Paralegal vs. Lawyer: Key Differences

Paralegals and lawyers may work side by side, but their roles aren’t interchangeable. Their authority, responsibilities, and daily focus set them apart in clear ways. Here’s how the two positions differ across the core areas of legal work:

1. Education and Training

In the legal industry, the education path you choose shapes the work you’re allowed to do. Paralegals and lawyers take very different routes, and their education and training requirements reflect the responsibilities they hold in the legal system.

Paralegal Education

Paralegals focus on learning how to assist lawyers rather than practicing law themselves. They don’t need a law degree, but most employers look for some form of formal training.

Common options for paralegals include:

• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies
• Certification programs or post-bachelor’s certificates in legal studies
• On-the-job training in smaller firms for entry-level roles

Some programs are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), which can make candidates more competitive.

While paralegals can handle research, organize case files, and draft legal documents, they can’t represent clients or sign legal filings on their own.

Lawyer Education

Only lawyers can provide legal advice and appear in court on a client’s behalf, which is why their training is longer and heavily regulated. Their path generally looks like this:

1. Complete a bachelor’s degree in any field
2. Graduate from an ABA-accredited law school with a law degree (J.D.)
3. Pass the state bar exam to earn a license
4. Maintain that license with continuing legal education (CLE)

This rigorous process prepares lawyers to handle complex cases and carry the ultimate responsibility for legal decisions.

2. Legal Authority

One of the biggest differences between a paralegal and a lawyer is the authority each holds in the legal system. Although both are legal professionals and may handle substantive legal work, only a licensed lawyer has the legal power to act independently on behalf of clients.

A paralegal or legal assistant can perform tasks like researching cases, organizing evidence, and drafting legal documents, but they can’t offer legal advice or appear in court.

Plus, everything they do must be under the guidance of a supervising lawyer, and their work supports the attorney rather than replacing them. Even with formal education and years of experience, a paralegal cannot make legal decisions for clients.

A practicing attorney, on the other hand, meets strict education requirements and licensing requirements that allow them to represent people in court, give advice, and sign off on filings. 

Additionally, they are fully responsible for client cases and must maintain their license through ongoing compliance with state rules.

The clear divide is that a paralegal can assist in legal matters, but only a lawyer can take legal action independently. This difference protects clients and keeps the legal system functioning with proper oversight.

3. Daily Tasks

The day-to-day job duties of a paralegal and a lawyer may seem similar at first glance, but they involve different levels of responsibility. Both handle legal tasks, but a licensed attorney carries the decision-making authority, while a paralegal focuses on support work.

In most law firms, paralegals spend their time preparing cases and assisting with documentation. Their work often includes:

• Conducting legal research and reviewing case law
• Drafting legal documents, pleadings, and other legal tasks for review
• Filing documents with courts and maintaining case files
• Handling some administrative tasks, like scheduling or client updates

Lawyers, on the other hand, focus on actions that require a license. Their job duties include meeting with clients, providing legal advice, negotiating settlements, and representing clients in court, among many others.

They also review and sign all filings because, unlike paralegals, they are legally responsible for the outcome of a case.

Briefpoint can lighten the load for both roles by automating document preparation, helping paralegals get through routine paperwork faster, and giving lawyers more time to focus on strategy and client advocacy. 

Book a demo today!

4. Cost and Client Interaction

The way paralegals and lawyers interact with clients and the cost of their services clearly separate their roles. Paralegals focus on behind-the-scenes support and routine communication, while lawyers handle the critical conversations and carry the full responsibility for a case.

Let’s take a closer look:

Client Communications

Paralegals often handle the background communication that keeps cases moving. They might:

• Call or email clients for routine updates or to collect documents
• Organize client files and make sure everything is ready for the attorney’s review
• Schedule meetings or depositions for the lawyer

They may collect information and keep clients updated, but giving legal advice or making decisions remains the lawyer’s responsibility.

Lawyers, on the other hand, take the lead on all major communications. They meet with clients to discuss strategy, provide guidance, and answer legal questions. This direct interaction carries more responsibility because the lawyer’s advice can impact the outcome of a case.

Legal Fees

Cost is another area where the difference stands out. Paralegals usually bill at a lower hourly rate since their tasks focus on support and preparation. Their work helps reduce overall costs for clients by handling the repetitive, time-consuming tasks.

To put this into perspective, the National Association of Legal Assistants reports that the median hourly wage for paralegals and legal assistants in the United States is $24.87.

On the flip side, lawyers charge higher legal fees because they’re accountable for the case and provide the advice, representation, and strategic decisions clients rely on.

According to Clio’s Legal Trends Report, the average hourly billable rate for lawyers in 2024 was $341, showing the significant cost difference between support work and licensed legal representation.

Nevertheless, a typical law office combines both roles to give clients cost-effective service:

• Paralegal handles preparation and routine follow-ups
• Lawyer handles advice, representation, and final decisions

This team approach saves clients money while making sure they always have access to a licensed professional for the most important parts of their case.

5. Career Paths and Growth

Paralegals often build a specialized career as part of a legal team. Lawyers, by contrast, focus on courtroom work, client representation, and long-term opportunities like firm partnerships or corporate counsel roles.

Paralegals can grow their legal careers in several ways:

• Moving into senior or supervisory paralegal positions
• Gaining experience in high-demand practice areas like real estate or corporate law
• Shifting into training or legal operations within a firm

Networking through paralegal associations can also create paths to advancement or additional certifications.

The job market is steady but not fast-growing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of paralegals and legal assistants is expected to rise 1% from 2023 to 2033, slower than the average for all jobs.

Even so, around 37,300 openings per year are projected, mostly from retirements or people leaving the field.

On the other hand, lawyers typically have more room to advance into leadership roles, private practice, or specialized positions, making their career trajectory broader than that of most paralegals.

How Briefpoint Supports Lawyers and Paralegals

Paralegals and lawyers might handle different responsibilities, but together they keep a law firm running like clockwork.

Paralegals focus on the tasks that form the foundation of any case. Lawyers step in for the decision-making, client guidance, and courtroom work. When each role does its part, the legal team operates smoothly and clients get the attention they expect.

However, the way this work gets done is changing fast. Tasks like drafting discovery documents, preparing motions, and reviewing legal documents no longer have to eat up entire days.

Document automation and legal AI tools now handle the repetitive parts, giving paralegals more time for meaningful support and letting lawyers concentrate on strategy and client relationships.

Briefpoint makes this shift simple. It automates document preparation and review so you’re not buried in paperwork. Your paralegals get time back for meaningful support, your lawyers stay focused on strategy, and your cases move forward without the usual delays.

See how Briefpoint can simplify your legal workflow. Book your demo now.

How Are Law Firms Using AI?

According to the Federal Bar Association’s Legal Industry Report, about 31% of legal professionals said they personally used generative AI at work in 2024, and 21% reported firm‑wide implementation of legal-specific AI tools.

That tells you something. Many attorneys are already using AI in their day-to-day work, while firm-wide adoption is still catching up. Why? Often, firms are building trust, setting policies, and choosing tools that fit their workflows before rolling out broadly.

Here’s how AI is helping those who use it:

• Drafting letters or emails: AI takes the load off routine writing.
• Research and summarization: It pulls up relevant case law or condenses documents fast.
• Contract review: AI flags unusual or risky terms in long agreements.
• Client intake and communication: Chatbots and virtual legal assistants handle initial questions or simple forms.

Among users, most report real-time savings, with 65% of law professionals saying they save 1–5 hours weekly just by using AI tools daily. That makes a difference; you get to focus more on strategy, client work, or thoughtful legal analysis instead of routine busywork.

In short, individuals are finding AI useful right now, and as it proves itself, more firms are starting to bring it into the workflow where it fits best.

Best AI-Powered Tools For Law Firms in 2025

Law firms that start using AI often ask the same next question: which tools actually make the work easier? With more options available in 2025, the focus is on tools that fit right into everyday legal tasks and save hours without disrupting the way your team works.

Let’s look at some of the best options:

1. Briefpoint

Briefpoint is an AI-powered document automation software that handles the routine drafting of discovery documents for busy legal professionals.

If you’ve ever spent hours preparing requests for admission, requests for production, or interrogatories—both propounding and responding—Briefpoint takes that workload off your desk.

It automatically generates court‑ready drafts, applies proper formatting, and even builds objections, which gives you more time for the parts of your cases that truly need your attention.

With many law firms already using generative AI to speed up litigation tasks, Briefpoint stands out because it’s built specifically for the legal profession. 

Upload a complaint to create a propounded discovery or drop in opposing counsel’s requests to produce organized responses in minutes.

Best Features

• Automated discovery drafting: Generates RFAs, RFPs, and interrogatories for all U.S. states and federal districts.
• Objection and response builder: Suggests objections and organizes client responses efficiently.
• Smart court formatting: Applies captions, case numbers, and local formatting rules automatically.
• Workflow integration: Drag‑and‑drop into your CMS and sync deadlines to your calendar.
• Data security: 100% encrypted, with no client data used to train other AI tools.

