What’s new in document automation for lawyers?

If the authorized work your agency handles includes numerous doc creation, then you definitely would profit from doc automation software program. It facilitates fast and straightforward doc meeting by creating templates that cut back redundant information entry.

Traditionally, this sort of software program required important time funding and generally even coding expertise, however no extra. Speedy technological developments are setting the stage for actually automated doc drafting.

I final wrote about doc automation instruments for attorneys three years in the past, and so much has modified since then. Throughout these intervening years, strategic acquisitions by key gamers within the authorized tech market have enabled a number of regulation observe administration software program firms to include or tightly combine enhanced doc automation capabilities into their platforms.

This era additionally has marked the start of the subsequent stage of authorized expertise with many firms promising to introduce generative AI into doc creation and automation features in 2024. As these shifts happen, the capabilities of doc meeting software program will enhance, providing regulation companies extra subtle instruments to automate their doc creation processes.

The impression of those adjustments is multifaceted. For starters, the improved doc automation capabilities ensuing from latest acquisitions enable for extra seamless integrations of advanced doc drafting duties into the day by day workflows. This implies duties that when required important guide enter can now be automated extra effectively, lowering time spent on doc creation and permitting authorized professionals to give attention to higher-value and fewer tedious duties.

Moreover, the combination of generative synthetic intelligence into authorized software program instruments within the coming months represents greater than merely marginal enhancements; generative AI capabilities will basically improve the doc meeting course of. As a result of AI-driven instruments are programmed to grasp the context and nuances of authorized language, paperwork could be generated shortly with out the necessity for well timed modifying and revision. This growth will considerably cut back the educational curve in addition to the tedious guide enter historically required by doc automation software program.

Selecting doc automation software program

Beneath, we’ll study lots of doc automation software program’s present choices and capabilities. The instruments coated should not all-inclusive, and there are others available on the market. The objective of this replace is to supply regulation agency decision-makers with the information wanted to make knowledgeable selections concerning the software program instruments that may finest meet the wants of their companies on this altering authorized tech panorama.

Notably, most of the firms mentioned beneath have introduced plans to roll out generative AI performance into their platforms, together with options to streamline doc creation and automation. Some have already got these options in beta, and others will implement them within the close to future. So hold an eye fixed out for updates to the platforms you select since AI implementation will undoubtedly impression doc creation and meeting.

Earlier than diving in, it’s important to grasp that the doc automation instruments mentioned beneath are cloud-based, which means that every one information might be housed on servers owned by a 3rd occasion. The obligation of expertise competence requires you to totally vet the expertise supplier that might be internet hosting and storing your information. This moral obligation requires you to totally perceive how that firm will deal with the info; the place the servers on which the info might be saved are positioned; who could have entry to it; and the way and when will probably be backed up, amongst different issues.

With that in thoughts, let’s take a look at some cloud-based doc automation instruments out there to regulation companies as we speak. Incessantly, you’ll discover that these instruments are constructed into the regulation observe administration software program system already utilized by your agency, however it’s also possible to use stand-alone software program should you’re in search of a extra sturdy function set and even contemplate practice-area-specific instruments.

Doc automation choices

In case your agency has invested in regulation observe administration software program, there’s a superb probability that doc automation instruments are included as a part of the platform. This performance is usually included in a better pricing tier.

For instance, in case your agency makes use of Caret regulation observe administration software program, sturdy doc automation empowered by HotDocs is obtainable. HotDocs was acquired by AbacusNext in November 2017, which just lately rebranded as Caret. This platform gives doc meeting instruments for organizations and regulation companies of all sizes, and superior doc automation is included within the Enterprise Advance Plan, which begins at $139/consumer/month when billed yearly.

One other instance is MyCase, which was acquired by AffiniPay in 2022. In 2021, MyCase acquired Woodpecker doc automation software program and subsequently added these options into the MyCase regulation observe administration platform. The superior doc automation options can be found within the Superior tier at $89/month/consumer when billed yearly.

The observe administration firm Clio additionally gives doc automation performance ensuing from its acquisition of Lawyaw in 2021. Earlier this month, Lawyaw was rebranded as Clio Drafts and is obtainable as an add-on in Clio from the Necessities tier to the Full tier. The Necessities tier pricing begins at $69/consumer/month when billed yearly, and the Clio Drafts add-on is an extra value, the quantity of which isn’t disclosed on the web site.

Many alternative practice-area-specific regulation observe administration software program instruments embrace superior doc automation performance as properly. For immigration attorneys, Docketwise, which was acquired by AffiniPay in 2022, contains immigration types and automatic templates. Pricing begins at $69/month/consumer billed yearly.

Equally, NextChapter gives observe administration software program for chapter attorneys that features guided types. Annual pricing begins at $999 per yr, which incorporates primary types, and a $500 add-on for entry to superior doc creation and automation instruments.

For private damage attorneys, CASEpeer, which was acquired by AffiniPay in 2021, contains doc automation templates for private damage attorneys in all pricing tiers, beginning with the Fundamental tier, which prices $69/consumer/month.

Specifio is software program that automates patent functions. It converts pages from claims into patent utility shells. Pricing begins at $799/month for solo attorneys.

One other instance is WealthCounsel, which gives software program for property planning and elder regulation attorneys. It was acquired by LEAP authorized software program in 2022. The Important and Elder Legislation Skilled membership tiers embrace the Wealth DocX core complete doc drafting device. Pricing shouldn’t be out there on the web site.

Final however not least, there are additionally stand-alone doc meeting merchandise. In case you’re not already utilizing software program that has superior doc automation performance out there, they is likely to be a sensible choice to your agency.

Knackly is one instance. Utilizing Knackly, you’ll be able to create on-line shopper consumption types and automate different sorts of doc creation. Knackly pricing begins at $1,000 yearly for as much as 4 customers.

One other stand-alone choice is Gavel, which was beforehand often known as Documate till a rebrand occurred in 2023. Pricing begins with the Lite tier at $83/month for a single consumer. If multiple individual in your agency will want entry, you’ll must improve to the Professional plan, which incorporates two Builder seats and three organizational consumer seats and prices $290/month.

The sky’s the restrict

We’re within the midst of a speedy expertise evolution that’s leading to extra highly effective doc automation software program. The addition of superior doc automation options to the authorized observe administration platforms your agency already has in place because of acquisitions and the eventual availability of generative AI expertise into authorized software program instruments signify important milestones. These developments have expanded the capabilities of present instruments and set a brand new normal for effectivity and effectiveness within the creation and administration of authorized paperwork.

These instruments supply promising options to streamline operations and improve productiveness, so authorized professionals should preserve expertise competence by staying on high of those developments. The rationale? Practitioners who successfully leverage the newest in authorized doc automation expertise will more and more distinguish their practices from the remainder and stand out in as we speak’s more and more aggressive authorized panorama.

Nicole Black is a Rochester, New York-based legal professional, writer and journalist, and she or he is senior director of material experience and exterior schooling at MyCase, an organization that provides authorized observe administration software program for small companies. She is the nationally acknowledged writer of Cloud Computing for Legal professionals and is co-author of Social Media for Legal professionals: The Subsequent Frontier, each revealed by the American Bar Affiliation. She writes common columns for ABAJournal.com and Above the Legislation, has authored a whole lot of articles for different publications, and repeatedly speaks at conferences relating to the intersection of regulation and rising applied sciences. Comply with her on X (previously Twitter) @nikiblack, or she could be reached at [email protected].

This column displays the opinions of the writer and never essentially the views of the ABA Journal—or the American Bar Affiliation.