SHAREPOINT

Document Management in SharePoint

Adding a New Case Subsite to SharePoint

Adding a New Case to the Case List

Adding Users to SharePoint Groups

Changing the Case Site Template

Billing for SharePoint Document Review

SharePoint Help Center (Microsoft)

TECHNOLOGY

Configuring GOJO Computers

Firm Standard Word Templates

Replacement of Firm Website During Trial

PRACTICE

Case Planning

Document Analysis

Drafting Written Discovery Requests

Rule 30(b)(6) Depositions

Preparing Witnesses for Deposition

Trial Equipment Checklist

Client Complaints

WORKFLOW

Getting Things Done (GTD) Summary

Training Checklists and Activity Sets

Calendaring From Incoming Items

Daylite Management

PROCEDURES

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Our Standard Word Templates

Formatting Requirements

Firm Standard Word Templates

Installing and using our standard document, letterhead and memorandum templates.
TEMPLATE DOWNLOAD LINKS:
Downloading and Installing Templates
  1. Close Word.
  2. Click on the menu above to download the Global, Memorandum and Letterhead Template(s).
  3. Click anywhere on your desktop to switch to Finder.
  4. Hold down the [OPTION] key while clicking “Go” on the top menu bar, then click Library.
  5. Click Group Containers → UBF8T346G9.Office → User Content → Templates.
  6. Delete all old, unused templates from the Templates folder.
  7. In a new Finder window, open your Downloads folder.
  8. Drag your newly downloaded templates from Downloads to Templates.
    Remove version number from Normal.dotm: The new version you just downloaded may have a version number added to the title. This will prevent the new template from serving as the Global Template. If so, rename the new version Normal.dotm with no version number.
  9. Click Replace when the dialogue box appears.
  10. Open Word and test your templates.
Inserting a Table of Contents
  1. At the bottom of the caption, click Insert → Break  → Section break (next page).
  2. At the top of the page following the caption (the first page of Section 2), type “Table of Contents” in small caps and center it.
  3. Position your cursor below the title you just added.
  4. Click References on the ribbon.
  5. At the far left side of the ribbon, click Table of Contents.
  6. Scroll down to the bottom of the menu that appears and click Custom Table of Contents.
  7. Make sure that From template is selected.
  8. Click OK and check the format of your new table of contents. (Don’t forget to update the table if you change the text of the brief.)
  9. In the footer of Section 2, change the page numbering for the newly inserted section to lower case roman numerals.
  10. Check the box for Different first page for the section containing your tables of contents and authorities.
  11. Beneath your tables of contents and authorities, click Insert → Break  → Section break (next page).
  12. In the footer of the main section of the brief, change he page number format to numerals beginning with 1.
  13. Uncheck the Different first page box for this main section of your brief.

Introduction

Use our standard Word templates for all pleadings, correspondence and memoranda in accordance with our formatting requirements, which are explained here. Our templates contain keyboard shortcuts that let you quickly select properly formatted heading and paragraph styles. This will ensure that all documents you create comply with our document layout standards, and will prevent wasted work (re-formatting, individually re-numbering sections, and manually creating tables of contents). Correct use of our standard templates also ensures that all of our documents have a consistent appearance—regardless of who created them. This is part of our branding strategy and our corporate image.

When you open a document from a template, Word won’t let you overwrite it, but instead will require that you save the new document with a new name. Creating new documents from templates rather than old documents will prevent you from damaging or losing an existing draft—which may be needed later. Save your new document in the appropriate SharePoint Drafts library (in .docx format), so that you will enjoy the benefits of automatic backups and versioning, as well as remote access. Make sure auto-save is turned on. Turn on “track changes” before sharing drafts. 

Do not manually format paragraphs or headings. Use the styles installed in the templates. This will ensure that time-consuming work to repair your “workarounds” is not necessary when the document is edited.
Do not re-use old documents, which are based on old templates. Start new documents from templates rather than old documents. Cut and paste captions, reference tables, and signature blocks from old documents into documents based on fresh templates. If you re-use a document that is based on an old template, you will be asked to copy-and-paste your work into a fresh template, which will add to your work. If you are facing a deadline, this will cause a stressful and annoying situation.
Remember court rules. Margins, fonts and spacing may need to be adjusted to comply with requirements stated in rules and practice standards. If you make these changes to a document, be sure not to store them in the Normal (Global) template when prompted to do so. If you inadvertently change your templates, you will need to re-download and replace them.
Use proper capitalization for each heading. We use title case (initial caps for all words, without a period) for both centered first-level headings and left-margin main headings. All sub-headings below these two levels are in sentence format (capitalizing only the first letter of the first word and proper names) with a period at the end.

Our Standard Word Templates

Normal.dotm This is often called the “Global Template.” Once you install it, each new blank document you open will automatically contain a library of styles. Styles are pre-defined settings for font type and size, paragraph margins, and automatic lettering, numbering and spacing that you assign with the keyboard shortcuts shown in red below. The Global Template also contains a pre-formatted Table of Contents.

Letterhead.dotm The Firm’s Letterhead templates contain pre-formatted styles which are similar to those found in the Global Template, and uses the same styles as the Global Template. A separate template has been created for each attorney. Clicking the top banner will allow a reader to instantly open an email pre-addressed to that attorney.

Memorandum.dotm It is not uncommon for internal research memoranda to be shared with clients, and occasionally with other lawyers. For this reason, we want our internal memoranda to have the same kind of professional look as our court filings and correspondence. It also contains the same built-in styles as the Global Template.

Some additional templates will later be provided for specialized documents such as coverage opinions, summary judgment motions, standard-form letters and fee agreements. Until then, copy the text from various Policies, Procedures and Practice Guides into the appropriate general templates listed above.

Formatting Requirements

Click on each of the samples below to learn our formatting standards and more about each template:


NORMAL TEMPLATE

 


LETTERHEAD TEMPLATE



MEMORANDUM TEMPLATE

END OF DOCUMENT

© Brett Godfrey 2020. All rights reserved. No portion of this material may be duplicated, disseminated or reproduced without express written permission from the author.