Pros

• Cuts discovery drafting time by an average of 87%
• Maintains consistency across objections and formatting
• Reduces manual errors and repetitive typing
• Easy for new users to learn quickly
• Frees up hours for client work or strategy
• Provides 24/7 support for busy legal teams

Briefpoint helps you get discovery off your plate faster. Book a demo to see how quickly your team can turn drafts into ready‑to‑serve documents!

2. Clio

Clio is a legal practice management platform designed to make running your firm less stressful. If your desk is full of case files, deadlines, and client emails, Clio keeps everything in one organized space.

Source: G2

It handles the routine tasks like scheduling, billing, and document storage, while its AI technology helps with legal drafting and workflow automation.

For lawyers looking to boost productivity and keep client communication smooth, Clio is a reliable tool that fits into daily legal services without a steep learning curve.

Best Features

• Case and document management: Stores all client files, deadlines, and case notes in one secure hub.
• AI-assisted document drafting: Speeds up repetitive drafting tasks with smart suggestions.
• Client communication tools: Lets you send updates, schedule meetings, and handle intake securely.
• Time and billing management: Tracks billable hours and generates invoices with ease.

Pros

• Keeps your cases and client interactions organized
• Cuts down time spent on repetitive administrative work
• Makes collaboration easier across your team
• Accessible from desktop or mobile for on‑the‑go work

3. CoCounsel

CoCounsel is an AI software designed to support lawyers with research, drafting, and analysis across different practice groups.

Source: ThomsonReuters.com

If legal work like combing through case law, summarizing complex documents, or preparing early drafts slows your team down, CoCounsel helps you get there faster.

It’s built to boost lawyer productivity by handling routine research and drafting tasks while leaving strategic planning and final judgment to human oversight.

By combining technological advancements with practical workflows, CoCounsel fits into a firm’s daily legal operations without replacing the lawyer’s role.

Best Features

• Rapid legal research: Pulls statutes, case law, and summaries in seconds.
• AI-generated document drafts: Produces first drafts for motions and memos to save time.
• Cross-practice support: Works across multiple practice groups, from litigation to corporate.
• Built-in human oversight: Keeps lawyers in control of every output with easy review and edits.

Pros

• Speeds up research and document prep significantly
• Helps firms allocate more time to client strategy and planning
• Reduces the repetitive, time-consuming side of legal work
• Integrates smoothly with daily workflows in most firms

4. Spellbook

Spellbook focuses on one thing most lawyers deal with constantly: contracts. Reviewing and drafting agreements takes time, especially when you’re handling large volumes or working with standard documents that still need careful attention.

Spellbook brings AI and machine learning into that process to give legal professionals a faster way to spot risks, fill in routine sections, and keep contracts consistent.

Source: Spellbook.Legal

Instead of moving between platforms, Spellbook works directly in Microsoft Word. It highlights clauses that might need review, suggests language you can approve or adjust, and helps reduce the hours spent combing through repetitive text.

Best Features

• Contract risk detection: Flags clauses that could pose problems or require attention.
• Clause and language suggestions: Provides editable text to handle standard documents faster.
• Microsoft Word integration: Lets you review and draft legal documents without leaving your main workspace.
• Machine learning support: Learns from your edits to improve suggestions over time.

Pros

• Cuts down on repetitive contract review
• Supports faster drafting without sacrificing control
• Keeps all work in the tools lawyers already use
• Helps teams stay consistent across multiple agreements

5. Luminance

Luminance is designed for legal teams that deal with vast quantities of legal documents and need a faster way to manage document review.

Source: Luminance.com

Combing through contracts, exhibits, and other legal documents for due diligence or compliance can quickly become repetitive and slow down your workflow.

Luminance uses AI systems to identify patterns, highlight key clauses, and organize legal data so you can move through reviews with greater efficiency.

This emerging technology is especially useful during large transactions or investigations where accuracy matters, but time is limited. Rather than manually checking every line, you get clear insights that point you to what needs attention first.

Best Features

• AI-powered document review: Analyzes large volumes of contracts and legal brief materials quickly.
• Key clause detection: Flags unusual or missing terms for faster assessment.
• Legal data organization: Groups related files to simplify due diligence projects.
• Scalable for big cases: Handles vast quantities of files without slowing down your workflow.

Pros

• Speeds up due diligence and large document review projects
• Reduces the most repetitive tasks for legal teams
• Helps identify risks and missing information faster
• Improves efficiency without replacing human oversight

6. Smith.ai

Smith.ai brings new technology to a challenge every firm faces, which is staying on top of client communication. Missed calls or delayed responses can mean lost opportunities, and that’s where a dedicated team paired with AI deployment makes a difference.

Source: G2

Smith.ai combines live receptionists with AI systems to answer calls, handle website chats, and capture client information around the clock.

For firms in the legal industry, this means no inquiry goes unanswered. Prospective clients get the legal information they’re looking for quickly, and existing clients feel supported without your staff being tied to the phone.

Best Features

• 24/7 virtual receptionist service: Handles calls and chats to capture leads at any time.
• AI-supported intake and screening: Collects and organizes client information for your team.
• Integration with practice tools: Sends details directly into your CRM or case management software.
• Outbound call support: Follows up on leads or reminders without adding to your workload.

Pros

• Keeps firms connected to potential and existing clients day and night
• Reduces interruptions for attorneys and staff
• Makes client intake faster and more consistent
• Useful tool for firms preparing for the future of AI in client communication

7. Everlaw

Everlaw is an eDiscovery and litigation platform that helps law firms and legal departments manage vast amounts of evidence and case material efficiently.

Source: G2

In the legal field, handling documents for tort litigation, investigations, or large corporate cases can be overwhelming without the right tools. But by implementing AI into its workflow, Everlaw turns what used to be a slow, manual review into a more structured and manageable process.

This platform acts as a transformative force for teams aiming for professional excellence while meeting a lawyer’s duty to protect client data. It organizes case files, identifies relevant evidence quickly, and maintains strict data privacy standards.

Best Features

• Advanced eDiscovery review: Filters and analyzes large sets of documents to highlight relevant evidence.
• AI-powered search and tagging: Speeds up finding key details across vast amounts of data.
• Collaboration tools: Lets attorneys, staff, and experts work together securely in one workspace.
• Data privacy and security: Meets strict legal requirements to protect sensitive client material.

Pros

• Handles large, complex litigation processes without slowing your team down
• Speeds up document review and evidence preparation
• Maintains strong data privacy and compliance standards
• Supports lawyers in focusing on strategy over administrative work

Why Briefpoint Leads the Shift in Legal AI

As you can see, AI tools aren’t just conveniences; they’re changing how work gets done in ways that directly affect client service, team efficiency, and a lawyer’s day-to-day life.

That being the case, the firms seeing the most benefit are the ones that pick tools that fit naturally into their workflow and focus on freeing time for higher-value work.

Briefpoint stands out because it solves one of the most time-consuming parts of litigation: discovery drafting. 

While other platforms assist with research or document review, Briefpoint gives you back hours by automating the routine parts of propounding and responding to discovery.

It’s a practical step toward adopting AI without losing control of your work product, and it can have a noticeable impact on your team’s schedule and energy.

If saving time on repetitive discovery tasks sounds like a change your firm could use, book a demo today!

What Does Legal Workflow Management Involve?

Simply speaking, legal workflow management is the process of setting clear steps for how legal work gets handled. Essentially, it gives structure to daily operations and helps keep work consistent.

What it involves can vary depending on the size of your team, the type of matters you handle, and the tools you use, but most systems share a few common parts.

Here are the main areas it often covers:

• Client intake: Collecting complete and accurate details at the beginning prevents delays later and gives you a solid starting point.
• Task assignment: Assigning responsibilities to specific people avoids confusion and makes progress easier to track.
• Document management: Drafting, reviewing, and securely storing files becomes smoother when there’s a standard system in place.
• Administrative work: Scheduling, legal billing, and reminders are repetitive but necessary. Handling them consistently saves time.
• Communication: Clear updates with both clients and staff reduce misunderstandings and keep expectations aligned.
• Progress checks: Adding review points at different stages helps catch errors early and maintain quality across matters.

While the exact details differ, the goal is the same: to keep legal work organized, predictable, and easier to manage overall.

What Are The Benefits of Good Legal Workflow Management?

Not all legal workflows are built the same. Some are clunky, outdated, or too dependent on memory, which leads to missed deadlines and unnecessary stress. A well-structured workflow, on the other hand, gives you the following benefits:

Reduced Errors and Overlooked Details

A clear law firm workflow does more than keep things organized. It also helps reduce mistakes tenfold. This is largely because when law firms rely on memory or scattered notes, important steps can be overlooked.

Missed deadlines, missing signatures, or outdated documents are often the result of human error created by too many manual tasks. 

But with the right structure and the support of legal workflow automation software, legal teams can handle their work with more consistency and fewer interruptions.

Here are some common mistakes that better workflows can prevent:

• Missing court deadlines or filing dates because reminders were not set.
• Overlooking client signatures on contracts or pleadings.
• Sending outdated or incorrect versions of documents.
• Skipping review steps that later cause compliance issues.
• Forgetting billable time entries or sending incomplete invoices.

These errors may seem small at first, but they can disrupt legal processes and frustrate clients. When a firm defines its unique processes in a clear workflow, tasks become easier to track, and accountability is stronger.

