Automation Credit: Urupong Phunkoed/Shutterstock.com
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When pundits talk about workforce automation, they often cast the story in terms of conflict. Who will win: humans or robots? How long until machines take your job?

With framing like this, it's no wonder a recent Pew Center poll found that 72% of Americans feel 'automation anxiety.'

But this conflict-based framing misses something big: most automation isn't about replacing humans. It's about equipping them.

With the technology currently available, tech-equipped lawyers are dramatically improving their work. They are offering greater value to their clients, reducing errors, increasing their profitability, and offloading labor onto automation systems that deliver results.

This is the rise of a new class of lawyers. They move beyond the conceptual conflict of lawyerly caution pitted against new ideas. Instead they combine the best of both worlds: the sage, grizzled wisdom of lawyers, which can synthesize contextual information and plot the course forward—matched with the supersonic speed and processing power of technology.

When lawyers take control of automation, they can boost productivity, offload repetitive tasks, spend more time with clients, and provide even higher levels of service. Here are three key areas in legal where computer automation can make a tremendous difference in productivity, efficiency—and the bottom line.

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Benefit #1: Accuracy, or Avoiding the $1 Million Comma

It's every legal writer's worst nightmare: sloppy grammar opening the door to big disputes. Even tiny errors or ambiguities can carry a hefty price tag. For instance, a contract dispute between Canada's largest cable television provider and the phone company Bell Aliant came down to a single comma, with a million Canadian dollars in the balance. Grammar experts were called in to testify.

Not every problem with documentation has as high a profile as the "million-dollar comma," but costs related to typos, omissions, and simple errors can be substantial. A mis-drafted document can even lead to malpractice suits. According to a study by insurance broker Ames & Gough, legal malpractice claims have increased over the past year, including settlements of more than $250 million. The study suggests that law firms are being pressured to do more and are under greater scrutiny, resulting in costly mistakes.

If accuracy is the problem, the solution is simple: get someone to verify that everything is entered and prepared correctly. Unfortunately, this is an extremely labor intensive process, and checking for errors is never 100 percent effective.

LawGeex, a pioneer in contract review automation, recently published a comparative study on efficiency and accuracy, putting 20 attorneys up against the LawGeex contract automation platform in reviewing and approving non-disclosure agreements. The AI-enabled platform had an average accuracy rating of 94 percent, while the lawyers averaged 85 percent. However, the more startling finding was in the time it took to complete the task. On average, it took the lawyers just over an hour and a half to review the contracts. The LawGeex AI platform completed the task in 26 seconds.

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Benefit #2: Never Miss Another Deadline

Deadlines are familiar territory for lawyers, but even so, the sheer number of daily deadlines can be nearly impossible to manage. In fact, according to an article from paralegaledu.org, missing deadlines is still one of the most common mistakes made by lawyers today.

Since a single case can involve over a hundred deadlines, lawyers and paralegals are often scrambling to keep up. And when filings are going right down to the wire, there's no room for error when it comes time to get the paperwork organized and filed.

Missing a deadline could mean the difference between winning a case and losing one. What's more, missing deadlines can also cost clients money.

In a recent Title IX case at Baylor University, a federal judge threatened sanctions on a Philadelphia law firm for failing to turn over documents. When the firm missed deadlines, the judge saw it as a deliberate attempt to delay and complicate the discovery process. The judge called their slow response "incredibly risky."

An automated calendaring system protects firms from the host of problems caused by failures to appear and missed deadlines.

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Benefit #3: Finding Time for Clients

One of the biggest complaints clients have about their attorneys is that they don't hear from them often enough. It may seem contradictory to say you can make a stronger connection with people by introducing automation into your practice, but that's exactly how it works. By eliminating as much of the documentation and fact-checking processes as possible, lawyers will have much more time to focus on clients and their needs. And by automating certain processes, not only are lawyers able to focus on more important things, they also get to enjoy more time and freedom in their personal lives.

Beyond that, automation can help you build frequent communication into each step of a legal matter. Automated reports can alert you to clients who haven't heard from you this month. Automated task flows can trigger legal staff to send updates to clients with each new case development.

Automation in your case management system means that any time a client calls, anyone who answers the phone has their details and the latest case updates immediately in front of them. This allows a faster, more knowledgeable, and more personable response.

The old idea that equates automation with soulless, grey assembly lines is dead. We've moved on from the Industrial Revolution. For legal workers, automation now means a better and more personal connection with other people—your clients, colleagues, and staff.

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Boost Productivity, Stay Current and Become More Client-Focused

Taking advantage of automation at your law firm begins with a commitment. Commitment overcomes the fear and anxiety that comes with change. In some cases, administrators can actually hold the firm back from growth. To counter these attitudes, dwell on the advantages of adopting automated systems:

Increased efficiency. Adopting an automated case management system can unlock rapid growth, boosting a legal firm's caseload. The monetary value of such a system is augmented when you factor in client satisfaction.

Automating workflows. An automated platform can streamline legal processes with specific task assignments and enable better collaboration.

Documentation management. Keep a record of all documents in one secure place. Share with team members and clients and gather signatures by text messaging.

Schedules and deadlines. Automation can ensure that you know your deadlines. Automatic calendar updates mean you're always on top of things.

Above all, remember that automation is the key to unlocking your firm's productivity and efficiency. All it takes is that first small step.

Ryan M. Anderson is the Founder and CEO of Filevine, which is the top-rated case management system for attorneys according to the independent review site Capterra. From its launch in 2015, Filevine has focused on first-to-market innovation and award-winning design.