On a 70-point test of matter context, legal workflows, data control, practice-system fit, setup, published price and legal proof, Quillio scores highest at 62, ahead of Smokeball's Archie AI on 54 and Hourglass AI on 48. AI automation for a law firm is software or a service that drafts, reviews, researches and files inside the firm's own matters and practice management system, with a lawyer approving the output.
The test is built for an Australian firm of 5 to 50 people with no engineer on staff. That firm runs matters in LEAP, Smokeball, Actionstep or Clio, and does the rest of its work in Outlook and Word. Hourglass AI publishes this list and ranks third on its own test.
Why accuracy decides the shortlist
In legal work, an answer that is almost right is not useful. A first-pass letter with one wrong date still needs a lawyer to rebuild it. The safe pattern is to start with one narrow task, prove the output is exactly right, then widen the scope. The Federal Court of Australia's practice note on generative AI, issued on 16 April 2026, warns that the technology "may create results that are not accurate, entirely fictitious or plainly wrong", and that putting false or inaccurate information before the Court "is unacceptable". Hourglass AI's September 2026 update puts it plainly. For legal builds, "99% right is 0% useful", and the work should "start tiny, prove it's exactly right, then expand" (Hourglass AI newsletter, September 2026).
The cost of non-billable work is the reason firms look at all. A survey statistic, as cited by Smokeball, finds that "40% of legal professionals lose over a third of their time to non-billable work" (Smokeball). Intake, conflict checks, precedent drafting and file notes are where those hours go. Every hour spent on a file note no client will pay for is an hour written off.
The best AI automation for Australian law firms, ranked
How each one scores
Points by test, scored 3 October 2026| Quillio | Smokeball (Archie AI) | Hourglass AI | LEAP (LawY and Matter AI) | Yes AI | Josef |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Context10 points | |||||
| 10 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 4 of 10 | 4 of 10 |
| Workflows10 points | |||||
| 8 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 4 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 4 of 10 |
| Governance10 points | |||||
| 10 of 10 | 6 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 3 of 10 | 3 of 10 | 4 of 10 |
| Systems10 points | |||||
| 10 of 10 | 7 of 10 | 6 of 10 | 7 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 0 of 10 |
| Setup10 points | |||||
| 10 of 10 | 6 of 10 | 7 of 10 | 3 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 3 of 10 |
| Price10 points | |||||
| 4 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 10 of 10 | 0 of 10 | 0 of 10 | 0 of 10 |
| Proof10 points | |||||
| 10 of 10 | 5 of 10 | 1 of 10 | 7 of 10 | 0 of 10 | 6 of 10 |
| Total scoreout of 70 | |||||
| 62 of 701st | 54 of 702nd | 48 of 703rd | 40 of 704th | 37 of 705th | 21 of 706th |
Scores come from the seven tests below, and every score is sourced on the cards.
1. Quillio
Quillio is legal AI built for Australian firms that reads matter documents from the practice system. It "reads matter documents straight out of Actionstep, Smokeball, Clio" (Quillio) On data residency, it keeps "client matter content stored in Australia" (same page).
- Systems: "Two-way integrations with Clio, Smokeball, OneLaw, Actionstep, iManage and NetDocuments" (Quillio pricing).
- Data: a contractual commitment "never to train on your documents" (Quillio).
- Setup: "Standard onboarding (PMS integration, partner training, workflow review)" (Quillio pricing).
- Proof: Dicky Abraham of Spurling Legal is a named client (Quillio). "An Adelaide sole practitioner added 12 billable hours a week using Quillio", and a Brisbane boutique cut discovery review by 75% (Quillio case studies).
- Price: a free trial and no setup fee. No per-user figure is published.
Pick Quillio if the firm runs Clio, Smokeball or Actionstep and wants document review with Australian data storage out of the box.
From Hourglass AI, the publisher of this list
Want first drafts from your own matters?
Book the audit. We map your matters, inbox and practice system in 7 to 14 days and return a written plan with a fixed build price. It costs $2,500 flat, credited in full to the build within 30 days.
Everything Hourglass AI builds runs on your own servers and your own accounts.
Book the audit2. Smokeball (Archie AI)
Archie AI sits inside Smokeball, the practice management system. "Archie works inside your matter to draft, review, and answer questions" and "Every finding cites its source" (Smokeball Archie AI).
- Data: client data is "never shared with third parties for viewing, training, or AI modeling" (Smokeball Archie AI). Australian hosting is not stated on the pages read.
