Document reviews have changed drastically since I became a paralegal in 1992. E-discovery is now its own industry and the market place is full of document review technology products that did not exist only a few years ago. Even though we have moved from paper to PDF, I have found something that remains the same…
No. You are not an ABA-Certified Paralegal. Even if you graduated from an ABA-approved paralegal program and have “ABA-Certified Paralegal” plastered all over your resume and LinkedIn Profile, you are in fact NOT an ABA-Certified Paralegal because there is no such thing. If you follow me on Twitter, you have heard me express my frustration…
I have been thinking about my career goals. I would like to be the perfect paralegal, wouldn’t you? Hmmm, what would make me the perfect paralegal? For starters, I would like to always know what the attorney wants; never make a mistake; only work on big cases; know how to do everything possible; and never get emotional…
Ever wondered what kind of lawyer Santa would be? I think he would make a terrific attorney. The type a freelance paralegal like myself loves to work with. Here are a few reasons why… Santa enjoys his work. The best attorneys I work with have found a niche they are passionate about and they love…
I recently helped to save the professional reputation of one of my attorney-clients (that might be a reach, but I did save her some embarrassment). I did not do it with my paralegal expertise; I did it with a few things I carry in my brief case/laptop bag. Maybe these items could save your reputation…
Considering becoming a freelance paralegal? You should take a serious look at your motives, personality, experience, and finances, just for starters. I am going to give you the good, the bad, and the ugly on being a freelance paralegal versus being a law-firm-employed paralegal. I prefer bad news first, so here goes… • You will…
#7. They are both odd birds. Turkeys have some strange body parts: snoods, spurs, caruncles, gizzards, beards, and wattles; not your average tweetie bird. Attorneys tend to use strange language, words normal people never use such as: aforementioned, hereinafter, pursuant to, estoppel, laches, voir dire certiorari, habeas corpus, prima facie, inter alia, and mens rea. #6….
Last week I attended Solo Practitioner Boot Camp at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School, hoping to glean a few helpful ideas to pass along to my solo attorney clients. What I got was five hours chocked full of great information to share with you. I will just be hitting the high points as I condense…
What puts you on cloud nine in your professional life? Is it a successful settlement, winning a motion, calming a client’s fears? For most litigators, it is winning in court. Last year, I represented myself in a small civil matter (less than $17,000) in magistrate court. Yes, I know what they say about someone who…
This post is a Halloween tribute to the personalities I have met in the legal profession that scare me a little… Mrs. Always Annoyed Legal Secretary She never appears to be that busy, but when you ask her to do anything she is clearly annoyed. When you walk her by her desk, she is usually talking…