The point is that word processing is an area of significant inefficiency for almost all law firms and legal departments. It should also be noted that the number of years spent using a particular word processor often has absolutely no correlation to the skill level developed. For example, it is common for even experienced Word and WordPerfect users to waste huge amounts of time wrestling with paragraph numbering and document formatting or manually performing tasks that word processors can perform automatically (and instantly) such as generating a table of contents, a table of authorities, cross references, footnotes and the like. In spite of its obvious importance, the majority of Word users only utilize a fraction of the functionality available simply due to a lack of instruction. Keeping UpĪn attorney’s stress level is often directly proportional to the length of his/her “to-do” list, and the majority of the “to-dos” are usually related to some type of document generation. Sloppy document formatting, typos and other mistakes cause clients to doubt their attorney’s competence, even if the document is substantively sound. In addition, document appearance creates a distinct impression with the client. Since efficient word processing significantly improves all three of these aspects, it can directly affect client relations. These opinions typically have little to do with the quality of the work and a lot to do with things like responsiveness, communication and the speed with which the work is completed. Notwithstanding this fact, there is no question that consumers of legal services form opinions about their attorneys. The reality of our profession is that clients are often unable to judge the quality of our work simply because they lack the necessary training.
In view of this, efficient use of the tool we use to create documents (Microsoft Word) is extremely important.
Even in practice areas where the document is not the final product (such as litigation), most of the work still involves creating documents. Benefits of Word Processor Efficiency for Law Offices Ultimate Tool for Creating Work ProductĪs you know, legal services are typically document intensive and often, the service rendered is the document itself (estate planning documents, purchase contracts, leases, etc.).
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