Client Files Are Not Biodegradable
N. Robbins · 2016
Everyone is talking about con servation. We in the legal profession, however, have been wasteful and verbose. We seem to have fallen in love with pa perwork. Of necessity we col lect documents, forms, receipts, reports, photos, statements, etc. Then we have problems dis posing of them. A hypothetical case: Lawyer Brown gets a call from a former client, Mrs. jones, and the dia logue goes as follows: Mrs. tones: Mr. Brown, I don't know if you remember me, but you got me a divorce 12 years ago. In my file is a receipt, indicating that I paid $12,000 for a painting. You asked for this receipt to prove the value of the assets I brought into our marriage. I recently had a fire and the painting was destroyed. The insurance company needs this receipt to verify my claim. Please mail it to me.