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27 September 2024 / Elizabeth Rimmer
Issue: 8087 / Categories: Features , Profession , Career focus
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You’ve got (too much) mail

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Drowning in emails? Elizabeth Rimmer provides tips for keeping your inbox under control

Managing your inbox can feel like a full-time job. The never-ending stream of emails can be stressful because of the pressure to respond quickly and stay organised. It is hard to keep up with emails when you work in the legal sector.

Firstly, the sheer volume of emails can be overwhelming, with some emails requiring urgent attention because of deadlines, negotiations or pressing questions. These emails need prompt and careful responses.

Secondly, there’s such a lot of administrative work involved in legal work. Most people working in the legal sector need to coordinate with other people, each needing different responses and follow-ups.

Thirdly, frequent interruptions and high workloads make it even harder to keep up with emails. When you are busy, it is likely that you have very little dedicated time for non-billable tasks like email management. This can result in a backlog of unread emails, or ones you have simply flagged to come back to later.

Taming your inbox

1. Set clear boundaries Try setting specific

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant

Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias

Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias

International hospitality and leisure specialist joins corporate team as partner

Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven

Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven

Firm appoints head of intellectual property to drive northern growth

NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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