Why You Need Legal Process Automation in 2025

Legal Process Automation is More Than Just Automating Tasks

When people hear “legal process automation,” they often think it’s just about automating repetitive tasks. While that’s a big part of it, LPA goes much deeper. It’s about using technology to create a more efficient, integrated system that improves every aspect of your legal practice.

Think of it like this: legal process automation isn’t just a tool for reducing paperwork or speeding up routine tasks. It revolves around transforming how your entire firm operates.

With LPA, you can simplify document management, improve client communication, and make sure that every part of your workflow is running as smoothly as possible.

A Quick Example: Client Onboarding

Traditionally, onboarding a new client is a manual, time-consuming process. Clients schedule consultations and share details during meetings, and then staff manually enter this information into the system.

Standard legal documents are drafted, sent out for signatures, and followed up with multiple reminders. Finally, signed documents are manually filed.

This method is not only slow but also prone to errors.

Now, imagine an automated process. Prospective clients book consultations online. They receive automated emails with secure links to online forms, which gather all necessary details and documents. This data is then automatically entered into the firm’s system.

Legal document automation software generates standard engagement letters and retainer agreements, which are sent out for electronic signatures. Automated reminders help with timely completion, and signed documents are automatically stored in the firm’s digital filing system.

The result? Less time and effort spent on such a simple task.

What Legal Workflows Can You Automate?

Legal automation tools can help you automate legal workflow processes across your entire firm, improving both speed and accuracy. Whether you’re handling routine admin or complex legal operations, here are the top areas where automation makes the biggest impact:

• Creating and managing documents – Use templates and automation to draft, store, and organize documents quickly with fewer errors.
• Client onboarding and data entry – Online forms collect client info and automatically sync it with your system, making intake smoother.
• Billing and invoicing – Automate time tracking, invoice generation, and payment reminders to maximize profitability.
• Contract review – AI-powered legal automation tools highlight key clauses and spot issues, cutting down manual review time.
• Legal research – Let automation handle case law and precedent searches, so you can focus on strategy.
• Task and deadline management – Set up alerts to stay on top of everything and avoid missed deadlines.
• Client communication – Send updates, appointment reminders, and follow-ups automatically.
• Case management – Centralize all aspects of your legal operations, from tracking progress to coordinating stakeholders.
• Compliance and risk – Automate updates and reporting to keep your practice in line with evolving regulations.

Benefits of Automating Legal Processes

Automating legal processes doesn’t just keep you on top of tech trends; it brings real, game-changing benefits to your practice.

Let’s take a look at a rundown of how it can make a big difference for law firms and in-house legal teams:

1. Increased Efficiency

Automation slashes the time spent on the grind of administrative tasks, which, in turn, lets your legal team focus on the stuff that needs human judgment and expertise.

For instance, why spend hours on manual document drafting when document automation software can handle it in minutes?

Take Briefpoint, for example. It’s a generative AI and machine learning tool that drafts discovery responses and request documents for you.

Traditionally, this process can take hours as you would need to pore over the information and create an appropriate response.

With Briefpoint, the AI will extract information from the document for you and create a mostly finished document. The human touch comes when you add objections or responses to the document to complete it. 

Take a look at how it works today.

In short, this is one of the easiest ways for legal teams to save time on document creation using advanced document automation tools designed for the legal field.

2. Cost Savings

Streamlining your processes through automation means you’re also cutting down on costs. Less time spent on routine tasks translates to lower labor costs and fewer hours billed. 

Plus, reducing human error means spending less on fixing those errors, which can really add up.

Such a level of efficiency lets you redirect funds to areas that can help grow your legal services, like tech upgrades or marketing.

3. Improved Accuracy

Let’s face it, everyone makes mistakes, but automation keeps them to a minimum. Automated systems stick to the rules you set, which drastically cuts down the chances of slips and blunders.

Naturally, this is a big deal in law, where even a tiny error can lead to huge legal issues. For example, automating contract reviews helps make sure every document meets compliance standards without a hitch.

Will automation replace lawyers? No, but it does significantly reduce the risk of human error by accurately processing legal data and flagging issues early.

