The Paralegal Voice

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews Katie Clark, J.D., senior legal staffing consultant at Beacon Hill Staffing Group, about how paralegals could benefit from working with a recruiter, the current nature of the paralegal job market, the best resume length, and how to get legal experience. The top paralegal positions are in litigation and corporate law, Clark explains, and those who work with staffing agencies are given exclusive job opportunities and interview consulting for free (the agency is compensated by employers). She goes on to discuss how to balance your resume with the right amount of detail and how to present your skills acquired from non-paralegal jobs and education. Most importantly, she says, job-seeking paralegals should not limit their mindsets to a specific result.

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

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews Ric Roane, Esq., a lawyer with Warner Norcross & Judd LLP in Grand Rapids, Michigan, about the history of legal rights regarding the LGBT community and how paralegals today can cope with discrimination and fear of coming out in their workplace. Roane discusses how the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) signed in 1996 denies marriage benefits to same-sex spouses. He also talks about how the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act in Michigan and similar acts in other states defend widely against discrimination without mention of the LGBT community. He explains the Supreme Court consideration of whether the Constitution guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry and how their decision will affect workers. After the break, he talks about his own experience of being an openly gay lawyer, the differences between discrimination of paralegals versus lawyers, and steps a paralegal can take to help enhance their job security.

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

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews NALA President Kelly LaGrave, ACP about the results of the 2015 NALA Utilization and Compensation Survey, ways in which paralegals achieve professional growth, and the importance of certification to a paralegal career. LaGrave talks about the trends in the paralegal industry according to the survey, including more paralegals working in corporate legal departments, banks, government entities, the medical field, as well as private law firms. Popular practice areas, she says, include litigation, corporate law, real estate, administrative law, trust and estates, and increasingly commercial law. In order to keep up with trends, she explains, continuing education in unfamiliar areas and certifications are valuable to all paralegals. Voisin and LaGrave then discuss what it means to be certified, how to choose a qualified certification program, and ways to promote certification when looking for a job or promotion. Special thanks to our sponsors, NALA and ServeNow.

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews Madonna University paralegal professor Mary Meinzinger Urisko, J.D. about how paralegal education has changed, the programs and systems at Madonna, and best practices for using your education to get a job. Urisko talks about how online courses expand the geographical reach of paralegal education and have improved with podcasts, videos, and blogs. However, she explains, the ABA doesn’t approve programs done entirely online; there is a great benefit to the networking and discussions that come from a physical classroom. Urisko discusses how her legal research courses include using LexisNexis and Westlaw, people and assets found online, and legal writing. In order to get a job, Urisko recommends that students list skills acquired on their resumes, create a portfolio of their best works, and do internships or find any job in a law office. Many times, even an admin in a law office can create essential network opportunities with lawyers.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Nala and ServeNow.

Paralegals and paralegal students often have difficulty developing their writing skills to the level expected from legal industry. The legal professionals rely heavily on both verbal and written communication, and writing is an essential necessity for both lawyers and legal secretaries. Because the other employees in a law firm will not tolerate inadequate writing skills, all paralegals need to learn to write in a concise and precise manner with proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. But how should they get started?

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews Virginia Koerselman Newman, lawyer and paralegal teacher, about why proper legal writing is important for paralegals and how they can get started on improving their skills. Newman suggests that paralegals and legal assistants start by writing down everything they can think of regarding the case then choose only the important facts later to adapt to a legal framework. She suggests taking classes on structure, grammar, and punctuation, buying the book The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, and simply practicing. Use a practice textbook, edit mistakes in a magazine, and keep a daily journal. She concedes that learning to write is particularly difficult, especially because technology has made us complacent, but it is better to improve your ability now than struggle through your paralegal career. Newman finishes the podcast by mentioning how to show off writing skills through a resume, cover letter, and a developed portfolio.

Virginia Koerselman Newman, Esq. graduated from the Creighton University School of Law and practiced for many years in banking and commercial litigation in Omaha, Nebraska before she "attempted" to retire in South Carolina. Before Law School, she worked as a paralegal for a number of years and was the first CLA in the state of Nebraska. Koerselman Newman is a frequent speaker at seminars and workshops and has authored, co-authored, and edited several other paralegal texts, study guides, and instructor manuals. She teaches communications, legal research, estates, and legal analysis at NALA school for paralegals.

