Document Filing System Checklist

Cross-check the document against the PMS matter list (Clio, NetDocuments, iManage). Common gotchas: sub-matters under a parent client, billing matter vs. work matter, and inbound mail addressed only to a client name with no matter reference. Reject anything you cannot tie to an open matter back to the responsible attorney.

Use barcoded or color separator sheets so the scanner splits the batch into discrete documents in the DMS. Otherwise a 200-page batch lands as one PDF and has to be hand-burst — a common cause of misfiled exhibits.

Follow the firm standard — typically YYYY-MM-DD_MatterNumber_DocType_ShortDescription_v##. Versioning matters for redlines and drafts; never overwrite a signed final.

In NetDocuments or iManage, fill all required profile fields: client, matter, document type, author, and confidentiality tier from the intake step. Unprofiled documents won't surface in matter-level searches and effectively disappear.

Use the firm's matter template: Pleadings, Discovery, Correspondence, Research, Drafts, Final Executed, Billing, Trust. Don't invent new top-level folders inside an existing matter — it breaks DMS reporting and matter-template audits.

Originals required: wet-signed wills, recorded deeds, notarized affidavits, original promissory notes, apostilled documents, and anything where a court or recorder requires the physical instrument. Everything else can be digital-only per firm policy.

Label format: client name, matter number, matter name, opening date, and responsible attorney. For wills and original instruments, add a red "ORIGINAL — DO NOT DESTROY" sticker and log to the originals register.

Restrict to the matter team plus billing and conflicts. Default-open access on a sensitive matter is a Rule 1.6 problem — even firm-wide "anyone can view" violates the reasonable-safeguards standard for restricted categories.

Required when a lateral attorney has a conflict under Rule 1.9/1.10 imputation, or when the firm represents both sides of a transaction with consent. Configure the wall in the DMS, capture signed acknowledgments from screened personnel, and document the screen in the conflicts file.

State bar minimums commonly run 5–7 years post-close. Trust / IOLTA records typically 7+ years. Estate planning, real estate, and minors' matters often longer or indefinite. Tag the destruction-eligible date on intake — don't wait until close to figure it out.

Cross-reference the firm's active hold list before any destruction action. Destroying material under a preservation obligation is spoliation — adverse inference, sanctions, and potential bar referral. When in doubt, defer destruction and escalate to the records partner.

Pull the DMS report for unprofiled documents, documents not tied to a matter, and matters with zero filings in 90 days. Triage with the responsible attorney before quarter-end.