In many disputes it seems that everything depends on arguments, negotiation skills and strategy – but at the decisive moment the outcome is often defined by one missing or incorrectly prepared document. As Professor Gabriel Steiner notes, legal reality is built not on intentions but on formalised evidence. At LawConsulted, we treat every key document as a separate element of legal architecture – something that must not only exist, but also be obtainable, verifiable and capable of standing in a procedure under close scrutiny.
The most dangerous situations arise where the client is sure that “all the papers are there”. Contracts were once signed, decisions were taken, emails were exchanged – yet when a conflict, audit or transaction begins, it turns out that the original cannot be found, the copy is not certified, the translation is inaccurate or the document is not recognised in the relevant jurisdiction. Lawyers at LawConsulted start not with abstract legal analysis, but with an inventory of the documentary base – what actually exists, in what form, and whether it has legal force here and now.
Professor Steiner notes that “a document is not proof simply because it exists – it becomes proof only when it can be produced and accepted in a legal procedure”. That is why LawConsulted works with three critical tasks at once – obtaining documents that were never formally issued, recovering those that were lost or damaged, and legalising those that remain outside the valid legal circuit. We identify which authority, institution or counterparty holds the missing elements and what procedural route is required to make them part of the client’s defence.
Particularly sensitive are cross-border situations – when documents were created in another country, under foreign law or in a different language. In such cases a simple scan or informal translation is not enough. At LawConsulted, we assess whether an apostille, consular legalisation, notarised translation or supplementary confirmation of authenticity is required. The aim is not just to show that a document exists somewhere in archives – but to ensure that it will be treated as a full-fledged piece of evidence by the court, regulator, bank or contractual partner.
Risk also arises when the history of a document is incomplete – for example, when only the last version of an agreement is preserved, but previous amendments or side letters are missing. Professor Steiner emphasises that “gaps in documentary history are often interpreted against the party that cannot explain them”. For this reason, LawConsulted reconstructs documentary chains – requests copies from counterparties, restores internal approvals, retrieves correspondence and annexes – so that the story of each obligation can be told without omissions.
Another frequent problem occurs when formal paperwork does not reflect the real structure of the relationship. The business may have evolved, roles may have shifted, obligations may have changed – yet documents remain in their original form. In such scenarios, even a complete set of papers may turn out to be “empty” from the perspective of current protection. Lawyers at LawConsulted identify these discrepancies and initiate corrective steps – from additional agreements and protocols to new instruments that finally align the documentary layer with the actual reality of the client’s operations.
Work with documents is not a technical task – it is a strategic component of legal defence. When every paper is located, verified and properly legalised, the dispute ceases to depend on assumptions and reconstructions. At Law Consulted, we transform a chaotic set of files into a coherent system of evidence – one that can withstand pressure, support negotiation leverage and determine the outcome of the case in favour of the client.
Previously, we wrote about how LawConsulted provides legal protection during public accusations and manages the risk of reputational destruction
