How Automation Saves Solicitor Time 

Introduction 

The modern legal sector is evolving at a pace traditional solicitor workflows can no longer sustain. Across the UK, solicitors are managing heavier caseloads, increasingly demanding clients, more complex regulatory obligations, and growing competition from alternative legal service providers (ALSPs). Despite these pressures, a significant portion of a solicitor’s working day is still dominated by repetitive, manual administrative duties — tasks that contribute little to legal reasoning or strategic client work. 

Legal automation has emerged as the solution to this imbalance. By automating routine activities such as document creation, client onboarding, time recording, compliance processes, case updates, and billing, UK law firms are reclaiming valuable solicitor time whilst improving accuracy, efficiency, profitability, and overall client satisfaction. 

This article explores in detail how automation saves solicitor time, identifies the processes best suited for automation, outlines measurable time savings, provides real UK case studies, and explains how firms can successfully implement modern automation technologies. 

1. The Real Reason Solicitors Are Overloaded: Time Is Spent on the Wrong Tasks 

Contrary to popular belief, solicitors are not overwhelmed because legal issues have suddenly become more complicated — they are overwhelmed because administrative work has increased enormously. 

Studies show the following time distribution for solicitors: 

• • 40–48% on administrative and operational tasks 

• • 18–25% on compliance and regulatory checks 

• • 12–20% on client communication and follow-ups 

• • Only 20–25% on genuine legal work 

This means that during an average 8-hour workday, a solicitor spends merely 2–3 hours performing true legal activity. 

The tasks consuming most of their time include: 

• • Manual document drafting 

• • Repetitive client updates 

• • Monitoring deadlines 

• • Sorting and categorising emails 

• • Transcription 

• • Data entry 

• • Time recording 

• • Chasing billing and payments 

• • Assembling bundles 

• • AML and risk assessments 

• • Scanning, uploading, and labelling files 

These activities, though essential, do not require a solicitor’s expertise — yet they dominate much of the working day. 

Automation redirects this time back to legal work. 

2. What Legal Automation Actually Means (and What It Does Not) 

The term “automation” often causes concern among solicitors who fear that technology may replace them. In reality: 

Automation does not: 

• • Replace solicitors 

• • Make legal decisions 

• • Remove the need for human oversight 

• • Devalue legal expertise 

 

Automation does: 

• • Speed up repetitive processes 

• • Ensure consistency 

• • Minimise risk 

• • Eliminate avoidable errors 

• • Allow solicitors to focus on high-value legal analysis 

 

Automation is not a substitute for legal professionals — it is a powerful support system that handles the routine so fee earners can focus on the exceptional. 

3. Key Legal Tasks That Automation Can Transform

 

Automated Document Generation

Drafting documents manually takes too long. Automation creates accurate legal documents in seconds, using existing case data.

Automated Case Updates & Communication

Regular client updates consume hours. Automation sends progress updates, reminders, and alerts automatically at each case milestone.

Automated Client Onboarding

Onboarding involves forms, AML checks, and ID verification. Automation completes these steps digitally, cutting onboarding time from 45 minutes to 5 minutes.

Automated Task Management

Manual task lists lead to delays. Automation generates tasks automatically based on deadlines, case stages, and regulatory requirements.

Automated Time Recording

Fee earners often forget to log time. Automation captures time spent on emails, calls, drafting, and meetings automatically and accurately.

Automated Billing & Payments

Manual invoicing slows cash flow. Automation produces invoices instantly, sends reminders, tracks overdue payments, and shortens billing cycles.

4. How Much Time Solicitors Actually Save Through Automation 

 

Document drafting 

⏱️ 60–80% reduction 
Example: 45 minutes → 1 minute 

Onboarding & AML 

⏱️ 70–90% reduction 
Example: 45 minutes → 5 minutes 

Case updates & communication 

⏱️ 80% reduction 

Billing & time recording 

⏱️ 50–70% reduction 

Regulatory tracking 

⏱️ 40–60% reduction 

Overall time saved per solicitor per week: 

• • 10–20 hours of admin removed 

• • Up to 3 extra billable hours per day gained 

This equates to £90,000–£150,000 additional revenue per solicitor per year, depending on fee structure. 

