Legal Word Processing: What's the Big Deal?

How many time have you heard someone say, "word processing is just typing. I don't understand what the big deal is." The truth is, when we don't understand something we tend to minimize its importance. As for word processing, particularly legal word processing, it is a big deal.

Ask any attorney how inappropriate it is for her (or him) to have even one pararagraph in a document formatted improperly. Or, for that matter, being able to incorporate a client's four-page rider containing several paragraphs displaying different levels of outline numbering.

Though most of my colleagues consider me a top-notch law technology trainer, I still see myself as a legal word processing geek. I understand the intricacies of document production and the importance of using Microsoft Word in a way that supports its technological infrastructure.

"Microsoft Word 2007 and 2010 for Law Professionals--Unveiling the Rules and Secrets of Legal Word Processing" is more than an instruction book or manual. It's an open discussion on the fundamentals of Microsoft Word. When we start with the fundamentals of any subject we establish the basis for undertanding its most complex components or features.

As a word processing software, Microsoft Word is a tool for 'processing' words. A computer may have a keyboard, but it's not a typewriter. If you're just using Microsoft Word to type, you're missing out on the capability of a program that allows its user to bring a book to life.

When we set out to create "Microsoft Word 2007 and 2010 for Law Professionals...", we decided that we would only use Microsoft Word to create, edit and format our book. Therefore, in reality, though our book targets the law professional, anyone looking to learn more about proper document creation and formatting with Microsoft Word will learn the logic and foundation behind Microsoft Word.

In our next blog we'll discuss the topic of Microsoft Word styles. If you have a specific legal word processing topic that you would like us to address, please send us your comments.

Until next time, happy processing.