Law firm embraces innovation without compromising rigour.

Duncan Cotterill | New Zealand | ~350 staff | Contented since 2025

The legal profession holds documentation to an exacting standard. It has to; missing a fact, overlooking an action point, or failing to capture what a client said has real consequences.

Before Contented, Duncan Cotterill's approach to meeting documentation was standard for the sector; a mix of transcription tools, dictaphones and manual note-taking. As partner Peter Fernando acknowledges: "It was a difficult process capturing everything."

Contented has transformed this process, and the benefits extend well beyond the end of the meeting. Structured, custom outputs are ready in moments. They're more comprehensive and accurate than manual note-taking produced, meaning the team's focus is now fully on delivering great client solutions, not documenting them. Work moves faster, follow-ups go out sooner, and clients get results quicker.

"Contented keeps momentum going. We've got the notes and actions, everyone understands the context, and we can just get on with it. That’s so valuable."

Adoption of the platform has spread quickly and organically across the firm. Contented's ability to understand the substance of legal conversations and contribute intelligent insights, not just notes, means it's used for client-facing meetings and formal investigations, as well as internal strategy sessions and meeting minutes.

"I'm surprised by the detail, context and flavour, as well as the accuracy and number of action points it can find."

Duncan Cotterill's adoption of Contented proves a traditional profession can embrace innovation without compromising rigour.

The standard didn't drop, it went up.

What does it mean for the organisation?

The gap between meeting and action has narrowed significantly. Ideas and action points from strategy sessions are circulated quickly with full context. Structured meetings have accurate formal minutes without an administrative lag. Client-facing meetings are better documented, with nothing slipping through in complex multi-party discussions. For the employment law team, formal investigation interviews that previously required a dictaphone and manual transcription now get accurate, complete transcripts in moments. 

What does it mean for the client?

Clients get an adviser who is fully present in the conversation, not distracted by note-taking. More practically, they get faster outcomes. Comprehensive summaries and action points are ready immediately after meetings, so work moves forward without the delays that previously came with manual write-up. That turnaround makes a tangible difference to how quickly clients get the solutions they came for.

What does it mean for the individual?

Post-meeting administration that previously consumed significant time now takes care of itself. Comprehensive summaries, accurate action points and full context are ready immediately after the meeting. When work is delegated to someone who wasn't in the room, they receive not just the task but the reasoning behind it.

"I would be disappointed if we had to go back. I would know the difference in comprehensiveness that I was missing out on."

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