We’d previously blogged about a study showing that students who take handwritten notes in class better understand the material than those who transcribe their class-notes on a laptop. The Lawyerist Blog makes the point that lawyers should heed that advice too by ditching laptops in favor of ye olde pad and pen. As the Lawyerist points out, if you really need a verbatim transcript of your meeting, there are other ways of accomplishing that such as making an audio recording. But to focus on the substance of what’s being said, hand writing your notes is better practice because the physical act of writing forces you to slow down, think about what you’re hearing and then translate onto paper in a way that makes it stick in a way that doesn’t happen through the more passive act of typing. The Lawyerist also points out that when meeting with clients in particular (though the same could be said of associates who meet with partners) the screen puts a physical barrier between you and the speaker which can give the impression that you’re less engaged instead of being an active listener. In short, put the technology away and connect with the people in the room.

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