Is document automation a good fit for your virtual law practice?
Case management, document management or automation, e-billing, SaaS, e-discovery, mobile apps, virtual law office. This is just a starting list of legal technology that promises a better, faster, and more efficient law practice. It’s enough to make your head spin.
After attending several legal tech shows on behalf of DirectLaw, I have a sense of what it’s like to walk in your shoes. You’re a lawyer with an already full docket, sifting through technology to identify the best fit for your small or solo practice. Then comes the hard part. Learning how to use the technology because it doesn’t run itself. And, do you learn all the bells and whistles of a particular technology or just one aspect of it?
DirectLaw has many “bells and whistles” for you to establish a virtual law practice. One of them is document automation using Rapidocs. You can choose to subscribe to DirectLaw (a SaaS) with or without document automation. So, here’s the question:
Is document automation a good fit for your virtual law practice? Your answer should be YES if you produce or anticipate producing repetitive transactional legal documents. These can be wills, agreements, leases, contracts, etc.
DirectLaw offers the following four options relating to document automation that require no Rapidocs software learning curve.
1. Use our existing libraries of automated legal documents. This is the easiest path to utilizing document automation in your law practice. Rapidocs “runs itself” in this scenario. Your client will answer an online questionnaire that automatically assembles the first draft of a legal document. You can then customize it in any Word program.
2. Use our automated legal documents to access answer files. Your client can answer an online questionnaire that assembles the first draft of the document. You can then choose to ignore the first draft of the document and use the answers to complete your own documents.
3. Pay DirectLaw to create an intake questionnaire. If the previous options don’t meet your needs, DirectLaw can create an interactive Rapidocs intake questionnaire for you at a rate of $50 a page. Questionnaire details are supplied by you and the questionnaire will be created by a document automation professional. Upon completion by your client, you will have the raw answers you need to complete your own documents.
4. Let our professionals create your automated documents. This option is subject to a review and custom project quote.
With DirectLaw, you can also choose to learn Rapidocs and create your own templates. Rapidocs is FREE with your subscription to DirectLaw. This includes the desktop software, as well as access to the web-interface of Rapidocs via your DirectLaw virtual law firm platform.
1. Self-learn Rapidocs. There are Rapidocs resources on the DirectLaw platform. A NEW self training exercise was just released. I recommend starting with simple templates. Get proficient with simple documents, then build on your knowledge to create more complex documents. You can send Rapidocs document automation questions to me at any time .
2. One-on-one Rapidocs training. Schedule a 7-hour training session with me. I’ll teach you the basics of Rapidocs via conference call and GoToMeeting. We will also work “hands on” in one of your own documents.
If you are considering virtual law office capabilities for your practice – either in addition to a traditional practice or as your only practice – DirectLaw offers a 30-day free trial. No strings attached. You can preview our existing automated legal forms, as well as download Rapidocs. All for free. You can’t beat free to find out if document automation is a good fit for your virtual law practice.
By: Janelle Minter, Document Automation Manager, DirectLaw
6231 PGA Blvd., Suite 104-170,
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
FAX: (888) 592-9907
Phone: 1-800-481-1025
www.directlaw.com