Legal Secretary Duties:
Keeping An Organized Bankruptcy Folder
Part One | Main Folder
Updated: May 21, 2021
Having an organized client folder is worth its weight in gold. It can save time and reduce mistakes, among so many other obvious benefits.
I love having a uniform folder template custom to each type of law but generally, the layout is similar. In this first blog in this series, we will specifically discuss how to organize an electronic bankruptcy folder in Google Drive.
Whose Job Is It?
Keeping a file organized is everyone’s job. And sometimes many different positions will be opening client files, sometimes it’s the same person. At Paralegal Power, it is our legal secretary’s job to open new files. This blog series has been written as a detailed instructional guide for a legal secretary that works with a bankruptcy paralegal and bankruptcy attorney.
However, this blog can help attorneys and paralegals develop best practices in their filing systems when they are not working with a legal secretary. It can easily be adapted for family law cases, personal injury cases and other areas of law where we collect a lot of documents.
Regardless of whose job it is to open the file, whoever opens the file should be responsible for setting up the file. Setting up the file simply consists of:
- Naming the File
- Making sure the correct template sub-folders are in the main folder
- Placing all client documents in the file
- Opening A File In Google Drive
GDrive, Or Any Drive… It’s All Good
At Paralegal Power we use Google Drive so these instructions are specific to Google Drive. Your firm may use a different document storing service, these instructions will still be very applicable. If you need a good, reliable, affordable document management system, click here and get your 14 day trial of GSuite, which includes the amazing document storage that is GDrive.
Get Started
Go to drive.google.com. If you are not already logged in to your Paralegal Power work email, you will need to log in.
As Long As It’s A Shared Drive
- Go to the “Shared With Me” folder, which is located on the left side of the screen.
- Find the Paralegal Power Team Folder.
- Once you open that you will find the Bankruptcy folder.
- Inside the Bankruptcy folder, you will find a folder for each law firm that sends us bankruptcy cases.
To open the file in the correct folder, go to the respective law firm’s folder and click the New+ button.
Naming the File
I always name my client folders using their names exactly as it is on their drivers’ license. The format I use is the last name first, then first name and middle name.
Such as Poe, Edgar Allan.
If they are married I list them as Poe, Edgar Allan and Virginia Eliza. I list the male’s name first since this is the way the bankruptcy court prefers filing.
If there are two males or no distinct male, I list them alphabetically by their names. If the clients have different last names I list the male’s name first then the female such as Poe, Edgar Allan and Clem-Poe, Virginia Eliza.
The object of the titling here is for the files to be able to be organized by the last name and by the same name that is listed in their pleadings.
I do not have case numbers in the titles to my files, but that’s just me and I am sort of small potatoes.
I put the folder in the year that corresponds to the closing date. If you use software such as Clio, they will automatically generate your folder names with case numbers.
But if you are generating your own file names you will want to develop a uniform protocol for titling your files, if you haven’t already.
Developing a Case Numbering System
An easy way to create case numbers for files is simply the year it was created, the number opened that year and then a two-letter acronym for the area of law if you are dealing with multiple areas of law.
Such as 2019-44-BK.
So that would be the 44th bankruptcy case opened in 2019. I have always suggested organizing files by year first and then whatever uniform numbering system you decide thereafter.
I have assisted in several where we had to merge filing systems, either by merging firms, converting to a paperless office or updating nonsensical numbering systems and every time the filing was done by year first – it just made the whole process so much more simpler.
Sub-Folders
Inside Paralegal Power’s bankruptcy client’s folder are the following sub-folders:
- Compliance
- Drafting Documents
- Pleadings
- Correspondence
- Notes
- Invoices
In the next blog in this series we will go over the sub-folders in detail. If you enjoy the Paralegal Power blog, make sure you sign up for our monthly newsletter so you don’t miss a beat.
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About the Author
Valentina Zapata
Mother | Advocate | Blogger