NetDocuments has reported a remarkable 72% year-on-year growth in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, expanding its user base to over 20,000 legal professionals across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Japan. This expansion is largely attributed to the strong uptake of its intelligent document management system (DMS), which features embedded artificial intelligence designed specifically for legal professionals.
Regional Adoption
Law firms in APAC are increasingly opting for cloud-based DMS platforms to enhance productivity and workflow efficiency. NetDocuments offers AI-powered functionality such as the ndMAX Legal AI Assistant, which enables legal teams to extract insights from extensive document repositories and request document edits directly within Microsoft Word. The platform also includes ready-made AI applications for tasks such as document classification, contract analysis, and reviewing judicial trends.
Law Firm Perspectives
For many regional firms, the shift to NetDocuments is part of a broader transition towards digitalization and automation. McInnes Wilson, a law firm embracing AI to streamline workflow, sees alignment between its own digital strategy and that of its DMS provider.
“At McInnes Wilson, we are excited about using AI to improve our workflows and have an ambitious roadmap for implementation. Looking to the road ahead, NetDocuments’ AI strategy aligns with ours, and we can’t wait to start unlocking the benefits. Our focus is on making AI a natural and accessible part of everyday legal work through NetDocuments’ growing suite of AI tools. Together with NetDocuments, we’re committed to using AI in a safe, responsible, and trusted way that gives our clients confidence and helps our people work smarter,” said Robyna May, Chief Information Officer, McInnes Wilson.
Other firms have highlighted expanded features and increased functionality as key benefits following a switch to the system. Norman Waterhouse, another firm in the region, discovered that its adoption of the platform addressed multiple technical objectives at once.
“Originally, we were planning to upgrade our DMS as an isolated project – but then we realized that NetDocuments came with far more functions than we had expected, and we could therefore meet several tech goals with one project. The results so far have justified that decision, with the intelligent DMS immediately improving our lawyers’ workflows in multiple ways. We’re excited to see where else the integration could take us as we explore additional functions and apps,” said Frederik Schwim, IT Manager, Norman Waterhouse.
Emphasis on Security
Legal firms in the region also emphasize the importance of data security and compliance when deploying AI-driven tools. NetDocuments claims its systems keep client data secure and mitigate the risks associated with sharing documents with external AI products.
“Connectivity, compatibility, and security are paramount to us at McCullough Robertson, so we needed a DMS that could meet our high standards. NetDocuments gave us exactly what we were looking for. For all the excitement around AI, it naturally brings concerns about the seamless integration of our content and maintaining client confidentiality, but NetDocuments’ integrated approach cuts out the risks posed by sharing documents with external AI tools. With this confidence, we can continue to push at the forefront of innovation for the benefit of our people and our clients,” said Ron Dutta, Director of Information Technology, McCullough Robertson.
APAC Momentum
NetDocuments notes that the current pace of adoption in APAC reflects a broader appetite for legal technology that can automate routine tasks and allow professionals to focus more on strategic work.
“Legal technology innovation in APAC is thriving as firms look to embrace AI. It’s a pleasure to be able to work with so many innovative firms who share our Intelligent DMS vision. This approach is enabling firms to streamline legal workflows so that legal professionals can spend more time doing what they do best: serving clients,” said Jennifer Cathcart, Head of APAC Region, NetDocuments.
Note: This article is inspired by content from https://www.lawfuel.com/legal-ai-law-firm-use-of-ai-tools-sees-major-growth/. It has been rephrased for originality. Images are credited to the original source.