This Just In: The Paperless Law Office

Benjamin Yale’s The Paperless Law Office: A Practical Guide to Digitally Powering Your Firm is one of our new arrivals at the law library. Although most of you reading this blog may not have your own law practice yet, reading this book will give you some good ideas on how to fashion your own practice when the time comes. You will be ahead of the game because you will not have to deal with the lengthy process of converting the entire practice over to digital files.

Yale argues that removing paper from the office will make law practices more efficient and cost effective by removing distractions and adding flexibility. Having a desk covered with paper can take one’s attention away from the task at hand by causing one to think about everything else that needs to be done. In a digital office, these distractions would not exist because in order to see any of these documents on the to-do list one has to consciously decide to open a file. Furthermore, having a digital practice allows one to spend less time in transit because it is not necessary to be at the office to access documents and complete work. Yale believes that using pdfs is key in creating this more focused and flexible work environment. In addition, the author discusses innovative software such as OneNote and CaseMap, the pros and cons of using cloud-based storage, and tips on privacy and email etiquette.

This book can be found on the new arrivals bookshelf near the circulation desk under the call number KF 318. Y35 2012.