Gmail Tips for Lawyers

Emails easily eat at you. 31% of Americans are constantly online, while 48% say they are on the internet several times a day.

These statistics may make emails seem like an efficient way of communicating with people. Yet many people ignore emails or don’t get much out of reading them. If you are a lawyer who wants to use emails effectively, you have to know Gmail tips for lawyers.

How can you start organizing Gmail inboxes? What should you do when you are writing an email? What are some shortcuts that can you help with drafting and scheduling company emails?

Here is your quick guide.

8 Gmail Hacks for Lawyers

1 – Clean Your Inbox

Having too many emails will make it extremely difficult to communicate with others. If you have a personal email, you should keep it separate from your work email.

Do not subscribe to newsletters or marketing campaigns within your work email. It is possible that you will get signed up for one without your knowledge or consent. If it is helpful to you, you can subscribe to it on another email, but try to keep your work email inbox small.

You may have to keep emails in your inbox for several months. You do not need to do so for two or more years. Remove old emails or digitize them so you have access to them on a separate system.

 

2 – Organize Your Emails

There are several tools at your disposal for organizing Gmail inboxes. Labels are the easiest for you to use.

Click on an email and then click on the label button in your toolbar. It is to the left of an icon that has three dots on it. A dropdown menu will appear, and you can label the email however you would like.

If you prefer folders, you can create folders through the labels dropdown menu. Create a new label and wait until it appears in the menu on the left side of your screen. You can then drag emails into it, converting the label into a folder.

Don’t create labels and folders just for the sake of creating them. Figure out a categorization system that works for you. You can organize emails based on projects, people involved, or time commitments.

As with your inbox, you want to clean out your folders every now and then. Remove folders that are no longer relevant and create new ones. Browse through your folders and delete emails that are not useful.

 

3 – Use Clear Language

Emails give you space to communicate important things. This does not mean that you should write at length. Many people skim emails instead of reading them word-for-word.

Try to write shorter paragraphs to make skimming easier. If possible, cap your paragraphs at four or five sentences.

Limit the number of adverbs and adjectives you use. Write sentences in the active voice so you use fewer words and stronger verbs.

Give a good subject for each email you send out. The subject line is what the recipient sees first. If you are writing about a time-sensitive project, include the name of the project and give a summary of the email.

Many emails for lawyers contain attachments. It can become confusing to receive several emails with attachments in them at once. If you are attaching a document, explain what the document is in the body of your email.

Learn additional tips on how to write effective emails. Include a salutation and check for spelling and grammar.

 

4 – Confidential Mode

The confidential mode can keep emails from leaking. You can set messages to expire and you require verification codes to open them.

For the mode to work, a group of emails must be within an organization. The administrator must enable the setting through their account.

Confidential mode will not offer complete protection for your company. You should follow the best practices for cybersecurity for small businesses as well.

 

5 – Snoozing and Nudging

Snoozing emails will remove them from your inbox so you can respond to them later. Put your cursor over an email and click on the clock that appears toward the right side of your screen. You can then set the time you want the function to last.

Gmail can nudge emails, bringing them to the top and encouraging you to respond to them. Click Settings and scroll to Nudges to enable nudging.

6 – Setting Rules and Filters

Filters can manage emails that come into your inbox. You can set rules that will direct new emails into folders or delete them.

Click on the icon in your search box along the top of your screen. A dropdown menu will appear with several functions. Adjust the functions you want, then hit the “Create filter” button at the bottom of the menu.

You will then be redirected to a screen that lets you make the rules for your filter. Hit another “Create filter” button for this to activate.

7 – Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts

There are many Gmail keyword shortcuts you can use. If you want to send an email, you can hit your control button and then hit Enter. To add a link, hit Ctrl + k.

You can bold text by highlighting it and then hitting Ctrl + b. When you need to remove formatting, hit Ctrl + .

8 – Undo Sent Emails

If you are sharing emails on Gmail, you need to be able to undo send emails. You can enable this function through your settings. Click on the General tab and then hit the Undo Send option.

The Best Gmail Tips for Lawyers

Gmail tips for lawyers can make a difference. Keep your inbox clean by keeping your personal email separate and not subscribing to newsletters. Organize your emails with folders and tabs. Write effective emails with clear language and short sentences. Make sure the reader understands what the purpose of your email is.

If you would like to get Gmail and Google Suite set up for your law firm CNG IT can help. Contact us today.