- Feb 17, 2018
- 4,719
- 8,627
In answer to a question about structuring legal research:
It’s difficult to offer general advice because firms have different formatting styles, partners have different preferences and the task may require a particular style, but, a few tips I can suggest.
First, you should be getting IT training during the first day or two. This is a question worth asking in terms of the numbering format for your firm – ours is 1/1.1/1.2 etc.
Second, check with the person who sets you the task whether they have are particular style they prefer. If it’s a senior then I’d suggest asking your trainee buddy or a secretary for suggestions.
Third, try to understand what the task requires. It’s not usually so rigid – unless the person has asked for a particular format. I can’t say I’ve ever included purpose and rarely an intro/conclusion. Typically, I’ll do a summary of my findings (sometimes in bullet points) and then provide more detail in the body of the report. The key is that the partner/supervisor can get to the important points quickly. Then, if they want more guidance on how you got there, they’ll read the main body.
If you’re confused, make a start and then check in with the supervisor/partner to see if you're doing it right. Trainees do that a lot in practice - it stops you wasting time and it shows you're proactive when you're not sure.
It’s difficult to offer general advice because firms have different formatting styles, partners have different preferences and the task may require a particular style, but, a few tips I can suggest.
First, you should be getting IT training during the first day or two. This is a question worth asking in terms of the numbering format for your firm – ours is 1/1.1/1.2 etc.
Second, check with the person who sets you the task whether they have are particular style they prefer. If it’s a senior then I’d suggest asking your trainee buddy or a secretary for suggestions.
Third, try to understand what the task requires. It’s not usually so rigid – unless the person has asked for a particular format. I can’t say I’ve ever included purpose and rarely an intro/conclusion. Typically, I’ll do a summary of my findings (sometimes in bullet points) and then provide more detail in the body of the report. The key is that the partner/supervisor can get to the important points quickly. Then, if they want more guidance on how you got there, they’ll read the main body.
If you’re confused, make a start and then check in with the supervisor/partner to see if you're doing it right. Trainees do that a lot in practice - it stops you wasting time and it shows you're proactive when you're not sure.
