One of the first things I learned in my paralegal classes, after “What is a paralegal?” is that attention to detail is the most important skill in a paralegal’s tool belt; it was drilled into our heads, pun intended. Attention to detail is defined as the “ability to accomplish and or complete a task while demonstrating a thorough concern for all of the areas involved, no matter how small”. In my role as a paralegal, this can range from correcting spelling errors in an inter-office email to reviewing discovery responses and redacting information that is privileged before submitting it to the opposing party. You might be saying, “Attention to detail is important in every profession,” and you are correct; however, the work we do in the legal field is held to a higher standard, and things like typos, wrong addresses, and incorrect captions can be a huge detriment to your case. As a paralegal, I have never been interviewed for a position where I wasn’t asked, “Are you more focused on the details or on the big picture?” which is designed to gauge your understanding of the importance of attention to detail. By the way, the answer to that question should always be that you cannot get the big picture without the small details.
The importance of attention to detail is not limited to one practice area; of course, it’s vital to all areas of law. Legal professionals, especially attorneys, are scrutinized more because of their specialized skills and cost of their services, so if their work product is riddled with mistakes, it will reflect poorly on them. I have read complaints in high profile cases with large firms representing both sides and found multiple errors, and I thought, “Wow, that makes them look sloppy and careless”. In my role, I prepare many of the documents that go to our clients, get submitted to the opposing party, and/or get filed with the court. The attorney reviews these documents to approve or provide changes, but sometimes they do not correct minor typos and grammatical errors that I did not identify the first time. A good rule of thumb is to always review the document again before finalizing because closing a document and then reviewing it again with fresh eyes can help prevent sending a final version that is full of mistakes. That being said, we are all human, and mistakes are bound to happen but paying attention and taking pride in your work product, no matter how small, will improve the quality of your work, and, in turn, the attorney will be more confident in your ability to produce high-quality work.
Finally, mistakes can certainly make a Judge think poorly of, or even lead them to reprimand, an attorney; but it is our clients who suffer when we are careless. It is a disservice to our clients, who trust us to represent them, if we are not making our best effort to pay attention so they can be confident that they are getting the best legal services we have to offer. Often, paralegals are the first and last line of defense, and if we miss something, chances are it will go unchanged. Fortunately, attention to detail is a skill that can be honed and sharpened. I’ll leave you with these tips: remind yourself to slow down; fast work doesn’t equate to quality work; take a break to look at something else before reviewing a document for a second or third time; read something out loud to see if it makes sense; and if you are unsure of something, ask for help. Think of every task as a puzzle; if you are missing some of the small details, you won’t have the full picture.
Christina (Tina) Mazur joined Weber Kracht and Chellew in 2022, bringing her knack for noticing small details and impressive memory to her work here as a paralegal. “I refer to some of my work as ‘detective work.’ Sometimes, the facts of a case that make or break it are buried or seem to be small and insignificant. I love digging for that information and using it to assist the attorney with winning their case.”
This blog is designed for general information only. The information presented should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.
