Practice Human Recall to Shine as an Attorney

Considering the mass of information an attorney requires to handle on a daily basis, it seems practical to shelve information for which there is no emergent need. But, too often, we do not control all situations, impromptu needs arise, and the habit of not checking on information until the last minute costs us dearly. Further, laptops and notebooks have reduced the importance of human memory and relegated it to the status of a degenerate faculty. In such an environment, stressing the possession of an active memory helps to underline your difference from other professionals.

There are situations that require an attorney to recall information on the spur of the moment, and failure to do so marks him or her as inept. On the other hand, ability to recall the essentials of any case at any moment creates the impression of an intelligent and hardworking attorney. Understand, I am not talking about accessing the information in laptops and notebooks in front of clients, but the art of impromptu recall - it is a tool of excellent showmanship and it creates great impact on people.


If at any required situation, you can access necessary points of the concerned case primarily from your memory, you create a positive impression. Opening your laptop or notebook on a secondary stage only reinforces your image as an intelligent professional. However, diving for your laptop for accessing primary information shows that you are not conversant with the relevant case and signals lack of care.

Both seniors and clients favor an attorney who seems to have required information on his or her fingertips and doesn't need to fumble with a laptop. It gives off the impression of taking proper care of a case, and in a service-based profession, the impression of care is of paramount importance.

So, how to go about it? It's simple enough. Every good attorney is taught to create a summary of the points in a case in a sheet that usually accompanies the brief.
 

• Make a further concise summary of each case
• Create abbreviated and legible points without going into full sentences
• Commit the case summary to heart
• Periodically review the summary to refresh the information in your mind and avoid confusion

This simple habit will help to keep the key points of each case fresh in your mind. In law practice, we often meet clients on the way or out of turn, also many times seniors may suddenly ask us about the progress or points of a case. At extreme situations, you might find yourself in court where you have the chance to make an appearance out of turn and if you are not ready prima facie with the facts of the case, you might lose an opportunity.

In every situation, both in the long and short run, the habit of reviewing facts of your briefs periodically will come to your aid as much to create impressions as to help learning. An active memory and ability to recall facts and information on the fly is a great tool to advance your career. Over dependence on digital memory and neglect of your god-given faculties makes you slower by that split-second that you need to win success. The habit of periodical review of facts of a case, even without urgent need, can turn the situation in your favor and bring career success.