Start hereAI Readiness Assessment + Policy
- Partner & staff interviews
- Risk/opportunity memo and 90-day roadmap
- Custom AI policy and draft consent language for your attorneys’ review
Starting at$1,500
AI consulting · Central New York
Shining a light on AI for small law firms.
Put AI to work in your firm, compliant by design.
Practical, supervised AI for law firms with 10 or fewer attorneys across Central New York: set up safely, documented with Part 161 and the ethics rules in mind, and taught to your whole team.
The problem
Your staff is probably using AI already. Often in the dark.
Generic consumer tools, no written policy, and no training: it’s a common picture at small firms, and it’s easy to fix with the right setup.
- 3.0 hrs
billed in an average 8-hour day (38% utilization). Admin work eats the rest.1
- 71–75%
of solos and small firms already use AI, often generic consumer tools.2
- 55–57%
of those firms have no written AI policy.2
- 54%
of firms have given no responsible-AI training.3
What changed
The rules have caught up.
Since June 1, 2026, 22 NYCRR Part 161 requires the attorney to carefully review any court paper and independently ensure it contains no fabricated cases or statutes.4
ABA Formal Op. 512 ties AI use to competence (Rule 1.1), confidentiality and informed consent (Rule 1.6), and supervision of staff and outside vendors (Rules 5.1/5.3).5
Most small firms don’t have the time to sort this out, and the vendors selling them AI aren’t the ones who will.
How it works
A compliant-by-design AI setup, one step at a time
Step 1: Assess & set policy
Review your workflows and tools, then deliver a written AI use policy and approved-tool list for your attorneys to review and adopt.
Step 2: Implement
Configure business-grade tools inside the systems you may already use.
Step 3: Train
Hands-on, role-based sessions for attorneys, paralegals and front desk.
Step 4: Support Optional
An optional, ongoing “AI desk”: tool updates, policy refreshes, new-hire onboarding and quarterly reviews.
Packages
Clear starting points
Every engagement is quoted as a fixed fee after your consult, scaled to your firm’s size.
BuildImplementation Sprint
- 3 to 5 workflows, e.g. AI intake and drafting templates
- Configuration and testing
- Written procedures, including a Part 161 verification checklist
Starting at$4,000
TeachTeam Training Workshop
- Half-day, hands-on, by role
- Safe prompting and confidentiality
- Verification drill and attendance log for supervision records
Starting at$750per session
Optional add-onMonthly AI Desk
- An ongoing resource, added when you want it
- Office hours and quick answers
- Vendor and tool updates
- Policy refreshes, new-hire onboarding and quarterly review
Starting at$400per month
Fixed-fee quotes scaled to firm size, provided after your consult. No surprise hourly bills.
About Docketlight
Right here in Central New York
Docketlight is a Central New York consultancy that helps small law firms put AI to work safely. We set up business-grade tools, write the policies and checklists your attorneys review and adopt, and train your whole team, with Part 161 and the ethics rules in mind from day one.
Docketlight is a woman-owned business led by a certified paralegal with nearly 20 years in Central New York law offices, so we know how a small firm actually runs. We’re not lawyers and don’t give legal advice: your attorneys review everything and make the final calls.
In person, in your office. Based in Central New York and serving small firms across the region. Nearly 20 years inside local law offices, not a remote help desk.
Governance first. Business-tier tools that don’t train on your data, signed data terms, and human review on everything.
Confidentiality built in. An NDA with every firm, least-privilege access, no client data on our devices, and walls between competing firms.
Independent advice. Recommendations fit your firm, and any vendor relationship is disclosed up front.
Works alongside your IT provider on the AI layer they don’t cover.
FAQ
Questions, answered plainly
How do you protect client confidentiality and respect the ethics rules?
Every engagement starts with an NDA. We use least-privilege access, keep no client data on our devices, and maintain walls between competing firms. We recommend business-tier tools that don’t train on your data, with signed data terms and human review on everything.
The setup is designed around the duties ABA Formal Op. 512 highlights (competence, confidentiality and informed consent, and supervision of staff and vendors) and New York’s Part 161 review requirement. Your attorneys remain responsible for professional-conduct compliance and make the final calls.
Are you a lawyer? Do you provide legal advice?
No. Docketlight is not a law firm. We provide technology consulting, implementation and training, and we do not provide legal advice or ethics opinions. Policies, checklists and consent language are operational templates for your attorneys to review, adapt and adopt. Read the full disclaimer.
Will we have to change the software we use?
Generally no. The work focuses on configuring business-grade tools inside systems you already use, such as Clio, MyCase and Microsoft 365, alongside your existing IT provider.
How is pricing set?
Each package lists a “starting at” price, and the Monthly AI Desk is an optional add-on. After your consult you’ll receive a fixed-fee quote scaled to your firm’s size. No surprise hourly bills.
What do we get from the free consult?
In 30 minutes we’ll look at how your firm uses AI today, spot the quick wins and the biggest risks, and you’ll leave with clear next steps, whether or not we work together.
Shining a light on AI for small law firms.
Book a free 30-minute AI Readiness Consult
We’ll look at how your firm uses AI today, spot the quick wins and the biggest risks, and you’ll leave with clear next steps, whether or not we work together.
Email us to scheduleTell us your firm’s size and a few times that work. Please don’t include confidential client information.
- Contact
- Docketlight
- Serving
- Law firms with 10 or fewer attorneys across Central New York
- Consult
- Free, 30 minutes, no obligation