I was just talking to an abstractor about an old book published in Michigan that was kind of like an "abstractors guide," written for young attorneys. Back then, a lot of attorneys searched titles as a mainstay while they built their practice or found their niche in the legal world. It began by admonishing dressing up to go the records room to search titles. She recalled that it began by saying something like "don't wear your good court suit to search titles because you will be pulling large dusty old books all day."
Perhaps with the old books being phased out its not as big of a problem as it used to be. But, when I searches titles, I didn't dress fancy and I wasn't trying to impress anyone (I'm still not - even as a lawyer). In fact, as an abstractor I rarely ever say my clients face-to-face - I could have searched titles in a pink tutu wearing a Cleveland Browns football helmet (though that is not my court attire today); they wouldn't care so long as they got their search back. Of course, back then they cared more about the search - that it was done accurately and written up clearly - and less about how cheap or fast it could be delivered.
Maybe today abstractors are expected to dress sharper and work faster. But does that really add any substance to the product?
Just my $0.02.
Best,
Robert A. Franco
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