Special thanks to our sponsors, NALA and Serve Now.

Although being a paralegal is a rewarding job, sometimes paralegals experience burnout in their careers and consider changing positions or leaving the profession altogether. There are many ways to revitalize your paralegal career in order to avoid such drastic decisions. Joining a local, state, or national paralegal association can be energizing and spark fresh interest in the field. To really reap the long-term rewards, it is best to become an active member of one of these associations. Engaging with other paralegals can help you recognize that others often have similar problems, there isn't necessarily a better situation in a different firm, and there are many people who are willing to provide you with support. There are many other ways to add depth and success to a career that may seem stagnant or discouraging. Every paralegal simply needs to find a solution that fits.

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews managing editor of Paralegal Today Magazine Patty Infanti about how paralegals can revitalize their careers. Together they discuss the many different professional directions a paralegal can take in order to build confidence, increase experience, and simply enjoy his/her job more. In addition to joining an association, taking a continuing legal education course and passing an exam leads to credibility and a boost in confidence. Infanti encourages diversity in the topics of classes and maintains that it is just as helpful to get a certification in a new field. Voisin and Infanti both encourage all paralegals to give a lecture, write an essay, or even teach a course on the subject he or she knows best. This could be an area of law, a specific technology, or professional development. Helping other paralegals in any of these ways, they explain, can be the best way to reignite the fire of excitement for your job and field. Voisin also advises paralegals to take all of their vacation days and relax while they're not at work. Infanti adds that breaks from deskwork throughout the day, even just to grab a lunch sandwich, can really change the attitude of, refresh, and revitalize an exhausted employee.

Patricia E. Infanti, PP, PLS is a member of The Association for Legal Professionals (NALS) and served as President from 2010 to 2011. A past president of both her local chapter and state association, she is currently serving as Parliamentarian of NALS of Pennsylvania and is the Website Chair of NALS of Philadelphia. She is also a member of NALS Leadership Identification Committee and the NALS Genius Bar. Infanti has been employed in the Corporate Real Estate department of Ballard Spahr LLP in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1990.

Special thanks to our sponsors, NALA and Serve Now.

Marilyn Wass ACP, CAS is the Senior Paralegal at Lopez McHugh, LLP, a nationally recognized plaintiffs law firm that takes on pharmaceutical companies, nursing homes, insurance companies, auto manufacturers, and the manufacturers of defective medical devices. Her job includes an incredible amount of responsibilities both over time and day-to-day. Being a Senior Paralegal for a firm like Lopez McHugh is one of the most prestigious positions in the paralegal world. How did Wass reach this position and what challenges does she face?

On this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews Marilyn Wass about the responsibilities of being Senior Paralegal, how her career began and evolved, and specifics about caseloads and technologies. Wass explains her many responsibilities in more detail. She manages the Junior Paralegals and Case Managers, overseeing their workload and making sure assignments are understood and completed in a timely manner. Additionally, Wass oversees and reviews work on the Lipitor mass tort case including ordering medical records and answering discovery. Finally she spends most of her time on estate work and settlement litigation, creating settlement packages for up to 100s of clients. She has to schedule time to talk to clients and government agencies like Medicaid and Medicare.

After describing her job description, Marilyn Wass goes into the evolution of her career. She explains how she went from a temp job in a law firm to Paralegal school at UCLA. She had interest in working for small firms in the medical field and for lawyers who wanted to teach her about litigation and other skills necessary to move up in the litigation field. She talks about the biggest challenges she faces in her position including prioritizing various jobs and keeping clients happy. In the second half of the podcast, Voisin and Wass discuss the software Lopez McHugh uses and how training is done. Overall, Wass advises paralegals to learn litigation in school and to seek out areas of legal work, not just available jobs.

Stay tuned to the end when Vicki Voisin answers questions sent in by listeners. You never know when another paralegal has the same question as you.

Special thanks to our sponsors, NALA and ServeNow.

Family law and divorce can be a very difficult practice due to the amount of emotion and transition surrounding the client's life. The lawyers practicing in this area are directly responsible for the financial and emotional future of their clients. Because of the level of pressure involved, a successful family law firm depends on their paralegals to maintain organization of the firm and consistently complete projects and emails. But there is much more a paralegal can do to be a valuable part of a family law firm and increase the success of each case. What are some steps paralegals can take and how can the lawyers work best with their paralegals to benefit the firm?

