When it comes to automation in the legal industry, the focus is usually on how technology can be utilized to make law firms more efficient. However, as an industry changes so do laws and regulations that affect its productivity and profitability.
Therefore, understanding the current legal landscape when it comes to automation is key for law firms who are looking for new ways of driving themselves into profitability.
The article will give a brief overview of what automation means today in regards to law with a focus on attorneys who need guidance navigating their way through this rapidly changing space.
What Is Automation In The Legal Industry
Automation is the ability to perform a task at high speed, with minimal human input. This can be done, for instance, by using software and technology to automate tasks. In this context, the legal industry has seen a growth in automation and its use has spread to different facets of the market.
Over 60% of daily duties in the legal industry are affected by automation, which causes significant changes. The legal industry has seen an evolutionary shift from a purely paper-based use to one with technology powered processes and systems.
Automation is changing our profession as we know it today and making it more efficient for everyone involved – attorneys in particular are finding it beneficial as they strive for more efficiency in day-to-day operations.
Importance Of Automation In The Legal Industry
The importance of automation in the legal industry cannot be left out. It’s one of the most effective methods that has been adopted by law firms to get things done quicker with little effort.
However, it is important to not get carried away and over-complicate things. This means that you need to be wise when making decisions on how to go about your automated functions in order to ensure you don’t fall prey to the risks discussed above.
In other words, it will take a lot of time and research before making a decision on what automated tools you should invest in for your practice but also keep your investments reasonable as a result of understanding your firm’s unique needs and requirements.
More than 63% of the duties handled by legal teams are routine, governed by regulations, and don’t call for interpretation or discretion, according to statistics from 2020.
Benefits Of Automation In The Legal Industry
As the legal industry continues to evolve, so too must the law firms that operate within it. Legal tech is one area that is seeing a lot of growth and development, as law firms seek to streamline their operations and improve client communications.
In-house lawyers are also becoming increasingly common, as companies seek to cut costs by bringing legal services in-house. Another intriguing example given by Forbes is the construction of a table of contents listing all papers related to a specific case or customer that may instantly open the appropriate PDF.
Contract automation is the process of automating the creation and execution of contracts. This can be done through the use of software that automates the process, or through the use of manual processes that are designed to eliminate human error.
The legal field is one area where contract automation is becoming increasingly popular, as it can help to speed up the process of creating and executing contracts, and can also help to reduce the risk of human error.
1. Inbound Routes
Automation allows attorneys to do business with more efficiency and less overhead. The tools available today allow for a faster turnaround time, hence enabling you to do your job quicker.
For instance, working on cases where you’re required to draft and review documents can be tedious as you’re spending a lot of time doing the same task over and over again.
However, automation allows you to work through different motions, briefs, pleadings etc always being able to find the solution that is needed at any given moment. This allows you to be instantly accessible in case there’s an urgent need for something specific.
2. Value-Add
Automation also translates to added value in case of litigation and legal matters. This is done by automating the processes as they are one of the most time-consuming area for attorneys which could mean a lot of lost income, if not handled efficiently.
This can be done by using solutions that allow for the provision of fast and efficient flow and reviews for court documents, pleadings, etc.
3. Streamline Flow
As stated above, automation can help automate your workflow and make sure that you are always able to serve your client’s needs more efficiently with little to no human intervention. For instance, the rise of e-discovery has been attributed to automation.
This is a process of collecting, managing and processing information related to civil or criminal investigations. Courts have recognized the need for parties to electronically search for relevant electronically stored information (ESI). It’s a way of making smarter use of time and resources whilst allowing for a better customer service experience.
4. Process Improvement
Another benefit has been improvement in processes such as time tracking, billing and reporting. In this day and age, attorneys are required to be efficient with their time spent representing clients in court.
Not only is it important to deliver quality work on time but also ensure that you are able to do so efficiently. Telepresence solutions and video conferencing solutions have been utilized to streamline processes and provide access to attorneys all over the world.
57% of respondents from the legal sector felt that putting money into new technology increased their productivity, according to the 2018 LexisNexis Insights report. This has increased productivity for legal professionals as they are able to handle more cases in a day or week than before due to efficiency and cost savings.
5. Ease Of Use
There is a common misconception that using automation tools means you need to become an expert in technology.
However, this is not always the case as many of these tools now offer intuitive features and functions that allows anyone who has basic knowledge of computers and software, be able to use them easily. This makes it easy for the end user with little training be able to utilize them while they are still learning.