5. Real UK Examples: How Firms Benefit from Automation 

 

Mid-sized London firm 

• • 30% more cases handled 

• • 70% faster onboarding 

• • 50% fewer case delays 

• • Billing completed daily instead of monthly 
•  

Family law firm in Manchester 

• • Clients rated communication 4.9/5 

• • AI drafted consent orders in minutes 

• • Fee earners saved 12 hours per week 

Conveyancing firm using SpineLegal For more information visit spinelegal or book a demo here: Book a Demo. 

• • Eliminated 85% of manual emails 

• • Automated all client letters 

• • Significantly improved AML compliance tracking 

6. How Automation Benefits the Entire Firm 

 

Paralegals 

• • Less scanning and filing 

• • Clearer checklists 

• • Faster document preparation 
•  

Admin Staff 

• • Fewer client enquiries 

• • Automated reminders 

• • Instant access to data 
•  

Partners 

• • Increased productivity 

• • Better reporting 

• • Improved profitability 
•  

Clients 

• • Quicker service 

• • Transparent updates 

• • Reduced waiting times 

7. Addressing Common Solicitor Concerns 

 

Concern 1: “Automation will replace my job.” 

Automation eliminates admin, not legal expertise. Firms grow faster and require more solicitors, not fewer. 

Concern 2: “Automation might create errors.” 

Automation actually improves accuracy and consistency. 

Concern 3: “Training the team will take too long.” 

Modern systems are designed to be intuitive and require minimal training. 

8. The Future of UK Legal Practice: AI + Automation 

Upcoming capabilities include: 

• • Intelligent AI assistants 

• • Voice-to-document generation 

• • Predictive case analytics 

• • Automated compliance auditing 

• • EDiscovery automation 

• • Automated bundle creation 

• • Outcome-based workflow sequencing 

This is not theoretical — it is already entering UK practice. 

9. How SpineLegal Automation Saves Solicitors’ Time

  SpineLegal is specifically designed for UK law firms, offering a powerful automation engine that removes the administrative workload slowing solicitors down. It automates the entire lifecycle of a legal matter, allowing fee earners to focus on genuine legal work instead of routine tasks. 
 
9.1 Instant AI Document Generation 
SpineLegal’s AI Document Generator produces letters, contracts, statements, and legal forms in seconds using existing case data. What traditionally takes 45–60 minutes of drafting is completed in under a minute. 
 
9.2 Automated Client Communication 
SpineLegal automatically sends progress updates, reminders, document requests, deadline alerts, and appointment confirmations—triggered by workflow milestones. 
 
9.3 Seamless Digital Onboarding 
The system automates digital intake forms, AML/KYC checks, ID verification, and conflict checks, saving up to 90% of onboarding time. 
 
9.4 Automated Workflows & Task Creation 
Every UK practice area has pre-built workflows. SpineLegal automatically generates tasks based on deadlines, documents, and case milestones. 
 
9.5 Automatic Time Recording 
SpineLegal captures billable time automatically when solicitors read emails, draft documents, or work on matters. 
 
9.6 Automated Billing & Payments 
Invoices, reminders, overdue tracking, and payment links are handled automatically—reducing billing cycles. 
 
9.7 Automated Compliance Tracking 
The platform tracks AML flags, KYC expiry, missing documents, and SRA compliance steps without manual effort. 
 
9.8 Automated Bundle Preparation 
SpineLegal prepares indexed, paginated, and ordered bundles in minutes instead of hours. 
 
Overall Impact 
Firms save 10–20 hours per solicitor per week and gain up to 3 extra billable hours daily. SpineLegal enhances solicitor productivity instead of replacing legal expertise. 
For more information visit spinelegal or book a demo here: Book a Demo. 

Conclusion 

Automation is no longer optional for UK law firms — it is essential for competitiveness, profitability, and operational efficiency. By removing repetitive tasks, automation frees solicitors to focus on what truly matters: strategy, client care, advocacy, negotiation, and complex legal analysis. 

The firms that embrace automation now will lead the future of the UK legal profession. Those that resist risk falling behind in speed, profitability, and client satisfaction. 

Automation does not diminish solicitor value — it enhances it.