Adding legal workflow automation software on top of that takes care of repetitive jobs like reminders or document routing, which can give your team more time to focus on meaningful work and provide clients with a smoother experience.

Smarter Use of Time

Time is one of the most limited resources in any legal practice, and poor law firm workflow management often means too much of it gets wasted on low-value work.

Tasks like data entry, scheduling, and document drafting can eat up hours when handled manually. Luckily, legal workflow software helps automate repetitive tasks so your team isn’t tied down by chores that don’t require legal judgment.

For example, instead of retyping the same language into interrogatories or other discovery requests, automation can automatically create those documents in minutes.

That shift not only reduces drafting errors but also frees attorneys to focus on case strategy and client communication rather than formatting and repetition. Even administrative tasks such as reminders or billing entries can run in the background to help matters stay on track.

This is where Briefpoint fits in. It’s designed to take the busywork out of discovery by generating key discovery documents in a fraction of the time. If that’s something your team could use, you can book a demo to see it in action.

Collaboration That Actually Works

Collaboration gets messy when there’s no clear workflow. You’ve probably seen it before. Long email threads, two people working on the same task without realizing it, or the wrong version of a document being sent around. Slip-ups like these waste time and undoubtedly create extra stress.

But when law firms organize their work around the firm’s unique processes, communication is clearer and tasks don’t overlap. Everyone knows who’s handling what, and files are easier to find.

Plus, using legal workflow automation tools helps keep updates current without constant check-ins. This way, teams spend less energy on scattered details and have more room to focus on advancing their cases.

For any legal organization, this kind of structure makes collaboration smoother and helps improve efficiency across the team.

Clients Who Feel Informed and Valued

You know how frustrating it is to wait for an update and get nothing. Clients feel the same way, and when they’re left wondering what’s happening, their confidence in your work can drop quickly. Good workflows help prevent that by keeping communication steady and predictable.

With case management tools or other legal workflow solutions, you can set up steps that keep clients updated with minimal effort.

For example, during the intake process, important client details are captured in one place. This makes it easy to respond when questions come up. You can also send automatic notices for milestones like a filing or a hearing date, so clients always know where things stand.

It also helps to gather feedback at different points. Doing so shows you’re listening and gives you insights that can improve future workflows.

Remember: When clients feel informed and valued, client satisfaction naturally follows.

Lower Costs Without Cutting Corners

Picture a team of legal professionals spending four or five hours drafting a set of discovery requests from scratch. At a few hundred dollars per hour, that single task can run into the thousands.

Multiply that across multiple matters, and the time lost becomes a serious cost for both small firms and corporate legal departments.

Now think about how much of that could be avoided. With law firm workflow software solutions, repetitive steps like document generation, scheduling, and follow-ups can be automated or finished in minutes instead of hours.

That shift means your team spends less time on routine work and more time on tasks that actually move a case forward.

For clients, this creates more predictable billing and a smoother experience. And for your team, it helps reduce overhead while still providing quality service. In practice, it frees up resources for meaningful work instead of letting them get buried in repetition.

5 Simple Ways to Optimize Legal Workflow Management

You’ve seen how better workflows cut down on errors, save time, and even lower costs. The next step is figuring out how to make that happen in your own practice.

The good news is you don’t need a massive overhaul to see results. Small, practical changes can have a big impact on how smoothly your team works.

Here are five straightforward ways to get started:

1. Choose the Right Legal Workflow Management Software

There are many tools out there that promise to make legal work easier, but not all of them fit every practice. The best legal workflow software should match the way your team already works while offering features that improve workflow efficiency.

A good platform supports both attorneys and staff by cutting down on repetitive tasks and keeping information in one place. Here are some features to look for when evaluating software:

• Automated workflows: Set up repeatable steps for common matters so routine work moves forward without constant oversight.
• Task automation: Handle scheduling, reminders, and document routing automatically to save time and reduce manual errors.
• Client intake process: Collect client details through structured forms and store them in the system from day one.
• Legal research tools: Some platforms integrate resources that help teams access case law or statutes quickly within the workflow.
• Integration capabilities: The software should connect with billing, email, and document storage systems you already use.

Of course, the right choice depends on your practice size, case types, and client expectations. With that in mind, taking time to compare features will help you select a tool that improves efficiency without forcing your team to change how they work.

2. Invest in AI and Automation That Match Your Needs

Artificial intelligence and automation can feel intimidating, especially in fields like law, where tradition runs deep. Many legal practitioners worry that technology will replace the human judgment on which their work depends.

In reality, these tools aren’t here to take over. They’re here to handle repetitive, time-consuming steps so you can focus on the parts of the job that require real expertise.

Some areas where AI can make an immediate impact include:

• Document automation: Generate interrogatories, requests, or contracts in minutes instead of hours. Briefpoint is a leading example, built specifically to automate discovery documents.
• Automated tasks: Reminders, scheduling, and billing updates can run in the background.
• Document creation: Use templates and smart tools to build consistent drafts that still allow for review and customization.
• Replacing manual processes: Data entry, routing approvals, and progress tracking are no longer tied to endless emails or spreadsheets.
• Working with existing systems: Many automation platforms connect directly to the tools you already use, which means you don’t need to reinvent your entire setup.

For firms that put automation to work, the payoff is clear: less time wasted on repetitive tasks and more space for attorneys to do higher-value work like thinking through strategy, guiding clients, and advocating with confidence.

3. Build Data-Driven Insights Into Your Workflows

Workflows keep tasks organized, but they can also provide a clear picture of how your team spends its time. Each matter involves client information, deadlines, and legal documents. When this data is tracked properly, it becomes a tool for improving future work.

Consider time tracking. Measuring how many billable hours go into drafting motions compared to reviewing contracts shows where most of the effort is spent. If one task consistently takes longer, you can shift staffing, introduce templates, or add automation to balance the workload.

Data can also reveal patterns in client requests or show where approvals tend to slow things down. Instead of guessing why delays happen, you’ll have numbers that point to the problem.

4. Strengthen Compliance Checks Within the Process

When checks are built into everyday workflows, it’s easier for you and other legal professionals to follow rules, stick to ethical standards, and meet client expectations. In other words, a well-designed system reduces risk and builds consistency across the team.

One way to do this is to turn the firm’s internal playbook into actual workflow steps. For example, if every contract requires a second review before going to a client, make that review part of the process instead of leaving it to memory.

You can also strengthen task management by adding checkpoints for accurate billing, so time entries match the work completed and disputes are avoided. 

Another option is to require automated approvals. If a filing needs a partner’s sign-off, the workflow won’t move forward until that happens.

5. Create a Knowledge Library for Repeat Matters

Chances are, you handle certain types of matters again and again. In that case, setting up a central library of documents, checklists, and notes gives you and your team a head start every time.

Rather than drafting from scratch, you can pull from materials that already work and adjust them to fit the situation.

Your library might include:

• Templates sorted by practice area
• Step-by-step guides for common filings
• Notes from past cases that highlight what worked well
• Resources for onboarding and comprehensive training

Say you often draft employment contracts. Having model agreements ready in your library means you don’t waste hours rebuilding the same structure.

Instead, you begin with a solid foundation and focus on tailoring it to the client’s needs. This saves time, improves consistency, and makes it easier for new team members to get up to speed quickly.

Taking the Next Step in Legal Workflow Management

Managing legal work will never be simple, but the way you handle it can make all the difference. The right workflows cut down on mistakes, save time, and make your clients feel cared for.

The question is, how organized is your current process? Are your attorneys still stuck on repetitive drafting and manual updates, or are you giving them the tools to focus on strategy and client service?

If discovery drafting still eats up hours in your practice, you don’t need to accept that as the norm. Briefpoint can automate discovery documents in minutes and shift work that used to take half a day into a matter of clicks.

Repetitive drafting no longer controls the schedule, and your attorneys finally have room to dig into strategy, connect with clients, and strengthen their arguments.

So ask yourself: what could your team achieve if those hours were freed up? If you’re ready to see the answer, book a demo with Briefpoint and experience how much smoother your workflow can be.

An Overview of the Trial Process

The entire trial process follows a series of courtroom procedures that guide how a case unfolds. While every case has its own twists, most trials follow a familiar structure. Below is a breakdown of the key stages, with a quick look at what happens in each step.

Pre-Trial Motions and Court Filings

Before the trial even begins, both sides may submit court filings that shape how the case will move forward. One common request is a motion for summary judgment, which asks the judge to decide the case without going to trial if the facts aren’t in dispute.

Another common filing is a motion to compel, which asks the court to require the other party to provide evidence or responses that were withheld during discovery.

Other pre-trial motions might aim to limit certain evidence or testimony. Taken together, these early steps can save time and narrow down the issues that will be addressed during the trial.

Jury Selection and Peremptory Challenges

In a jury trial, selecting who will sit on the jury is a critical step. Both attorneys question potential jurors to see if they can be fair. They may challenge certain jurors “for cause” if there’s a clear bias.

They also get a set number of peremptory challenges, which let them dismiss certain jurors without having to explain why. The goal is to form a jury that can weigh the evidence fairly and deliver an impartial verdict.

