/logical mind”.
3. Content Snare: Best for client onboarding
- Pricing plans: From $29 to $179+ per month
- Free trial: 14 days
- User reviews: 4.8 on Capterra, 4.8 on G2
Let’s be honest — most of your document collection tasks take place during the client onboarding process. Content Snare excels in automating this critical phase to help you gather the right data and documents.
Though it’s not a typical document automation software, Content Snare enables you to create custom forms with automated reminders, so you can drastically reduce the administrative burden before the real work starts.
Related: How Membee took their content collection process from drab to fab
Our platform will impress your clients with its intuitiveness, not to mention advanced features such as pre-filling or in-form conversations. As such, Content Snare is particularly beneficial for law firms looking to improve their client experience and overall workflow efficiency from the very beginning of the client relationship.
Improve your onboarding process with Content Snare
Content Snare helps you collect accurate data and files in record time.
Pick a platform that will WOW your clients and make your job easier.
Document automation will change the way you work
Law firms that end up deploying document automation software free up valuable time for strategic legal work and client relationship building. It’s a transformative step for any team struggling with efficiency and data accuracy. Are you ready to transform the way you work?