Microsoft Word for Lawyers: Creating Tables of Authorities

Introduction

• Presenter: Dainty Lino from the Loyal University in New Orleans College of Law.
• Series: Third part of a three-part series on Microsoft Word for Lawyers.
• Previous topics covered:
  • Why proficiency in Word is important for lawyers.
  • Basics such as styles.
  • Creating a table of contents.

Overview of Creating Tables of Authorities

• Workflow:
  1. Mark each authority in your document.
  2. Insert the table of authorities where desired.
  3. Correct errors in the table.

Step 1: Marking Authorities

• Marking Right: Importance of getting it right the first time.

• Tools Needed:

  • Show/Hide Button: Located in the paragraph pane, reveals paragraph marks and formatting symbols.

• Procedure:

  1. Highlight the entire authority to mark.
  2. Ensure no spaces before or after the highlighted text.
  3. Go to the References tab.
  4. Click Mark Citation.
  5. Ensure the entry is in correct format (remove pin cites).
  6. Confirm the correct category (e.g., Cases).
  7. Click Mark.

• Short Citations:

  • Find the previous long citation.
  • Highlight and mark as a short citation.
  • Ensure correct category.

Step 2: Inserting the Table of Authorities

• After all authorities marked:
  • Navigate to the desired page for insertion.
  • Typically after the table of contents.
• Insertion Process:
  • Go to References tab.
  • Click Insert Table of Authorities.
  • Select desired options (e.g., tab leader, original formatting).
  • Click OK to insert.

Step 3: Correcting Errors

• Expect Errors: Errors are common, must be corrected at the source.
• Correction Process:
  1. Identify the error in the table.
  2. Locate original citation with the error.
  3. Use Show/Hide to view hidden formatting.
  4. Correct errors in the hidden text.

Updating the Table

• As updates are made to the document:
  • Highlight the table.
  • Right-click and select Update Field.

Conclusion

• Practice makes perfect: Familiarize with the process to avoid last-minute issues.
• Recommended Resources:
  • Books like "Microsoft Word for Dummies."
  • Becoming proficient with Word is crucial for effective legal practice.

Final Tips

• Continuously update skills and maintain expertise with Word.
• Prioritize learning Word as a tool for legal practice.
• Practice regularly to ensure proficiency in using Microsoft Word efficiently.