Attention to detail is key when you’re in the legal profession. About 1/3rd of the time is dedicated to proofreading legal documents and making revisions or corrections. As you can imagine, hawk-eye proofreading is an essential skill for this profession. Any tools or techniques to proofread efficiently and accurately is key; any time a lawyer or paralegal can save can be allocated elsewhere for increased productivity.
We have a few suggestions on how proofreading legal documents can be improved. Instead of having others check it or reading repeatedly, we’ve listed a few ways to help proofread our legal documents; including an innovative software called Loio and a couple of traditional editing techniques.
Legal Document Software: Loio
We have to start our list with one of the best tools to enter the legal profession: Loio, the legal document software meant to simplify the process of proofreading legal documents. Loio is an innovative software which accurately proofreads, drafts, corrects font and spacing, verifies numbers and references, etc. Loio is everything you would want in a digital assistant but at the click of a button. Proofreading software helps simplify the final process of double-checking your work, leaving you time for other important tasks.
Read Out Loud
This tip is an old one but a classic because it works. One of the easiest ways of proofreading legal documents or any document is to read it out loud, sentence by sentence. It might sound tedious (because it is!) but it is one of the most reliable ways to double-check your work. You can hear errors out loud more often than quietly reading, repeatedly. Although you would want to still run these documents through legal document software for extra accuracy, reading out loud is a perfect way to hear any errors; before or after.
Proofread Backwards
This might sound like we’re asking you to stand on your head but we promise it isn’t too hard of a task! Proofreading backwards is a classic technique by editors when they’re trying to fine comb through a piece of writing. It sounds hard (it kind of is) but you will look at the document with a new fresh pair of eyes. You simply read through the document, line by line, backwards. When you read it backwards, you are reviewing it from another angle and therefore, more likely to catch small grammatical or informative information. It forces you to read it slowly. It’s a great technique if you haven’t purchased your legal document software to help proofread. This technique works wonders to help double-check your legal documents for accuracy.
We hope these tips have offered some insight and hope you consider looking into Loio legal document software. While the other tips mentioned are helpful, nothing will save you more time than investing in Loio. Legal professionals spend too much time proofreading legal documents but you can save yourself the time and money with Loio. Even better? They offer a free three-month trial to see if you like it. What is there to lose?
