Legal automation should be a top priority if you’re starting a new law practice or looking to streamline your firm’s administrative processes. “Legal automation” is a broad term, but it generally means using technology to reduce your workload and complete tasks faster.
We know a lot about legal automation because we’ve spent several years building new automated systems here at Schneider Williamson. Here are some insights from Alison Schneider, our Chief Operations Officer, who keeps our machine running efficiently.
Alison Schneider, COO, Schneider Williamson
What is Legal Automation?
In a nutshell, legal automation refers to any process you use to complete administrative and legal tasks without the need to do hands-on labor. As you might expect, legal automation is mainly done using an integrated web of software systems.
“What’s so nice about the environment now is that everything is on the cloud,” says Alison. “You have a website, which then interfaces with your lead generation system, that interfaces with your case system, and so on.”
What are the benefits of legal automation, and how does it create a better experience for your staff and clients?
Benefits of Legal Automation
Alison says that legal automation provides 3 invaluable benefits:
- Better client experiences
- Easier scaling
- Stronger security
1. Better Client Experiences
As a lawyer, you want to give most of your attention to your clients and do real legal work; you want to avoid getting bogged down in administrative duties. Legal automation can help you focus on your priorities as a practicing lawyer.
“You can work more efficiently with fewer people,” says Alison. “You can be more productive and spend more time on the substantive aspects of your client’s case.”
“We implemented an automated case management system at Schneider Williamson. “The settlement process was very long, and there were 8 or 9 steps that each paralegal needed to complete — and it was repetitive. “We built automation, so now there is one task to complete.”
Your clients will benefit, too. When they call you to request information about their case, anyone on your team can access it through the cloud database.
“An old-school law firm would have a red-well,” says Alison. “You would organize the case with pleadings in one section, correspondence in another, the client’s contact information in another section, and all these paper files would reside in a drawer at the office.
“We use an online database for all case information, so we don’t have paper files. Our team can access information from wherever they are. It doesn’t matter who you’re talking to in the firm — they will be able to get you the answer you’re looking for.”
We also have automated systems that include:
- Automated reporting for attorneys and referral clients;
- Automated tasks are assigned to the responsible attorney, paralegal, or staff;
- Automated letters and routine pleadings;
- Automated deadline notifications;
- Online chat tools for website leads and,
- Tracking all client contact points – phone calls, emails, faxes, etc.
Of course, your staff will benefit from legal automation, too. Better client experience is a standard we strive to achieve every day.
2. Easier scaling
When you’re starting a new firm or managing a smaller law firm, you are always looking for ways to scale up and increase your volume of clients. Legal automation is practically a necessity for scaling.
“Once your law firm grows and a lot of people need access to the information, it’s essential to have the information accessible to your team from the cloud database,” says Alison. “It’s important to have that at your fingertips.”
It’s helpful to develop automated systems before you proactively work on scaling your law firm. Everyone knows litigation produces paper. Whether you are coming from an environment of red wells or upgrading your existing software to a more powerful solution, it is a process that takes time, but it is well worth it. At Schneider Williamson, we migrated our information to a new system. We transferred the client information and moved roughly a million documents.
Smaller law firms can save time and money in the long term by developing automated systems. Alison advises smaller law firms to tailor their automated processes to their needs. It may appear to be overkill, but with a smaller firm, the attorneys are usually responsible for many tasks other than practicing law – marketing, accounting, office management, and many more tasks that are not law-related. Automation can assist these firms in working more efficiently.
“As soon as you figure out a functionality you want to automate, you will need to figure out how to assemble it. It might be helpful to hire a consultant or temporary staff to assist with this transition while you focus on your clients.”
One last thing: office space.
Physical documents require a lot of storage space, and you might not have much of it when starting a new firm. Bringing your case information into a cloud system can cut down on the amount of paper you need to store, helping you stay organized (and tidy) while you build your practice.
3. Stronger Security
Many lawyers are concerned that using cloud-based systems will make them more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. However, Alison says the proper automated systems can make sensitive case information much more secure.
“We use two-factor authentication and work with an outside IT service to manage our digital security and firewalls. Our online data is very secure, and we also have less risk of our data being compromised by office-related problems: stolen servers, computer viruses, water or fire damage — most law firms are terrified at the thought of having a fire.”
How Legal Automation Benefits Our Partners
At Schneider Williamson, we partner with law firms who need litigation support for their personal injury clients. Legal automation helps us be a faster, more effective, and more communicative partner.
“The main thing that concerns our referral partners is knowing their client’s case is in good hands,” says Alison. “Our longstanding partners know the results we have achieved, but new partners need reassurance that we’ll promptly stay on top of all deadlines to achieve superior results.”
“Our automated processes help us provide reports and information to our referring partners so we can keep them updated on the case as it progresses. This information reassures them that their clients are being well represented.”
Referring Cases: One Form of Legal Automation
Alison says that referring clients to an experienced litigation firm is a great way to utilize legal automation.
“When you’re trying to scale up a young law practice, you’re hopefully going to find yourself in a situation where you suddenly have more cases than you can handle.”
“If you don’t specialize in a particular area of law, or if you’re not an experienced litigator, then it is often beneficial to pass the baton to another firm with the proper experience. It’s also one of the most cost-effective ways to bring legal automation into your practice. We have done all the leg work and are up and running for your firm.”
About Schneider Williamson
Schneider Williamson is an Atlanta-based litigation firm that specializes in personal injury cases, including car accidents, negligent security, wrongful death lawsuits, traumatic brain injury, workplace accidents, and more. We also provide litigation support for Georgia law firms. Learn more about referring to us.
