Two of the most important qualities of any successful paralegal are the ability to organize and ability to anticipate. Whether a small claims case or a complex litigation matter, the importance of staying organized and anticipating the needs of your attorney are fundamental to the success of your case. Two key methods of staying organized during the course of litigation include the creation and use of expert binders and timelines. Both items serve as invaluable tools during the course of litigation.
While the debate goes on with respect to a paperless versus paper office, expert binders and timelines can be prepared in either fashion. For example, a paperless version of a timeline would include formulation via a database program, such as Microsoft Excel. The paper version of an expert binder would include a hard copy method consisting of a three-ring binder with index and tabbed exhibits. Either method is acceptable depending on the preference of the attorney-paralegal team.