Opening Statement

Once the jury is seated (or immediately if it’s a bench trial), the trial begins with opening statements. Each side outlines what they plan to prove and sets the stage for the evidence that will follow.

This isn’t about arguing yet. Rather, it’s about giving the judge or jury a roadmap of the case. A strong opening statement helps the jury understand the story behind the facts and what they should watch for in the evidence presented.

Presentation of Evidence and Witness Testimony

After opening, each side takes turns presenting evidence. This includes:

• Physical documents
• Digital records
• Photos
• Anything else that supports their claims

Witness testimony is often the centerpiece, with witnesses sharing what they saw, heard, or know. All the witnesses are sworn in before speaking, and their statements help build or challenge the case narrative.

Cross Examination

Once a witness has given their testimony, the opposing attorney has the chance to ask questions through cross-examination. This is often one of the most intense parts of the trial process. The goal is to test the witness’s credibility, point out contradictions, or show weaknesses in their account.

Strong cross-examination can shake confidence in the other side’s case, while careful handling of your own witnesses can protect their credibility.

Closing Arguments

After all the witnesses and evidence are presented, the trial moves to closing arguments. This is the attorneys’ last chance to speak directly to the jury or judge about the case.

Unlike the opening statement, this is the time for persuasion. Lawyers tie together the evidence presented, highlight strengths in their side’s case, and point out flaws in the opponent’s. A clear and focused closing argument often leaves the strongest impression before deliberations begin.

Jury Deliberations and Verdict

In a jury trial, the case then goes to jury deliberations. The jurors review the evidence, discuss the testimony, and apply the law as explained by the judge.

The length of deliberations varies widely. It could take hours or weeks, depending on the complexity of the case. When the jury reaches a decision, they return to the courtroom to announce the verdict. 

In bench trials, the judge takes on this role directly.

What is Trial Preparation?

Trial preparation is the stage where legal teams pull everything together before heading into court.

If you’re involved in a case, this is the part where your lawyer and their team review evidence, prepare witness lists, and put together a trial brief that lays out the legal arguments. They also meet with you to walk through what to expect in the courtroom, so you’re not caught off guard.

Trial preparation is about making sure deadlines are met and court rules are followed to ensure compliance. Your attorney will also think ahead, planning a legal strategy that responds to what the other party may bring up.

This process builds trial readiness and helps everyone feel confident that the case is solid. When preparation is done right, you walk into court knowing you’re ready for whatever comes next.

Who is Involved in Trial Preparation?

Trial preparation is often a team effort. The exact mix of people can depend on the type of case, like a civil trial or a criminal trial in federal district court.

Nevertheless, here are the main parties that usually take part:

• Defense attorney or plaintiff’s attorney – Leads trial preparation, builds legal arguments, and represents clients in court.
• Clients – Share information, review legal documents, and prepare to testify if needed.
• Paralegals and support staff – Organize case files, handle filings, and assist with scheduling.
• Expert witnesses – Offer specialized knowledge in areas like medicine, finance, or technology to support legal arguments.
• Investigators – Collect facts, locate witnesses, and gather evidence that may help the case.
• Co-counsel or legal teams – In larger cases, multiple attorneys may divide responsibilities to prepare thoroughly.

Each role contributes to trial readiness, and strong coordination between everyone involved helps build a more complete case.

Trial Preparation Checklist

A checklist helps you stay organized and makes sure the important steps aren’t missed. From reviewing filings to lining up witnesses, these are the tasks that set you up for trial readiness.

1. Review Pleadings, Motions, and Trial Brief

One of the first steps in preparing for trial is reviewing the pleadings, motions, and the trial brief. These documents frame the case and guide how the trial will unfold.

Pleadings outline the claims and defenses, while motions can shape what evidence is allowed in court. The trial brief pulls it all together and gives the judge a clear view of the legal arguments being made. So, of course, taking time here sets the tone for the rest of the preparation.

When going through these documents, legal teams usually focus on:

• Double-checking the trial date and any filing requirements
• Identifying rulings that could impact how evidence is used
• Making sure claims and defenses are fully understood
• Preparing a concise summary of legal arguments and proposed jury instructions

Careful review at this stage helps avoid surprises and makes sure everyone is aligned before stepping into the courtroom.

2. Organize Exhibits and Prepare Witness Lists

Organizing exhibits and preparing witness lists is one of the most important parts of thorough preparation. This step revolves around gathering all the information that will be shown in court, whether it’s physical evidence, digital files, or visual aids that help explain complex points.

Additionally, exhibits need to be labeled, indexed, and easy to access during trial so the legal team can present key evidence without delays.

Examples of physical evidence might include:

• Signed contracts
• Medical records
• Photographs
• Email or text communications

At the same time, preparing a strong witness list makes sure that every perspective is covered. A case may include the client, expert witnesses, or even an impartial person who can back up the facts.

Having both the exhibits and witnesses lined up gives the attorney a clear path forward and helps avoid last-minute issues in court.

3. Meet With Clients and Prepare Testimony

Meeting with clients before trial is a key step in building confidence and aligning on the case strategy. These sessions allow attorneys to explain how the trial will unfold and what to expect when the judge meets with both parties in court.

It’s also the stage where testimony is reviewed, so the client feels ready to answer questions clearly and consistently.

Preparation often includes going over the facts of the case, practicing likely questions, and making sure the client understands how their role supports the overall strategy.

Rehearsing testimony in advance helps reduce nerves and keeps the focus on delivering accurate, reliable answers once the trial begins.

4. Review and Organize Discovery Responses

Legal discovery is the stage where both sides exchange information, and reviewing those responses is a central part of preparing for trial.

Legal teams go through everything carefully to confirm that the other party has followed the rules and to make sure they’ve produced documents that could impact the case. Like the other steps, staying organized here avoids surprises and keeps the trial strategy solid.

Key steps often include:

• Checking that responses are complete and nothing important is missing
• Making sure the team is ready to produce documents requested by the other side
• Sorting through written answers and matching them with supporting evidence

Managing discovery can be time-consuming, especially when hundreds of requests are involved. Tools like Briefpoint make this easier by automating much of the drafting and formatting work.

On average, legal teams save 4 hours per discovery document, which means less time spent on repetitive paperwork and more time focusing on case strategy. See how it works today!

5. Draft Opening Statement, Closing Arguments, and Witness Questions

The final step in trial preparation is drafting the statements and questions that shape how the case is told in court. These pieces bring together all the key information gathered and give the legal team a clear script to follow.

At the federal level or in a local civil trial, this preparation is what ties evidence, witness testimony, and legal arguments into a single story that the judge or jury can follow.

Even if the case looks like it may end in a settlement, drafting these materials keeps the team ready in case the trial moves forward.

Key tasks include:

• Writing an opening statement that sets the stage and outlines the case
• Drafting witness questions for both direct and cross-examination
• Preparing closing arguments that summarize evidence and persuade the jury
• Anticipating motions like a directed verdict that could change the flow of the trial

The Role of Automation in Modern Litigation

Now that you’ve seen how each part of trial preparation fits together, it’s clear that success in the courtroom doesn’t happen by accident.

Every step builds toward trial readiness. And when legal teams are well-prepared, they’re able to present key information clearly and respond with confidence to the other party’s case.

The part that often eats up the most time is paperwork, especially in discovery. Document automation can help you reduce (or even eliminate) that burden and make a real difference in litigation.

Briefpoint takes the guesswork out of drafting discovery responses with a simple three-step process:

• Step one: Upload discovery requests, including Requests for Admission, Requests for Production, or Interrogatories.
• Step two: Add objections and responses, with AI suggesting and drafting tailored content while applying consistent standards across your firm.
• Step three: Download, sign, and serve. You can drag and drop completed documents into your CMS, set due dates on your calendar, and quickly finalize for review.

With automation handling the repetitive work, your team can focus on the parts of trial prep that matter most: legal strategy, arguments, and client success. Briefpoint makes it easier to get there. Book your demo today!

1. Implement a Central Communication Hub

A central communication hub keeps all internal communications in one place. This way, your law firm staff and legal professionals can stay on the same page.

Many law firms rely on scattered emails and multiple communication channels, which often makes it hard to know where the latest update is. A hub solves that by giving your team a single space to communicate, share files, track conversations, and more.

Technology tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoho Cliq work well for this. They allow employees to create channels for specific cases, departments, or ongoing projects.

Plus, when someone needs the latest document or message, they know exactly where to look without switching between different communication tools.

For many law firms, moving to a central hub makes day-to-day work smoother. Messages are organized, updates are easy to find, and collaboration feels natural. It’s a simple change that helps your team respond faster and focus more on client matters instead of sorting through scattered messages.

2. Provide Clients with a Secure Online Portal

Simply put, a secure online portal gives clients a private space to access case updates, upload documents, and communicate with your team without relying on multiple platforms.

One of the biggest benefits? A portal keeps law firm client communication secure, which gives clients confidence that their sensitive information is protected.

Not all client portals are the same, though. Some are built into legal practice management software like Clio or MyCase, while others are standalone solutions. Either way, a good portal should make it easy for clients to log in anytime and handle common tasks without waiting for a call or email.