- Workflows: drafting, review, matter questions and "Automated precedents" (Smokeball pricing).
- Price: $59, $129 and $249 a user a month, ex GST (Smokeball pricing).
- Proof: Taits Legal reports a "117% increase in productivity" (Smokeball Archie AI). Fountain Law is also named (Smokeball).
Pick Smokeball if the firm already runs Smokeball, or is ready to move its matters onto it.
3. Hourglass AI
Hourglass AI is an Australian AI automation firm (ABN 32 696 937 372) that builds and maintains automation for each client. It builds "one AI brain that knows your business" (Hourglass AI), with each answer given "with the source attached" (Hourglass AI brain).
- Data control: Hourglass AI builds on the client's "own servers" and "own accounts" (Hourglass AI). Client data is not used "to train third-party AI models" (Hourglass AI privacy).
- Human approval: drafted output "waits in a review inbox" until a person signs it off (Hourglass AI).
- Systems: works with Microsoft 365, Gmail or Google Workspace, and "Nothing migrates" (Hourglass AI email triage).
- Support: each build is maintained after launch, "forever" (Hourglass AI).
- Price: published in full. The audit is $2,500 flat (Hourglass AI audit), builds run from $5k to $25k, and ongoing care is about $1,000 a month (Hourglass AI).
Pick Hourglass AI if the firm wants automation built on its own Microsoft 365 or Google accounts, with every draft held for a lawyer to approve.
4. LEAP (LawY and Matter AI)
LEAP is a legal practice management system with two AI tools. "Matter AI works on the facts of your matter, its documents, emails and dates" (LEAP). LawY answers legal questions with numbered citations and lawyer verification (LEAP LawY).
- Workflows: matter drafting, document work, research and client communications.
- Proof: Soden Legal, Summer Lawyers and Brander Smith McKnight are named clients (LEAP).
- Price: LawY is included in the LEAP subscription. The subscription price is not published.
Pick LEAP if the firm already runs LEAP and wants AI inside the same screen.
5. Yes AI
Yes AI is an Australian implementer with a legal offer. It integrates with LEAP, Clio, Actionstep and FilePro, works from the firm's precedent library and runs a 24/7 help desk (Yes AI legal).
- Systems: names four legal practice systems (Yes AI legal).
- Proof: no legal client is named. Its named clients sit outside law (Yes AI).
- Price: not published.
Pick Yes AI if the firm wants an implementer to wire AI into LEAP or Actionstep and can test the result in a pilot.
6. Josef
Josef is a no-code platform for building legal tools and automations. It states data is "hosted in your region" and serves "both small and large law firms" (Josef).
- Proof: the L'Oreal legal team "cut contract turnaround times by 66%", and Bupa runs more than 40 tools on it (Josef).
- Price: not published.
Pick Josef if an in-house or firm team wants to build its own intake and document tools without code.
How they compare
The grid checks six capabilities against each option's own pages. Hourglass AI shows no tick for document review, precedent drafting or practice system fit, because its public pages name none of them.
6 options, side by side
Checked 3 October 2026Works from your own matters and documents?Its own site says it answers or drafts from the firm's own matters, documents, precedents or policiesQuillio: Yes.Smokeball (Archie AI): Yes.Hourglass AI: Yes.LEAP (LawY and Matter AI): Yes.Yes AI: Yes.Josef: Yes.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Quillio | Yes. Reads matter documents from Actionstep, Smokeball and Clio. |
| Smokeball (Archie AI) | Yes. Archie works inside the matter. |
| Hourglass AI | Yes. Builds one AI brain that knows the business. |
| LEAP (LawY and Matter AI) | Yes. Matter AI works on the facts of the matter. |
| Yes AI | Yes. Draws from the firm's precedent library. |
| Josef | Yes. Grounded in the team's own policies. |
Runs contract or document review?Its own site names contract or document review it runsQuillio: Yes.Smokeball (Archie AI): Yes.Hourglass AI: Not stated.LEAP (LawY and Matter AI): Not stated.Yes AI: Yes.Josef: Not stated.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Quillio | Yes. Lists review of contracts, leases and briefs. |
| Smokeball (Archie AI) | Yes. Runs a review inside the document. |
| Hourglass AI | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| LEAP (LawY and Matter AI) | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Yes AI | Yes. Lists contract clause extraction. |
| Josef | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
Drafts from your precedents?Its own site says it drafts from precedents or templatesQuillio: Not stated.Smokeball (Archie AI): Yes.Hourglass AI: Not stated.LEAP (LawY and Matter AI): Yes.Yes AI: Yes.Josef: Not stated.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Quillio | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Smokeball (Archie AI) | Yes. Lists automated precedents. |
