Your File Jackets Are More Than Just Office Supplies

3 September 2019
 Categories: Law, Blog

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It's difficult to prepare for just how much paperwork you have to deal with as an attorney. Everyone focuses on the glamor of court cases, but few people are prepared to admit how much of working as an attorney is research, research, and more research. One of the keys to doing your job properly is staying organized and having everything that you need at hand. While it may seem like everything should be digitized in this modern age, a huge amount of your paperwork will still be on good old-fashioned paper. This makes it vital to have the right office supplies, and some of the most important supplies that you'll need to keep will be your file jackets.

Sizing is Important

You may be surprised to find that file jackets come in a variety of different sizes, including 2" and even larger jackets. Remember that your files will potentially be holding more than just plain paper, and even the paper for a particular case file can take up a lot of space. File jackets are relatively cheap, so when stocking up it can helpful to pick a few sizes so that you can use the right jacket for the right case. Using larger jackets only when necessary can help to keep your office tidy since you'll able to fit a greater number of cases in less space.

Pay Attention to Features and Style

Jackets generally come in two styles: flat and expansion. Flat jackets are essentially just envelopes, and these can work well for cases that you know will be relatively simple or at least have little associated paperwork. Many attorneys also opt to use flat jackets for other types of documentation. This style is cheap and it's easy to fit a large number into a small filing cabinet, desk drawer, or other storage space.

Expansion jackets, as the name implies, can expand to fit a greater amount of documentation. Most expansion jackets are available in sizes ranging from about one-half inch up to two inches. Prices vary, but when bought in bulk you can expect to pay anywhere from fifty cents up to about a dollar per jacket. Purchasing individual jackets is usually more expensive regardless of style.

Decide on an Organization Method

File jackets will contain sensitive information on your clients and their cases, so choosing how to organize them is important. Jackets are available that come with printed outer shells that allow you to write some case-specific information to help find the particular file that you need. Many attorneys also choose to simply use plain jackets and affix stickers or tabs to them. Whichever way you decide to go, make sure that you're happy with your decision early on. It can be difficult to go back and change files to a new organization system later, and it can be especially frustrating to have files that are organized in different ways.

As you can see, file jackets for attorneys can be more important than many people realize. Contact a company such as American Legal Forms to look into purchasing what you need.