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About This Automation
An engagement letter and retainer agreement formalizes the scope, fees, and terms of a new legal matter before work begins. Manually running conflict checks, drafting terms, routing approvals, and chasing signatures delays the start of billable work and invites errors.
An automation runs the conflict search, drafts the letter with the correct scope and fee terms, and manages the signature and invoicing steps through to a signed, filed agreement. This shortens the time between client acceptance and the start of paid work.
Key features:
Runs an automated conflict check against existing matters and parties
Drafts the engagement letter with the correct scope, fee, and retainer terms
Routes the draft to a supervising partner for review before sending
Sends the letter for e-signature and follows up automatically if unsigned
Generates the retainer invoice once the letter is signed
Files the signed agreement and opens the matter record automatically
The issues teams report most often with this process
#
Friction point
Companies Report This
1
Manual conflict check errors
Searching past matters by hand risks missing a conflict of interest.
80%
2
Drafting from scratch each time
Attorneys spend time rebuilding language instead of reusing standard terms.
67%
3
Slow partner approval loop
Draft letters wait in a queue for the supervising partner to review.
53%
4
Unsigned letter follow-up
Paralegals must remember to check status and chase clients manually.
40%
5
Delayed retainer invoicing
Billing only starts once someone notices the letter has been signed.
26%
DisclaimerAll data is based on anonymized FullSpec mapping sessions and proprietary industry research. Learn more
Automation readiness
How well-suited this process is for automation
Process Pain Score™Manual conflict checks and drafting delay billable work and invite errors.
9.2/ 10
AI Fit Rating™Conflict checks and standard drafting follow predictable, rule-based patterns.
8.6/ 10
Automation Lift Index™Automation cuts turnaround from days to same-day signed letters.
8.2/ 10
Hidden Overhead™Manual follow-up on unsigned letters creates ongoing context switching.
6.4/ 10
How The Automation Works
The full workflow, from trigger to completion.
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1. New Engagement Request Receivedtrigger
A new matter marked accepted starts the workflow automatically.
2. The automation Runs Conflict Check And Drafts Letter
The automation searches existing matters and parties for conflicts and drafts the engagement letter using the correct scope, fee, and retainer clauses.
3. Letter Populated
The drafted terms are inserted template ready for review.
4. Partner Reviews And Approves Draft
The supervising partner gets a link to review fees and scope before it is sent out.
5. Letter Sent For E-Signature
The approved letter is sent to the client automatically.
6. Reminder Sent If Unsigned
If the letter is not signed within three days, a reminder email goes out without anyone tracking it manually.
7. Retainer Invoice Generated
Once signed, a retainer invoice is created and sent automatically.
8. Signed Agreement Logged And Matter Opened
The signed letter is filed and the matter is opened, ready for billing and work to begin.
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Gmail