How does S Deatherage Law use technology to reduce legal costs?

Through document automation and AI-assisted review. A document automation platform enables standard agreements such as ground leases, letters of intent, SNDAs, and guaranties to be generated in 10 to 15 minutes rather than days, and AI contract review tools accelerate review cycles and produce consistent negotiation comments. Every output is reviewed by an attorney.

Which legal technology and AI tools does the firm use?

Gavel for document automation, Gavel Exec and Thomson Reuters CoCounsel for contract review, Thomson Reuters Practical Law Connect and Westlaw for research, DocuSign for execution, and Anthropic's Claude and Claude Code for research, analysis, and building applications used in the practice.

Is client information used to train AI models?

No. Client information is not used to train third-party models, tools are selected and configured with that requirement in mind, and no AI-generated output is delivered to a client without attorney review.

The Practice

Use of Technology and Artificial Intelligence

Technology such as document automation and artificial intelligence is used to provide more efficient legal services, in terms of both turnaround time and cost.

In brief: Document automation and artificial intelligence are used to provide legal services more efficiently — faster turnaround, greater consistency, and lower cost, with an attorney reviewing every output.

Document automation

Standard agreements can be generated from electronic documents, revised from queries that insert information into existing templates, rather than being marked up from the last transaction. The basic information can be gathered with software and the blanks filled in without human activity.

As Chief Legal Officer of an electric vehicle charging company, Scott implemented a document automation platform that enabled non-legal staff to generate ground leases, letters of intent, SNDAs, and guaranties in 10 to 15 minutes, reducing legal bottlenecks. The same process was applied to non-disclosure agreements, vendor agreements, consulting agreements, and other recurring commercial agreements.

Artificial intelligence in contract review

AI contract review software is used to accelerate review cycles, maintain consistency across similar agreements, and prepare negotiation comments efficiently. AI legal research tools reduce research time. Contract playbooks, AI clause drafting, review, and redlining are used as well.

All work generated by AI legal software is reviewed and approved by an attorney.

Anthropic's Claude is used for research, analysis, and drafting support, as well as for developing specialized software applications for use by the firm.

Applications built for the practice

Where existing products do not fit, Scott can construct his own applications. Using Claude Code he has developed applications for the firm's own work, including legal research and conflicts checking tools. Building rather than buying produces tools that match how the work is actually done and keeps client information within systems the firm controls.

Client information

Tools are selected and configured with client confidentiality and security in mind, and no AI-generated output is delivered to a client without attorney review.

Questions clients ask

Is an attorney reviewing my documents?

Yes. Automation handles assembly and first-pass review. Judgment, negotiation strategy, and everything delivered to a client are reviewed and developed by an attorney.

Does this reduce fees?

It reduces time billed on routine drafting and review and shortens turnaround time. On recurring work such as repeated use of letters of intent or leases, the time saved can be significant.

What if I do not want AI used on my matter?

It will not be used. Some clients have policies on AI use, and the firm implements those policies.