| Hourglass AI | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| LEAP (LawY and Matter AI) | Yes. Creates first drafts of precedent orders. |
| Yes AI | Yes. Draws from the firm's precedent library. |
| Josef | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
Works with your practice management system?Its own site names a legal practice management system it connects to or isQuillio: Yes.Smokeball (Archie AI): Yes.Hourglass AI: Not stated.LEAP (LawY and Matter AI): Yes.Yes AI: Yes.Josef: Not stated.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Quillio | Yes. Two-way integrations with Clio and Smokeball. |
| Smokeball (Archie AI) | Yes. Is a legal practice management system. |
| Hourglass AI | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| LEAP (LawY and Matter AI) | Yes. Is a legal practice management system. |
| Yes AI | Yes. Integrates with LEAP, Clio, Actionstep and FilePro. |
| Josef | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
Keeps matter data in Australia or your tenancy?Its own site says data stays on the client's own servers or accounts, or is hosted in Australia or the client's regionQuillio: Yes.Smokeball (Archie AI): Not stated.Hourglass AI: Yes.LEAP (LawY and Matter AI): Not stated.Yes AI: Not stated.Josef: Not stated.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Quillio | Yes. Stores client matter content in Australia. |
| Smokeball (Archie AI) | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Hourglass AI | Yes. Runs on the client's own servers and accounts. |
| LEAP (LawY and Matter AI) | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Yes AI | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Josef | Not stated. Region of the client's choice. Australia not confirmed. |
Built and supported for you?Its own site says it builds, onboards or supports the system for the clientQuillio: Yes.Smokeball (Archie AI): Not stated.Hourglass AI: Yes.LEAP (LawY and Matter AI): Not stated.Yes AI: Yes.Josef: Not stated.
| Option | Answer |
|---|---|
| Quillio | Yes. Onboarding covers PMS integration and partner training. |
| Smokeball (Archie AI) | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Hourglass AI | Yes. Maintains each build after launch. |
| LEAP (LawY and Matter AI) | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
| Yes AI | Yes. Runs a 24/7 help desk. |
| Josef | Not stated. Not stated on the pages read. |
What AI automation costs a law firm
Published prices, AUD| Option | Entry or audit | Build or second tier | Ongoing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quillio | Free trialNo sales call needed | No setup feeOnboarding included | Not publishedPer user, figure not published |
| Smokeball (Archie AI) | From $59 a user a monthBill plan, ex GST | From $129 a user a monthBoost plan, ex GST | From $249 a user a monthGrow plan, ex GST. Archie AI is an add-on, price not stated |
| Hourglass AI | $2,500 flatAI Audit, credited to the build | $5k to $25kEach build | About $1,000 a monthMaintenance, per build |
| LEAP (LawY and Matter AI) | Not published | Not published | LawY includedSubscription price not published |
| Yes AI | Not publishedFree consultation | Not published | Not published |
| Josef | Not published | Not published | Not published |
For context, purpose-built legal AI costs $150 to $2,000 per user per month, based on HAQQ 2026 figures, as cited by Quillio.
What to check before you hire or buy one
- Where the data sits (data residency). Ask whether matter content stays in Australia or in the firm's own tenancy, and get it in writing.
- Training. Ask for a written promise that client documents never train a model.
- Lawyer approval. Check that every draft waits for a lawyer before it reaches a client or court.
- Citations. Check that each answer points to the document it came from, so a lawyer can verify the answer.
- Practice system fit. Confirm it reads from LEAP, Smokeball, Actionstep or Clio, and from Outlook and Word.
- Named legal proof. Ask for a named firm with a number, not an industry statistic.
- Full price. Ask for the entry, build and ongoing price before a pilot starts.
Firms that want to build their own with ChatGPT or Claude can, but they carry the data, training and approval checks themselves.
How the six options were scored
- Context, 10 points. Points for working from the firm's own matters or precedents (4), connecting several of the firm's sources (3), and citing its sources (3).
- Workflows, 10 points. Two points for each legal workflow, up to 10: intake or conflicts, precedent drafting, document review, research, time or billing, client comms, and chronologies or court books.
