Why Not Microsoft Word

While most law firms rely on Microsoft Word, we choose not to. Here’s why.

Plain Text Gives Us Greater Flexibility

Microsoft Word’s underlying format is largely undocumented and partially reliant on XML. By using plain text, we retain full visibility into every element of our documents. Our open specification, known as Neon Notations, empowers us to add new features—such as flows, alignments, and templated variables—to dynamically generate “computable” contracts. These contracts seamlessly integrate questionnaires, documents, and workflows, allowing us to deliver legal services more efficiently and effectively.

Our mission at Neon Law is to leverage technology to broaden access to high-quality legal services. Relying on plain text and an open specification helps us fulfill that mission by ensuring our processes are transparent, adaptable, and future-proof.

Git Is the Best Way to Version Documents

Interestingly, Microsoft itself hosts the world’s largest Git platform, GitHub. Git is the gold standard for version control because every change is meticulously tracked and can be connected to a pull request—a collaboration point that includes peer review. This structured, transparent approach far surpasses the cumbersome practice of emailing Word files back and forth, which often leads to conflicting document versions and lost edits.

By keeping our files in a single repository, we maintain a single source of truth. This approach is invaluable in both legal work and software development because it enhances teamwork, reduces confusion, and promotes accountability.

PDFs Solve for All Word Cases

In scenarios where a Microsoft Word document is unavoidable, the Neon Notations specification still proves its worth. We can convert any Word document to PDF and then use flows and alignments from Neon Notations to overlay relevant information—such as fields or polygons—directly on top of that PDF. This solution allows us to maintain a streamlined process without sacrificing compatibility, all while furthering our mission to provide accessible, technology-driven legal services.