Here are a few things clients can do with a secure portal:

• View case progress and timelines in real time
• Upload or download important documents without email attachments
• Send questions or messages directly to your team
• Track past communications in one organized location

A secure portal also improves the client experience throughout the client’s journey. Clients appreciate having clear access to updates, while your team saves time by reducing repetitive calls and emails.

3. Automate Client Notifications and Reminders

Keeping clients informed is key to strong client relationships, but relying on phone calls and endless emails can be time-consuming.

In the legal industry, traditional methods often lead to delays or missed updates. Automating your notifications and reminders changes that because it helps you remind clients about important dates, meetings, or required actions without adding more work for your team.

Automated messages can handle simple but important tasks, like:

• Reminding clients about court dates, deadlines, or upcoming meetings
• Sending confirmations for scheduled appointments
• Notifying clients to send documents or forms you need
• Following up with potential clients after an initial consultation

When set up correctly, these automations protect sensitive information by using secure platforms instead of standard email. They also make clients feel cared for because they receive timely, clear updates without having to answer questions over and over.

Overall, automating reminders creates a positive experience for both your team and your clients. Your staff spends less time chasing follow-ups, and clients get the confidence that they won’t miss anything important.

4. Standardize Email Templates and Response Protocols

Standardizing how your firm handles emails might sound simple, but it can make a huge difference in daily communication. Why?

When every attorney or staff member writes in their own style, clients can get mixed messages or feel like they’re dealing with multiple firms instead of one.

In contrast, having a clear set of templates and response guidelines keeps everyone consistent and makes sending emails faster.

Furthermore, law firms often deal with complex cases, and clients don’t always speak the language of legal jargon. Standard templates help your team share client information in plain, easy-to-read terms.

You can still personalize each message using manual methods or document automation tools, but the framework is already in place. This saves time, prevents mistakes, and keeps your communication skills sharp.

Response protocols are just as important. Decide how quickly your team should reply and how often you’ll share updates during a case. Clients notice when communication is clear and predictable, and that builds stronger connections with your firm.

5. Track Client Interactions with a Legal CRM

In the legal profession, keeping track of every client conversation is key. Emails, calls, and text messages come in from all directions, and without a system, details can easily get lost.

A legal CRM (customer relationship management system) brings it all together so your firm works more smoothly and your team always knows the full history of communication.

It can help you manage:

• All emails, phone calls, and messages connected to a client or case
• Notes from meetings or updates on ongoing services
• Documents and confidential information stored in one secure place
• Follow-up reminders to help lawyers stay on top of next steps

Using a CRM makes your business more organized and helps your team deliver a better client experience. When someone calls with a question, staff can check the record and respond right away.

It also makes daily work more convenient. No one has to dig through inboxes or ask around to find out what’s already been said. For law firms looking to keep communication clear and professional, a legal CRM turns scattered updates into a simple, reliable workflow.

6. Secure Sensitive Conversations with Encryption and E-Signatures

Law firms handle private details every day, and keeping them safe should be a top priority.

Clients expect security whenever they share documents or updates, and using encryption with e-signatures helps you meet that expectation. It protects sensitive files, emails, and forms from being accessed by the wrong person while making the communication process faster.

Here’s what these tools mean for your firm:

• Encryption: Scrambles data so only authorized parties can read it, which keeps messages and files private.
• E-signatures: Allow clients to sign documents digitally in a secure and legally valid way, but without needing to print or scan anything.

Adding these tools to your workflow does more than protect information. It also makes life easier for your team and your clients. They can sign agreements, send files, and give feedback without extra delays or paper trails.

7. Use Document Collaboration Tools

Document collaboration tools give your team one shared space to work on files together, so there’s no confusion about which version is the “right” one.

In a law firm, where contracts, motions, and agreements can go through multiple drafts, having everything updated in real time is a big advantage.

Tools like Google Workspace, NetDocuments, and SharePoint let attorneys and staff edit, comment, and review documents from anywhere. Your team members can see changes as they happen and leave notes for each other, which keeps projects moving.

Clients can benefit too. Rather than waiting for long email chains or messy file exchanges, they can securely access the most up-to-date document through a client portal or your firm’s website.

This approach can enhance both your internal workflow and the client’s experience because communication feels immediate and organized.

Transform Law Firm Communications with Briefpoint

Strong communication keeps your law firm running smoothly. When your team knows exactly where to look for updates and your clients always feel informed, everything becomes easier to manage.

Central hubs, secure portals, automated reminders, standardized emails, legal CRMs, encryption, and collaboration tools all help create a practice that feels organized and professional. Clear communication doesn’t just improve workflow; it reassures your clients that they’re in good hands.

Of course, even with good systems in place, some tasks still eat up time. Discovery is a perfect example. Drafting, organizing, and responding to requests can slow everyone down and leave less time for actual client work.

That’s where Briefpoint makes life easier. Upload a complaint or opposing counsel’s requests, add your objections and client responses, and download a ready-to-finish Word document in minutes. It’s fast, secure, and keeps your client information protected with end-to-end encryption.

If your firm is ready to make communication and discovery simpler, book a demo with Briefpoint today!

1. Automate Document Drafting and Review

Every lawyer knows a legal document needs to be:

• Precise
• Comprehensive
• Free from unnecessary language
• Fit for its intended purpose

Yet research from Thomson Reuters shows attorneys spend more than half their time drafting documents and often burn 15 minutes or more just searching for a solid starting point. For a busy law practice, that’s a lot of time lost before the real work even begins.

Document automation software fixes this. Instead of sifting through old files or reworking outdated templates, AI-powered document tools can generate a first draft in minutes.

Picture a corporate firm preparing a stack of NDAs for a new client. With document automation, the team can instantly produce accurate, pre-structured drafts. This cuts hours from the process and reduces the risk of manual errors.

This shift in law firm management frees attorneys to focus on client-facing legal services, moving cases forward faster and helping firms succeed in competitive markets.

Briefpoint brings this advantage to your team. Their AI-driven platform automatically drafts and reviews discovery documents, streamlines the biggest bottleneck of litigation, and accelerates the work you’re already doing.

Want to know how it works? Start with Briefpoint today.

2. Adopt a Centralized Case and Client Management System

Managing cases across disjointed platforms like emails or physical notes easily slows a legal practice down. Plus, it increases the risk of missed deadlines, billing mistakes, and client frustration.

Luckily, a centralized case and client management system can bring everything together in one secure, organized space.

With the right platform, law firm managers can:

• Access client details instantly, including documents and communication history
• Track billable hours in the same place they manage cases
• Protect sensitive information with encryption and role-based permissions
• Simplify the client intake process with online forms and automated follow-ups
• Review reports on workload, deadlines, and team performance with ease

Centralizing your tools is key to effective law firm management. It supports a client-centered law firm where clients receive quicker updates, smoother communication, and exceptional client service that stands out in the legal industry.

Remember: When you keep your casework, communication, and reporting in one place, your team spends more time on meaningful work and less on administrative headaches.

3. Switch to E-Signatures and Digital Workflows

There’s a quiet bottleneck in many law offices, and it isn’t a lack of clients or talent. It’s paper. 

In the legal profession, a single signature can hold up a deal or an entire workflow. Waiting for someone to print, sign, and scan a document feels archaic, and clients notice the delay.

If you’re experiencing this problem, switch to e-signatures. When they’re paired with digital workflows, a contract can move from drafted to signed to securely stored in minutes.

Staff members also stop chasing envelopes, attorneys spend less time on administrative follow-ups, and modern legal technology keeps every document organized without a paper trail.

For busy firms, this shift means faster turnaround times, smoother client interactions, and fewer administrative headaches. It’s a practical upgrade that immediately shows up in daily operations.

4. Use Automated Billing and Time Tracking

How much time does your firm lose to billing every week?

For many law firms, manual time tracking and invoicing eat up hours and often lead to errors. Under the Cravath system, every billable hour matters. Yet without legal automation, attorneys spend valuable time on admin that could be spent practicing law.

Modern tools turn billing into a smoother part of the business side of your firm, supporting better financial management and effective law firm management.

Here’s how automation and legal billing software help:

• Track billable hours automatically: Time entries happen as work is performed, so lawyers no longer spend evenings or weekends reconstructing their hours.
• Generate accurate invoices instantly: Automated invoices reduce errors, disputes, and payment delays to create a more predictable cash flow.
• Standardize procedures across the firm: Consistent billing rules and templates keep every matter aligned, which makes audits and reporting easier.
• Analyze revenue and performance: Built-in reporting highlights profitable clients, top-performing practice areas, and trends that guide better decisions.
• Free attorneys to focus on client work: Less time spent on admin means more time for the cases and matters that actually drive the firm forward.

In other words, automated billing systems turn an administrative burden into a reliable, efficient process that keeps your firm financially healthy.

5. Set Up Client Communication Portals or Chatbots

Communication is often where client trust is won or lost. Delayed responses, scattered emails, or missed updates can undermine client satisfaction even when the legal work is solid.

Meeting modern client expectations means giving them an easy, reliable way to connect with your firm, and that’s where portals and chatbots shine in effective law office management.

