Automation in Law: Where It Helps Most and How to Start

The Current State of Legal Automation

Walk into almost any law firm today and you’ll notice a shift. Filing cabinets are thinner, inboxes are a little less overwhelming, and many of the repetitive administrative tasks that once kept paralegals and junior associates busy are being handled differently.

The change comes from legal automation software, a category of automation tools designed to take over routine manual processes.

This isn’t a quiet trend; it’s reshaping daily practice. According to the 2024 ABA Legal Tech Survey, the number of law firms using AI-based tools rose from 11% in 2023 to 30% in 2024.

Meanwhile, Clio’s Legal Trends Report shows adoption among legal professionals skyrocketed from 19% to 79% over the same period. As you can see, it’s a profession-wide shift.

For attorneys and staff, the impact is tangible. Tedious tasks like drafting standard contracts, sending reminders, or tracking compliance deadlines no longer require the same level of human input. The work still gets done, but faster, more consistently, and with fewer mistakes.

The legal field has always balanced tradition with change, but the rise of automation signals a profession ready to rethink how its time and talent are spent.

How Does Automation Work?

If the numbers from the last section have you wondering how to try automation for yourself, here’s a closer look at how it actually works.

Law firm automation uses a mix of technologies to automate legal processes, taking on time-consuming tasks that once required constant human intervention.

At the simplest level, legal automation follows a pattern: input data, apply rules or models, and produce an output. What’s different now is the role of artificial intelligence, which allows tools to learn, adapt, and cut down on human error.

Here are the main types of technology driving this change:

• Natural language processing (NLP): Reads and interprets contracts, clauses, or case law, making it easier to search and analyze text.
• Machine learning (ML): Spots patterns in past cases, billing data, or compliance reports, then predicts outcomes or highlights risks.
• Robotic process automation (RPA): Handles repetitive clicks, filings, or form submissions across systems without needing a person to do them.
• Generative AI: Drafts contract clauses, summaries, or responses to client questions in plain language for faster review.

Together, these tools allow legal teams to save time and focus on the work that really needs a human’s judgment.

Key Areas of Automation in Law

Automation touches almost every corner of legal work, but some areas see the biggest payoff. Let’s take a look at some of them:

Document Automation

Essentially, legal document automation makes drafting paperwork a whole lot easier. Instead of typing the same details over and over, you can use document templates to quickly generate contracts, pleadings, or letters.

This approach speeds up document drafting, keeps things consistent, and reduces mistakes that often happen when drafting contracts by hand. Some platforms come with built-in document management that keeps everything organized, so you don’t waste time hunting down the latest version.

Platforms like Briefpoint take it further by automating litigation documents from start to finish. Want to see how it works in practice? Book a demo with Briefpoint today.

Client Intake and Communication

Bringing in new clients and keeping existing clients happy often comes down to clear communication. Automated processes can help here by handling the repetitive back-and-forth that takes up so much time.

For example, instead of manually sending follow-up emails, an intake form on your website can feed directly into your system. The client gets an automatic confirmation, you get their details neatly organized, and nothing slips through.

The same approach works for reminders, billing notices, or status updates. Automation keeps the flow of information steady, which leads to more satisfied clients who feel informed and cared for. And for firms, it means spending less time on admin and more time on providing actual legal services.

E-Discovery

E-discovery, or electronic discovery, refers to the search and review of digital records for litigation or investigations. In any modern legal practice, that often means combing through emails, chat logs, documents, or even cloud storage.

Traditionally, this work involved endless clicking and manual data entry; a perfect example of the kind of time-consuming processes lawyers have long struggled with.

These days, automation changes the equation by connecting to your existing systems and cutting down the volume of repetitive review. This way, you can rely on technology to narrow the field and surface what really matters.

Here’s what happens when you automate legal discovery:

• Smart filtering reduces massive datasets to a manageable pool in minutes.
• Pattern recognition highlights suspicious activity or hidden relationships.
• Sensitive data tagging keeps privileged or confidential information protected.
• Integrated review tools keep everything synced across platforms.

For firms, the benefits go beyond efficiency. With automation, teams can redirect effort toward analysis (where judgment matters) and generate more billable hours doing substantive legal tasks.

And for clients, faster turnaround and accurate results translate into a clear competitive advantage in litigation.

Case Management

Managing several matters at once can get overwhelming. One client needs an update, another has a deadline coming up, and documents for a third are still waiting for review. 

The real challenge comes from the pile of routine tasks that eat away at valuable time when you’re handling multiple clients.

With legal workflow automation, many of these background details can run on their own. In turn, you can clear operational efficiencies across the team. 

Plus, rather than constantly checking calendars or sending reminders, the system takes care of the mechanics while you focus on strategy.

Examples of tasks that can be automated include:

• Scheduling hearings, filings, and reminders on shared calendars
• Assigning tasks to the right team member as a case progresses
• Sending automatic updates when a case status changes
• Tracking deadlines so nothing falls through the cracks

When you minimize repetitive admin work with case management automation, your lawyers and staff have more space to concentrate on meaningful legal work.

