- Company: Brodies LLP
- Industry: Legal Services
- HQ: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Headcount: 950+
- Definely Solutions: Definely Draft, Definely Proof
For a law firm like Brodies, choosing the right review and risk tool is important. The firm needed a tool that supported lawyers’ workflows, integrated smoothly with existing systems, and could be adopted across the firm quickly. Brodies’ selection and integration of Definely has resulted in a partnership that now supports how the firm manages document risk and review.
Finding the right tool
Previous proofreading tools had proved slow, required frequent logins, and had become a source of frustration rather than reassurance. For Damien, who leads IT at the firm, the experience highlighted exactly what Brodies needed.
"A key requirement for the tool was that it should be easy to use, intuitive, and didn't get in the way of the workflow of colleagues who used it. When it comes to compliance and risk, you want to make it as frictionless as possible for people to do the right thing"
When Brodies began evaluating the market, Definely quickly emerged as a strong contender, easily meeting the requirement to be easy to use and intuitive. But as well as the functionality, there was the quality of the relationship and trust that developed during the evaluation process.
"Definely ticked a lot of the boxes for us. We were encouraged by the communication we had with Definely and the relationship that built over time. Building that trust and developing a rapport with the supplier gives you a good sense of how they will behave in good times and in bad, and if they will be a good partner for the firm as time goes on."
A smooth deployment under a tight timeline
Brodies wanted to move quickly, but the transition needed to allow for due diligence, testing, and governance; all of which Definely handled well.
Fiona, who leads learning and development at Brodies and was closely involved in the rollout, recalls the experience with some relief: "Selecting and deploying software isn’t always a smooth process. You need to coordinate and prepare all of the information and resources within the timescale to launch successfully".
Definely gave us everything we needed to sail through the process. Communication worked really well, and there were plans and backup plans in place. It was all really well organised, despite the short timescale."
Another lawyer at Brodies described the transition as “seamless”, saying that using Definely “feels like a significant upgrade”.
For Damien, the success of the deployment spoke for itself. "In terms of the deployment, it was smooth and we felt very supported. It was a straightforward pilot and test. No major issues came up, and anything that did was dealt with rapidly. We were able to move quickly, and bottlenecks were cleared quickly. It was a very easy deployment of the software, which isn't always the case."
The Microsoft 365 and Outlook integration worked without friction, and ongoing IT maintenance has been minimal, a clear indicator, as Damien puts it, that things are simply working as they should.
Building a culture of adoption
Getting a tool deployed is one thing, ensuring colleagues use it consistently is another matter, however. This is where the engagement of the Digital Skills team is crucial. At Brodies, Fiona led the charge on adoption, and the approach was deliberate from the start.
The rollout began with a pilot group in the banking and corporate teams - practice areas where the benefits of rigorous document checking were most immediately apparent. From there, it expanded to real estate and beyond, with the firm's Professional Development Lawyers (PDLs) playing a key role in championing the tool among their colleagues.
As Damien explains:
"What's been really helpful is to have our knowledge professionals advising their colleagues on using Definely rather than it being seen as an IT thing, which it isn't. It's a risk tool that is helpful for lawyers doing their job."
That framing proved critical. By positioning Definely as a risk and quality tool rather than a piece of software, Brodies was able to embed it into the firm's broader compliance culture. It now features in firm-wide induction, with all new starters required to complete a Definely module within their first three months of joining.
One lawyer who works at the firm told us: “As a lawyer who drafts a lot of legal documentation, software that can help eliminate drafting errors is particularly beneficial. It helps reduce our clients' risk exposure and that of the firm more generally. As legal professionals we strive for accuracy and Definely can help us to achieve this”.
The training materials provided by Definely were directly incorporated into Brodies’ own e-learning platform. As Fiona puts it: "Definely provided us with high quality training materials that we were able to use to quickly build our e-learning courses. It was brilliant, absolutely brilliant."
Ongoing support and continuous improvement
What distinguishes Brodies’ experience with Definely is not only the quality of the product, but also the ongoing support. Their Definely customer success manager, Jo Muir, has become a trusted extension of the team, proactively sharing usage reports, flagging new features, and working directly with PDLs.
"Jo regularly checks in. Clear, practical guides, short, snappy videos, webinar training, Jo has provided us with so much on the training side. If anything's going to change with Definely, I know she's going to reach out to me."
Definely usage reports have become a meaningful tool in their own right. By tracking usage by practice area, role, and specific feature, Brodies can identify where engagement is strong and where targeted intervention might make a difference.
The longer-term ambition is clear. As Damien explains: " Embedding Definely into our processes is important, so it becomes the default for any documents before they leave the firm. The more people use it and trust it, the more it becomes a default part of the workflow."
For Brodies, Definely is no longer simply a review tool. It has become an important part of how the firm supports document quality and accuracy, alongside a partnership the team values.