6. Reshape The Industry
Automation has reshaped the legal industry in many ways and has given rise to new roles that can be performed by those who are not attorneys. These roles include paralegals, case managers and tech support engineers among others.
And this is where you need to ensure that whatever solution you adopt, it should be flexible enough for everyone in the firm to use regardless of their job title or role.
7. Predictable Costs
The biggest benefit of automation is the ability to manage and predict costs. You are able to calculate the cost of acquiring and maintaining these solutions for the purposes of knowing where your money is going.
This becomes a useful tool as you monitor usage, market trends and determine budgets. In most cases, you will not be able to put your finger on costs as they remain hidden in the backend.
However, with automation tools like those discussed above, you will be able to get real-time estimates based on historical data. By being able to predict expenses, attorneys are able to ensure that they’re making wise investments that balance the investment with the return on investment (ROI).
8. Improved Performance
Another benefit of automation is the ability to improve performance. Since you are able to do the tasks that typically require a lot of human intervention and enough time, it’s easier for you to work through different motions, briefs, pleadings etc always being able to find the solution that is needed.
This allows you to be in constant touch with your client and gives you greater efficiency in day-to-day operations.
Risks Of Automation In The Legal Industry
In house legal teams are turning to legal automation to help with routine tasks. By automating routine tasks, legal teams can focus on more important work. Automation can also help to improve the accuracy of legal work.
People won’t see a pattern in hundreds of pages of legal documents, and robots won’t comprehend the implications of these trends, according paraphrase an essay from Exigent Group Limited. The legal work is a profession that deals with the study, interpretation and application of the law.
It also includes the preparation of legal documents, such as contracts, wills and deeds. The legal department is responsible for the management of the legal work and the performance of the legal tasks. The legal sector is the part of the economy that is concerned with the provision of legal services.
1. Reliance On Technology
One of the biggest risks that many attorneys are exposed to when it comes to automation is the vulnerability in technology and its reliability. This is seen more often when clients have to rely on a solution that is managed by a third-party supplier.
The fact that they’re not able to control the way things are done means they’re not able to control how their information is handled. And this can lead to errors which could lead to data breaches, data leaks or fraud.
2. Not Being Able To Adapt
Another risk that comes with automation is the lack of flexibility that it offers. With fixed software, you’re only able to work on certain tasks and that structure is unable to adapt to changes as they occur.
This means that as time goes by, you become increasingly more dependent on the automated functions of your solution. This means that when they break, you’ll be unable to function at its full capacity which can put your career in jeopardy.
3. Security Issues
More than one-third of all American workers are subject to an NDA, according to the Harvard Business Review. As stated above, technology systems are not very reliable and prone to breaking down or malfunction.
This means that you need to invest a lot in security and maintenance of your systems. This also means that your information is at risk of being breached which can be very detrimental especially in legal firms where confidentiality is key.
4. Lack Of Control
Another risk is the lack of control over what’s going on with regards to the management of automated functions.
For instance, when you use a case management software, you’re dependent on the data provided and there is a high probability that the data entered could be wrong or not accurate enough for your purposes.
5. Time-Consuming
Another risk is the time you spend manually in order to get things done. And what’s worse is that it can take longer than it would take to do them through an automation solution.
Time becomes a luxury and not something that can be used optimally. This means that when you do manage to find time, it could be very short.
6. Lack Of Flexibility
Another risk is the lack of flexibility that automation allows you to have. You can only do certain things such as filing documents, creating pleadings and conducting case research as opposed to other tasks such as issuing letters and obtaining information on your file or system from various sources.
7. Inefficient Management
Another risk that comes with automation is the inefficiency of its management. In other words, you might get the right tools but end up using it ineffectively as a result of poor organization, lack of training and having no or little insight into what’s going on.
This can be detrimental to your firm as it will negatively affect your productivity, efficiency and profitability.
Final Note
The future of automation in the legal industry is bright and there are no signs that this trend will come to an end anytime soon. For now, it’s still an exciting thing to look into but with the possibility of it being used more extensively in the future, it’s important that you invest wisely and ensure you have a solid solution.
However, there is no one-size-fits all solution when it comes to automation as every firm has their unique needs based on what they want to achieve, how they operate and how they do things.
This means that you need to get a better understanding of what your firm really needs for its success so you know where to start when making decisions and where not to go.
Last Updated on October 10, 2023 by Priyanshi Sharma
