Best Practices for Law Firm Digital File Management

This guide by our digital office specialist, Allison Gibson, provides best practices for law firms of all sizes and applies to most practice areas.

As law office organizing specialists, we’ve see a lot when it comes to case management and file management. One of the most common challenges can be putting your hand on a critical document immediately, when you need it, without wading through several files.

File Naming in the Digital Law Office

Most office now have a system for incoming documents: they’re scanned, logged, and dropped into the right digital file. Sometimes, however, file naming conventions aren’t met by the entire team or, guidance is needed on file naming best practices.

Step 1:

In advance, decide on the file naming convention that works best for your practice area.

Step 2:

Document the file naming rules and publish them along with your file structure requirements.  Place a copy of your file naming rules in every digital new client template folder.

Step 3:

Use these Guidelines:

• Include the date in a predetermined format (e.g., August 23, 2016 = 160823 or 2016-08-23) for chronological searching

• Include relevant dates (e.g., the date executed, created, identified, received, signed, etc.)

• Use abbreviations (e.g., EXE = Executed, DEPO = Deposition, DISCO = Discovery, etc.)

• Identify documents, if stamped, e.g., FILED, ISSUED, RECEIVED, etc.

• Include the matter number OR the case name (Johnson-v-Smith)

• Don’t use special characters.

• Avoid using spaces. But, if you do, the spaces should be consistent every time they’re used.

Here’s an example of how an incoming signed fee agreement would be named:

2021-08-23_M089456-B_FEE-AGREEMENT_EXE-by-Johnson.pdf

When filing the document digitally…

• Tag the file to include the client’s last name, the type of document and even the matter number, if you wish.

• Use descriptive names in subfolders. If necessary, include a very concise description of the file (i.e., for correspondence).

File Folder Structure and Organization

Organize folders by client name AND either the matter or case number, and the date the file was opened.  Another method includes the lawyer’s name or a numeric indexing system, but this is not recommended here as it provides too much room for error and lacks descriptive text.

Folders: High Level Structure Example

1. ARCHIVES

2. CLIENT FILES

3. CLOSED CLIENT FILES

4. DECLINED

Client Files Structure - Subfolders 

After the file structure is established, create an empty template of the folders which can be copied quickly for new cases.

Numbering:

Use double digit numbering for all of the primary folders so that they appear consistently in every tree. For example:

01-Admin

02-Attorney Notes and Research

03-Billing and Expenses

Inevitably, some matters will require a special folder that’s not a part of the template, so it needs to stand out. Numbering the special folder “00” for example, will put at the top of the directory and draw attention to it.

Document Index:

If you generate large volumes of documents for matters, consider incorporating a master file index spreadsheet into your subfolders. Although it will take a couple of minutes longer to log new documents into the spreadsheet, it will be an invaluable time saver when attempting to locate specific documents with specific information, especially when a matter has become complex and involves numerous documents. (I’ll provide a sample of the file index in a another post.)

File Tagging:

Consider adding tags to Word documents and PDFs. Tags are often read by practice / case management software when imported, and tags will give you more specific search terms.

Here’s our favorite example of client files structure from RocketMatter.com, which I’ve modified to include other key items, such as instructions and a file index.

CLIENT FILES

• [client name]

  • [matter name]

    1. 1. ADMIN

       • File naming and structure guidelines - Place these digital file management instructions - or your own - inside this folder

       • Intake checklist

       • Opening file checklist

       • Contacts

       • File Index

       • Other examples: labels, etc.

    2. 2. ATTY NOTES AND RESEARCH

       • Handwritten notes from client consults

       • Research (statutes, cases, etc.)

    3. 3. BILLING AND EXPENSES

       • Capture invoices, receipts, etc. here.

    4. 4. CLIENT DOCS

       • Any documents obtained from the client, including electronic copies of original client documents.

    5. 5. CORRESPONDENCE

       • All letters, faxes, emails, phone transcriptions/logs

    6. 6. COSTS

       • All costs that may be recoverable by your client

    7. 7. DISCOVERY & EVIDENCE

       • One separate folder for each independently represented party(ies)

       • Within each party’s folder is the discovery propounded by that party and the responses thereto

       • Evidence

       • Depositions

There is a separate folder for each deposition, containing the notice/subpoena, correspondence regarding the depo, examination outlines, exhibits, etc.

1. 8. DRAFTS

   • All draft documents remain in this folder until filed, submitted or sent

   • Final documents, whether created electronically, or printed and scanned, go elsewhere in this structure.

   • Mostly MS Word docs. Use file linking to attach to other relevant docs.

2. 9. PLEADINGS

   • All documents that are filed with the court

   • Should all be in PDF format

   • Should not be any MS Word docs

3. 10. RETAINER

   • Agreements

4. 11. TRIAL PREP

   • Many items in this folder will be duplicates but will be easier to locate quickly by placing them together in a trial prep or trial folder.

   • Copies of all documents that may be used as evidence at trial, including charts and timelines

   • Subpoenas

   • Signed “on-call” agreements.

   • Court information – court directory, research about the court, special court rules and procedures, and judge’s preferences

Download Best Practices for Law Firm Digital File Management.

About the Author

Allison Gibson provides administrative consulting and focuses on leveraging software technology to streamline and automate workflows and procedures.

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An Efficient Filing System Makes an Efficient Lawyer

Law firms: Losing billing hours looking for files? 

Increase your billable hours and put your hands on your documents when you need them with these quick and easy tips

This week I am going to address a setup for litigation files, and quick and easy tips on retrieving documents before they are filed.

An effective and efficient filing system is often underestimated in its importance and establishing a reliable filing system is crucial. Accessing files easily and finding documents on short notice is important to a lawyer and/or law firm.

Everyone has his or her own filing system and/or methods but once you select the system or method you want to use, it is extremely important that you stay consistent with it.

Here are just a few quick tips on establishing an efficient filing system.

LITIGATION FILES: 

These are just some examples of litigation files you may want to create, or customize to your preference. Having files broken down into categories saves a lot of valuable time.

• Accounting
• Correspondence (General)
• Correspondence (Client)
• Correspondence (with Attorneys)
• Pleadings
• Deposition Summaries
• Motions
• Discovery
• Medical Records
• Evidence
• Client Documents
• Investigation
• Legal Research
• Notes and Miscellaneous

ROUTINE:

Keeping the filing current in a law firm is a necessity.

FILE CLERKS: 

Depending on the size of the firm, having a file clerk (or file department) in charge of the upkeep of files would be beneficial. Even if you are a small firm, hiring a part-time file clerk would be very valuable to the firm.

TEMPORARY FILING:

In between filing, alphabetically place the documents in an expandable file folder (folder suggestions are referenced below). Remove duplicate copies. This way a document will be in either one or two places—the expandable file folder or the file itself. The secretary usually has one, you might want to utilize an expandable file in your office by placing the document in it until you are ready to work on the case. At least you or your secretary will be able to locate the document.

Bottom line, you want to avoid wasting your valuable billable time by shuffling through a stack of papers in order to find one document. Having a temporary location and/or individual file categories will make a world of difference!


RECOMMENDED FILE SORTERS:

1. Staples Heavy Duty Expanding Files (Legal) A-Z Index
2. Smead® Desktop File Sorter A-Z
3. Oxford® All Purpose Pressboard Sorter

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I personally recommend the Heavy Duty Expanding sorter (with the open top).
 

This is re-post from July 2010 of a popular article for law offices from our previous blog, The Law Office Organizer, by Pamela Mims.