Lecture: Microsoft Word for Lawyers - Creating Tables of Authorities

Overview

• Presenter: Dainty Lino
• Institution: Loyal University in New Orleans, College of Law
• Series: 3rd video of a three-part series on Microsoft Word for lawyers
• Focus: Creating Tables of Authorities in a legal document using Microsoft Word

Key Concepts

Importance of Proficiency in Word

• Lawyers need to know Microsoft Word as it's a primary tool in legal practice.
• Prior videos covered:
  • Video 1: Importance of Word proficiency for lawyers
  • Video 2: Creating Tables of Contents

Creating Tables of Authorities

Workflow Summary

1. Mark each Authority:
   • Essential to mark correctly the first time to avoid future errors.
   • Ensure perfect citation form and correct category tagging.
2. Insert Table of Authorities:
   • Place it after the Table of Contents in the document.
3. Correct Errors: (if any)
   • Correct errors by fixing the original citation, not directly on the Table of Authorities.

Detailed Process

Step 1: Marking Authorities

• Mindset: Aim for precision on the first attempt.
• Tools Needed:
  • Use the paragraph pane's show/hide button to see formatting marks.
  • Use the 'Mark Citation' feature under the 'References' tab.
• Process:
  1. Highlight the full authority without extra spaces.
  2. Go to the 'References' tab, click on 'Mark Citation'.
  3. Ensure proper citation format (without pin sites).
  4. Choose the right category (e.g., cases, statutes).
  5. Click 'Mark'.
• Short Citations:
  • For subsequent short citations, highlight, and mark using the existing long citation as a reference.

Step 2: Inserting Table of Authorities

• Placement: After the Table of Contents, starting on a new page.
• Procedure:
  1. Go to 'References', select 'Insert Table of Authorities'.
  2. Choose category 'All', and click 'OK'.
  3. Formatting: Keep original formatting and use tab leader.

Step 3: Correcting Errors

• Method:
  • Errors should be fixed in the original citation through the show/hide feature.
  • Use the 'Find' function to locate citations quickly.
• Updating Table:
  • To update the Table of Authorities after changes, right-click on it and select 'Update Field'.

Practice and Resources

• Practice:
  • Regular practice is essential to mastering the tool.
  • Play around with features before critical deadlines.
• Resources:
  • Books like "Microsoft Word for Dummies".
  • Aim to become both proficient and expert in Word.

Conclusion

• Key Takeaway: Proficiency in Microsoft Word is crucial for lawyers.
• Final Advice: Continue learning and practicing to maintain and upgrade Word skills.
• Encouragement: Make Word proficiency a priority to enhance legal practice effectiveness.