Here’s how they change the day-to-day for your team:

• Clients log in to check case progress or upload legal documents without calling the office.
• Appointment scheduling happens automatically, so employees spend less time on back-and-forth emails.
• Paralegals and attorneys see every message and file in one secure place, which helps make client relationship management more seamless.
• Chatbots handle routine questions after hours, sharing key knowledge with clients without pulling staff away from higher-value work.
• All interactions are logged in the portal, giving your firm a clear history that supports better client relations over time.

Instead of scrambling to keep up with phone calls and emails, your team works in a single, organized system. The result is faster responses, happier clients, and better time management.

6. Schedule Reports and Alerts Automatically

Reports and alerts are the quiet drivers of smart decision-making in any firm. Without them, law firm leaders and non-equity partners often rely on scattered updates or last-minute summaries that miss critical details.

With that in mind, automating this process ensures that the right information reaches the right people on a regular basis. This keeps the organization aligned without adding more manual work.

Modern software can generate and deliver reports automatically, such as:

• Case updates
• Billable hour summaries
• Overdue tasks
• Upcoming filing deadlines.

Imagine a mid-sized litigation firm where partners receive a Monday morning email with every open case status, pending deadlines, and any stalled assignments. When that report arrives without anyone chasing data, weekly meetings become more productive and focused.

Scheduled alerts also act as a safety net. They can flag overdue invoices, upcoming court dates, or compliance requirements so nothing goes unnoticed. This approach saves hours for staff, strengthens communication, and provides a real-time view of firm health.

Automated reports and alerts are essential for firms looking to run smoothly at scale. They turn reactive check-ins into proactive planning, which gives decision-makers the clarity they need without draining attorney time.

7. Integrate All Your Tools for Seamless Workflows

Running your own law firm often means handling multiple platforms. So, even the most dedicated managing partners lose time switching between law firm software programs, and that friction adds up quickly.

Integration fixes this by connecting the tools your team already uses, creating a single, smooth workflow for office management and daily operations.

When your systems communicate, tasks that once took hours happen automatically:

• Case notes and updates flow directly into your document management platform.
• Time entries sync to billing without retyping or manual tracking.
• Legal research is linked to matters, so findings are instantly accessible to attorneys and staff.
• HR systems handle time-off requests and approvals in the same environment where human resources data lives.
• Security improves because logins and permissions are centralized instead of spread across disconnected apps.

Consider a firm that integrates its case management software with e-signature tools, accounting, and cloud storage. Staff updates a client file once, and that change ripples across every connected system.

The result is fewer errors, faster workflows, and less time lost to repetitive admin tasks. It’s a meaningful upgrade for any firm that wants to operate like a modern, coordinated team.

Bring It All Together with Briefpoint

Efficient law office management comes down to how much of your day is spent on actual legal work versus routine tasks. 

The hacks in this guide—automating documents, integrating tools, simplifying communication—create space for the work that drives your practice forward.

But Briefpoint takes that efficiency to the next level. It focuses on discovery, one of the most time-consuming parts of litigation.

Upload a PDF of your request, and Briefpoint automatically generates interrogatories, requests for admission, and requests for production. It even prepares responses, applies objections, and produces a polished Word document you can finalize and file.

Every step is designed to save hours without losing control. Your data is fully encrypted, siloed to your account, and never used to train AI. What you get is a faster, more accurate process that keeps your team moving and your matters on track.

If managing your firm feels like a constant tradeoff between admin and client work, Briefpoint is the shift that lets you focus on the cases that matter. Book a demo today!

What is Litigation Management Software?

Litigation management software covers a broad category of tools built to help legal teams stay organized during litigation. Some focus on tracking deadlines and filings. Others specialize in automating routine tasks or generating discovery documents.

Depending on the tool, it might support civil litigation cases, internal legal teams, or full-service firms handling dozens of matters at once.

What they all have in common is the goal: making litigation case management less chaotic and more controlled.

Here’s what these tools often include:

• Calendaring for key litigation events and deadlines
• Centralized document and evidence storage
• Progress tracking and task management
• Discovery drafting or automation features

Depending on the needs of your legal team, you might use a tool that handles the entire litigation process or one that focuses on a specific phase like discovery or case tracking. Each type is designed to make legal work more manageable and efficient.

Best Software For Litigation Management

Not sure where to start? We’ve compiled tools that support various aspects of litigation, so you can find the right fit for how your team works.

1. Briefpoint

Briefpoint is a specialized tool designed to help legal professionals reclaim valuable time during the most tedious parts of the litigation process.

Built for busy law firms, it focuses on automating the discovery process—drafting interrogatories, RFAs, and RFPs in a fraction of the time it would take manually.

It’s not a general-purpose platform trying to do everything. It’s built for one thing: helping you get through discovery faster, while still aligning with court rules and filing deadlines.

By removing the need to copy and paste from templates, manually format citations, or triple-check procedural rules, Briefpoint gives litigation teams the ability to focus on strategy. 

It’s ideal for in-house teams and law firms that want efficiency without sacrificing accuracy or professionalism.

Best Features

• Automated discovery drafting: Generate tailored interrogatories, requests for admission, and requests for production from complaints in under three minutes.
• Jurisdiction-ready formatting: Automatically applies proper formatting, captions, numbering, and instructions for all U.S. states and federal courts.
• Objection-aware language: Uses artificial intelligence to avoid ambiguity, compound questions, assumptions, and overbroad phrasing when propounding or responding.
• Response drafting assistance: Upload opposing counsel’s discovery and generate consistent, defensible responses using firm-standard objections and suggestions.
• Editable and exportable output: Customize drafts, regenerate variants, and export clean Word files ready for review, signature, and service.
• Secure and private platform: SOC 2 certified, HIPAA compliant, and designed to keep sensitive legal data siloed and protected.

Pros

• Purpose-built for the discovery process
• Saves hours of manual drafting and formatting
• Helps reduce the risk of procedural mistakes
• Keeps litigation teams on track with filing deadlines
• Used by hundreds of firms handling high volumes of discovery
• Makes trial preparation more focused and less administrative
• Gives legal professionals a simple, effective way to manage discovery without learning a whole new platform

See how Briefpoint works today.

2. Filevine

Filevine is a legal software platform designed to support litigation teams, especially at larger firms, managing complex cases. It brings together tools for communication, case tracking, and document management on one centralized platform.

Source: G2

With built-in discovery management features, Filevine helps legal teams stay on top of court documents, deadlines, and ongoing communication. It also reduces time spent on administrative tasks by automating intake, task assignments, and progress tracking.

Best Features

• Document management: Store, organize, and access court documents and evidence securely from one place.
• Case progress tracking: Monitor deadlines, assignments, and outcomes across teams and matters.
• Seamless integration: Connects easily with tools like Outlook, Google Drive, and Dropbox to fit into existing workflows.
• Reporting tools: Built-in dashboards provide valuable insights into performance and workloads.

Pros

• Designed for litigation-heavy practices and larger firms
• Handles large volumes of data and files
• Custom workflows help teams adapt to different case types

3. Clio

Clio is an essential tool for litigation teams looking to manage case files, deadlines, and client communications in one place. Designed for legal professionals across practice areas, it helps firms stay organized and responsive throughout the litigation case lifecycle.

Source: G2

From tracking court dates to managing electronically stored information (ESI), Clio brings together critical details that matter most during litigation. It also offers automated reminders to keep teams aligned on timelines and deliverables.

Best Features

• Case file management: Keep documents, notes, and court records organized and accessible.
• Automated reminders: Reduce the risk of missed court dates or critical deadlines with smart alerts.
• Client communication tools: Secure messaging and client portals help manage conversations and expectations.
• Calendar and task tracking: Visual tools to assign responsibilities and follow litigation workflows.

Pros

• Easy to use and quick to implement
• Cloud-based access for on-the-go litigation teams
• Helps reduce administrative overload with automation

4. Smokeball

Smokeball is a cloud-based legal software designed to help litigation teams streamline daily operations and improve visibility into active matters. 

It combines document automation, time tracking, and matter management to deliver greater efficiency without adding to your team’s workload.

Source: Smokeball.com

With built-in tools to track case progress and manage legal documents securely, Smokeball supports seamless collaboration across staff, even when dealing with sensitive information. Its intuitive interface also helps reduce the learning curve for new users.

Best Features

• Automatic time tracking: Capture time spent on emails, documents, and tasks without manual entry.
• Legal document automation: Create and manage frequently used documents faster using pre-built templates.
• Matter management: Monitor deadlines, communications, and billing activity in one place.
• Expense and legal spend tracking: Get visibility into case-level costs to manage budgets and client reporting.

Pros

• Streamlines repetitive tasks to free up legal teams
• Helps maintain compliance when handling sensitive files
• Built for smaller firms that want legal automation without complexity

5. Lex Machina

Lex Machina is a litigation analytics platform that helps lawyers make smarter, data-driven decisions. 

Essentially, it mines millions of court documents to extract key case information, patterns, and outcomes, which can give you a strategic edge when evaluating how to approach a case or assess risk.

Source: LexisNexis.com

Instead of spending valuable time manually reviewing dockets, legal teams can instantly see how judges have ruled in similar cases, how opposing counsel tends to litigate, and which arguments have historically worked. That means more time for billable work and better preparation across the board.

