Workflow Automation

Stop doing manually
what should happen automatically.

Every firm has processes. Most firms run them through email reminders and sticky notes. MatterFirst's automation engine turns your processes into rules — if this happens, do that. No code. No consultants. Just results.

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Encrypted at rest and in transit Australian data residency Hosted on AWS No lock-in contracts Guided setup available Your data exportable on request

Last reviewed

What is legal workflow automation, and do you need a developer for it?

Legal workflow automation turns a firm's repeated processes into rules: when something happens on a matter, the system does the next step. MatterFirst builds these in a visual trigger, condition and action builder with no code, and logs every run, so a practice manager can create and audit them without a developer.

What an automation is made of
Part Count Examples
Triggers, what starts it 11 Matter created, status changed, document uploaded, key date approaching, task completed
Conditions, when it should fire Composable Matter type, client, stage, field value, so different work follows different paths
Actions, what it does 12 Assign a task, send an email, create a document, update a field, notify someone, create a calendar event
Run log, what happened Every run What fired, when and why, for compliance and for debugging why something did not

Why MatterFirst

What you get when you switch.

Rules your whole team can read

  • Visual rule builder. Drag-and-drop triggers, conditions, and actions. Build automations in minutes that would take a developer weeks.
  • 11 trigger types. Matter created, status changed, document uploaded, key date approaching, task completed — and more.
  • 12 action types. Assign tasks, send emails, create documents, update fields, notify team members, create calendar events.

If this happens, do that — built in minutes, not sprints.

Control and proof at every step

  • Conditional logic. Add conditions so automations only fire when they should. Different workflows for different matter types, clients, or stages.
  • Step-by-step workflows. Build visual, multi-step workflows that guide your team through every matter type — from open to close.
  • Audit trail included. Every automation run is logged. See what fired, when, and why — for compliance and debugging.

Automations fire only when they should — and every run is logged.

What this actually does

MatterFirst automations are built in a visual rule builder with triggers, conditions and actions, so a practice manager can create one without a developer, and every run is logged for compliance.

The run log records what fired, when and why. Build an automation against your own matters during a seven-day guided trial and read back its history.

7 days

guided trial shaped around how your firm works

4 integrations

Xero, Stripe, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, plus PEXA set up with you

100%

of your data and AI processing stays in your chosen AWS region

MatterFirst is a legal practice management platform for Australian law firms, built by NorthCape Technology, covering matters, documents, trust accounting, billing and a client portal, with data hosted in the AWS region the firm chooses.

It suits firms with repeatable matter types, where the same twelve steps happen on every file, which is where the payback is largest. It is a weaker fit for practices whose matters are each bespoke, though even there the reminder and task-assignment triggers earn their keep.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a developer to build automations?
No. The visual rule builder lets you drag and drop triggers, conditions, and actions — no code and no consultants. Automations that would take a developer weeks are built in minutes.
What can trigger an automation?
There are 11 trigger types, including matter created, status changed, document uploaded, key date approaching, and task completed.
What actions can an automation take?
There are 12 action types: assign tasks, send emails, create documents, update fields, notify team members, create calendar events, and more.
Are automation runs logged?
Yes. Every automation run is logged, so you can see what fired, when, and why — for compliance and debugging.
Can I use MatterFirst for non-legal workflows?
Absolutely. MatterFirst is built for law firms but works for any workflow-driven professional services business — accounting, financial planning, mortgage broking, HR consulting.
Where is my data stored?
In the AWS region your firm chooses. Sydney (ap-southeast-2) is the default for Australian firms. Matter data, documents and Document AI processing all stay in that region: documents are not moved to another region to be OCRed or analysed.
How much does MatterFirst cost?
Pricing is per workspace rather than per seat, starting at $149 per month for Solo. Each plan includes a set number of users, a monthly pool of Document AI credits, the client portal and automations. Extra users are billed only past the included seats. Full plan inclusions are on the pricing page.
Can I get my data out if I leave?
Yes. Your matters, contacts, documents and time records are exportable on request, and there is no lock-in contract. We would rather you were able to leave and chose not to.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, a seven-day guided trial on Solo, Practice or Firm. It is guided rather than self-serve because a practice management system tells you very little until it has your real matters in it, and we would rather help you load them than leave you looking at an empty workspace.
Who builds MatterFirst?
NorthCape Technology, a Melbourne-based software company. MatterFirst is built in Australia for Australian legal practice, which is why trust accounting and Xero are first-class rather than regional add-ons, and why PEXA and InfoTrack are on the roadmap rather than absent from it.
Is MatterFirst suitable for a firm of my size?
It is designed for solo practitioners up to firms of roughly twenty seats. Below that, Solo carries the full platform for one user. Above it, the platform works but you should expect to talk to us about migration and rollout rather than signing up online.

Let the busywork run itself.

Build your first automations in an afternoon — no code, no consultants, and an audit trail on every run.

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