Sydney-based business process automation company Checkbox is partnering with PwC Australia to broaden the latter’s legaltech offering.

The agreement promises to allow PwC Australia NewLaw customers to access Checkbox’s document and workflow automation capabilities through its no-code platform, helping in-house legal departments optimise their processes and accelerate their digital transformation programmes without needing any technical skills.

Mike Sheehy, partner at PwC NewLaw and former Telstra general counsel, said: “Workflow automation is a critical element for in-house legal departments’ legaltech journeys, resolving headaches in managing contracts, triaging enquiries from multiple stakeholders, fulfilling reporting requirements and efficiently communicating with the business.”

Sheehy, who joined PwC to set up its Australia new law arm in 2019, added that Checkbox is the firm’s first strategic business process automation partner, noting that the business has the right cultural fit and that their values are strongly aligned.

PwC’s Adelaide-based Skilled Services Hub can also help in-house teams design and deliver automated process using the Checkbox platform.

Founded in 2016, Checkbox secured $1.77m in angel investments two years later. Its clients include Telstra, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Air New Zealand.

CEO Evan Wong said: “The biggest challenges that organisations face during digital transformation is not just how to use new technologies, but everything that comes before and after digital tools are deployed. PwC NewLaw have expansive capabilities from ideation workshops, process design and change management, through to the ongoing expansion and maintenance of those services, plus governance and best practice models that make this an extremely robust partnership.”

Other Big Four firms have been forging partnerships with tech providers to strengthen their digital transformation services. In the UK, Deloitte’s tax unit, Deloitte Tax, this month partnered with Thomson Reuters to help corporate tax and legal departments with digital transformation and digitally-enabled strategies to keep pace with global compliance and regulatory demands.

In September, Deloitte Legal’s German business teamed up with German boutique firm Frommer Legal to launch a specialist firm focused on defending companies against class action lawsuits, drawing on Frommer’s cloud-based legaltech platform JUNE.

Meanwhile, back in February KPMG struck a deal with US legaltech company SirionLabs to help improve the way in-house teams manage their contracts. 

Some firms have also been tapping the Big Four for digital transformation talent. In February, US alternative legal services provider UnitedLex hired five ex-Big Four execs to bolster its digital transformation offering.

Earlier this month PwC Australia NewLaw launched a new law firm advisory service after absorbing legal consultancy CXINLAW.