Best Features

• Analytics for case outcomes: Review win rates, timing, and damages awarded across jurisdictions.
• Judge and opposing counsel profiles: Gain insight into tendencies and litigation history.
• Customizable filters: Zero in on relevant data for specific parties, courts, or case types.
• Visual dashboards: Present complex trends in a clear, easy-to-understand format.

Pros

• Helps lawyers focus efforts where they’re most likely to succeed
• Saves research time and supports a stronger litigation strategy
• Suitable for firms handling complex or high-stakes civil litigation cases

Better Litigation Outcomes Start With Smarter Document Management

When you’re deep into a litigation case, the last thing you need is to waste time repeating the same drafting steps or double-checking formatting rules.

Every minute counts, and so does every document. From tracking deadlines to managing court filings, you need tools that actually help you move things forward.

Briefpoint was built with that in mind. It handles the heavy lifting during discovery, turning complaints into well-structured RFAs, RFPs, and interrogatories in minutes. You stay in control while it takes care of the formatting, phrasing, and local rules.

If discovery still feels like a time sink, it doesn’t have to. Book your Briefpoint demo now and see how much easier litigation management can be.

A Crash Course to AI and Its Legal Applications

AI is basically software that can “learn” from patterns and do things that normally require human thinking, like reading, writing, or analyzing.

For law firms, it means tools that help with repetitive tasks, cut down on manual work, and give you more time for tasks that demand more brain power and human intervention.

At its core, AI looks at data and makes recommendations or takes action based on rules it’s learned. Here are a few types of AI used in legal tech today:

• Natural language processing (NLP): Understands and analyzes human language, which is great for reviewing contracts or pulling key terms from large documents.
• Machine learning (ML): Learns from past data to improve over time and is often used in tools that flag risky clauses based on previous cases.
• Generative AI: Creates text, summaries, or drafts—helpful for legal memos, emails, or even first-draft contracts.
• Predictive analytics: Looks at trends and past outcomes to help estimate risk, likely decisions, or timelines.

Used right, AI becomes a smart assistant, not a replacement. But how can you apply this tech to your law firm’s operations?

Best Ways to Use AI to Improve Law Firm Efficiency

Improving efficiency is the best first step when adding AI to your law firm’s toolkit. You don’t need to overhaul your entire practice; just start with the areas that slow you down the most. Here are some of the most practical ways to use it day to day.

1. Speed Up Paperwork With Document Automation

Drafting legal documents is one of the most tedious tasks in any law firm. Whether you’re responding to discovery or creating routine contracts, the back-and-forth, formatting, and manual edits can take hours.

That’s why document automation is one of the most practical ways to improve law firm efficiency, especially when it comes to reducing administrative tasks and cutting down the document review process.

Document automation tools use legal technology and, more recently, generative AI to help create first drafts in minutes. You upload a file or fill out a simple form, and the tool builds a complete document based on preset templates or your firm’s past work.

Here’s where legal document automation helps:

• Creating discovery requests and responses
• Filling out standard agreements like NDAs or contracts
• Reducing errors from copying and pasting
• Keeping formatting and legal language consistent

Tools like Briefpoint go a step further by handling full sets of interrogatories, requests for admission, and production, letting you propound or respond to discovery in all U.S. jurisdictions with just a few clicks. 

Learn more about how it works here.

2. Automate Client-Related Tasks

Meeting client demands is a big part of running a successful law firm, but it’s also one of the most time-consuming. From answering questions to gathering paperwork, these tasks often pull staff away from billable work.

With that in mind, automating parts of client service is one of the most effective ways to improve law firm efficiency while still delivering exceptional service.

For example, AI can help with:

• Client intake: Collect basic information through AI-powered forms or chatbots to reduce back-and-forth and manual data entry.
• Appointment scheduling: Use smart scheduling tools that sync calendars and send reminders to clients automatically.
• Document collection: Let clients upload files through secure links while AI organizes and stores them properly.
• Status updates: Keep clients informed through automated messages that track key milestones and deadlines.
• Answering common questions: Use AI chat assistants to respond instantly to FAQs without tying up staff.
• Personalized follow-ups: Trigger messages based on case stage, deadlines, or client activity for a more personalized client experience.

These tools don’t just save time, but also improve client communication, reduce overhead costs, and help firms focus on improving operational efficiency while still maintaining the quality of their legal services.

3. Leverage AI-Powered Legal Research Tools

Legal research is another common time drain for attorneys. It’s tedious, slow, and often hard to bill at full value. But with AI-powered tools, legal professionals can get through research faster and sharpen their legal strategies more efficiently.

According to the Legal Industry Report 2025, 46% of frequent AI users in law already rely on it to conduct general research. This shows that AI is becoming a go-to tool across the legal industry for saving time and making data-driven decisions.

Here’s how AI can improve your research process:

• Search in plain English and get precise results without complex query strings
• Scan case summaries to find what matters faster
• Catch outdated or missing citations before you file
• Link related rulings and laws automatically for deeper context
• Reduce non-billable research time and focus more on strategy

By helping law firms adopt more streamlined processes, these tools give you more control over your time and allow you to compete with other law firms that are already using tech to improve performance and client results.

4. Add Smart Scheduling Assistants

Schedules are the backbone of any law firm. From client meetings to court deadlines, everything depends on staying organized and on time.

Smart scheduling assistants make this easier by handling meeting coordination automatically. These tools manage invites, reminders, and updates, so your team doesn’t have to do it all by hand.

For instance, platforms like Calendly and Clara, or features built into legal practice management software like Clio and PracticePanther, allow clients to book appointments based on your availability.

They sync with calendars, prevent double-bookings, and send confirmations or reminders with minimal human intervention.

Using AI like this improves time management, reduces administrative overhead, and keeps your day running smoothly. It also helps create a more professional and responsive experience for clients.

5. Let AI Draft Routine Communications

Not every message needs to be written from scratch. Simple emails, follow-ups, and routine updates don’t always require legal expertise, and many law firms are now using AI to help with these day-to-day tasks.

While AI shouldn’t send messages without review, it can save time by drafting first versions that you can quickly personalize.

This approach helps boost law firm productivity, free up billable hours, and improve how you’re keeping clients informed without constantly starting from a blank screen.

AI can help with:

• Drafting appointment confirmations and reminders
• Writing follow-up messages after meetings or filings
• Creating templates for intake, updates, or status reports
• Responding to common client questions with approved language
• Generating internal updates or summaries for staff

Using communication tools with built-in AI also supports more personalized client experiences, since messages can be tailored quickly based on case type or client needs.

When used thoughtfully, AI helps keep your communication timely, consistent, and professional without draining your team’s time. It’s one of the easiest ways to keep things moving, maintain client satisfaction, and make routine tasks far more manageable.

6. Use AI-Driven Analytics to Find Opportunities for Improvement

Data is a valuable resource that often gets overlooked in the legal process. As firms continue to explore better ways to save time and work smarter, AI-driven analytics offer a clear advantage.

By tracking metrics across your practice, like response times, billing patterns, and document turnaround, you can spot what’s working and what needs attention. These insights help you adopt strategies that actually move the needle and support your law firm’s success.

AI tools built into case management, document management, and law firm billing software often include dashboards that visualize trends across teams, clients, and matters.

Here’s what you can track and improve:

• Key performance indicators (KPIs) like time to resolution, case duration, and task completion rates
• Billing gaps where work was done but not logged
• Workflow delays in document review or client communication
• Utilization rates by attorney or team
• Client feedback trends and satisfaction scores

These insights can help you streamline workflows, balance workloads, and make more informed decisions across the firm. With the right data, you can improve how your team works and how your clients experience your services, leading to long-term results that matter.

7. Try Using Voice-to-Text Tools

Voice-to-text tools offer a simple way to turn spoken words into written content quickly, which can help reduce non-billable work and free up more time for other tasks.

You can use this kind of AI during client meetings, internal briefings, or even while you’re thinking through ideas on the go. It’s especially useful for capturing details you might otherwise forget or for organizing thoughts before a draft.

By reducing time-consuming tasks like manual transcription, these tools help improve efficiency without much effort. Some tools can even support analyzing data from multiple recordings to identify common issues or trends across cases, adding even more value to your notes.

However, because sensitive case information may be shared aloud, privacy matters. Make sure you’re using the right technology that offers encryption and data security, especially when client information is involved.

For firms focused on maximizing law firm productivity, cutting down time spent on routine documentation, and improving the firm’s efficiency, voice-to-text can be a quiet but powerful upgrade.

Briefpoint Makes Document Work Easier, And That’s Just the Beginning

It’s already 2025. Getting through all the day-to-day tasks at a law firm doesn’t have to mean long nights and crowded calendars. And with smarter tools, you can take back your time while still maintaining high-quality work.

That’s where AI fits in. Of course, not to replace your expertise, but to take the routine stuff off your plate.

Briefpoint is one of the easiest wins. It handles your discovery drafting from requests for admission to interrogatories, so you don’t have to start from scratch every time.

Modern firms using it are saving up to 87% of the time they used to spend on document prep. No wonder more than 500 law firms already rely on it to make their workflow faster and easier.

