It took forever for law firms to get on the bandwagon to utilize computers back in the day when all of CorporateAmerica was pushing ahead into the world of high-tech. Law firms reluctantly followed suit when three things happened: Clients pushbacked and protested loudly that law firms were still on a manual system and doing things the "old-fashioned" way; Lawyers got over the...
Yesterday, Tita Brewster, President of the National Association of Legal Assistants and I were invited to speak on the topic of paralegals for the Podcast show, Lawyer2Lawyer. This was the first time I've participated in this type of show. (Yes, I've done radio & TV, video, newspaper, magazine articles but nothing so today.) What an interesting experience! We are now...
A new show on Fox TV starring Julianna Margulies is one of the few shows prominently featuring legal assistants as part of the legal team. The show, Canterbury's Law, has been sent to reviewers for prescreening. Described as a "dark legal drama", the show stars Margulies as a convincing lawyer whose only true solace is her work. (I'm sure this doesn't sound like anyone we...
Paralegal fees are once again up for discussion in the U.S. Supreme Court with the Court's Nov. 12 decision to hear the Richlin v. Chertoff case. This is an important case for law firms and paralegals in promoting the further utilization of paralegals. The issue before the Supreme Court in the Richlin case is pretty straightforward: Under the Equal Access to Justice Act, can a...
Here's a twist: While many paralegals aggressively seek to expand their assignments, a New York lawyer gets disbarred for overusing his paralegals and running afoul of ethics violations. According to The New York Law Journal, real estate lawyer Keith G. Rubenstein, eager to bolster his shaky finances, signed an unusual arrangement to serve as a front for a Queens personal injury practice...
Halleleujah! Rarely do law firms or corporations acknowledge contribution of paralegals when a major case is won. Paralegals may work until midnight for months giving up weekends, holidays and birthdays but how often do we see their names mentioned when attorneys take bows over a major win? Going against tradition, the DOJ issued a press release today about a major win that also...
A new and exciting magazine for paralegals will launch in June, 2008. KNOW, The Magazine for Paralegals is an outside-the-box, informative magazine balancing workstyle and life balance for paralegals. Designed for paralegals in today's highly competitive market, the publication offers tools, tactics and strategies for a successful worklife and lifestyle balance. Written by leaders in...
Practically every day, in one legal publication or another, you're going to read about how the billable hour will eventually meet its demise. Whether this occurs in the next 10-20 years is questionable. What we do know, is that CorporateAmerica is pushing back hard against inflated hourly rates including paralegal rates that can go as high as $250.00 per hour or more. When news broke...
Finally, a firm that is honest about what it's doing. Only, I'm not so sure this is good news for paralegals. It may be good news for graduate students in India and for clients opting for lower cost legal fees. It seems like you can have one or the other but never both. Howrey has opened an office in India. "It's not outsourcing," insists Robert Ruyak, managing...
I'm telling you, when a field pops, it really pops. Apparently, the increased use of electronic discovery has resulted in a new set of practitioners: e-discovery special masters.According to The Daily Record, a special master is an officer of the court appointed to help with its proceedings, and may perform functions such as taking testimony or advising the court as a neutral expert....