STOP! Before you email another Word document to opposing counsel, read this quick article!

Hopefully, you’re already aware of the dangers of “meta-data” in electronic documents. If you’re not, here’s a quick primer. Every electronic document (ex. Word or Excel files) that you create contains invisible information. This information can include changes made to documents, the names of anyone who commented on the document, etc. This information could be potentially dangerous if it fell into your opponent’s hands.

For example, let’s say that you used Microsoft Word to draft a plea agreement and changed the settlement offer from $500,000 to $350,000. If your opponent discovered the change, he’d probably reject your $350k offer, because he’d know that you’re probably authorized to settle the case for $500,000.

Before you email a Word or Excel document to your opponent, you need to strip this hidden information from the document. Luckily, I just stumbled across a neat little program that will do it for you. It’s still in beta-testing mode, so you can check out their website and download a copy for free. Just go to http://www.SendShield.com to download your free copy today!