Considering lawyers tendencies to procrastinate on most tasks, outlines are seemingly never an option. But whether you draft an outline weeks before, or just prior to drafting a memorandum, it is worth your time.
There is no requirement for outlining; make it as detailed as or as general as you like. For myself, the more time I spend on an outline, the faster I can write the actual brief. For others, outlining every point drives them mad and is counterproductive. If you are in a time crunch, setting aside even five minutes to roadmap will save you time and aggravation.
The key is to spend the time focusing and organizing your ideas. It is much easier to rearrange points in an outline compared to full sentences in brief form. Use the time to create your headings and make sure every point underneath it is related to that heading. Keep an eye out for duplicate ideas, off-topic ideas, and bad ideas.
Rediscovering Outlines As a Productivity Tool | Web Worker Daily
Randall Ryder practices consumer rights law in Minnesota and is a publisher of Elder Parent Help. Follow him @randallryder.
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