Breaking The Chains Of Hierarchy: Why ‘Nonlawyer’ Must Go

The term is more than just a label; it reflects outdated hierarchies and is a barrier to a more inclusive and collaborative legal environment. Originally Published by ABOVE THE LAW by Olga V. Mack  on June 24, 2024 at 2:48 PM In the ever-evolving landscape of the legal profession, certain terminologies and labels can shape perceptions and the dynamics within legal teams. One such term,...

Being an Innovative Lawyer 

By Lawrence Pascoe  Compared to other businesses, lawyers have not evolved in how they serve their clients Let's be honest; the way lawyers serve their clients has not changed much, not just from the late 1970s when I started practicing law but probably since the 1200s when England passed laws regulating the conduct of the legal profession. Lawyers have harnessed technology to do tasks...

The Fate Of Midsize Firms In A Post-Pandemic World

Law firms leaders quickly learned that a willingness to adopt new technologies into their firms was a requirement for survival during the pandemic. Article By NICOLE BLACK on April 29, 2021 at 12:45 PM Originally published on AboveTheLaw No matter who you ask, one thing is clear: the pandemic will undoubtedly have long-lasting effects on all aspects of both our personal and professional...

Ten Top Reasons Midsize Law Firms are Disappearing

Oh, for heaven's sake! First we read for years how the major firms are going to go under, disband or simply disappear and now we're reading out go the midsize firms. What's going to be left? Teeny, tiny little firms or solos? What does this mean for the paralegal?Probably a lot. Already, a new trend is sweeping the country: the combining of the paralegal with the legal secretarial...

Paralegal Jobs Are Vanishing According to New AP Analysis

Bad, Bad News for Paralegals Paralegal jobs are vanishing according to a recent analysis.  In fact, out of the top disappearing jobs, paralegal is in the top 7 positions.    For years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that the paralegal position was one of the fastest growing fields.  In fact, as recently as 2011, the BLS predicted that from 2010 - 2020, paralegals...

New LitSupport Survey Shows Managers Get Big Bucks

The Organization of Legal Professionals (OLP) has been surveying Litigation Support Professionals to uncover interesting insights and valuable facts to help LSPs make the most of their careers.  The survey, sponsored by ZyLab and Career Numbers, is unlike traditional salary and utilization surveys. The survey is left open to regularly update the information and release new and interesting...

Going On’s…..This ‘n Thats…..

Tough week?  Take a few moments to enjoy our guest blogger, Celia Elwell, RP and senior paralegal, who sends us interesting links and articles.  Enjoy! Judge Throws Out RICO Claims Against Johnson & Johnson, by Shannon P. Duffy, The Legal Judge Dismisses BP Oil Spill Fraud Lawsuit, by Maureen Cosgrove, JURISTJury Awards $900 Thousand In Age Discrimination Case, by Ellen Simon,...

Paralegal: The Only Legal Job Creating Its Own Positions & Making Lots of Mula

The paralegal profession was created out of whole cloth.  Sometime about 30 years ago, someone (I don't know who) had an idea to title a person who was moving out of the legal secretary position but not quite into the associate position, a paralegal.  On top of that, whoever this person was, figured out that the paralegal could get paid more dollars and -wait! wait!...

“Biglaw Plods Towards Mastodon’s Fate”

Goodness, gracious, this is a remarkable discussion about the future of big law firms! Thanks to lawyer, author, & blogger Robert J. Ambrogi for highlighting it in Legal Blog Watch:"When the general counsel of a major corporation says that the current model of the large law firm is heading towards extinction, ears perk up throughout the legal industry. That is precisely what happened...

“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...