“Orrick’s Staffing Moves Pay Off — Will Other Firms Follow?”

So, would you want to work in Wheeling, West Virginia? Read all about the separation of staff from lawyers in this article from The Recorder:"When Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe announced it would move scores of support staff to a small industrial town in West Virginia, lawyers inside and out were skeptical of the quality of work and the return on investment. "Five years later, the...

“The Data Boom: Can Law Firms Profit?”

Yeah, oh, yeah! Read how in this Legal Technology article about how MoFo responded when a small client was hit with a huge discovery request:"In the fall of 2005, a small Israeli technology startup came to San Francisco's Morrison & Foerster with a lawsuit -- and, soon enough, a problem. "The stakes weren't particularly high -- just a few million dollars. But after the case was...

“Law firms looking for help”

Good news for job-hunting paralegals in this Philadelphia news article which cites a Robert Half Legal survey:"Despite the old joke asking what 1 million lawyers at the bottom of the ocean represent (answer: a good start), a recent national survey found that law firms and corporate legal departments actually need more attorneys. "California-based staffing service Robert Half Legal...

Former paralegal now director of law firm recruiting

Do you have good staff recruiting skills? Ever thought about a job in legal recruiting? This NJ Courier News article might provide inspiration:"Norris McLaughlin & Marcus P.A. has announced that Victoria A. Martignetti has joined the firm as director of recruiting. "A resident of Warren, Martignetti has more than 10 years experience working in large New Jersey law firms, most...

“Preparing to Survive a Dead-End Job”

This LawJobs.com career advancement article is directed to associate attorneys, but I think the advice applies equally well to paralegals:"The harsh reality is that sometimes a job just doesn't work out. This can happen to anyone -- it often does. Recognizing the signs early on and being prepared for change are key elements necessary for a rapid recovery. "There are two entities that...

“Some Job Hunters Are What They Post”

But you already know this, right? If not, I recommend reading this article from LawJobs.com very closely (particularly if you're looking for a new job):"Plug a prospective employee's name into Google or any other Internet search engine, and you might be surprised at what you find. Web pages may tell hiring attorneys that the person they just interviewed wrote for an undergraduate newspaper...

Conspicuous Hole in [Paralegal] Ethics Training

This commentary in Law.com by an experienced paralegal surprised me. What's your reaction? "For all the talk of the need to prevent ethics transgressions in the legal profession, a glaring education gap exists for one group: paralegals. "Usually, it does not rise to the level of a topic to be covered -- until there is a problem. It generally crops up after an unintentional violation of...

“Nearly Half of Law Offices Plan Staff Additions in Next 12 Months”

Great news! Particularly for "Litigation, Corporate Governance Experiencing Most Growth": "Law firms and corporate legal departments will be adding to their teams in the year ahead, a new survey shows. Forty-seven percent of attorneys polled said they plan to hire personnel in the next 12 months; just 2 percent of respondents anticipate staff reductions. Litigation, corporate...

“Male Paralegals: Is There Really a Glass Elevator?”

Very interesting question raised on LawCrossing. Diversity in the workplace is good, right?"It is not uncommon these days to see more men doing traditionally female jobs such as teaching preschool and kindergarten and working as librarians, legal assistants or paralegals, bank tellers, speech pathologists, secretaries, data-entry workers, nurses, or even maids. According to the Bureau of...

“Why Do You Always Need This Yesterday?”

How many times have you asked this question when handed a new assignment?  LawCrossing looks into why this happens & how paralegals can handle these situations:"Some projects—especially the most urgent ones—seem to demand time traveling as a requisite skill. Everyone wants work done ASAP, but there's only one you and 24 hours in a day. What's to be done? "Paralegals are the...