Every experienced lawyer has this priceless asset — and most mismanage it!

If you generate legal documents, your brain is your most valuable asset. Your second most valuable asset is the archive of documents you’ve already created.

Yet even the most seasoned lawyers are usually mismanaging their document library. Think about it — your existing contracts, the very backbone of countless legal dealings, are often hard-to-find, underutilized, buried in folders, or managed inefficiently.

If you’ve ever said “This reminds me of that contract we wrote for so-and-so in 2019” and then gone spelunking through your file system… you know what I mean.

The Problem with Traditional Document Management

For many legal professionals, their document library is simply a collection of Word documents stuffed into various folders. When it’s time to draft a new contract, the typical process involves sifting through these folders, opening a relevant document, and performing the cumbersome 'Save as...' dance. Next comes the painstaking task of manually redacting information specific to the previous client and updating the document to suit the new one. This process is not only slow but fraught with potential for error. (And super-embarrassing when clients ask “Who’s Jill Turtleton, and why is she in my contract?”)

Some forward-thinking lawyers have attempted to streamline this process by turning their documents into basic templates. They may even have a ‘Templates’ folder. They replace specific client information with placeholders like [CLIENT NAME] or simple underlines to make documents ready for reuse. Yet, even with this system in place, replacing all these placeholders manually is a tedious and error-prone effort. Additionally, gathering new client details often requires sending out emails with lists of questions or conducting time-consuming interviews.

AllDrafts: Transforming Your Document Library

AllDrafts is a word processor designed specifically for contracts, and it helps turn document libraries into treasuries. Copy an existing contract to the clipboard and paste it into AllDrafts. You can then redact all personal information—names, addresses, dates, and monetary amounts—in a single operation. Every proposed redaction is presented as a redline for complete transparency, and after looking through the list you can execute them all at once, turning your contract into a template.

Once the personal details are replaced with empty fields, AllDrafts employs artificial intelligence to intelligently label these fields and generate an intake questionnaire. This questionnaire can be kept inline in the document, for use only by you and your team, or shared directly with clients, streamlining the fact-collecting process. You can optionally set up the questionnaire to be publicly accessible via a link on your website, enabling clients to submit their information directly. Each submission generates a new draft contract, tailor-made to the client's needs and ready for your review and revision—and then e-signature and billing!

Transform Your Library Into a Treasure Trove

With AllDrafts, what once took hours can now be done in seconds. You can quickly turn any existing contract into a smart template, converting your entire library of documents into a powerful resource for accelerated drafting. This transformation not only enhances your efficiency but also ensures that you’re fully leveraging your document library.

Conclusion

Every experienced lawyer has a treasure in their document library, yet it's often hidden under layers of inefficiency and outdated practices. By embracing tools like AllDrafts, you can unlock the full potential of your document library, turning it into a dynamic asset that enhances productivity and serves clients more effectively. It’s time to stop mismanaging your most valuable asset and start utilizing it to its fullest potential.