Legal Research Support

Research is a big part of legal work, but it’s also one of the biggest drains on time. Every hour spent digging through case law or statutes adds to the pile of non-billable hours that firms struggle to control. 

Automation helps by taking repetitive searches and turning them into faster, smarter processes.

For example, a legal team creates a knowledge base where past research, briefs, and case notes are stored. With automation, that information is searchable and tied to new matters, so lawyers don’t have to start from scratch each time.

Automation can also connect research tools with document assembly, so findings flow directly into memos or motions. The end result is a way to streamline manual processes while improving accuracy and consistency across the board.

How to Apply Automation to Your Legal Workflows

There isn’t a perfect formula for rolling out automation in a law practice. Every firm has its own priorities, budget, and way of working. But the common thread is simple: start where automation can make the biggest impact on repetitive tasks and build from there.

Try these steps:

1. Spot the Repetitive Work

The first step in applying automation is figuring out where your time really goes. In most firms, the biggest drain comes from repetitive tasks like data entry, scheduling, or generating standard documents.

These jobs rarely require deep analysis, yet they eat up hours of manual effort every week. That’s why identifying them early makes such a difference.

For example, entering client details into multiple systems, sending reminders for court dates, or formatting routine contracts are all areas where an automated workflow can help. 

By mapping out which steps repeat day after day, you’ll see where law office automation can take the load off.

The idea isn’t to change everything at once but to shine a light on the tasks that keep staff busy without adding much real value to clients.

2. Pick One Workflow to Improve

Of course, trying to automate every process at once can overwhelm a team. A better approach is to start with a single workflow; something that’s repetitive and easy to measure.

For example, client intake is a strong candidate. It often involves duplicate data entry, long email threads, and plenty of back-and-forth. Automating that process not only saves time but also improves the overall client experience.

Here are a few ways automation can reshape intake:

• Use online forms that feed directly into your system, reducing human error
• Offer clients the option to upload documents themselves, offering self-service options
• Set up automatic confirmations and reminders so no one is left waiting
• Connect intake data to document assembly tools

Starting small gives your team a clear win without the disruption of changing everything at once. Once the first workflow is running smoothly, it’s easier to expand automation to other areas like contract review or billing.

3. Choose the Right Tool

Once you’ve picked a workflow to automate, the next step is finding legal tech software that fits the job. Not every tool is designed for the same purpose, so it’s important to match the solution to the task at hand.

For example, if your biggest pain point is drafting pleadings or motions, you’ll want software built for document generation rather than a general project tracker. On the other hand, if your firm struggles to keep track of deadlines, then workflow-focused platforms are a better match.

Specialized tools like Briefpoint are built specifically for discovery documents, taking the heavy lifting out of document creation and helping legal teams save hours on repetitive drafting. See how it works today!

4. Test and Adjust

Once a process is automated, it’s important to monitor how it performs in practice. Does the new setup actually save time? Are there points where information gets stuck or overlooked? Running the process with automation in place will highlight what’s working and what still needs tweaking.

Small adjustments, like changing the way data fields are mapped or how reminders are triggered, can make the difference between a tool that feels clunky and one that truly supports the team.

5. Train Your Team

Even the smartest automation system won’t reach its potential if the people using it aren’t comfortable with it. Training should cover both the mechanics of the software and the moments when human review is still necessary.

For example, a tool might handle document automation, but the final draft still needs a lawyer’s eyes. When everyone on the team understands their role in the process, adoption goes smoothly and confidence in the new system grows.

Clear guidance also reduces resistance to change, which can make automation a natural part of daily work rather than an added burden.

6. Expand Gradually

The first successful automation is a proof of concept. When your team sees that it works, the question becomes: what’s next? The answer isn’t “everything at once.”

Rolling out too much too quickly usually creates confusion. A better approach is to add an automation layer by layer, using early wins to guide your decisions.

Maybe you start with intake forms, then move on to billing, and later add compliance reminders. Each step should be measured, not rushed. Treating automation as a long-term plan rather than a quick fix, you’re building a foundation for real change.

Firms that take this strategic approach not only improve efficiency but also gain a noticeable competitive advantage. And with the right legal automation tools, the practice grows more agile without overwhelming the people who make it run.

Rethink Your Legal Workflow With Briefpoint

Legal work has always involved details, deadlines, and documents. What’s shifting now is who—or rather what—handles the most repetitive parts. Automation is becoming part of the daily fabric of modern practice.

Drafts are created faster, calendars update themselves, and teams spend less time stuck in the weeds. Firms that adapt see smoother operations, fewer errors, and a stronger focus on client service.

The practices that move ahead won’t just be adding technology for the sake of it. They’ll be choosing tools that let their lawyers and staff spend more time on strategy and client relationships. That’s where automation proves its worth.

Briefpoint was built with that purpose in mind. Its document generation capabilities give litigation teams a way to handle drafting in minutes instead of hours, lifting one of the heaviest burdens in the workflow.

Want to see how it works in action? Book a demo with Briefpoint today.