An HSF Kramer partner on optimising tech for real operational change

Ahead of his session at the highly anticipated Australian Law Forum – held on Thursday, 14 August 2025 – Michael Ziegelaar, partner and co-head of equity capital markets at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, said embracing automation must be a key priority for law firms.

“AI and automation are transformative tools helping free up time from manual and inefficient legal processes, so we can focus on delivering fresh thinking and impactful outcomes for our clients,” Ziegelaar told Lawyers Weekly.

“For example, AI-powered document review platforms can process and analyse multitudes of contracts, identifying key risks and obligations that inform our lawyers’ strategic decision-making.”

“Automation is also streamlining routine processes such as due diligence and compliance monitoring, allowing our teams to dedicate more time to complex legal challenges and client engagement.”

In fact, AI has the potential to save lawyers four hours per week while generating $100,000 in new billable time per lawyer annually, according to Thomson Reuters’ 2024 Future of Professionals Report.

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Reflecting on his personal experience integrating AI, Ziegelaar said that effectively optimising AI-powered technology has helped his team save countless hours and reduce financial burdens on clients.

“Recently, my team had to review hundreds of leases as part of the due diligence process on a recent deal – if conducted manually, this would have required countless hours of lawyer time and resulted in substantial costs for our client,” he said.

“We worked with the firm’s digital legal delivery and real estate teams to use an AI-powered contract review platform to streamline this high-volume, time-intensive task.

“Importantly, all AI-assisted outputs were reviewed by our legal team to ensure quality and legal rigour were maintained. Even with this layer of human oversight, the result was a significant gain in efficiency and cost-effectiveness for our client.

“These examples illustrate the adoption of AI and automation tools in legal practice.”

AI has already developed at a rapid pace, with the disruptive technology projected to continue transforming the traditional role of legal professionals globally.

“As these tools evolve and become more advanced, accurate and are integrated into legal workflows, we expect to see an even greater shift away from manual, repetitive processes towards data-driven, tech-enabled legal services that enhance client outcomes and drive firm-wide efficiency,” Ziegelaar said.

At the Australian Law Forum, Ziegelaar will join other panellists to delve into the practical operational impacts of effective technology optimisation.

“For legal professionals, technology becomes a true driver of operational change when it’s strategically embedded into legal service delivery – not just as a tool, but as a core enabler of value.

“Achieving this requires a shift from ad hoc adoption to the deliberate and thoughtful integration of legal tech into everyday practice,” he said.

“At Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, tech is purposefully integrated to enhance efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness.

“Our dedicated digital legal delivery practice group plays a pivotal role in fostering innovation across the firm, both advising clients on their own digital transformations and equipping our lawyers to leverage technology to deliver a more agile and client-centric legal experience.

“By aligning technology with client needs, we’re not just improving how we work, we are redefining what clients can expect from a modern law firm.

“As legal technology continues to mature, those professionals and firms that embrace its thoughtful integration will be best positioned to lead the next era of legal service delivery.

“By embedding technology into the heart of how we work, rather than treating it as an add-on, we can unlock new levels of efficiency and insight and deliver client value.”

To hear Michael Ziegelaar speak on embracing technology for true organisational change, come along to the Australian Law Forum.

The event will take place on Thursday, 14 August 2025, at The Star in Sydney. Click here to buy tickets.

To learn more about the event, including the agenda and speakers, click here.