Curious how much time your team could save? Book a demo with Briefpoint and see how it fits into your day.

What Are The Biggest Litigation Bottlenecks?

If you’re managing a busy litigation practice, you probably know the frustration of slowdowns that seem to pop up everywhere. Before we dive into fixes, let’s take a clear-eyed look at what’s really clogging your legal workflows.

Here are some of the most common culprits:

• Manual tasks: Filing, sorting, and tracking documents by hand waste time and increase the risk of human error. Every extra hour spent on admin work is time you’re not spending on strategy, client service, or case analysis.
• Discovery delays: Discovery shouldn’t feel like digging through a haystack. Yet, without the right legal technology, searching for key information or drafting discovery documents can turn into a tedious, drawn-out process that delays your entire workflow.
• Communication gaps: Missed messages, unclear updates, or siloed conversations? These gaps can lead to real consequences like missed deadlines, rework, and lost trust with clients. Effective communication is a core part of client satisfaction, and it’s often overlooked.
• Outdated methods: Relying on paper files, spreadsheets, or outdated systems slows down collaboration and makes finding information harder.
• Overburdened staff: When your team is buried in repetitive administrative work, they have less time for high-impact legal tasks. That bottleneck adds up, hurting both your efficiency and client satisfaction.

These issues don’t just slow things down. They also create stress, frustration, and even client dissatisfaction.

The good news? Once you pinpoint these roadblocks, you’ll be in a stronger position to streamline tasks, strengthen communication, and adopt legal technology that truly supports your practice.

How to Maximize Your Litigation Workflow

Now that we’ve called out the common roadblocks, it’s time to focus on how you can clear them and set your legal workflows up for long-term success.

Let’s walk through a few smart ways to tighten up your workflow, cut down on human error, and bring your legal technology up to speed.

1. Identify Your Worst Roadblocks

As mentioned, it’s important to figure out where your workflow gets stuck before you look for solutions.

Let’s say your firm still uses paper files. Sound familiar? Every time you need something, you’re digging through endless stacks of folders and wasting time that could be spent elsewhere.

Or take the discovery phase, as it’s one of the most time-consuming parts of the litigation workflow. Drafting similar documents over and over manually can eat up hours and leave room for mistakes.

Communication is another common issue. Imagine a client sends over crucial updates, but not everyone on the team gets the memo. Suddenly, deadlines are missed, and everything feels chaotic.

Then there’s the workload. Staff members are often juggling important casework with routine tasks like scheduling and data entry. For example, a paralegal might spend more time managing calendars than actually contributing to the case.

Identifying these problem areas makes it easier to take action. The next challenge is finding the best ways to resolve them.

2. Use Legal Practice Management Software

Legal practice management software simplifies your legal workflow by consolidating essential tasks into one platform. Rather than using multiple tools or relying on outdated methods, you can manage everything more efficiently and focus on more value-adding work.

These tools are designed to handle a variety of tasks, including:

• Tracking case deadlines and tasks
• Managing client communication and case files
• Automating legal billing and invoicing processes
• Generating reports to monitor performance
• Storing and sharing documents securely
• Handling document review

The software’s centralized approach eliminates the back-and-forth between systems to save you time and reduce errors.

For example, it’s easier to keep track of deadlines with built-in calendars and task lists. Features like automated billing also make invoicing quicker and more accurate, helping you get paid faster.

Collaboration becomes seamless, too. Whether you’re sharing updates with your team or accessing files remotely, everything is organized and easily accessible. 

Many platforms also integrate with tools you already use, like email or cloud storage, which helps organize your workflow even further.

3. Automate Discovery Document Drafting

Drafting discovery documents is a tedious and time-intensive task for legal teams, but legal document automation tools like Briefpoint can make the process faster and more efficient.

Here’s how it works: You start by uploading your discovery request to Briefpoint. Its AI jumps in by scanning and pulling key details like the court name, case number, parties involved, and even the type of request. It also applies local formatting rules automatically to save you the hassle of doing it manually.

Once that’s done, the system creates a draft with the basics already filled out, including captions and routine information. From there, you can add objections or responses with just a few clicks, personalizing each request as needed.

When everything looks good, you can download the document, open it in Word, and make any final tweaks before filing.

Briefpoint can handle a range of documents, including requests for production, requests for admission, and interrogatories, and it works for all U.S. state courts. It’s an efficient way to cut down on busy work and focus on the bigger picture!

Book a demo to learn more.

4. Digitize As Much As You Can

Relying on paper files creates more headaches than it solves. Whether you’re handling a legal dispute or managing filings in district court, digitizing your workflow saves time and minimizes stress, especially when every minute counts.

Essentially, a strong legal workflow management system helps you work smarter and serve clients better. Here’s how going digital supports smoother workflow management:

• Faster document access: Instead of sorting through paper files, you can pull up the documents you need in seconds. This makes reviewing documents and responding to client needs much easier.
• Smoother collaboration: With digital files, your entire team can access and update the same documents in real time. This means no more version control headaches or wasted time on non-billable tasks.
• Streamlined client intake: Digital tools simplify the client intake process, helping you gather information faster and kick off matters without unnecessary back-and-forth.
• Centralized legal workflow management software: Using purpose-built legal workflow management software keeps everything organized.
• Future-ready court filings: As district courts continue moving toward electronic filings, having a digitized system makes sure you stay compliant and competitive.

5. Offer Self-Service Options

Not every question needs a direct call or email. By offering self-service options like a knowledge base or blog, you give clients easy access to information while freeing up your team’s time.

These resources can be especially useful for answering common questions about topics like alternative dispute resolution, navigating the court system, or understanding civil procedure.

A well-organized knowledge base provides quick explanations of legal processes, which helps save clients from waiting for responses. For example, they could look up how alternative dispute resolution works or what to expect during a civil procedure hearing.

Blogs, on the other hand, allow you to share insights on broader topics, like preparing for a district court appearance or tips for managing legal disputes.

Aside from helping clients, these tools position your firm as knowledgeable and proactive. They can also cut down on repetitive inquiries so your team can focus on more pressing tasks.

6. Consider Outsourcing Administrative Tasks

Administrative tasks can pile up quickly and leave your team stretched thin. Outsourcing some of these responsibilities is a smart way to free up time and focus on core work like medical malpractice cases, civil litigation, or resolving disputes.

Here are some common tasks you can outsource:

• Preparing defendant answers and other routine legal documents
• Managing data entry for civil litigation and criminal cases
• Scheduling meetings and managing calendars
• Organizing discovery files
• Handling client communication for non-urgent inquiries

For example, using a virtual legal assistant or legal outsourcing service can reduce workloads and improve efficiency while making sure all tasks are handled properly.

7. Invest in a Good CRM Software

Client relationship management (CRM) software is a practical tool for organizing client information, managing interactions, and tracking case details. A well-chosen CRM keeps your team efficient while improving the overall client experience.

These platforms centralize important data such as contact information, case histories, and communication logs.

With everything in one place, finding the details you need becomes much easier. Setting reminders, tracking deadlines, and monitoring case progress also become seamless as they reduce the chance of overlooked tasks.

Integrations with tools like email and document systems further untangle your workflows. Many CRM solutions also include legal automation features, which help with tasks like sending client updates or creating detailed progress reports.

A reliable CRM sets you up for better communication, improved legal task management, and smoother operations. It’s a great investment for any legal practice aiming to stay organized and deliver exceptional service to its clients.

8. Switch to Legal Research Tools

If you’re still relying on traditional legal research methods, you’re probably spending more time than you need to and adding unnecessary administrative burdens to your legal workflows.

In contrast, shifting to automated systems and modern legal research tools transforms this formal process into something faster, more precise, and far less tedious.

By using research platforms built for law firms, you free up time for strategic tasks like case analysis and trial preparation. Here’s what modern legal research tools bring to your workflow:

• Advanced search capabilities: Cut through irrelevant results with tools that filter by jurisdiction, statute, case law, or topic, so you get exactly what you need without endless searching.
• Built-in citation analysis: Make sure every case you reference is valid and up-to-date, reducing the risk of relying on outdated information.
• Access to comprehensive legal databases: Whether you need federal regulations or state-specific laws, these tools keep everything in one place for easy access.
• Efficiency for large law firms and growing teams: Automated workflow features help scale research processes without overloading your staff.

Pairing legal research tools with legal workflow automation software helps streamline the formal research process while keeping your team focused on high-impact, strategic tasks.

Overall, it’s a smart way to replace manual work with automated workflow systems that maximize both efficiency and the quality of your work.

Briefpoint Is the First Step to Upgrading Your Litigation Workflow

Improving your litigation workflow doesn’t have to feel like a huge challenge. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, it’s a great place to start. Tackling workflow clogs, digitizing processes, and using the right tools can make a big difference in how smoothly things run.

When it comes to simplifying repetitive tasks like drafting discovery documents, Briefpoint is an excellent choice. Its AI-powered system helps you save time, reduce errors, and keep everything organized.

From requests for production to interrogatories, it handles a wide range of discovery documents with ease.

If you’re looking to make your workflow more efficient, schedule a demo with Briefpoint today and see how it can support your practice.