The Paralegal Voice

A heavily discussed question among legal professionals today is how can we help to increase access to justice for the most economically vulnerable among us? The state of Washington sought to address this problem through its Limited License Legal Technician Program (which licenses non-attorneys who meet certain educational and experience requirements to advise and assist people going through divorce, child custody and other family-law matters in Washington). For paralegals seeking this type of work, what examples are there of career path options that provide an opportunity to work with this demographic, and what services can they provide?

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, host Vicki Voisin sits down with the first Limited Licensed Legal Technician, Michelle Cummings, to discuss the LLLT program and what this license provides to low income communities and the law firms that serve them. Michelle reflects on her experience applying for the LLLT license, which is currently only available in Washington State, and gives some background on the program. She also provides prospective legal professionals insight into the requirements, such as acquiring 3,000 hours of substantive law work experience supervised by a licensed attorney and potential costs incurred by pursuing this license. Michelle also takes an in-depth look at what happens once you pass your exam and gives a breakdown of the services (like assisting clients with e-filing, paternity actions, or the child support administrative process) that limited licensed legal technicians can provide at a significantly reduced rate. She closes the interview by discussing how  this license can benefit practicing paralegals and, knowing that this program is being considered by other states, peers into the potential future of the LLLT.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University, NALA, and ServeNow.

Going paperless seems to be one of the top new trends among law firms due to cheaper and better hardware and software, refined processes, and effective consulting. And it is especially important for paralegals to know the do’s and don’ts of implementing a paperless office as they may be the ones in charge. So why are so many firms going paperless and how is it done effectively?

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews practice management advisor and former paralegal JoAnn Hathaway about why law firms should go paperless, the risks and perils of improper execution, and the important role paralegals play in this process.

Topics include:

JoAnn L. Hathaway works for the State Bar of Michigan as a practice management advisor. She previously worked as a litigation paralegal, a legal liability claims director and risk manager, and a legal administrator. JoAnn is an Adobe Acrobat Certified Expert, and holds software certifications in LexisNexis Time Matters and Billing Matters software.  She is active in the ABA Law Practice Management Division, serving on the Publications Board and the State and Local Bar Outreach Committee. JoAnn is a frequent speaker on law firm technology, insurance, and risk and practice management topics.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University, NALA, and ServeNow.

Similarly to most organizations and companies, social media can be very beneficial for nonprofits. They use Facebook, Twitter, and similar platforms as tools for communication, networking, and engagement with their audiences. Social media facilitates fundraising, volunteer recruitment, spreading a message, advocacy and awareness, and transparency about current events and actions. But it is particularly important for employees of nonprofits to take care when posting certain content, as they are subject to the federal tax classification 501(c)(3). But what does this mean and what should paralegals working in these organizations watch out for?

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews Kate Redman, who practices community enterprise law, about organizations that have the 501(c)(3) status and how they can implement an effective social media policy in accordance with the law.

Topics include:

Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University, NALA, and ServeNow.

It’s not always easy to serve process on individuals. This is especially true if they move around a lot or are otherwise difficult to find. So what do you do when traditional methods fail? The answer: try social media. Initially, the social media serve was only allowed with foreign defendants who were difficult to locate. Today, it is becoming more widely accepted.

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, host Vicki Voisin interviews Erdal Turnacioglu from Weber Gallagher. Together they discuss the history of, when to use, and predictions for the social media serve. As always, stay tuned for Vicki’s practice tips where she discusses what to read to keep up with trends.

Erdal Turnacioglu is an attorney with Weber Gallagher in Warren, New Jersey, where he concentrates his practice in the areas of general liability, medical malpractice, and employment. He received his JD from New York Law School in 2006 and is admitted to both the New York and New Jersey bars.

The new Windows 10 has received a lot of attention, partly due to the lack of popularity of Windows 8, but legal professionals are notoriously conservative with adopting new technology. Since paralegals will likely be the first law firm employees to use the new operating system, they need to know whether to upgrade and when. Behind the buzz, what are the cold hard facts about Windows 10?

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews lawyer and former paralegal Beverly Michaelis about her transition from paralegal to lawyer, the Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT) issue, and what you need to know before updating to Windows 10.

Topics include:

The benefits of being a paralegal before going to law school

LLLTs and other solutions for the access to justice issue

Windows 8’s confusing interface

Reserving your copy of Windows 10 for free

New features and functions of the operating system

Privacy and data mining

Software compatibility

Biometric security, a clutter folder, OneDrive sync, and video features

How long to wait before downloading and why

Beverly Michaelis is a practice management advisor for the Oregon State Bar Professional Liability Fund. She is a member of the Oregon State Bar, Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, and American Bar Association with over thirty years of experience in the legal field as a lawyer and a paralegal. Beverly provides confidential practice management assistance to Oregon attorneys to reduce their risk of malpractice claims.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University, NALA, and ServeNow.

Vicki Voisin interviews Ethan Wall, lawyer and authority on the way social media interacts with the law.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University, NALA, and ServeNow.

Vicki Voisin, interviews Virginia Koerselman Newman, a faculty member on the Essential Skills Institute, about specific ways paralegals can improve their writing and legal research as well as learn to analyze legal cases and increase their own personal value.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University, NALA, and ServeNow.

Vicki Voisin interviews Ruth Conley and Linda Carrette, presenters at the National Association of Legal Assistants’ 40th Annual Convention, about why an annual review is important for paralegals, how we can prepare for the meeting, and mistakes to avoid.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University, NALA, and ServeNow.

Vicki Voisin interviews Sam Glover, lawyer and founder of The Lawyerist, about why lawyers need to be competent with technology, why paralegals should teach lawyers how to use technology rather than accepting all IT responsibilities, and tricks to maintain your own tech knowledge.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University, NALA, and ServeNow.

Vicki Voisin interviews Anthony Johnson, attorney and business technology author, about the best strategy for checking email, how he manages his tech-savvy law firm, and what paralegals can do with or without technology to improve workflow.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University, NALA, and ServeNow.