4. Better Client Service

Faster processes and smoother operations mean you can offer your clients a better experience. Quick turnarounds and efficient handling of their cases can make your firm stand out in a crowded market.

In the legal industry, automation solutions help streamline processes so your team can spend more time on strategic tasks that truly impact client satisfaction.

5. Increased Compliance

Keeping up with regulations is no small task, especially when they’re always changing. Automation tools can be programmed to follow the latest laws to the letter, updating automatically as new regulations roll out.

This not only helps you avoid penalties but also protects your firm’s reputation by making sure you’re always on the right side of the law.

Legal Technology Isn’t Perfect, But Neither Are Humans

There’s a lot of talk about automation in the legal world right now, and for good reason. Still, many law firms are cautious about adopting new technology. The biggest hesitation? Legal tech isn’t perfect.

That concern is valid, but human work isn’t flawless either. Errors happen, especially under pressure or when dealing with repetitive tasks. Rather than expecting technology to solve everything, it’s more productive to see it as a support system that helps reduce risk and improve consistency.

Here’s a closer look at why some firms hesitate and why that hesitation could be holding them back.

The Accuracy Anxiety

Lawyers pride themselves on precision and thoroughness. So, it’s no surprise that there’s a fear of automated systems missing critical nuances or making costly errors.

Yes, AI can sometimes misinterpret data or struggle with ambiguous legal language. But humans are just as prone to mistakes, especially when overwhelmed or short on time.

Automation helps reduce these errors by providing consistent, rule-based analysis and removing the fatigue factor from routine legal tasks.

For example, in contract management, an automated workflow can scan large volumes of agreements to flag missing clauses or inconsistencies. 

That means lawyers don’t have to spend valuable time sifting through every line manually and can instead focus on reviewing the most relevant data.

By combining automation with human review, legal teams can maintain quality while working faster and more efficiently.

Cost and Implementation Hurdles

Implementing new technology isn’t cheap, and the learning curve can disrupt daily operations. Smaller firms, in particular, might find the upfront costs daunting. However, the long-term gains often outweigh these initial expenses.

Automation helps reduce time-consuming tasks that eat into productivity and rack up non-billable hours. 

By minimizing manual work, like sorting through unstructured data or tracking down missing case details, firms free up their staff to focus on higher-value tasks that directly support client outcomes.

Increased efficiency, fewer errors, and better resource management can lead to substantial savings over time. Plus, many tech solutions are scalable, which makes them accessible to firms of all sizes.

The Tradition Trap

Lawyers are traditionally cautious, which makes sense given the high stakes of their work. This cautious nature often translates into resistance to change, especially when it involves new and unfamiliar technology.

However, clinging to outdated methods and manual processes can be more harmful in the long run. As clients demand faster and more efficient service, firms that resist automation risk falling behind their more tech-savvy competitors.

Modern tools can support self-service options for clients, automate non-billable tasks, and even generate contracts quickly for routine business deals. These improvements don’t replace legal judgment; they free up time so lawyers can focus on higher-value strategy and client relationships.

Embracing Imperfection

Ultimately, the truth is that neither legal technology nor humans are perfect. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. The key is to find a balance that leverages the best of both worlds.

Automation can handle repetitive, data-heavy tasks with precision, while human lawyers can focus on the strategic work that machines can’t replicate. By acknowledging the imperfections on both sides, legal teams can create a more efficient, effective, and client-centered practice.

The Legal Automation Software You Need: Briefpoint

What’s the biggest bottleneck in discovery? Most legal professionals will tell you it’s the paperwork or, more specifically, the standard legal documents like discovery responses and requests.

If you want to lift this burden off your legal department, it’s time to invest in artificial intelligence. Briefpoint is a generative AI tool that creates discovery documents for you so you don’t have to spend hours manually drafting each one. 

Here’s a glimpse of what documents Briefpoint can handle:

• Requests for Production
• Requests for Admission
• Interrogatories

Ready to reduce busywork and refocus your team on what really matters? Book a demo with Briefpoint and see how much time and effort you could save.