Engagement Farming: Automating Fee Agreements Should Be a Priority for Law Firms

Document automation for law firms, can become pretty complicated – especially when you’re dealing with tiers of logic, as is common with estate planning documents, for example.  But, there are simpler operations than that – more like find & replace – where you can just slot language into a predetermined spot.  This is the easiest sort of document assembly operation there is, because you simply need to draft/update language + determine where it goes. 

 

This is how invoices are built in case management & accounting softwares: you create an invoice template, and billable items are added, usually automatically. 

Law firms can do the same with fee agreements – most just don’t.  Lots of softwares have the capability to generate engagement agreements from templates – like customer relationship management software, case management software, accounting software, etc.  For the most part, those contracts are all boilerplate, save for the scope and fee/basis of rate clause.  So, to automate the creation of those documents, you simply need to align case types with the appropriate scope and payment clauses.  It’s just that simple.  So, once a case type is selected, and the law firm decides to work with the lead, as a client – that engagement agreement will be created automatically; and, then – depending on the tool you’re using – you may also be able to send that finalized document out for signature, including followup requests. 

 

This may seem like a small change – but, how many clients do you convert each year?  Enough to save significant time, if you can automate your onboarding process. 

 

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If you want to work on process automation, just let us know.

Through a unique partnership between the bar association and Jared Correia's Red Cave Law Firm Consulting, Vermont Bar Association members have access to experienced law practice management consultants at a special discounted rate.

To get started, visit Red Cave's Vermont Bar Association landing page, and start running your law practice like a business.