Will Paralegals End Up with Too Much Power?

A few days ago, a thought-provoking article by the President of the Connecticut Bar Association, Mark Dubois, emerged causing much discussion in our LinkedIn group: Paralegal Group. Dubois raised a number of questions in regard to a recent report by a Connecticut Bar Association committee and the suggestion that the lack of access to legal services could be met by empowering paralegals to...

Why Paralegals in Traditional Law Firms Won’t Stand a Chance in Hell

Paralegals: Listen up. Protect your career now, while you still can. The Next Normal – Will the Traditional Law Firm Model Survive? Guest BloggerSusan Saltonstall Duncan This article is the first in a series to look at the "Next Normal" for law firms. Part 1 focuses on the traditional law firm model and why it is unlikely to remain as it is, Part 2 focuses on lawyer skills and talent...

I’m Not a Dinosaur. I’m Just Big for My Age.

Does anyone over 50 feel like a dinosaur? We didn't grow up with computers. We did invent them, that's true. I'm hearing more and more about technology moving so fast that by the time you learn one thing, it's old, gone and done with. So, 60 years of age is the new 40. Does that mean 20 years were lost or is it 20 years hasn't happened yet. What are you doing besides exercise,...

Cliches: The Name of the Game

Have you taken my class, Brave New Writer: Leadership Through Corporate Storytelling? If so, you know how adverse I am to cliches. When I see certain ones, I just tell myself to keep walking past those open windows. Phrases such as: As you know; if you have any questions, hit the nail on the head; attached please find; tip of the iceberg; avoid like the plague; catch-22; not in my wheelhouse....

Coming soon to a law firm near you: Paralegals giving limited legal advice?

Do you believe in licensing paralegals? I have been following Barbara Liss, a senior paralegal and president of the Santa Barbara Paralegal Association (California) regarding limited licensure. Recently, I received a very interesting email from her regarding the California State Bar Civil Justice Strategies Task Force on limited licensure. While the entire email is just too long to reprint here,...