AI, Probate, and the Future of Legal Software: Why Specialisation Matters

After helping hundreds of law firms adopt new technology, one pattern stands out: they want to implement the latest technology, but rarely have the time for setup or training. As a result, they often end up using only a small fraction of what their software can do. This is especially true for general case management systems, which promise flexibility but require firms to invest a lot of time in customisation before they truly become useful.

Practice area-specific software will transform how law firms operate. Over the past decade, the legal tech landscape has shifted dramatically, moving from clunky, on-premise systems to cloud-based solutions that are more accessible, scalable, and efficient. This shift has laid the foundation for a new wave of specialised tools designed to streamline specific areas of law, such as probate. Thanks to advancements in AI, these tools are now not only feasible but also economically viable for law firms of all sizes.

The core advantage of practice area-specific tools is that they come ready to use. Unlike general case management software, which requires firms to configure custom fields, workflows, and templates, specialised tools already know exactly what needs to be gathered. For example, in probate, the key documents, wills, death certificates, estate inventories, are consistent across cases. By structuring software around these predefined needs, firms can get up and running faster, with minimal setup and training.

This structured approach doesn’t just save time; it also makes potential AI capabilities much more effective. When every firm sets up custom fields differently in a general system, it becomes difficult to train AI models that can reliably identify missing information or flag inconsistencies. However, when a practice area-specific tool knows exactly what data should be present, AI can provide far more accurate feedback. A key early application of AI in Simple Probate has been cross-referencing estate data with key documents, such as the will and death certificate, to identify things like missing beneficiaries or determine if an affidavit of testamentary capacity is required.

Practice area-specific software enhances rather than replaces existing case management systems. An open ecosystem can allow specialised tools to feed data into a firm’s central system, keeping everything linked to the firm's billing, reports, and other practice areas while optimising accuracy and productivity, and closing product gaps.

Ultimately, the rise of practice area-specific software isn’t just about better technology, it’s about making legal work easier, more accurate, and more scalable. As AI continues to evolve, the firms that embrace these tools will be able to operate with leaner teams, provide better client service, and spend more time on high-value legal work rather than administrative tasks. The shift is already happening, and those who take advantage of it now will be best positioned for the future.