How to use AI in legal case management to improve efficiency

As pressures in the legal sector continue to grow, law firms have begun to adopt more sophisticated legal technologies to optimise efficiency and accuracy. AI in legal case management has emerged as a transformative solution, allowing legal professionals to automate repetitive tasks, analyse complex data and focus more of their time on billable work and being there for clients.  

According to our research, 44% of legal professionals use AI tools in their practice, showing high levels of adoption. However, more than half are failing to take advantage of these powerful tools and the benefits they offer, including saving time, reducing costs and improving client outcomes. 

At its core, AI legal case management refers to the use of advanced software to perform tasks that traditionally require human effort. Unlike generic software, AI case management tools are specifically designed to handle the unique challenges of the legal sector. By processing vast amounts of data efficiently, AI ensures that lawyers spend less time on admin and more on high-value activities like building cases and advising clients. 

The core functions of case management AI tools include: 

• Analysing documents and provide summaries 
• Automating workflows and track compliance 
• Providing strategic insights based on historical data 
• Streamlining communication through automated client updates 
• Organising and managing evidence for efficient retrieval 

Adopting AI legal case management can transform how law firms operate, offering solutions that enhance efficiency and quality across every aspect of the workflow. Let’s explore the key benefits that make AI a game-changer for law firms. 

Time savings 

Time is one of the most valuable resources for any legal professional. Unfortunately, repetitive tasks like data entry, maintaining detailed files notes and organising case documents consume a significant portion of it, limiting the firm’s earning potential. 

Through automation and fast data analysis, AI tools can dramatically reduce this burden. For example, AI case management tools can process and summarise hundreds of pages of evidence in minutes, a task that might take a human team hours or even days. This allows lawyers to dedicate more time to crafting case strategies and delivering higher-value services to their clients. 

Enhanced productivity 

Case management AI tools help to increase productivity by automating time-consuming tasks like document review, legal research and compliance tracking. This allows legal professionals to focus on more strategic work, such as building client relationships and developing case strategies, while faster resolutions and improved client service give firms an advantage in a competitive sector. 

In our survey of legal professionals, 42% of respondents noted that AI increases productivity, showing that early adopters of this technology are already seeing great benefits. By streamlining processes and reducing manual effort, these firms can allocate resources more effectively, handle larger caseloads, and deliver better results for their clients. 

Improved accuracy 

Accuracy is crucial in the legal sector, where even minor errors can have significant repercussions. Implementing AI in case management enhances precision by automating critical tasks, collating and validating data, and offering predictive insights to flag potential risks, ensuring that deadlines and procedural requirements are consistently met. 

For example, when drafting emails or letters, AI draws information directly from the relevant case file within the case management system. This ensures that all information is accurate and tailored to the specific case, significantly reducing the risk of oversights or inconsistencies. 

Enhanced client satisfaction 

AI enables law firms to elevate their client service, which is a critical factor in maintaining a competitive edge. Tools like sentiment analysis can detect signs of dissatisfaction in client communications, enabling fee earners to address concerns proactively before they escalate into formal complaints. 

Additionally, the time-saving benefits of AI legal case management give firms more time to focus on delivering a personal service to their clients. By streamlining administrative tasks, legal professionals can dedicate more attention to addressing client concerns and tailoring their approach to individual needs. This helps to foster trust and satisfaction, leading to stronger client relationships and better outcomes. 

Introducing AI into your workflow may seem daunting, but breaking it into manageable steps simplifies the process. We’ve put together some practical steps for implementing AI across various stages of legal case management. 

1. Case intake and file opening 

The case intake and file opening stage lays the groundwork for every legal matter. It involves ensuring proper documentation, checking for conflicts of interest and setting up compliance procedures. AI case management tools streamline this process by automating many of the associated tasks, such as scanning databases for potential overlaps or logging audit trails for regulatory compliance. By automating these steps, AI not only saves time but also reduces the risk of human error. 

2. Client intake and care 

Client intake often sets the tone for the entire case, making it an important phase to get right. AI can elevate this process by summarising client meeting notes and generating tailored communication materials. In sensitive cases, such as personal injury or clinical negligence, AI tools can even analyse the tone of client interactions to identify concerns or emotional distress, allowing legal professionals to respond empathetically and appropriately, fostering stronger relationships and greater trust from the outset. 

