May 2007, Week 3
Merging Excel Data Source Into Word
For Staff...
Getting the formatting right when you use an Excel data source for mail merge can be extremely frustrating. There are ways to correct the formatting by using switches in the field codes, but it can be a time-consuming and frustrating exercise. Fortunately, there is an easy way to circumvent the use of switches and still have your data appear as you would like it.
1. With the main document open, click the Tools menu
2. Select Options.
3. On the General tab, select Confirm Conversion at Open
4. Click OK
When you select an alternate data source such as Excel, it will ask you to choose the type of data source.
When presented with the choice, select MS Excel Files via DDE.
When you merge the document with the data source, the formatting from the Excel data source will be retained.
Ethics: Which Half Are You In?
For Administrators...
In the past several years, many law firms and paralegal associations alike have come to the realization that all employees in a law firm setting are in need of ethics training just like the attorneys that work for them.
But ethics training has been slow in coming and not all law firms or in-house legal departments have recognized the need.
A commentary in Law.com by Cindy Lopez, an experienced paralegal, surprised us. "For all the talk of the need to prevent ethics transgressions in the legal profession, a glaring education gap exists for one group: paralegals.
"In a poll taken on Jan. 3 by NJParalegal (New Jersey), members were asked: Have you ever received training or instruction by your attorney-employer on how to handle ethical issues, specifically, maintaining attorney-client relationships and the confidentiality of your clients? Approximately 50% said they had no ethics training whatsoever."(80 paralegals surveyed.)
Lack of ethics training can cost a firm big bucks, serious lawsuits and other problems. If you aren't getting the training you need, we have several options:
1. Online legal ethics training;
2. A live webcast on June 7; and
3. Live training at your firm or association.
Seven Deadly Sins of Leadership
For Attorneys...
2. Approaching selection and hiring in a haphazard manner. Best case scenario -- 14 percent of the time you will get a good employee. Worst case scenario -- most of the time you will get a less-than-stellar worker and worse, you might get sued. Good hiring practices at all levels improve overall performance and help deter lawsuits. Rigorous interviews and background checks can help employers form an accurate picture of past behavior, but pre-employment assessment of a potential employee's overall job fit (thinking style, behaviors and interests) is a better predictor of future behavior.
Reprinted with permission from The Payton Company.
To be continued in the following weeks....
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