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Law firm automation, one question at a time

What pays off, what it costs, what software may decide and what it may not. Every answer comes first, and every rule links to its primary source.

Guide

Law firm automation: what pays off and where to start

Law firm automation means software that does the repetitive admin around legal work: capturing intake, tracking deadlines, assembling documents, preparing bills and moving data between systems. For a solo or small firm it pays off where the same steps repeat every week and the freed time turns into client work. Start with the one workflow that costs the most hours, keep every legal decision with a lawyer, and do not automate what happens twice a year.

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11 min read

  1. 01How much does law firm automation cost?Law firm automation cost depends on systems, APIs, data and review steps. Cost models, public list prices and hidden costs for small US and UK firms.
  2. 02When does law firm automation pay off?Automation pays off when freed hours become billed work or avoid a hire. Example math for solo, 2 to 5 and 5 to 10 attorney firms, and when the answer is no.
  3. 03How to automate client intake and conflict checksAutomate intake up to the conflict search, then let an attorney decide. The workflow, ABA and SRA conflict rules, and limits. For small US and UK firms.
  4. 04Deadline management: what should software decide?Software should count, remind, log and escalate; people confirm triggers and close deadlines. FRCP 6, CPR Part 2, malpractice data. For small US and UK firms.
  5. 05Clio, PracticePanther, MyCase, NetDocuments: what integrates?All four have APIs, with very different public documentation. Auth, webhooks, limits and gaps per vendor, plus LEAP. For small US and UK law firms.
  6. 06AI in law firms: confidentiality, Rule 1.6 and Opinion 512What ABA Opinion 512, Rule 1.6 and the SRA require before client data goes into AI: consent, vendor checks, supervision, fees. For US and UK small firms.
  7. 07Custom software vs. off-the-shelf vs. Zapier or Make for law firmsWhen a law firm should buy software, connect it with Zapier or Make, or build custom: decision matrix, data location, maintenance, vendor checks. US and UK.
  8. 08How a law firm automation project runsThe six steps of a law firm automation project, from process check to operations: timeline, what the firm provides, testing, acceptance, handover.

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