by Tim Lemieux

Beverly Michaelis, writing in the Oregon Law Practice Management blog, challenges lawyers to think about whether they are keeping a complete copy of client files.

Often the answer is no, and there are three arguments against doing so:

  • “I don’t want to store the paper”
  • “Scanning is too time consuming”
  • “The court has all my pleadings”

Each argument has some validity, but Ms. Michaelis provides some rebuttals and practical solutions to make keeping files less burdensome.

From a LAWPRO perspective, the more complete the file the more helpful it is in the event of a claim.

The question of how long to keep a client file also arises frequently, and to learn more about that you can read How Long Should You Keep Your Closed Files? from LAWPRO Magazine.