So You Want To Be The Perfect Paralegal?

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…

Happy Holidays From Your Virtual Paralegal

2011 has been a very exciting year for me.  I work with some of the best legal talent out there; it is truly a privilege.  I wanted to say thank you and happy holidays  in the warmest way possible.  A video seemed appropriate. The holidays are hectic, so this message is less than one minute… Tweet

If Santa Claus Were A Lawyer…

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…

What’s In Your Briefcase? 5 Essentials That Could Save Your Reputation

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…

Top 7 Things Turkeys and Attorneys Have in Common

#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….

Resources for Solo Attorneys

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…

Your Legal Cloud Nine

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…

Scary Legal Profiles

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…

More on CLA/CP Exam

I have had lots of questions from paralegals about my study plan for the Certified Paralegal Exam. I also recently spoke to a  study group  for the PACE exam. Many of the questions are the same so I decided to answer them here on my blog. 1. Why did you decide to take a paralegal…

Study Plan for the Certified Paralegal Exam

This post is dedicated to Lynne DeVenny, who is blogging about her preparation for the CP Exam at PracticalParalegalism.com,  and all of the other brave paralegals taking on the challenge of certification. I hope this will encourage you and give you some ideas. I’m not saying this is THE way to prepare for the CLA/CP…

About
Misty L. Sheffield is a freelance paralegal helping solos and small law firms in civil litigation. She has been assisting attorneys for over 12 years. Read More »