So far, corporations aren't following Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Charles Stimson's suggestion that they boycott firms representing Guantanamo detainees: "It’s a rare day when law firms get called out for their pro bono work. "But that’s exactly what happened when Pentagon official Charles “Cully” Stimson rattled off a list of firms representing Guantánamo Bay...
Hmm, pretty right-on discussion from law firm coach Cheryl J. Leone: "Having learned one thing during my 42 years of law office management simply is this: Lawyers and paralegals don't talk the same language and they don't think the same way. They live on different planets, breath different air, and they even have different customs. Yet, if there is ever a time and a place and a need for both...
The legal administrator profiled in this article says his "job is to bridge communications between employees": "... s legal administrator for the Fort Lauderdale bankruptcy law firm of Rice Pugatch Robinson & Schiller PA, Jimmy Allen also 'wears a lot of hats in this job,' he said. He is responsible for overseeing payroll, benefits, scheduling, vendors and other day-to-day...
Sounds like a very good idea to me. Does your firm have a similar program? "If a Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone PLC employee invites you to lunch, it's a good idea to wear comfortable shoes. "This late December walk was one of the monthly 'mystery walks' taken by co-workers at the firm. Those who take the extended stroll get to eat on the company dime when they arrive at the...
No, really, it's true! "Five law firms made Fortune magazine's list this year of the best 100 employers to work for -- one less than last year. "Alston & Bird, Arnold & Porter, Nixon Peabody, Perkins Coie and Bingham McCutchen held their ground. But Morrison & Foerster, the only California-based firm to make the 2006 list, dropped off the chart. "'It's a brisk...
Oh boy, doesn't this sound like an all-too-familiar story? "In a world where even the most senior of partners can now be found typing away on a laptop, an observer could mistakenly believe that personal computing is as straightforward as using the average toaster. Unfortunately for attorneys, computer software is mostly designed or implemented by computer people for computer people and not...
Seems like a good article to put here....right after that "lawyers resolve paralegal priorities among yourselves" post: "Paralegals have been part of the legal profession for roughly 30 years. When utilized correctly , they are a significant benefit to a law firm or law department and its clients because they are able to handle both routine and sophisticated legal tasks that...
Recent post from the UK's nearlylegal blog describes a familiar problem. Do you agree with this paralegal's solution? "I currently have four solicitors giving me work. Regardless of what I explain about current workload, each insists that their work takes priority. Each then gets very annoyed when I do my own form of triage as to what gets done first and what gets delayed. I have to. They...
A white paper + survey from ITLA smartly discusses the use of project management by law firms, something I think should involve paralegals: "Project management is so much more than what is visible at first glance. Typically, we just see the team, tools and pieces to complete the project. What we don't see is the planning, tool selection, communication, mentoring or even the...
Seems to me that senior paralegals (see task list) can help manage legal projects, although I doubt many firms do this formally now: "Managing a legal matter, whether it’s a transaction or a dispute, can be equally as important as executing the actual legal work. Attention to both management and execution will help to ensure that client needs and expectations are met in a cost-effective...