A survey by by research firm Gartner found that nearly 85% of organizations have increased their investment in automated customer experience (CX) technology. But what types of tasks are best suited for robotic process automation (RPA)—especially in legal services?  

For law firms, automation should enhance—not replace—personal relationships with clients. The goal is to streamline processes while reinforcing trust and delivering high-quality service. That’s where legal products (like these firms have), including client-facing document automation, come into play. These tools allow firms to improve efficiency while maintaining a strong client connection.

In this article, we’ll highlight the client-facing tasks best suited for automation and offer practical tips for implementing RPA in a way that keeps your firm competitive and client-focused.

The right tasks for client-facing automation

Many client-facing tasks are ideal for RPA when they enhance your ability to onboard and serve clients efficiently—without sacrificing the personal connection that builds trust and loyalty.

1. Automation for client intake, acquisition and retention

Client onboarding and retention are prime areas for robotic process automation (RPA). Tasks such as processing, prioritizing, and routing email, phone, and chat inquiries can be automated to ensure that each potential client reaches the right attorney or practice group quickly.

Other RPA-friendly tasks include creating and updating client profiles in a client relationship management (CRM) system. These automations enhance overall service and streamline the client experience. That’s critical—studies show that up to 80% of clients place a high value on excellent service when choosing where to do business.

Client-facing document automation is especially valuable for retention. It allows you to generate polished work product—whether it's visible to the client or held for attorney review—more quickly and consistently. Since March 2020, 75% of lawyers have considered automating at least part of their intake process. Automating this process into templates and form documents can save time and cost for both you and your clients.

Examples of documents suited for automation include:

• Presentations and client correspondence
• Litigation filings
• Family law documents (e.g., divorce agreements)
• Trust and estate planning forms
• Court papers
• Transactional documents (e.g., incorporation filings, financing agreements)

2. Using RPA to improve response times to clients and communication

Timely communication is a cornerstone of client satisfaction. RPA can help you respond more quickly to client inquiries—fielding messages at all hours and across time zones, rather than being limited to standard office hours. This is especially helpful for new client leads.

For existing matters, RPA allows you to generate document sets or revisions with speed and precision, enabling faster turnaround times on client deliverables.

RPA also improves outbound communication. You can automate personalized reminders for calls, court appearances, and deal closings, enhancing service in everything from family law to complex transactions. This is critical—studies show that up to 70% of clients will stop working with a business after receiving poor service.

3. Automation of client collaboration

Client collaboration often requires ongoing information exchange. Client-facing document automation tools streamline this process by guiding users through interviews and generating tailored document sets.

This can include:

• Electronic signature forms
• Litigation documents
• Transactional agreements that evolve over time with client input

RPA helps facilitate this back-and-forth efficiently and securely, keeping both sides aligned and informed.

4. Reduced errors through automation

Accuracy is essential in legal work, particularly in matters involving financial calculations or detailed agreements. Unfortunately, manual drafting is prone to error—especially when producing high volumes of multi-page documents.

Client-facing automation helps reduce these risks by standardizing outputs and minimizing human mistakes. This improves quality, saves time, and builds client trust. As studies indicate, nearly 65% of customers will switch providers if they experience low-quality service—underscoring the value of accuracy in client-facing processes.

How to automate without sacrificing personal client service

So how do you automate the right way—especially when it comes to client-facing tasks? Two guiding principles should lead your approach:

1. Automation should improve your client service.
2. Automation should help you build and deepen person-to-person relationships.

To ensure your automation efforts are aligned with these principles, define your goals and measure outcomes. Track ROI through metrics such as cost savings, new client leads, client acquisition and retention rates, revenue growth, and client satisfaction.

Here are three practical tips for doing it right:

1. Use RPA to support, not replace, your client relationships

Automating client-facing tasks should never mean eliminating personal interaction. The most effective automations, like client intake forms or document generation workflows, are designed to free up your time so you can focus on building deeper relationships with your clients. RPA is there to handle the repetitive tasks, not to take your place.

2. Use RPA to support, not replace, your responses

Automation can significantly improve your response time to client inquiries. But it’s not meant to substitute thoughtful, hands-on legal advice. Let automation handle the early steps—such as data collection, initial triage, or message routing—so you can respond faster and more effectively with real, substantive help when it matters most.

3. Use RPA to be in two places at once (at least initially)

One of the biggest benefits of client-facing RPA is its ability to keep your practice moving while you're busy elsewhere. For instance, while you're meeting with one client, RPA can field inquiries from others, gather preliminary information, or walk clients through guided interviews that generate key documents automatically.

With tools like client-facing document automation, clients can interact with your legal workflows at their convenience—even after hours and across time zones. This allows you to serve multiple clients simultaneously and scale your practice more efficiently, especially in small or solo firms.

The bottom line: When used strategically, client-facing automation enhances nearly every aspect of service delivery. Just remember: the goal isn’t to replace the human touch—it’s to strengthen it.

Gavel is a no-code platform that helps you build document automation and legal products.  Schedule a call with a member of the Gavel customer success team here to learn more about how you can set up powerful client-facing RPA through document generation workflows, without using any code.