Smarter Drafter
- janbattaerd
- Jul 10
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 5
We are pleased to announce our partnership with Smarter Drafter.
With over 20 years of experience in the legal sector and extensive expertise in iManage Document Management solutions, Next Page understands the importance of efficient, consistent, and risk-aware document processes. We help law firms and corporate legal departments transition from older or outdated precedent and document automation systems to modern, scalable platforms that better support today’s legal workflows. If you are changing your PMS and losing the ability to create precedents, then talk to us. Our end-to-end services include legal tech consulting, intelligent precedent and template design, hands-on user training, change management, implementation, and dedicated support.
By focusing on efficiency, reducing drafting risks, and ensuring strong user adoption, we make sure your transition delivers long-term value—not just a new system.
Legal automation has come a long way. From Word-based templates to guided questionnaires and client portals, firms have steadily reduced the manual overhead involved in document production. However, there’s a ceiling to how far you can scale with human-triggered automation alone.
The Evolution of Legal Automation
Data-Driven Automation (DDA) represents the next evolution. It's already transforming how law firms deliver high-volume, high-complexity services, especially in commercial and outsourced legal operations.
What Is Data-Driven Automation?
While lawyer and client-driven automation rely on someone entering data through a form or portal, DDA removes the human step entirely. Instead, Smarter Drafter connects directly to your firm's practice management system (PMS) or other business applications. When new data is created or updated—such as when a matter opens or a case status changes—that event can automatically trigger document generation.
No logins. No questionnaires. No delays.
Why Law Firms Are Moving to DDA
1. It’s Built for High-Volume Legal Work
If your firm handles hundreds (or thousands) of similar documents—like debt recovery notices, disclosure statements, or financial templates—then DDA changes everything. Once set up, Smarter Drafter can create documents in the background as often as needed, with no bottlenecks.
Example: In one top-tier firm, a DDA implementation in the recoveries team is projected to save over $2 million per year in staff time and rework.
2. It Handles High Complexity, Not Just Repetition
Unlike basic document generation tools, Smarter Drafter’s logic engine supports:
Clause selection based on multiple variables
Branching logic across large document packs
Complex calculations, pluralisation, and formatting rules
Seamless integration with your existing precedent library
This means you can use DDA not just for letters, but for bundled, multi-party, multi-stage legal documents that need to be right the first time.
3. It Keeps Lawyers in the Loop—When It Matters
Smarter Drafter’s DDA model isn’t a black box. Lawyers can review, adjust, and finalise documents using the same tools they know—Microsoft Word and the Clause Bank. You retain editorial control while removing the repetitive work. Think of DDA as “automation-first, lawyer-finished.”
4. It Reduces Risk and Increases Consistency
When documents are triggered by structured data, you eliminate:
Manual rekeying (and the errors that come with it)
Version control issues across practice groups
Delays caused by bottlenecks in admin workflows
Everything is built from the same approved logic and clauses. Every output is client-facing, court-ready, and formatted to your firm’s standards.
Who Benefits Most from DDA?
While DDA offers benefits across all practice areas, it’s especially powerful for:
Commercial teams offering outsourced or high-volume services
Recoveries and enforcement teams producing repeatable packs
Financial services practices generating templated notices or disclosures
Regulatory teams issuing formal responses, approvals, or actions
Bulk onboarding or compliance projects requiring speed and consistency
In short: if you already know the data and the rules, you shouldn’t be building the document manually.
DDA in Action: The Workflow
Structured data is created or updated (e.g., new matter, client file, or court status).
That triggers a pre-mapped automation in Smarter Drafter.
The document(s) are generated instantly using the firm’s logic and templates.
A lawyer reviews, adjusts, and sends via your usual workflow (email, DMS, eSignature).
Why Choose Smarter Drafter?
Smarter Drafter makes it possible to turn that data into action—automatically, securely, and at scale. DDA is the natural next step for firms that have outgrown user-driven form-fillers and want to build repeatable, scalable legal operations. If your firm has strong precedents, centralised client and matter data, and a culture of innovation, then you’re ready for DDA.
Conclusion
In conclusion, embracing Data-Driven Automation can significantly enhance your firm's efficiency and accuracy. By leveraging technology, we can streamline processes and reduce the complexity of document management. This partnership with Smarter Drafter is a step toward a more innovative future in legal practice.
We invite you to explore how this collaboration can transform your document workflows and improve your overall service delivery. Let's work together to harness the power of DDA for your firm.