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews attorney Nick Rice and certified paralegal Andrea Schultz who discuss their success working together at Rice Law, a firm that specializes in family law. Rice comments on the level of success he is able to achieve in divorce cases due greatly in part to working with Schultz and other high-level achieving paralegals in his practice. He appreciates the skills she brings to each case including discovery, research, prep for hearings, and document review and analysis in addition to her attention to detail and organizational skills. With the legal knowledge she has, Schultz can provide the assistance to afford Rice increased time and energy to give to the case and clients. Schultz encourages paralegals working in family law to become certified and get advanced certification in family law, learn the legal basics and how to move through a case, stay educated about changes in state laws, and find a niche within the firm. Inevitably, lawyers and paralegals should work as a team from the beginning of the case to ease stress for the client.

Nick Rice, formally known as George Lawrence Rice, IV, is a third generation attorney at Rice Law (Rice, Amundsen and Caperton, PLLC). He received his Bachelor's of Science from the University of Tennessee and his J.D. from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. He has presented at many Continuing Legal Education lectures.

Andrea Schultz is a certified paralegal at Rice Law. She graduated first in her class from Southwest Tennessee Community College with an Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies and was accepted into NALA's class of 2011-2012 LEAP Program. Andrea is a current member of Greater Memphis Paralegal Alliance (GMPA) and currently serves on NALA's Professional Development Committee.

Special thanks to our sponsors, NALA and ServeNow.

The majority of people today are getting their information electronically, whether on a laptop, desktop, tablet, or smartphone. In the legal world, this means lawyers, paralegals, clients, and even judges are reading on screens rather than paper, causing them to skim pages and have a constant source of distraction. Because of this, paralegals and legal professionals need to change the way they write in a way that grabs attention and delivers the message. How should paralegals write in order to captivate busy lawyers and clients in today's technological world?

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews appellate lawyer and successful legal writing expert Kevin Dubose about changes in the way lawyers read and communicate today and how lawyers and paralegals can adapt their writing skills to be read on a screen. There are 5 new features of the working environment that have changed the way everyone reads: online distractions, value speed over content, backlit screens, multiple windows, and email. These features, Dubose explains, encourage clients, lawyers, judges, and most everyone else to skim pages for important content and avoid long, convoluted paragraphs, sentences, or even words. In order to capture attention, he says, paralegals should write using headings, bullet points, short paragraphs, and start with the conclusion. Most importantly, write for the reader and you will have done your job.

Kevin Dubose is an attorney for and one of the founding partners of the appellate boutique, Alexander Dubose Jefferson and Townsend LLP. He has been the Director of Legal Research and Writing at UHLC and is a frequent CLE speaker and author. He recently spoke at the Houston Paralegal Association's annual conference on the topic of Successful Legal Writing Strategies for Today's Readers.

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NALA, a Professional association for paralegals, providing continuing education and professional certification programs for paralegals.

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Technology has changed the world of law firms and businesses, affecting the way lawyers are required to retrieve, record, and archive information. Instead of communicating entirely by email or phone, professionals are now also exchanging valuable information by instant message, collaboration systems, or social media. It is important for paralegals to understand the ways in which this data is stored and maintained as it can often result in expensive lawsuits.

On this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews social business management expert Doug Kaminski about data recovery, ediscovery, regulatory requirements, and archiving information that is exchanged through new forms of communication like social media. He emphasizes the importance for paralegals to become technology savvy, not only to assist in relevant lawsuits, but also to expand their skill set. As communications evolve, Kaminski explains, there will be an increased amount of potential evidence passed through instant messaging and social media. Paralegals should be knowledgeable about the laws concerning data retention in order to inform on custodial interviews and depositions. And most importantly, paralegals and everyone should be aware of the consequences of online communications.

Doug Kaminski, VP of Sales at West and Canada at Actiance, specializes in litigation, electronic discovery sales management, technology security, corporate compliance, corporate governance, information governance, archiving, social media, and enterprise software. He is requested as a speaker nationwide on topics including corporate compliance and governments, social media, security, and electronic discovery.

Special thanks to our sponsors NALA and ServeNow.