Product Placement: How to Use Document Automation to Develop an Additional Revenue Stream

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By Jared Correia, Red Cave Legal, Official Consulting Partner of the IndyBar

Most lawyers view document automation as a time saving device. That's true: the efficiency wrought by document automation allows law firms to take on more work and to make more money. But, in the modern context, it may be that law firms are still underutilizing document automation. 

As law firms seek to revise their payment structures in order to appeal to modern clients, some are opting to sell products, rather than (or more likely, in addition to), services. Law firms have always sold personal services, which are high-touch and costly. But, modern consumers want cost certainty, in terms of total cost of representation, and some folks who want to access legal services want to manage that process themselves.  

Traditionally, law firms had no way to reach or capture revenue from DIY clients. With legal products, however, law firms can appeal to both DIY-focused and cost-sensitive legal consumers. One obvious product law firms can sell are legal documents, sans the document drafting (= services) usually plied by lawyers. This is what LegalZoom has been doing for years, and there is no reason law forms can't do the same. 

If you want to supplement your traditional law firm services with products, we can help. 

The IndyBar offers FREE law practice management consulting services through Red Cave Law Firm Consulting. To request a consult, visit the IndyBar law practice management consulting landing page, and start running your law firm like a business.