The Document Reality in UK Practice
UK solicitors spend substantial time on documents that follow predictable patterns. Engagement letters. Property forms. Standard contracts. Corporate resolutions.
Document automation can reduce this time by 70% or more. But it raises a question: Does using templates and automation meet SRA standards for competence?
The answer is yes—when implemented properly.
SRA Standards Framework
Principle 5: Proper Standard of Service
You must provide a proper standard of service. This includes accuracy, timeliness, and competence.
Document automation supports this by:
- Reducing human error in routine documents
- Speeding up delivery
- Ensuring consistency
Code of Conduct Paragraph 3.2
You must ensure your service is competent, delivered timely, and represents value for money.
Automation directly supports all three elements.
Code of Conduct Paragraph 3.5
You must supervise staff and ensure compliance with standards.
Automation assists supervision by creating audit trails and enforcing review gates.
What Document Automation Can Handle
High Automation Potential
Standard correspondence:
- Client care letters
- Standard advice letters
- Completion letters
- File closing letters
Transactional documents:
- Engagement letters
- Terms of business
- NDAs and confidentiality agreements
- Simple contracts
Property forms:
- TA6, TA7, TA10 forms
- Requisitions
- Standard searches
- Completion statements
Corporate documents:
- Board minutes
- Shareholder resolutions
- Standard filings
Lower Automation Potential
Complex drafting:
- Bespoke commercial contracts
- Settlement agreements with specific terms
- Court applications (though templates help)
Opinion work:
- Advice on complex matters
- Recommendations requiring judgment
The rule: Automate the predictable. Human judgment for the complex.
Building Compliant Document Automation
Template Development
Step 1: Source Quality Documents
- Start from your best existing documents
- Have experienced solicitors review templates
- Incorporate Law Society guidance where applicable
Step 2: Define Variables
- Identify what changes between uses
- Create input fields for each variable
- Build conditional logic for variations
Step 3: Legal Review of Templates
- Partner review of every template
- Ensure legal accuracy
- Check SRA compliance (costs disclosure, etc.)
- Document the review
Step 4: Version Control
- Track template versions
- Date and sign-off on each version
- Retire old versions explicitly
The Supervision Model
Document automation does not remove supervision—it changes what supervision looks like.
Traditional supervision:
- Review every document before sending
- Heavy time investment
- Variable quality
Automation-enabled supervision:
- Approve templates once (high investment)
- Light review of populated documents
- Consistent quality from templates
The key: Front-load the quality effort into templates.
Quality Control Process
Before document generation:
- Validate inputs are complete
- Check for inconsistencies
- Confirm matter type matches template
After generation:
- Solicitor review of output
- Check for generation errors
- Verify client-specific details
- Confirm appropriateness
Periodic template review:
- Quarterly review of all active templates
- Check for law changes affecting templates
- Update based on feedback and errors
- Re-approve after changes
Conveyancing Document Automation
UK conveyancing has specific document requirements. Automation can address:
Pre-Exchange
- Protocol forms (TA6, TA7, TA10, TA13)
- Title report generation
- Searches collation
- Mortgage offer summaries
Exchange to Completion
- Completion statements
- Requisitions on title
- Transfer deed preparation
- SDLT calculations
Post-Completion
- Registration application
- Post-completion letters
- File archiving documents
Key safeguard: Never auto-complete forms requiring professional judgment. Pre-populate where possible; solicitor confirms.
Commercial Work Automation
Corporate Transactions
- First drafts of share sale agreements
- Board minutes templates
- Disclosure letters (structure, not content)
- Completion agendas
Commercial Contracts
- Standard terms and conditions
- Service agreements
- Licensing arrangements
- Framework agreements
Key safeguard: Templates are starting points. Solicitor must tailor to specific transaction.
Measuring Automation Success
Efficiency Metrics
- Documents produced per hour
- Time per document type (before/after)
- Administrative time reduction
Quality Metrics
- Error rate in automated vs. manual documents
- Client amendments requested
- Complaints related to documents
Compliance Metrics
- Template review currency
- Supervision trail completeness
- Audit trail integrity
Targets:
- 50%+ time reduction for automated document types
- Error rate lower than manual process
- 100% supervision documentation
Common Implementation Mistakes
Mistake 1: Starting Too Broad
Trying to automate everything at once.
Fix: Start with 3-5 high-volume, low-complexity document types. Expand after success.
Mistake 2: Stale Templates
Templates created and never updated.
Fix: Build template review into quarterly compliance calendar.
Mistake 3: Over-Trust
Treating automated output as final product.
Fix: Maintain solicitor review step. Automation assists; it does not replace judgment.
Mistake 4: No Version Control
Multiple versions floating around, no one knows which is current.
Fix: Single source of truth. Explicit retirement of old versions.
Mistake 5: Inadequate Training
System available but staff do not know how to use it.
Fix: Training is part of implementation. Ongoing support for questions.
The Supervision Audit Trail
For SRA purposes, document your automation approach:
Template governance:
- Who approves templates
- When templates are reviewed
- How changes are controlled
Individual documents:
- Who generated the document
- What inputs were used
- Who reviewed before sending
- When it was sent
This documentation supports your response to any SRA enquiry about document standards.
LEXCEL Considerations
If pursuing LEXCEL, document automation supports:
Section 4.3: File management systems
Section 4.4: Document control
Section 5.2: Costs control and billing
Build automation with LEXCEL standards in mind for dual benefit.
The Bottom Line
Document automation for UK solicitors is about doing routine work faster and more consistently, not about removing professional judgment.
The SRA expects competent service. Automation helps deliver exactly that—when templates are properly developed, maintained, and supervised.
Start small, build quality into templates, maintain supervision, and expand based on results.