The field of law firms and legal services is worth more than $360 billion right now. If you have a firm or work at one, there’s little room for error with things like organization and recordkeeping. Keeping accurate records helps your firm operate like a well-oiled machine, which is essential in the face of high demand and fierce competition. Something as simple as using legal index tabs can go a long way.
What types of tabs should you look into? We’re happy to explain.
Here’s what you should know about the different types of legal index tabs available.
1. Roman Numeral Tabs
If you’re looking for legal tabs, the Roman numeral variety might be just what you’re looking for. As the name suggests, these tabs consist of roman numerals to sort and categorize your files.
This is a more formal type of characterization. You’ll need to also have people familiar with the numbering system. You might choose to use roman numeral tabs for official filings you are submitting as court evidence or for deposition copies that you’ll be handing out to a room full of people.
It’s an excellent form of filing anytime you’re trying to create a good impression.
2. Tabs for Specific Areas of Law
Some companies sell legal tabs that cater to specific areas of law. These are tabs that list the area of law that you’re practicing. They also come with sub-tabs that correspond with different parts of the process or burdens of proof to fulfill.
Area of Law legal tabs are helpful if you run a general practice firm that takes all sorts of cases. It will help you stay organized and prevent you from muddling different areas of your law firm.
3. Exhibit A to Z Tabs
These tabs are specifically for court exhibits that you’re trying to separate and categorize. During a trial, you’ll have the chance to submit as much evidence as you need to provide your case.
Doing this in an organized manner is important so that you don’t confuse or mislead the judge or jury. These tabs sort your evidence from A to Z, so you can build a thick legal binder full of evidence copies. You can include entire chapters of notes and documentation that supports the evidence.
4. Alphabetical Tabs
You may also want alphabetized tabs that aren’t just limited to evidence. There’s a reason that alphabetized indexing is still the method of choice for professionals, students, and researchers in all industries.
This makes it easy to find whatever information you’re looking for and provides plenty of flexibility. You might use alphabetical tabs to create a sorting system based on the client’s last name, the case name, and other characteristics.
5. Blank and Custom Tabs
If you want full flexibility, it doesn’t get better than blank and custom legal tabs.
As the name suggests, these tabs are a clean slate that you can use however you’d like. You can invest in a label printer or legal tab software that prints titles or other groupings for your tabs.
This choice makes the most sense if you haven’t yet settled on an organization process and are open to some trial and error. You may find that your customized tabs create a sorting process that is better than any pre-made tabs that you can find.
6. Numerical Tabs
Like alphabetical tabs, you can never go wrong with putting things in numerical order. This is the ideal legal tabs to have if your client cases are sorted by numbers.
The tabs can be sorted from low number to high number, and can also be used to separate between different districts and other numbered court systems.
It’s also helpful to separate sections of legal code, which are often tied to number values. You may need to have soft eyes when using numerical codes. Paying close attention will prevent the numbers from running together in your mind. This will prevent sorting mistakes that can cost you time, money, and even entire cases.
7. Monthly Tabs
There may be no substitute for simply sorting things by date. This can help you stay on top of your court docket schedule so that you don’t miss any important dates. Being a no-show to court is never appreciated by the judge, and having this sorting system will keep you in command of your time and your calendar.
Consider whether you need tabs that just have the month, or if you’d like sub-tabs that include days 1 through 31. This might be ideal if your case information consists of several meetings, hearings, and appointments that you want to meticulously document. You’ll also appreciate this filing system for cases that you need to pull records of years or even decades after the fact.
Easy access to date-based information can help you jog your memory about cases when you review your files, and most importantly, will keep your records as accurate as possible.
How to Choose the Best Tabs
There are so many options available when you’re shopping for legal tabs. Consider the manpower you have, personal preferences, and the type of caseload that you deal with. These sorts of matters will dictate which sorting system you go with, which decides what tabs you buy.
Look into the most well-made, easy-to-read, decorative tabs that you can get. Find a company that has a wide selection of legal index tabs that you can shop for.
Invest in the Right Legal Index Tabs
These suggestions will help you when you’re researching legal index tabs. Something as small as improving your organizational filing system can go a long way with your firm. Use these tips to help figure out the ideal process for your law firm.
Interested in more advice on running your legal firm? Check out our other posts to learn more.
Also read: 5 Tips On Choosing A Real Estate Lawyer
