Paralegals & Legal Secretaries

Happy Labor Day from Chad Vader

Posted on September 06, 2010
What, you never heard of Chad Vader?Me, neither.This one's for you if you have to work today - or have ever dealt with a live possum.

Court Reporter Adds Paranormal Romance Writer to Her Resume

Posted on September 06, 2010
A veteran Washington court reporter received a pleasant surprise a few weeks ago, when she discovered her first paranormal romance novel was available for sale on Amazon earlier than planned.Renee Munoz, who uses the pen name Renee Rearden, wrote her own book, Moonlight Bleu (Crescent Moon Press, 2010), after she read everything published by her favorite authors...

Road to NALA CP Exam: Flash Cards vs. Zombies

Posted on September 05, 2010
A Facebook comment from my friend and Paralegal Voice co-host, Vicki Voisin, The Paralegal Mentor, on one of my status updates about iPad games on sale over the Labor Day Weekend, "Aren't you supposed to be studying for the CLA/CP exam?" reminded me that I am supposed to be planning my assault on said exam - and I am...

Today's Quote: Typewriters Aren't Dead Yet

Posted on September 05, 2010
"You've got people, you just couldn't pull them away from their typewriter. They're going to use it till the day they pass, because it's just friendly, and they feel comfortable. It feels like an old friend." ~ Bob Will (Buffalo News)I grew up with - and even took to college - my mother's old electric typewriter, which looked a lot like the big, scary one in the picture...

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Saturday LOL: Who Needs a Piano When You Can Play the iPad

Posted on September 04, 2010
By golly, it is magic...I'm gonna stick with Chopsticks.

What Happens When Your Client Threatens to Blow Up a Government Agency?

Posted on September 04, 2010
A news story out of Oxford, Mississippi illustrates one of the rare times that a lawyer or paralegal can reveal a client confidence: to prevent reasonably certain death or substantial bodily harm. Rule 1.6, ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct.The Upset vs...

TGIF: Now I'm Glad Tinkerbell Wasn't in the iPad Box

Posted on September 02, 2010
Okay, Tinkerbell the rat is cute, but you wouldn't want to find her in your living room, masquerading as a possum....

ParalegaliPad: Load Up Your iPad with Freebie Nonlegal Apps

Posted on September 02, 2010
All rightee then, so you busted open your piggy bank to score your very own iPad, and now you're too broke for lattes and iPad apps. Not to worry, Starbucks will somehow manage to survive without your daily visit (for a while) and there are plenty of great free apps to download...

Today's Quote: Thank You for Not Sharing

Posted on September 02, 2010
If you're going to use Facebook, don't be a Faceboob. It could cost you your job, your marriage, and your freedom. ~ From "How to Fall Flat on Your Facebook" (PCWorld)Mainly, I just wanted a chance to use the word Faceboob. It's a keeper.But this is an amusing read...

You Can Be Pretty Sure He's Not a Paralegal If...

Posted on September 02, 2010
...he threatens to shoot you in the knee cap if you don't pay him.Local media outlets are reporting that a Pennsylvania man, Michael Crawford, allegedly posed as a paralegal and promised to help a fellow with his medical/legal case.Never mind that Crawford wasn't even posing as a lawyer...

ParalegaliPad: Grandma Asks a Few Probing Questions About the iPad

Posted on September 01, 2010
Ya'll know I threw caution to the winds, and just went out and got me one of them newfangled iPads. I'm still in the learning about and downloading free non-legal apps stage, but in the course of my reading, stumbled across some very funny iPad parodies...

Evernote: This Paralegal?s Best (and Smarter) Friend

Posted on September 01, 2010
Or, You Too Can Be an "Awesome-ness Machine"In my humble opinion, one of the most indispensable free apps in the cloud (even edging out Dropbox) is Evernote (http://www.evernote.com/). Evernote?s home page says, ?Remember everything. Capture anything...

New Facebook & LinkedIn Pages for NCBA Paralegal Division

Posted on September 01, 2010
Now members of the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division have two new online places to gather: the division?s new Facebook and LinkedIn pages.The Paralegal Division currently has almost 1,300 members. Its new online social networking pages are a great way to get to know each other better, as well as keep up with ? and share ? news and events of interest to members...

Today's Quote: Whatever Dirty Work Attorneys Handle

Posted on September 01, 2010
"A paralegal do the dirty work in the legal profession assisting attorneys with the preparation of whatever they have to handle." ~ From "The most in demand jobs for 2010 and beyond in America" (Helium)Huge grammar and connotative issues aside, I don't have anything to say, but "Wut? Just wut?"(Oh, and dang, that stable-cleaning set looks real right down to the muck bucket and the imitation manure (wut?) - but these are toys for you Breyer horse collectors...

The Grammar Police: The Catchy Apostrophe Song

Posted on September 01, 2010
The only complaint I have about this most excellent - and much needed - video is that some of the offending pictures flash by too quickly.But there's nothing wrong with having the catchy refrain, "Don't put an apostrophe in it's/unless you mean it is" stuck in your head...

