THE AUTOMATION INVENTORY – LEGAL
80 things a law firm can hand off.
Every item is a task a law firm hands off once and stops touching. None of it is hypothetical. Firms run these workflows every day.
Each task carries a track. Track A is the deterministic path. Fixed fields, rules, and templates. It runs without an AI step and it does not miss. Track B uses an AI step for reading, summarizing, or drafting. Every Track B ends with a person confirming the work before it goes to a client or a court.
Some tasks appear on both tracks. Where they do, the AI variant is shown right under the base item. Automate the routine, never automate the moments. The machine carries the work to the decision. A lawyer still makes the call.
Client intake and onboarding
Intake form to matter record
A submitted intake form creates the matter record, the client contact, and the folder structure with no retyping.
an AI step reads the free-text “describe your issue” field, drafts a short matter summary, and suggests the practice area. A person confirms it.
Signed engagement letter to matter fields
When the letter is signed through an e-signature tool, the signed field values populate the matter fields with no retyping.
an AI step reads a scanned or PDF engagement letter and pulls the parties, scope, and fee terms into the matter fields. A person confirms it.
New-client welcome sequence
A signed engagement triggers the welcome email, the client portal invite, and the first set of forms.
Identity and document collection
A secure upload link gathers ID and know-your-client documents from the client and files them to the right record.
Engagement letter generation
The system merges client and matter fields into the firm’s engagement letter template and sends it out for signature.
Inbound inquiry routing
A web inquiry is sent to the right practice group. Track A if the form uses fixed category fields that map to a group. Track B if an AI step reads the free-text inquiry and decides the group.
Intake questionnaire load
A practice-specific questionnaire is sent, and the returned answers load into the matter as structured fields.
Matter management
Matter number and naming
A new matter draws the next number from a sequence and applies the firm’s naming convention across every system.
Folder and permission build
Opening a matter builds the standard folder tree and sets access for the assigned team only.
Status sync across systems
A status change on the matter updates the calendar, billing, and document systems so they stay in step.
Matter status roll-up
A dashboard pulls open tasks, upcoming deadlines, and recent filings for each matter into one view.
an AI step writes a plain-language status narrative for the partner from that activity. A person confirms it.
Close-out checklist
When a matter is marked closed, the close-out checklist runs: final bill, retention date, and access changes.
Email-to-matter filing
Incoming email is filed to the right matter. Track A if the email carries a matter ID or tag that maps to the file. Track B if an AI step reads an untagged email and assigns the matter.
Conflicts screening
Conflicts name search
A new party name is run against the conflicts database and the system returns every match.
an AI step reads the match list and separates likely real conflicts from name coincidences with a short explanation. A person confirms before any clearance.
Conflicts index update
Opening a matter adds the client, the adverse parties, and related entities to the conflicts index.
Lateral hire screen
A new hire’s prior client and matter list is checked against the firm’s active matters for overlaps.
an AI step reads the candidate’s résumé or deal sheet and pulls out the party names to screen. A person confirms it.
Ethical wall setup
When a conflict is flagged, the system restricts file access and records who is walled off from the matter.
Calendaring, deadlines, and docketing
Deadline calculation
The system calculates filing and response deadlines from a trigger date using stored court rules.
Docket-to-calendar sync
A new docket entry pushes the date and a set of reminders to the responsible attorneys’ calendars.
Tiered deadline reminders
Reminders go out on a set schedule before each deadline and escalate if the task is not marked done.
Court order date extraction
A structured e-filing notice with coded dates creates the docket entries on its own.
an AI step reads a narrative scheduling order and pulls out each deadline. A person confirms before docketing.
Court feed monitoring
A watch on the court’s electronic feed creates a docket entry whenever a new filing posts in a matter.
Document management and assembly
Template assembly
A standard document is built from a template and the matter’s merge fields, ready for review.
Auto-filing by rule
Saved documents are routed to the right matter folder by naming convention and document type.
Version control and lock
The system tracks versions and locks the final so a signed copy can’t be overwritten.
Bates numbering and stamping
A production set is Bates-numbered and stamped with the agreed confidentiality legend.
PDF conversion and metadata scrub
Documents are converted to PDF and stripped of hidden metadata before they leave the firm.
First-draft from a description
An AI step drafts a first version of a routine document from a plain-language description of what is needed. A person reviews before use.
Legal research
Saved research alerts
A saved search runs on schedule and delivers new cases and filings in the matter’s area.
an AI step summarizes each new result and flags the ones worth a closer look. A person confirms relevance.
Authority table from a brief
An AI step reads a brief and pulls every cited case and statute into a table for checking. A person confirms the list.
Opinion summary
An AI step reads a long opinion and writes a short headnote a lawyer relies on. A person confirms before it guides the matter.
Citing-references pull
The system pulls every firm document that cites a given case from the document store.
Contract and document review
Contract intake and routing
An incoming contract is logged and routed to the right reviewer by type and value.
an AI step reads the contract and flags clauses that fall outside the firm’s standard positions. A person confirms each flag.
Redline against playbook
An AI step compares a counterparty’s redline to the firm’s playbook and lists the gaps. A person confirms before responding.
Key-term extraction
An AI step reads a contract and pulls parties, term, renewal, governing law, and key dates into a summary. A person confirms.
Document production review
A document set is sorted by date and custodian and de-duplicated for review.
an AI step makes a first-pass call on responsiveness and possible privilege for each document. A person reviews every call.
