HotDocs integration

The client

MinterEllisonRuddWatts is one of New Zealand’s leading full-service law firms. They service clients across a broad range of industries and are required to draft a high number of commercial contracts daily.

The problem

Historically, the firm has used HotDocs Classic to fulfill its document automation requirements. However, there were several major issues with this solution:

• Duplicate files across multiple disparate data stores – The workflow of HotDocs Classic did not inherently encourage users to store generated documents on the corporate Document Management System, leading to different versions of documents residing in different places, including on local workstation hard drives.
• Lack of integration – Key data from various internal systems needed to be manually copied and pasted into the document automation system.
• Aging product – HotDocs Classic is a legacy product with a limited road map (gradually being replaced by HotDocs Advance).

The solution

MinterEllisonRuddWatts approached LawHawk (NZ) for guidance on migrating their legacy templates from HotDocs Classic to Advance, who in turn contacted ProLegalTech to develop a new system that solves the above issues using HotDocs Advance at its core.

Their requirements:

• Develop a portal to track the creation and management of contracts, and other legal documents, through the document automation process, using integrated HotDocs Advance interviews.
• Develop custom plug-ins that seamlessly integrate matter specific data from other back-office systems into HotDocs interviews.
• Automatically upload the generated documents to the iManage DMS, to enforce the desired single source of truth model.