In Episode 5 of Sense of Identity, Dave Newick, CEO at Arken, on estate planning automation, the wealth transfer facing legal and financial services, and how COVID pushed law firms towards digital tools.
Dave Newick is CEO at Arken, which helps estate planning professionals automate documentation and improve efficiency. He is an experienced leader of SaaS and tech services businesses, with a track record of developing strategies and driving transformation and growth.
Estate Planning Automation and Legal Tech Adoption
Arken has worked on legal document automation since 1992, with online packages for wills, LPAs, estate planning, and trust documentation.
The aging baby boomer population is driving a significant wealth transfer that increases demand on legal and financial services professionals.
COVID-19 accelerated technology adoption in law firms, with younger professionals pushing for efficient tools and remote working capability.
Arken and Document Automation in Estate Planning
Dave Newick joined Arken to transform and lead the business after building and selling companies in New Zealand and moving to the UK for larger markets. His family history runs through Wales, Cornwall, and Scotland.
Arken helps legal professionals automate documentation and improve efficiency. Founded in 1992, it is one of the first legal tech companies in the UK. The firm provides online packages for wills, LPAs, estate planning, and trust documentation.
Its goal is to bridge legal and financial services, helping professionals manage rising demand. A major driver is the significant wealth transfer linked to the aging baby boomer population.
COVID and Technology Adoption in Law Firms
Law firms were already under pressure from probate volumes and efficiency targets before the pandemic. COVID then changed how quickly firms were willing to adopt digital working patterns.
"COVID has accelerated technology adoption. Law firms are now embracing digital tools, driven by younger professionals demanding efficient technology and the need for remote working solutions. This shift is vital for handling the increase in probate work and for overall industry efficiency."
"When document production moves online, firms still need secure ways to exchange sensitive client material with advisers, executors, and family members - not only inside the practice management system."
Paul Holland, Founder and CEO, Beyond Encryption (Mailock)
Leadership, Community, and Personal Reflection
During COVID, Newick wrote Things to Tell My Children, a book with 105 life lessons covering topics from success strategies to mental health. The project followed a personal health scare and became a way to connect with his children.
He has also been deeply involved in football in New Zealand and the UK. For Newick, sport has a powerful impact on communities, offering inspirational pathways and bringing people together as a way to teach life lessons and shape better individuals.
Choosing The Right Customer Channel?
Read our research on portals, logins, email, and post before deciding how customers should receive important documents.
Asked what he would tell his younger self, he would say not to limit ambition - that anything is possible with positivity, energy, and belief in oneself.
FAQs
Who Is Dave Newick?
Dave Newick is CEO at Arken. He moved from New Zealand to the UK for professional opportunities, built and sold businesses in New Zealand, and joined Arken to transform and lead the company.
What Does Arken Do?
Arken helps legal professionals automate documentation for wills, LPAs, estate planning, and trust work. Founded in 1992, it provides online packages and aims to bridge legal and financial services.
How Did Covid Affect Technology Adoption in Law Firms?
According to Dave Newick, COVID accelerated adoption of digital tools in law firms. Younger professionals pushed for efficient technology, and remote working needs made digital workflows more important for probate work and overall efficiency.
Paul, CEO and Founder of Beyond Encryption, is an expert in digital identity, fintech, cybersecurity, and business. He developed Webline, a leading UK comparison engine, and now drives Mailock, Nigel, and AssureScore to help regulated businesses secure customer data.
Paul Holland
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