The Art of Track Change
- By : Wong Mei Ying
- Category : Lawyering, Linkedin Post
One of the first things newly qualified lawyers learn (if they haven’t already) is how to use track changes in Word.
It’s a simple but powerful tool. It lets the partner, the person reviewing their work, or the counterparty’s counsel quickly see what’s been amended. (In theory) it saves time, saves confusion, and saves everyone’s sanity.
So you can imagine my surprise when I came across documents where entire sentences or even paragraphs were deleted… and then reinserted word-for-word. No actual amendments. Just a sea of redlines and confusion.
And this isn’t something limited to junior lawyers; I’ve seen it happen with those a few years into practice too.
It turns out not everyone truly understands why we use track changes. It’s not just because “the partner said so”. It’s to make the review process clear, efficient, and transparent.
A small detail, but one that quietly signals professionalism (and helps keep everyone’s blood pressure and sanity in check).
This post was first posted on LinkedIn on 7 November 2025.
