Virtual Paralegal’s Gutsy Message: “BigFirm, Listen Up”

Pamela Starr, a virtual paralegal who says she is located anywhere her laptop is, had a strong response to my post this weekend about Jones Day's decision to lay-off non-attorney staff. The 2500 lawyer firm announced last week that it was letting go an unspecified number of legal staff because the jobs can be done by voice mail, e-mail, iPhones and other electronic devices. Pamela, who...

Are You Ripe for a Lay-Off?

Jones Day, the #4 firm in the AM 200 with 2,500 lawyers and 32 offices announced last week that it axed an unspecified number of support staff in its Cleveland office. Further, it announced that it let go 32 staffers in its Los Angeles and Dallas offices. Recession?  Cash flow problems? Too few clients? Too little work?  Guess again. ...

Why Would You Get Hit By a Bus? (And other uses of cliches)

Today must have been the day for buses.  On at least three occasions, I read the phrase, "In case I get hit by a bus."  My mother used to tell me that.  Only she added that I had to be sure to be wearing clean underwear just in case. I commented to my husband that I was reading a lot of cliches lately.  He asked me, "Why do people think they would get hit...

Ah, geez. Give me a break. I just got here.

Just when I thought that the Great Recession was past us, bam!  Law.com publishes an article announcing,"Law Firms Predict More Layoffs Among Non-Equity Partners, Support Staff." I mean, a gal can't catch a break over here.  According to the article, "A new survey released Tuesday by national consulting firm, Altman Weil shows that law firms nationwide still expect...

Ride the Horse in the Direction It’s Going

When we accept a position, we are accepting the dream: that life will somehow be better with the upward mobility this job is sure to bring.  Rarely do we attribute disappointment or growing frustration with our own lack of personal responsibility for planning our career. You may be one of a large group of paralegals experiencing tremendous job satisfaction but wondering how to...