Students Prepare for Future by Using Document Automation in Class

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Up to date Jul 9, 2025

How College of Oklahoma regulation college students explored doc automation in follow

Instructors at OU School of Regulation in Oklahoma needed to organize their college students for real-life follow. Throughout their Tech and Regulation Apply Class, college students are uncovered to instruments and processes that must be a part of any forward-looking agency. 4 college students had been assigned to research doc automation software program and used Clio Draft to create three frequent paperwork: a confidentiality settlement, an article of dissolution, and an LLC minutes winding up doc.

Not one of the college students had beforehand been uncovered to utilizing doc automation software program. Instructors wanted a instrument that may be simple to implement and experiment with. The scholars organized themselves as a four-member agency able to onboard their new doc automation instrument.

“All of the sources that had been obtainable—like there have been the movies, there have been the incessantly requested questions, there have been weblog articles… There have been plenty of sources at our disposal to attempt to discover ways to use Clio Draft” -Garrett Reed, College of Oklahoma pupil

“I hadn’t been uncovered to doc automation throughout any of my internships or with any of the companies I had labored in,” pupil Lauren Wilmes stated. “I feel it’s one thing that extra companies and extra attorneys ought to learn about and may be using.”

The scholars expressed concern that, as soon as in follow, they could not obtain the mentoring essential to implement these vital instruments. They mentioned a way that youthful attorneys are extra prepared to study new expertise whereas older attorneys received’t trouble.

“Had we not been uncovered to [document automation] in regulation college, we very simply might fall into that very same routine,” stated pupil Garrett Reed.

The scholars acknowledged that attorneys could resist adopting new expertise as a result of they don’t have time for a steep studying curve. With so many attorneys nonetheless working below the billable hour, it’s onerous to justify that funding in the long run. For any doc automation resolution to be viable of their future practices, these college students wanted a instrument that may be simple to study and include strong help.

How Clio Draft made authorized automation simple to study

College students within the course found that, although there was a studying curve, Clio Draft was simple to study and undertake of their experimental follow. By way of studying sources and Clio Draft’s technical help, the scholars noticed that they may undertake doc automation and create long-term time financial savings that made the funding worthwhile.

“Legal professionals continuously discover themselves quick on time or attempting to avoid wasting time. I feel that this can be a resolution that permits legal professionals to avoid wasting hours for a routine drafting course of,” famous Wilmes.

Incorporating doc automation into their fake agency took so little time due to all of the sources that had been obtainable. The scholars had been delighted to seek out coaching movies, incessantly requested questions, weblog articles, and plenty of different sources. With assist on the prepared, studying how you can use Clio Draft got here rapidly, adopted by full utilization of the software program. They used Clio Draft academy in addition to step-by-step course of movies on how you can create templates, generate paperwork, and fill in particular shoppers’ wants.

Desirous to expertise the total onboarding course of, Reed requested Clio Draft’s customer support crew about pricing of the software program. They got useful help and direct solutions.

“We appreciated the customer support, although we aren’t attorneys and this isn’t an actual regulation agency. We had been attempting to simulate that as a lot as doable and we actually admire Clio Draft personally reaching out to us.”

As the scholars evaluated Clio Draft extra, they realized it could apply to a variety of follow areas. They may rapidly generate contracts, leases, and plenty of different tasks with repeatable paperwork concerned. Creating these sources helped the scholars envision a extra streamlined agency.

“[It’s] studying how you can work smarter, not tougher. There are a number of belongings you do as an lawyer which are monotonous or simple duties, reminiscent of doc drafting, routine paperwork, that may be simplified,” stated Wilmes.

What OU regulation college students discovered utilizing Clio Draft

The scholars’ principal takeaway from this train was how a lot time they may save if they’d doc automation software program arrange of their agency.

“Utilizing this software program form of opened our eyes. There are applied sciences on the market that may assist us save time and be extra environment friendly, and actually, I didn’t have any expertise with any form of doc automation. I didn’t know there was something like this on the market till we took this class,” stated Reed. “We had an important expertise utilizing Clio Draft.”

Wilmes stated, “I’m going into oil and fuel litigation and conservation issues. We’re continuously drafting leases and agreements. Loads of instances, you’re nonetheless pulling up that older doc then going by it meticulously, ensuring you’ve made every change earlier than sending it off for the brand new consumer. I feel [document automation] is one thing that would save many hours for the attorneys that I work with.”

Reed, who plans to work primarily within the agricultural and equine industries, famous that there are plenty of contracts in these fields. Whether or not it’s for managing rights to livestock, crops, or leases, he desires to make use of some type of doc automation to make the method simpler. College students imagine that familiarity with quicker processes will assist them make the adoption pitch to senior attorneys in future work environments.

“You guys allow us to implement your program in regulation college,” stated pupil Brad Thimmesch, “so, though we received’t have plenty of say initially, we do know the expertise and the benefit of it. Having the ability to use [Clio Draft] at school could be very useful.”

When requested what are some methods they hope the authorized business continues to develop sooner or later, Reed stated,

“I hope [lawyers] notice that this sort of expertise might assist them.”