Billing, time, and collections
Draft invoice generation
Draft invoices are built from posted time and cost entries on the billing cycle.
Billing-guideline checks
Each draft is checked against the client’s rate table and billing rules, and violations are flagged before send.
Time capture
Activity from the calendar, email, and document systems is captured into draft time entries for each timekeeper.
an AI step drafts a compliant time narrative from that activity. A person confirms before it posts.
Collections reminders
Reminders go out by invoice age and escalate to a call list when an account passes a set point.
Payment reconciliation
Incoming payments are matched to open invoices and the ledgers are updated.
Pre-bill narrative review
Pre-bills route to the billing attorney with guideline flags already marked.
an AI step reviews each time narrative for guideline fit and rewrites weak entries for approval. A person confirms.
Client communication and status updates
Scheduled status updates
A status email goes out on a set schedule pulling the matter’s latest milestones.
an AI step writes the update in plain language from the matter activity. A person confirms before send.
Inbound acknowledgment
Client emails get an immediate, logged acknowledgment so nothing sits unseen.
Email triage
Inbound client email is sorted by topic and urgency. Track A if the routing uses sender and subject rules. Track B if an AI step reads the message and decides priority.
Thread summary
An AI step reads a long client email thread and gives the attorney a short summary. A person confirms it.
Appointment reminders
Reminders and intake links go out before each client meeting and update when the time changes.
Marketing, business development, and lead intake
Lead capture and assignment
Web form and event leads load into the CRM and are assigned to the right person by rule.
Nurture sequences
A new lead enters a scheduled email sequence based on the service of interest.
Lead qualification
New leads are sorted by source, service, and location into ranked lists.
an AI step reads the inquiry text and scores fit and intent. A person confirms before outreach.
Contact de-dupe and enrichment
New contacts are matched against existing records and merged, with public firm data added.
Content scheduling
Approved posts and newsletters are scheduled and published across the firm’s channels.
First-draft marketing content
An AI step drafts a first version of a post or newsletter from a set of bullet points. A person edits before publish.
Experience and pitch database
Closed matters feed an experience database with client, practice area, and outcome fields.
an AI step drafts a matter description or attorney bio from that record. A person confirms.
RFP question mapping
An AI step reads an RFP and matches each question to the firm’s prior answers. A person confirms before submission.
Knowledge management and firm data
Document tagging and indexing
Filed documents are indexed and tagged by matter, type, and date from their metadata.
an AI step reads each document and adds topic tags and a short summary. A person confirms.
Precedent and clause library
Final documents of set types are collected into a precedent library by practice area.
an AI step pulls reusable clauses out of those documents and labels them. A person confirms.
Template and know-how search
A search index answers “where is the template for X” from the firm’s documents.
an AI step answers a plain-language question across firm documents with a cited draft answer. A person confirms.
Matter lessons capture
A closed matter prompts a short structured record of what worked and what to reuse, saved to the knowledge base.
Internal operations (HR, payroll, expense, vendor, IT)
New-hire provisioning
A start date triggers account creation, email setup, and the equipment and access checklist.
Offboarding
A termination date deprovisions accounts and access and routes the file for handoff.
Payroll run
Payroll is built from approved timekeeping and time-off on the pay schedule.
Expense approvals
Expense reports route through the approval rules and post to the right account.
Receipt coding
Submitted receipts are matched to expense reports and logged.
an AI step reads a receipt image and codes the expense to the right category. A person confirms.
Vendor invoice processing
A vendor invoice is matched to its purchase order and routed for approval.
an AI step reads the invoice PDF and pulls the line items for matching. A person confirms.
IT ticket routing
An IT request is routed to the right queue. Track A if the ticket form uses fixed category fields. Track B if an AI step reads a free-text request and classifies it.
Time-off requests
Time-off requests route for approval and update the balance and the team calendar.
Court filing and litigation support
Filing package assembly
A filing is assembled with its required components and checked against the court’s formatting rules before submission.
Filed-stamp capture
The court’s filed-stamp confirmation is captured and filed to the matter on its own.
Exhibit management
Exhibits are numbered, organized, and an exhibit list is generated for the set.
Case chronology
Dated documents are arranged into a timeline by their metadata.
an AI step reads the documents and builds a fact chronology with sources. A person confirms.
Deposition summary
An AI step reads a deposition transcript and summarizes the testimony by topic. A person confirms.
Privilege log
A privilege log is built from document metadata: author, recipients, date, and type.
an AI step drafts the privilege description for each entry. A person confirms before production.
Trust accounting and compliance
Retainer posting
A retainer deposit is recorded to the correct client trust ledger with the matter reference.
Three-way reconciliation
The trust bank balance, the book balance, and the client ledgers are reconciled on schedule and breaks are flagged.
Trust balance alerts
An alert fires when a client trust balance crosses a set point or would go negative.
Trust draw safeguards
The system blocks an operating expense from drawing on trust funds and logs the attempt.
Compliance reporting
The reports required for bar trust rules are generated on schedule from the ledgers.
Settlement disbursement mapping
A disbursement sheet’s listed amounts post to the matter ledger as structured entries.
an AI step reads a narrative settlement statement and maps each disbursement to a ledger line. A person confirms before funds move.
License and CLE tracking
Attorney license renewals and continuing education credits are tracked and reminders go out before each deadline.
