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Productivity hacks for lawyers

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A text-to-speech program is one tool that lawyers can utilize to increase efficiency in their day-to-day work. Learn more about other tools and tips.

Lawyers are very busy people, and practice management is a critical part of what they do. Legal professionals need to focus on case management because, the better they manage their time, the more cases they can take. This means they can help more clients and bring in more revenue. For this reason, it is critical to take a look at a few productivity tips that all lawyers should follow.

Important tasks for law firms 

There are a lot of tasks that law firms have to complete during the course of the workday. Some of the most important tasks they need to handle include:

  • Responding to emails and phone calls - All lawyers need to respond to emails and phone calls regularly. They might come from the Clerk of Court, opposing counsel, partner counsel members on a case, accountants who might have key documents, and their clients (and potential clients). This is a key part of the workflow, even when working from home.
  • Trial preparation - Trial preparation is also an important part of what many lawyers do. While not all lawyers are litigators, this is something with which every legal practice is familiar, and it is an important part of law practice management.
  • Courtroom tasks - Lawyers also have to head to the courtroom from time to time. They might have a pre-trial hearing, they might have to go before a judge to argue a motion, or they might have to be present for the trial itself.
  • Exams - Some lawyers even have to take exams from time to time. For example, they might need to take the bar exam, or re-certify their bar certificate. This is just another task lawyers have to worry about.

In between all of this, lawyers need to eat, sleep, exercise, and spend time with their loved ones. That is why many lawyers have a paralegal who can help them craft a customized management system to keep the tasks moving, but it is also critical for lawyers to rely on modern technology for help.

Helpful tools for lawyers 

There are a lot of helpful tools that lawyers can rely on to help them during the course of the day. They include:

  • Customer management system - A customer management system (CSM) is an important piece of legal tech that can help lawyers ensure they have all of their documents in order. Lawyers have a lot of cases, and this type of legal technology can help lawyers manage their communications with various parties and keep their information straight.
  • Cybersecurity software - Lawyers can be the targets of hacks because they have a lot of confidential information. Lawyers might even want to consider reaching out to an IT professional who can save them a lot of time by handling all of their IT needs.
  • Videoconferencing tools - Now that lawyers are often working from home, it is helpful to have video meetings with clients and other lawyers. Some judges even require it. There are videoconferencing tools that work well on both Microsoft and Apple products. Some even have helpful integrations, including with tools such as LinkedIn.

These are a few examples of the top productivity tools that lawyers need to use. Having task management or case management software is critical for lawyers who want to get the most out of their time.

Time management productivity tools 

There are a few other productivity tools that can be helpful as well. They include:

  • Time tracking - Lawyers need to have a time tracking tool as well. This is a tool that lawyers can use to track the number of hours they spend on a given task. Lawyers frequently bill by the hour, so having a tool that can track the number of hours they spend on a given task is important for accurate billing.
  • Calendar - Lawyers also need to have a digital calendar they can use to keep track of all of their tasks. This tool can also help them avoid procrastination, which a busy attorney cannot afford.
  • Web blocker - Lawyers might also benefit from a web blocker, particularly during remote work, that can prevent them from surfing the internet when they should be working. Some blockers will even mute notifications, making it easier for them to stay focused.

While lawyers must have comprehensive practice management software, it is also critical to rely on a text-to-speech, or TTS reader.

Text-to-speech reader  

A text-to-speech (TTS) reader is a tool that will take text on your screen and convert it to written speech. That way, you don’t have to read the document, but you can listen to it spoken to you instead. You can listen faster than you can read, and you can multitask while listening to your text. The top-rated TTS reader available is Speechify

Speechify 

Some of the top benefits of Speechify include:

  • It is very easy to use.
  • You can customize the voice to meet your needs, controlling the reading speed, pitch, volume, and tone.
  • It is available in dozens of languages.
  • It will highlight the text on the screen for you so you can follow along.
  • There is a free version and premium version available.

For these reasons, if you want to save time, use Speechify to help you! All lawyers can benefit from this program!

FAQ

Some of the most common questions lawyers have about productivity include:

How can lawyers increase productivity?

Some of the best ways lawyers can increase productivity include:

  • Enjoy regular exercise
  • Create a to-do list before heading to work
  • Don’t get distracted
  • Avoid social media 
  • Use a TTS program, such as Speechify

Is productivity a myth?

Not at all. You have a to-do-list, and you are productive if you get it all done. 
While “free time” might be an item on that list as well, you need to follow that list and be productive to be a successful lawyer. A TTS program can help you save time and increase your efficiency.

What is the best way to manage emails?

There are a few tips you need to follow if you want to manage your emails effectively. They include:

  • Carve out some dedicated time.
  • Use labels, folders, and categories.
  • Use a TTS program, such as Speechify, to read lengthy emails to you.

How do lawyers stay focused? 

To stay focused, you need to block social media, manage your emails effectively, and use a calendar to stay on track. Don’t forget to use Speechify to help you multitask and stay efficient as you review your documents.

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Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.