Who Put the Voo in the Vuvuzelahs? and Other Questions Your Boss Might Ask

Establishing a good relationship with your boss is critical for success.  And frankly, it's sometimes hard to talk with these folks. If you have a distant relationship with him or her, you probably have no idea what to informally chit-chat about. You don't want to cross any boundaries but when your boss starts small talk with you, it becomes even more important that you make...

Who Put the Voo in the Vuvuzelahs? and Other Questions Your Boss Might Ask

Establishing a good relationship with your boss is critical for success.  And frankly, it's sometimes hard to talk with these folks. If you have a distant relationship with him or her, you probably have no idea what to informally chit-chat about. You don't want to cross any boundaries but when your boss starts small talk with you, it becomes even more important that you make...

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...