3. Case planning 

Once a case is taken on, the planning stage is where strategies are defined, roles assigned, and objectives set. AI supports this phase by analysing case documents, summarising key points and identifying relevant precedents or historical data that could inform strategy. By offering insights based on past case outcomes or trends, AI legal case management tools can also highlight potential challenges and opportunities, enabling lawyers to make data-driven decisions from the very beginning. 

4. Document and evidence management 

Managing documents and evidence is one of the most time-consuming aspects of legal work. AI tools simplify this by categorising and organising files, extracting key information, and even identifying inconsistencies in the data. For instance, AI can sift through a collection of documents to locate specific clauses or summarise a bulk of evidence into manageable briefs. This not only speeds up the review process but ensures that no critical details are missed. 

5. Legal research and analysis 

Legal research requires precision and depth, as cases often hinge on the smallest details. AI revolutionises this phase by rapidly retrieving relevant statutes, case laws and precedents, as well as generating summaries or draft arguments. It can identify relevant decisions from similar cases, complete with summaries that lawyers can reference directly. By reducing the time spent on manual research, AI case management allows legal professionals to focus their efforts on tailoring strategies and arguments to their client’s needs. 

6. Client updates and strategy adjustments 

Keeping clients informed and adapting strategies based on their feedback is essential for maintaining trust and ensuring case success. Case management AI tools can send scheduled case progress reports to clients to keep them informed without any additional administrative burden. They can also summarise client feedback, flag important responses and suggest strategic adjustments, allowing legal professionals to deliver efficient, effective communications that build a stronger working relationship. 

7. Court filings and compliance 

Court filings are a critical stage where accuracy and adherence to deadlines are non-negotiable. AI tools can handle these tasks with exceptional precision, ensuring that all data is correct and all procedural requirements are met. From automatically drafting court documents based on case data to tracking filing deadlines, leveraging AI in case management allows law firms to minimise the chance of delays or penalties that could jeopardise a case. 

8. Negotiations and settlement discussions 

Negotiations and settlement discussions are crucial to resolving cases efficiently and effectively. AI can support legal teams by drafting initial settlement proposals based on previous settlement precedents, and can help to coordinate negotiation meetings by managing scheduling, sending reminders and facilitating communication between parties. AI case management tools also track the outcomes of each negotiation session, recording key points and decisions made, which can be used to inform strategy in similar cases. 

9. Post-trial actions and file closure 

The conclusion of a case doesn’t mean that the work is over. Post-trial actions such as invoicing, reporting and archiving must still be completed efficiently. Implementing AI in case management can streamline these processes by automating final billing, creating detailed post-trial reports, and securely archiving files in compliance with retention policies. This allows law firms to move on to new cases with confidence, knowing that everything has been completed to a high standard. 

Implementing AI in legal case management systems can feel overwhelming at first, but breaking the process down into manageable steps makes it much easier. By starting small, selecting the right tools and investing in training, your firm can gradually incorporate AI into workflows and experience tangible benefits with minimal disruption. Here’s how to begin. 

Start small 

When adopting AI in case management, it’s best to focus on high-impact areas that can provide immediate benefits. Start with tasks like document management or deadline tracking, which are common pain points in legal workflows. These areas require minimal disruption to existing systems and offer quick wins, allowing your team to build confidence in the technology before expanding its use. 

Choose the right tools 

Selecting the right AI tool is critical to ensuring a smooth integration into your legal practice. Rather than a generic AI solution, it’s important to choose a specialised AI legal case management tool to make sure it offers the functionality and compliance support required by the sector. It should align with your firm’s specific needs and goals, whether that’s improving document handling, managing case deadlines or automating research, and should prioritise security and seamless integration with your existing systems. 

Invest in training 

Our research shows that many legal professionals score themselves between 6-7 out of 10 when it comes to their confidence in using AI. This highlights the need for targeted training programs to enhance AI literacy within the industry. Offering dedicated training ensures that your staff feel confident in using the technology effectively, reducing resistance and increasing the return on investment of your AI case management solution. 

Integrating AI case management is a strategic necessity for modern legal firms looking to grow. Those that leverage these tools can reduce costs, improve accuracy and deliver exceptional client service, leading to better case outcomes and stronger business reputation. By automating time-consuming tasks and enabling data-driven decisions, AI empowers lawyers to focus on what they do best: advocating for their clients. 

If you’re interested in leveraging the power of AI but aren’t sure where to start, get in touch with our experts, who’ll be happy to advise you on AI in case management and other legal practices. You might also like to explore our AI in Legal content hub for more information about how these tools are shaping the industry.