Paralegal Profile: Jennifer Guppy, Special Investigation Unit Director

Posted on August 31, 2010
Job Title: Senior Paralegal / Director, Special Investigation UnitEmployer: RLI Corp., Peoria, IllinoisYears of Paralegal Experience: 15Education/Degrees: Associate in Paralegal Studies, Bachelors of Arts, Masters in Legal StudiesSpecialty Areas: Insurance Regulatory, Insurance Fraud InvestigationsCareer Highlight: Uncovering a major insurance premium fraud scheme that affected numerous companies and now has the FBI and U...

Legal Secretary or Legal Super Woman?

Posted on August 31, 2010
The former legal secretary for the Fernley City Attorney's Office in Nevada used to wear a lot of hats, including receptionist, office manager and legal researcher. Don't worry, she didn't have a nervous breakdown and quit.But the City Manager took a closer look at everything she had to do - by herself - and concluded that the title of "legal secretary" was too restrictive...

Practical Paralegalism Contest: Win the Odelia Grey Mysteries Series

Posted on August 30, 2010
Practical Paralegalism readers can win the first five books in Sue Ann Jaffarian?s Odelia Grey Mystery Series, a $75 value. Even if Odelia didn?t happen to be a paralegal, the series is so highly engrossing and entertaining that you?ll be sorry when you finish the fifth book and have to wait for the sixth to be published...

Juror Discovers No Take Backs on Facebook

Posted on August 30, 2010
A 20-year old Michigan juror prematurely posted the pending guilty verdict in a criminal trial on her Facebook page, and now she's the one facing possible criminal charges.Maybe you're thinking, "Meh. No biggie." But the trial judge is considering contempt of court charges, and the defendant's attorney is lobbying for jail time - and a close reading of the Constitution...

We'll Just Skip the Roll Call

Posted on August 30, 2010
Or, How to Run an Effective Conference CallWelcome to the first teleconference of the Data and Electronic Information Integration Management Governance Committee. (File under "Just kill me now.")I think we've all attended this exact same meeting at least once in our careers...

Practical Paralegalism's Recommended Reading This Week

Posted on August 29, 2010
I blog for paralegals, legal assistants, legal secretaries, and all the other legal staffers essential to the practice of law - as well as the attorneys who want to get to know us better. Once a week, I share links to a half dozen or so articles focusing on legal news and humor, practice tips and technology...

I'd Notice if $1 Million Went Missing from My Bank Account

Posted on August 29, 2010
Another depressing news story about a Texas paralegal and office manager who has been indicted, along with her husband, for embezzling over $1 million dollars from the law firm where she worked has me more than a little puzzled.I like to think I'd notice if that kind of cash went missing from my account...

Disqualified Law Firm Failed to Erect Ethical Wall for Legal Assistant

Posted on August 29, 2010
The Texas Supreme Court has ordered that defense counsel for a hospital in a medical malpractice case be disqualified, because the firm did not take reasonable steps to ensure that a legal assistant formerly employed by the plaintiff's counsel did not have access to the case...

ParalegaliPad: Get Free Kaplan Ebooks for iPad - But HURRY!

Posted on August 28, 2010
I realize I may be putting the cart before the horse, because I haven't even published my planned posts about the free non-legal and legal apps I've downloaded to my new (as yet unnamed) iPad, but in this case, the deadline is short, and time's a-wastin'!Many thanks to my friend, Tammy Cravit, for tweeting the availability of Free Kaplan Study Guide eBooks for iPhone, iTouch and iPad through Monday, August 30, 2010...

ParalegaliPad: If the iPad Was Really Magic...

Posted on August 28, 2010
...You Could Set It Up By Waving It Around Like a Magic WandI drooled. I slobbered. I spent countless sleepless nights obsessing. Finally, I just went out and bought the dang thing with my little dab of money earned from freelance and textbook writing...

Saturday LOL: Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Posted on August 28, 2010
I bet the mom is a legal assistant.

Quick Thinking Saves a Legal Assistant and Her Dog

Posted on August 28, 2010
What would you do, if you were enjoying a morning stroll with your beloved canine companion, and you saw this hurtling your way?Heck, yeah, you'd run, but where to? Oregon legal assistant, Lois Jessee, and her golden retriever, K'lar Debear, found themselves facing one ticked off mama bear earlier this summer, right after they stumbled upon two baby bears rifling through Jessee's garbage can...

Today's Quote: Amen, Sistah!

Posted on August 28, 2010
"We like our coffee." ~ Valerie Lightbody, a legal secretary from Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan tells the Detroit Free Press that increasing coffee prices won't kill her coffee buzz. Can I get an "Amen, Sistah!"Source: Detroit Free Press

TGIF: You're GOOD

Posted on August 26, 2010
There's a bit of language in this video, but the assistant totally rocks, especially with the Boysenberry Muffin. She is good.

Road to NALA CP Exam: Could We Have Gone to Vegas?

Posted on August 26, 2010
I've done the preliminary research regarding NALA's Certified Paralegal exam and gained a partner in crime, I mean, a study buddy.Now it's time to convince The Boss that his two senior paralegals (hey, it's not only because we're the oldest paralegals in the office) should become NALA Certified Paralegals, and eventually Advanced Certified Paralegals under the umbrella of the firm's continuing education provisions...

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