2025-10-20 – Weekly Legal Secretary News : Bates numbers looping issues

Last week, our community delved into several practical challenges and opportunities within the legal secretary field. Discussions ranged from the technicalities of Bates numbering to creating efficient tracking systems for legal requests. Members also explored new job opportunities, particularly those offering hybrid roles, and shared strategies for maintaining reliable and accessible records. The historical role of legal secretaries sparked a fascinating conversation, reminding us of the profession’s evolution and its key figures.


This Week’s Hot Topics

When the Bates numbers looped
A lively discussion on troubleshooting the all-too-common issue of looping Bates numbers. This is a must-read if you’ve ever faced numbering headaches in your document management.
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Building an HSR second request tracker that works
Members are sharing tips on constructing an HSR second request tracker that is both efficient and user-friendly. This thread is packed with practical advice.
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2025-10-16 – Weekly Legal Secretary Jobs : Hybrid roles for flexible work
Explore the latest openings that offer the flexibility of hybrid work environments—ideal for those balancing multiple responsibilities.
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Reliable file naming for matter records
This thread dives into strategies for creating consistent and reliable file naming conventions, crucial for maintaining organized and accessible legal records.
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FAQ/Guidelines
A quick reminder to check out our FAQ and guidelines for navigating the forum effectively and making the most of our community resources.
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Admin Guide: Getting Started
For those new to the forum, this guide offers a comprehensive introduction to getting started and making the most of our platform’s features.
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Skills Every Legal Secretary Needs
An insightful look at the essential skills required to excel as a legal secretary, providing both new and experienced members with valuable perspectives.
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Famous Legal Secretaries in History
Discover the stories of legal secretaries who made significant contributions to their fields, enriching our understanding of the profession’s impact.
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Origins of the Legal Secretary Role
A captivating exploration of how the role of the legal secretary has evolved over time, shedding light on its historical roots and transformations.
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Unusual Legal Cases and Documents
Join the conversation on some of the most unusual legal cases and documents encountered, offering both entertainment and education.
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Thank you for being an engaged part of our community. Your contributions and insights continue to make this a valuable space for everyone. Looking forward to another productive week ahead.

Picked this up at a trade show: we added a nightly ‘last-tray audit’ — one person notes case temps, weighs any open packs, and snaps a quick photo log so any purge shows up in the morning yield check. Only caveat: it’s five extra minutes and your numbers are junk if the floor scale isn’t calibrated on Monday.

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A 30‑min ‘knife angles’ refresher trimmed waste about 6%; don’t rush trainees, @Guide .

Remote tip: two-minute reschedule script helps; add “I understand,” and confirm their preferred contact method.

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VVDI Key Tool Plus has been steadier than IM608 Pro for FCA SGW in my shop — far fewer mid-write aborts — especially 2021+ when I use the CAN‑FD adapter and hold the supply at 13.6V. If your IM608 Pro “intermittently failed during key programming”, kill Android battery optimization and Wi‑Fi sleep for the IMMO app; AutoAuth sessions quietly time out even after the gateway’s cleared, and even clean cables (@greg_p88) won’t save it. What years and exact models were those two?

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We solved our “Bates numbering” loops by keeping a single Bates seed in a SharePoint text file and using Acrobat Pro’s “Continue from previous” with one person ‘locking’ the seed during each batch, which stopped subfolder resets and dupes. If your production protocol dictates prefix/length, confirm with counsel before you change it.

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Quick tip from my docketing desk: I use an Acrobat Action to place a tiny “BATES_DONE” stamp on page 1, and the action first checks for that stamp so files don’t get re-numbered; small caveat — some vendors strip marks, so we also append “-B” to the filename after stamping as a backup. Anyone got a similar skip-check working in Bluebeam?

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