Will and Estate Planning Automation: A Practical Guide for Law Firms

Wills and document automation is one of those use cases that sounds obvious but quickly gets complicated if not approached carefully. The old joke is that by the time you’ve finished automating, you’ll need one yourself.

When done well, automation can produce a solid basic Will – or even a more complex one – with a significant amount of the legwork already sorted, helping you get to the client-specific details faster.

But it’s not just a matter of finding the square brackets and starting automation.

Here are some practical considerations we’ve picked up at echo.legal, from helping law firms successfully automate Wills and estate planning documents.

1. Define your goals and stick to them

Start by defining what kind of Will you’re looking to automate. Many firms begin with a “basic Will”, but that can mean different things to different people.

Example questions to ask:

• Is it limited to individual Wills, or do you need mirror Wills too?
• What level of estate complexity are you willing to include?
• Are trusts or other assets within scope?

Starting with the right Will and having everyone clear on what the first release will entail is key to launching. As the project progresses, there will be a natural inclination to add more; resist this urge where possible. It can always be done later!

2. Design the right questionnaire flow

Whether your Wills are being prepared by a lawyer, paralegal, or even a client via an online portal, the underlying questionnaire needs to be intuitive and intelligent.

You’ll need to:

• Anticipate common decision points (e.g. appointing guardians, residuary clauses)
• Include fallback logic (e.g. what happens if a beneficiary predeceases the testator?)
• Use plain language, especially in the guidance, that works for the end user, even if that’s an assistant or junior lawyer

Start with the biggest decisions that impact the most content. Once the questionnaire framework is in place, further questions can be added to resolve the detail of the included content. This approach helps minimise reworking both the questionnaire and the associated document templates later on.

3. Tailor to the largest client demographic you service

There’s often a temptation to automate the most complex version or accommodate high-profile edge cases. Just because your largest client needed a trust for their labradoodle doesn’t mean it’s worth automating provisions for it.

Adding too many permutations can make your first version overly complex, harder to test, and slower to launch.

Start with a tight scope that addresses your most common use cases. Prove the value. Then expand based on real use.

Think about your client demographics and what the most frequent requests are. These should guide your focus in the early stages.

Ready to get it right?

At echo.legal, we’ve helped multiple law firms navigate Will and estate planning automation, from initial scoping to launch and ongoing improvement. If you’re considering automating your Wills, or have started and hit a few bumps, get in touch. We’d love to help you get it right the first time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Will and estate planning automation?
A: It’s the use of legal software to streamline the drafting, management, and delivery of Wills and related documents.

Q: Is Will automation suitable for complex estates?
A: It can be but bear in mind that the end result will be a unique document, focus your automation on the common decision points and leave the bespoking to traditional drafting methods

Q: How do law firms get started with automating Wills?
A: Start by defining the Will type you want to automate – high use and high standardisation are the key points to look for. Then build a questionnaire to cover key decisions and edge cases, starting narrow and scaling as you go.

Q: Can clients use Will automation tools directly?
A: Yes. Many firms provide client-facing portals, but the back-end needs smart logic and plain-language guidance suitable for all users. These are usually limited to more straightforward Wills.

Q: How long does a Will automation project take?
A: A focused, well-scoped project can launch in a few weeks. Broader implementations with complex logic or integrations may take longer.