Goal & what you need
Goal
Compare the correct legal-document versions without overwriting evidence, reversing insertions and deletions, missing hidden differences, losing reviewer attribution, or confusing a software result with substantive approval.
What you need
- Correct client, matter, document purpose, requested comparison, and deadline
- Two exact source files or a confirmed baseline plus reviewer copies
- Microsoft Word desktop, Adobe Acrobat Pro, or another approved comparison tool
- A person authorized to decide substantive differences or a clear routing path
- Applicable source-preservation, naming, versioning, redline, approval, and storage process
Check your firm’s process. This lesson teaches a safe general workflow. Your firm’s software, folder names, naming rules, retention steps, and escalation contacts may differ. If you are unsure, stop and ask your supervisor.
Step-by-step preview
Members can open all 16 steps.
- 1Confirm the client, matter, document purpose, comparison question, scope, requested output, deadline, reviewer, and person authorized to decide substantive differences
- 2Locate candidate source files in the approved matter location without treating filename words such as final, revised, clean, latest, or redline as proof
Continue the full course
Open the complete SOP and every learning asset
Membership includes the checklist, common mistakes, video, podcast, infographic, flashcards, quiz, and complete source list.
Sources & references (8)
Preview two sources. Members can open the complete source list.