Posted on by Chere Estrin
From Communist Russia to U.S. Citizen – A Paralegal’s Fight for Freedom
Walnuts on My Bookshelf: Memories of Living in Communist Russia is a book that I just couldn't put down. This compelling story engrosses the reader from the very first paragraph.
Written by an Alabama paralegal, Peter Kirchikov, the book brings a unique and brilliant analysis of life during the USSR from 1952 until 1991. Born and raised in Ukraine, he discloses the poverty,...
Shoot for the Curb – Everything Else is Gravy
How many times have you set goals only not to achieve them? Come on. You already know in your gut when you set the goal that you probably won’t reach it. Despite clichés such as “Shoot for the moon” and other psychobabble, you will most likely say to yourself, “Are you kidding? I’ll commit to xxx but I know it’s a stretch.”
On the other hand, goals are...
Limited-licensing for Paralegals: It’s Finally a Reality
Licensing paralegals has been talked about for years. And years. And years. It’s been pushed back as long as I can remember. One objection is that paralegals do not practice law and therefore do not need licensing. They are supervised by attorneys and it is the attorney’s license on the line.
Another issue was there were no standard requirements to enter...
Paralegal Jobs Are Vanishing According to New AP Analysis
Bad, Bad News for Paralegals Paralegal jobs are vanishing according to a recent analysis. In fact, out of the top disappearing jobs, paralegal is in the top 7 positions. For years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that the paralegal position was one of the fastest growing fields. In fact, as recently as 2011, the BLS predicted that from 2010 - 2020, paralegals...
Weight! Weight! Are you sabotaging your career?
Have you ever considered that those extra pounds that sneaked up when you were just “having an extra bite” might be holding your career back?
Some years ago when I worked for a major Los Angeles law firm, the Director of Administration asked me to lunch. Since this was rarely done for non-attorneys in those days, I was delighted. He took me to the Yorkshire Grill where he...
Our Ms. Manners Reaches Out Over Wine, Wisdom and Wacky Traditions
Our guest blogger today is Stacey Wagner
When I was eleven years old, the flu collided with Christmas dinner and forever dampened my enthusiasm for holiday food. So, every year I sit back with a glass of wine and watch the mayhem unfold as my multigenerational and multicultural family of cooks and foodies barter and (mostly) good-naturedly bicker over which foods will take center...
When Bad Things Happen to Good Legal Professionals
The story of Cinderella is familiar to most of us. Nice girl, horrible living conditions, probably violation of child-labor laws, happy ending. When we are children, we believe this story and for some of us, it sets our expectations for the future. And then, real life happens. When we think of what the bad...
That’s Not My Job
Our guest blogger today is Ninowtzka Mier.
“My boss’ secretary looked up and said the words that may have well been nails scratching a chalk board. “That’s not my job.”
I'm sure it has happened to most of us, at one point or another, during our professional lives. For most of us, a normal day at the office has its share of stress,...
Managing Effective Relationships with Vendors and the RFP Process
Our guest blogger today is Joe Kanka.
Recently, I had the opportunity to be a guest lecturer as part of the Organization of Legal Professionals (OLP) Paralegal Management Certification Program. As a former paralegal, I always welcome opportunities to speak with today’s paralegals about how they can enhance their management skills. While the topic of the session was law office...