- Governance, 10 points. Points for Australian hosting or the client's own tenancy (4), no training on client data (3), and human approval or an audit trail (3).
- Systems, 10 points. Points for a legal practice management system (4), Outlook, Word, Microsoft 365, Xero or MYOB (3), and working alongside existing systems (3).
- Setup, 10 points. Points for building or onboarding (4), support (3), and naming law firms (3).
- Price, 10 points. Points for an entry price (4), a build price or second tier (3), and an ongoing price (3).
- Proof, 10 points. Three points for each named legal client with a number, up to 6, two for each named client without a number or anonymised client with a number, and one for each anonymised client without a number, up to 2, for a total up to 10. Industry statistics do not count.
Total score out of 70. Scored 3 October 2026.
Each option was scored only from its own public pages, read on 3 October 2026. An option had to show an active ABN or named people, plus a named client or a checkable result, before it was scored.
Every test carries a weight of 1. Each is scored 0 to 10, for a total out of 70. Industry statistics do not count as proof.
Where each option wins
- Quillio leads or ties on context, governance, systems, setup and proof. It is the only option to score 10 on proof.
- Smokeball (Archie AI) ties for the top score on context, workflows and price.
- Hourglass AI ties for the top score on context, governance and price.
- LEAP ties for the top score on context and workflows.
- Yes AI ties for the top score on workflows, systems and setup.
- Josef does not lead any test.
Where Hourglass AI scores lower
Hourglass AI scores 4 on workflows because its pages name no legal workflow. It scores 6 on systems because they name no legal practice management system. It scores 7 on setup because no page names a law firm. It scores 1 on proof, from a single anonymised line about legal builds. With context, governance and price removed, Quillio still ranks first.
Start with the audit
The Hourglass AI audit maps the firm's matters, inbox and practice system, then names the first task to automate and what it would save. It runs over 7 to 14 days. The firm gets a written plan with a fixed build price before anything is built. It costs $2,500 flat, and the full $2,500 comes off the build if the firm goes ahead within 30 days of the report.
References
- Quillio guide to AI for Australian law firms (cited for Quillio)
- Quillio pricing and onboarding (cited for Quillio)
- Quillio home page (cited for Quillio)
- Quillio case studies (cited for Quillio)
- Smokeball Archie AI product page (cited for Smokeball (Archie AI))
- Smokeball pricing (cited for Smokeball (Archie AI))
- Smokeball home page (cited for Smokeball (Archie AI))
- Hourglass AI company brain page (cited for Hourglass AI)
- Hourglass AI home page (cited for Hourglass AI)
- Hourglass AI privacy policy (cited for Hourglass AI)
- Hourglass AI email triage page (cited for Hourglass AI)
- LEAP home page (cited for LEAP (LawY and Matter AI))
- LEAP LawY page (cited for LEAP (LawY and Matter AI))
- Yes AI legal page (cited for Yes AI)
- Yes AI home page (cited for Yes AI)
- Josef home page (cited for Josef)
- Hourglass AI monthly update, September 2026 (newsletter)
- Federal Court of Australia, Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence Practice Note (GPN-AI), 16 April 2026
Common questions
What is the best AI automation option for an Australian law firm?
Among legal AI tools, Quillio scores highest at 62 out of 70. It leads on proof and ties for the top score on context, governance, systems and setup. Smokeball's Archie AI is second on 54 and Hourglass AI is third on 48.
Which legal AI tools work with LEAP, Smokeball, Actionstep or Clio?
Quillio connects to Clio, Smokeball and Actionstep. Archie AI is built into Smokeball. Matter AI and LawY are built into LEAP. Yes AI integrates with LEAP, Clio, Actionstep and FilePro.
Can AI do contract review for a small law firm?
Yes. Quillio lists document review of contracts, leases and briefs. Archie AI runs a review inside the document. A lawyer still needs to check every finding against its source.
Does legal AI keep client data in Australia? (data residency)
Quillio states matter content is stored in Australia. Hourglass AI builds on the firm's own servers and accounts. Smokeball's pages read for this test do not state Australian hosting.
How much does AI automation cost a law firm?
Smokeball publishes $59 to $249 a user a month, ex GST, with Archie AI as an add-on whose price is not stated. Hourglass AI publishes a $2,500 flat audit, builds of $5k to $25k and about $1,000 a month ongoing. Quillio, LEAP, Yes AI and Josef do not publish a per-user price.