how to organize your litigation files so you can run your cases with confidence, clarity & less stress
No one taught us how to organize our litigation files in law school. And that's wild given:
- They help you get clear on your case's underlying facts, law, and deadlines, which frees up your brain to bring its intellectual and creative A-game when it comes to case strategy;
- When a client calls or a colleague swings by, organized case files make sure you have critical case information at your fingertips; and
- They help clarify your game plan for your case in a way that will significantly reduce your stress and up your confidence.
Since no one taught us how to keep our case files organized in law school, and, years ago, as a first year associate buried under complaints and produced documents, I came up empty-handed after Googling around for answers...
Here's the guide I wish had existed then.
This method is derived from my 5+ years of practicing IP and general commercial litigation at firms in Boston and California.
My goal is to pass on my tried-and-true method to you so it can serve you for years to come. It will help you hit the ground running in any litigation matter.
This guide, How to Organize Your Litigation Case Files, sets out in step-by-step detail:
- How to organize your main case and discovery documents so that they're at your fingertips for client calls, court hearings, when you're drafting a brief, and dashing to a colleague's office for a team meeting;
- How to keep track of case deadlines – and your game plan to meet those deadlines – so that your stress is reduced significantly;
- How to organize your electronic case files (down to file structure and naming convention) so you don't waste hours searching for documents when you need them;
- How to keep track of all documents exchanged during discovery so you have one document that gives you an overview of what's been produced and where it all is; and
- How to create a clear, evidence-supported timeline of all the underlying relevant facts of your case so that you're clear on the chronology and have the support laid out to back it up (this comes in super handy during depo prep!).
"This guide is essential for any practitioner who places a premium on managing the stress and anxieties of the practice of law because it provides impeccable guidance on how to manage case files."
- Calvin Boyd, Boyd Law LLC, Chicago, IL
"Before using Kelly Nolan's organization guide, I was constantly pulling apart files in red rope files looking for misplaced documents, usually in a time crunch. After implementing..., our firm has become more efficient as a whole and has made filing and tracking deadlines much easier. This is a perfect guide to get started on organizing your litigation files. It is a step by step process that leaves you feeling prepared and accomplished."
- Devon Moran, Family Law Paralegal, Pusateri & Wilson, P.C.
"The guide and ideas really helped me get much more organized very quickly, which significantly reduced my stress. The important papers are easily at my fingertips now. Very grateful for these ideas."
You have two options:
THE GUIDE + TEMPLATES
$27
The Guide: How to Organize Your Legal Case Files
Plus templates to save you time and hit the ground running. Specifically, the included templates are for:
- Your Case Management Notebook Table of Contents;
- Your Discovery Notebook Table of Contents;
- Your Dates Cheat Sheet;
- Your Timeline, a spreadsheet that helps you organize all critical case facts, dates, and people involved in each fact, and ties those facts to relevant documents, discovery responses, and other sources that underly each fact/date;
- Document Production spreadsheet, which gives you a high-level understanding of all documents produced in the litigation.
"After implementing Kelly's guide, I have felt more prepared and less stressed because I have a quantifiable system for getting everything set up."
– Hannah Garrett, Attorney, Root Legal, Nashville, Tennessee
"It's definitely a time saver and easy to follow and implement. It has reduced the time it takes to find documents in our shared drive, especially discovery documents."
– Nexcy De La Rosa-Monroe, De La Rosa-Monroe Law Firm, Family Law, Miami Lakes, Florida
"The guide and spreadsheets are amazing!"
– Heather Murrell, Paralegal
"With an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth and a law degree from Boston College as well as big law firm experience, Kelly is smart as a whip – and she understands how law firms and complex organizations work. She has a PhD in decluttering and organizing. ... Kelly is worth her weight in gold. Five stars across the board."
– Rick Waite, Partner, Keeney Waite & Stevens
Hi - I'm Kelly Nolan.
After practicing for over five years as a patent and general commercial litigator in Boston and California, I now help attorneys reduce their stress and increase their enjoyment of their practice – and their personal and family lives – using actionable time and task management strategies.
My goal is to pass on my tried-and-true litigation file organization method to you so it can reduce your stress and increase your confidence managing your cases for years to come.
