Regional Family Firm Cuts Consent Order Drafting by 85%
A 3-lawyer family law practice in regional Northern NSW uses Quillio to draft Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia consent orders — reducing drafting time from 3 hours per matter to 25 minutes while maintaining FCFCOA format accuracy across 40+ matters a month.
What they were trying to solve
The firm was fielding a steady stream of separation and property-settlement matters but the principal was personally drafting every set of consent orders, dictating into a template and handing it to a paralegal for reformatting. Turnaround stretched to 2-3 business days, and client chase-ups were taking another hour a week. Engaging a drafting paralegal in town was not realistic on the firm's cost base.
Why Quillio
Quillio was rolled out to the two non-principal lawyers first, with the principal staying on dictation for a fortnight so the firm could compare drafts side-by-side. Quillio draws on s90UF and s79 precedent language, uses FCFCOA Rule 10.06 consent order structure, and drops the draft directly into the firm's matter file in LEAP.
Implementation
The principal ran a 2-week side-by-side trial: 8 matters drafted both the old way and via Quillio, compared line by line against the FCFCOA consent orders kit. The firm then rolled Quillio out across all consent order work in week 3. Training was a single 40-minute session.
Measurable outcomes
From initial intake notes to first draft ready for principal review
From 8-10 to 35-40 consent order drafts weekly
Less reshaping needed on the first draft
Previously 2-3 business days from intake to draft
Every set of orders accepted by the registrar on first filing
"I was genuinely sceptical — I've drafted consent orders the same way for 18 years. But the first drafts out of Quillio are in the FCFCOA format I'd use myself, and my clients are getting same-day turnaround now. That's the part that matters to them."
How it works in practice
Family law consent orders drafting, property-settlement analysis, and s60I certificate tracking across FCFCOA matters.
What they avoided
Hiring an additional drafting paralegal or outsourcing drafting work offshore — both options the principal had costed and rejected on supervision and data-residency grounds.
Case study FAQs
Does Quillio file the consent orders with the FCFCOA?
No — Quillio produces the draft orders and supporting affidavit material. Filing through the Commonwealth Courts Portal remains a solicitor task, which keeps the practitioner firmly in control of what is lodged.
How does Quillio handle property settlement calculations under s79?
Quillio works from the asset and liability schedule the firm provides, applies the s79(4) factors the practitioner specifies, and produces a draft adjustment range with reasoning. The principal signs off on the final percentage split.
Is client data leaving Australia?
No. Quillio runs on Australian-hosted infrastructure with SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certifications. Separation and property matters never leave AU data centres.
What happens when the matter is contested rather than by consent?
Quillio still drafts the initiating application, the financial statement, and the affidavit in support — the firm reported similar time savings on contested matters, though partner review time is naturally longer.
Does Quillio integrate with LEAP?
Yes. The firm uses LEAP and Quillio reads matter documents from the LEAP matter file and writes drafts back to the same matter, so there is no second system to manage.
Run the same pilot.
If your practice is drafting consent orders by hand, start a free trial and run the same side-by-side comparison this firm did.
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