[blindLaw] Increasing Efficiency in the Workplace

[Julie A. Orozco]

Hi everyone,

 

I hope the following question makes some sense. I have just started my first
real attorney job out of law school. Although I'm enjoying the work and
learning a lot in general, I'm also finding that my methods for doing
research and completing work just don't seem as efficient as maybe I thought
they were in law school. I am open to any suggestions you might have, but
here are a few specific questions to start.

 

How do you avoid going back after you've written your memo or whatever and
citing everything? When I do my research, I don't know which quotes and
ideas will be helpful, and I don't want to pin-cite the entire case,
especially if it's 30 pages. But going through later to find citations feels
like such a drain on my time. 

 

If you have a lot of research to do, and you don't need to read everything
in a case to find what you want, how do you skim for it? I've thought of
using the find command, going through the case to find headings, and just
tracking the thread of the case to see when the relevant issues will be
discussed. But I'm open to other strategies too. 

 

When I read cases, I like to brief them because otherwise, I'll never
remember them later if I don't. One of my colleagues suggested that might
not be a good use of my time. Is briefing cases not a thing outside of law
school? How else do people keep track of what they've read. I read so much
every day that I'll never remember it all and put it in the correct context
if I don't take notes in some way. I've also found that taking notes and
summarizing things in my own words helps me process and comprehend what I
read. But maybe there's something I'm missing? 

 

 

Maybe this is because I started law school during the pandemic, or maybe I
just didn't learn everything I could. (I was never on journal or anything
like that.) But I wish I had better strategies for tracking research,
citations, and skimming through very long cases for the right information. I
use Jaws, just received a Mantis Braille display through my job, and don't
have any issues with accessibility at present. I'm proficient with all my
technology but not a tech master or anything. 

 

Thanks for any suggestions. I am so grateful for my current position and
really want to do well where I am. 

 

Julie