If I'm going to discuss reasons why you should invest in document assembly, it follows that I should discuss some less valid motives and approaches when investing in document assembly...

• You are going to purchase and install some software and reap massive returns on investment (especially when its only a couple of hundred per seat!).
• You are going to purchase and install some software, "learn" the product in a 2 day training course, and produce systems that will save your firm thousands of dollars per week.
• You are going to build a great system that will slash production times and increase quality, yet have no plan as to billing structures or fee arrangements to handle such a fundamental change in your practice.
  
• "Document Assembly" is "just documents" - its an overhead we have to absorb to "stay current". It really cant do anything for us except fill out court headings and signatures.  We should put any old secretary on that project.
  
• We're going to get this stuff, buy some off the shelf precedent form packages and away we go! (This works if you're not doing high volume or high complexity in a given area).
  
• You don't plan to dedicate any resources to it; one of our existing people can work on it "Part time" (This never works well. Ever.)
  
• "Documents" don't make me money therefore, document production is a cost and not revenue producing.
  
• Documents = secretary and/or you don't want to bother having an attorney (or other 'content knowledgeable' person) involved in the process.

Why invest in semi-expensive document assembly software if you do not plan to profit from it? If you don't plan to dedicate at least one staff resource to it, the chances are that your needs and what you envision getting out of document assembly could be achieved with MS Word mail merging, or perhaps the WP Macro language. Alternatively, some more sophisticated mail merges from a case management product may be beneficial. I am not saying that the above reasons should discourage you from looking at document assembly, but rather, if the above statements match your firm's approach, there are most likely cheaper, easier and more efficient approaches to achieve all of your goals.

Warning Not once have I seen the "part timer" get a good result. If you plan to "do document assembly" with just one person working at it part time, you are most likely wasting your money. Dedicate one person (or more) to document assembly and make it 100% of their job.  They will learn faster, get better results quickly and you will yield a better return on investment.  Unfortunately with this stuff, interrupted time is no time at all - development progress goes through the floor.  Dedicate and give yourself a real chance at making it an avenue for profit and efficiency.

Caveat I have seen law firms who invested heavily in document assembly, without a thought as to staffing & billing issues. This is a grave error for any firm intending to invest in document assembly with a view to increasing profit. Why cut the production time of lease by 75%, if your firm charges by the hour? There is some benefit as you will notice lower WIP write offs, but all you will have really done is lower the amount you charge per file, or perhaps re-allocate a support staff member.

If you are ever investing in document assembly with a view to high volume production, ensure you have a plan to cater to the result!