In-house legal departments today face mounting pressure to deliver more with the same resources. While budgets remain flat, the volume and complexity of work grow. At the same time, business stakeholders expect faster responses, improved transparency and measurable value.
For many legal teams, automation offers a way to bridge the gap. But how do you know if your team is making the most of automation? That is where the concept of an automation maturity curve becomes valuable.
By assessing where your department sits on this curve, you can gain clarity on current capabilities, highlight opportunities for improvement and develop a roadmap for adopting automation in a way that is practical and sustainable.
Why Automation Matters for In-House Legal Teams
Legal automation does not mean replacing lawyers with machines. Instead, it is about identifying repetitive, rule-based tasks that can be streamlined. Freeing lawyers to focus on higher-value strategic work. Automation reduces human error, reduces manual handling and provides greater consistency.
For example, intake and triage of legal requests, approval workflows, contract reviews, reporting and compliance checks are all areas that lend themselves to automation.
When these processes run more smoothly, legal teams can shift from being perceived as a bottleneck to being recognised as an enabler of business objectives.
The Automation Maturity Curve Explained
A maturity curve allows legal teams to understand how advanced their current use of automation is.
Think of it as a scale ranging from ad hoc experimentation to full integration. Most teams will find themselves somewhere in the middle.
The curve can be broken down into five levels:
- Initial
- Emerging
- Defined
- Advanced
- Optimised
Initial
At this stage, automation is not formally in place. Processes may be manual, heavily reliant on email, spreadsheets and shared drives. While this approach works, it consumes valuable time and makes data difficult to track.
Emerging
The team begins experimenting with basic tools. This might involve automating document templates or introducing simple e-signature workflows. Benefits are felt, but automation remains isolated and inconsistent. Adoption may be low.
Defined
Automation becomes more structured. Legal processes such as matter intake, approvals and standard contract generation are mapped and supported by technology. There is greater consistency, although the approach may still be limited to particular functions.
Advanced
Automation is widely used across multiple processes, with clear governance. Workflows are monitored and refined, data is captured for reporting, and the business begins to see measurable improvements in turnaround times and cost efficiency.
Optimised
At this level, automation is fully embedded within the legal function. Processes are continually improved, integrated with other business systems and tailored to evolving needs. The legal team operates as a strategic partner, supported by real-time insights and reliable data.
Assessing Where Your Team Sits
To identify your current position, ask some key questions:
- How much of our work still relies on staying on top of emails and manual tracking?
- Do we use any form of automation in intake, workflow management or reporting?
- Are automated processes applied consistently or only in pockets of activity?
- Do we have data that allows us to track and improve performance?
- How integrated are our tools with the broader business?
Being honest about your starting point is essential. Many legal teams discover that while they have experimented with automation, their use is fragmented. Recognising this is the first step to moving forward.
Moving Up the Curve with No-Code Automation
Once you know where you stand, the next step is to plan how to move forward. This does not need to involve complex IT projects or lengthy procurement cycles. No-code automation platforms make it possible for legal teams to build and adapt workflows without requiring technical expertise.
For example, Lawcadia’s no-code automation engine allows legal teams to design and implement workflows tailored to their unique requirements. Whether it is intake of requests, assigning matters to the right lawyer, managing approvals or capturing compliance data, automation can be implemented quickly and adapted as needs evolve.
This flexibility is crucial. Legal departments rarely have the luxury of static processes. Business demands shift, new regulations arise, and priorities change. A no-code approach enables teams to respond without relying on developers or waiting months for system changes.
Practical Steps to Progress
Progressing along the maturity curve involves more than adopting new technology. It requires cultural change and a commitment to process improvement.
Here are some practical steps:
- Map your processes: Document how work currently flows through the team. Identify bottlenecks, duplication and tasks that consume time without adding strategic value.
- Prioritise quick wins: Start small. Automate a high-volume and relatively straightforward process, such as intake forms or standard document generation. Demonstrating quick results will build confidence and support.
- Engage stakeholders: Automation succeeds when business users are involved. Gather feedback on how they interact with legal, and design workflows that improve their experience as well as your own.
- Measure and refine: Use data to demonstrate the impact of automation. Track metrics such as response times, volume of requests handled and business satisfaction. Use this insight to refine processes further.
- Embed continuous improvement: As automation becomes part of daily operations, keep looking for new areas to apply it. Encourage a mindset of innovation and efficiency within the team.
The Strategic Value of Maturity
Reaching the advanced or optimised levels of automation maturity delivers benefits beyond efficiency. With processes automated and data captured, legal teams can provide the business with insights into risk, resource allocation and strategic priorities. This positions the legal function as a proactive partner rather than a reactive service provider.
Importantly, the maturity curve is not about reaching perfection. It is about recognising that progress is possible at every stage. Even small steps can deliver meaningful improvements.
Conclusion
In-house legal teams have an opportunity to reshape how they deliver value through automation. By assessing where you sit on the automation maturity curve, you can build a clear roadmap for progress. With no-code automation tools like Lawcadia, moving from emerging to advanced is no longer an insurmountable challenge.
The key is to start where you are, focus on achievable improvements and build momentum. In doing so, legal teams not only free up capacity but also strengthen their role as trusted partners to the business.
This article was originally published on our sister site lawcadia.com.