3 Tips to Organizing Legal Files
Organizing a legal office is a daunting task for any person to take on alone. The first step is to not overwhelm yourself. Do not rush and try to do all of at it once. Pace yourself and set small daily goals. These tips should help the process and take away the stress.
Clear It All Out
You must de-clutter the mess before you organize. Doing this will help you see exactly what you have. When you begin the process, set up different piles. Avoid creating too many, or else you may end up unable to remember what-is-what. Use just three, or maybe four. If you have duplicates of a document, meaning more than two, toss them out.
Sort It Out
Once the office and its documents are in piles, now is the time to carefully sort through each document. This part can seem heavy, but once you get the hang of it you will be able to decipher what you do and don’t need, and the process will speed up. Keep in mind that your office desk should only have files that pertain to the ongoing cases you are working on. Anything outdated should be kept in a folder out of sight.
Organize It
This is the important part. The first thing you need to do is take all the outdated files and other documents that don’t belong on the desk and put them where they need to be. Make sure to make a mental note of where you are placing these documents.
When you focus on the piles of documents currently on the desk, ask yourself the following questions:
- When was the last time I referred to this?
- Is this information I can access quickly on the internet?
- Does it relate to my current case?
From there you should be able to truly narrow down your documents. Anything that does not truly pertain to the cases you are working on do not belong on your desk. Those files should be filed away in their appropriate places.
Helpful Tip
Use the ASP Legal Tabs to appropriately name each document. They have legal tabs, index tabs that will make the process of organizing court papers, legal briefs, depositions and business documents faster and easier. Click here for more information.