Robert Half Legal Identifies Hot Legal Positions for 2007

Yep, I thought this would be another year for corporate: "'Oportunities abound in a variety of practice areas and industries,' said Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal. 'Corporate governance requirements, new business initiatives and rising caseloads have increased the demand for skilled, experienced attorneys, paralegals and support staff. "'Legal professionals...

Paralegal Article on Wikipedia…

...definitely needs improvement! Of all the smart & experienced paralegals who read this blog, surely someone (or several someones), has the skills & knowledge to improve this article, right? Find the current article here, history of additions & changes here, editing how-to here, editable page here, editing guidelines here, & info about all this Wikipedia stuff here. Be sure to...

“27 Tips for Teleconferencing”

Wow, this is a remarkably smart list! Stuff I hadn't even thought about. (Links below are from the original post.): "Whether you call them conference calls or telecons or excruciatingly dull time-wasters, multi-participant phone conversations are as important to most web workers as email. If you can’t meet face to face or arrange video conferencing, the conference call is the next best...

“How Business Trounced The Trial Lawyers”

It's not looking too good for plaintiff's lawyers. So, how are plaintiff paralegals affected? "By focusing on litigation reform at the state level, business has won key battles. Suddenly, it's a tough time to be a plantiffs' attorney. "In 1901 a well at Spindletop Hill sent petroleum shooting 200 feet in the air and made Beaumont, Tex., one of the first oil boomtowns. Decades later some locals...

Illinois Paralegal Association Asks Firms Not to Outsource

Don't know, at this point, if it's possible to turn the rushing tide toward outsourcing of legal work. But I applaud the IPA's attempt: "Ruby Prasad’s legal research and briefs regularly find their way into courts across the United States despite the fact her workstation is located 8,000 miles away in India. "Prasad is among the 200 lawyers working for Chicago-based Mindcrest Inc.,...

“Knowledge Management and Technology: Finding a Balance”

So, have you gotten into KM yet? Is yours one of the 'progressive firms' discussed in this article? "An increasing number of law firms have invested in knowledge management (KM) programs, which they define as including "know-how" (aka, precedents and form banks), professional development, current awareness (keeping legal professionals current on changes in the law), finding experts...

“Paralegals, not lawyers, introduce technology into law offices”

Yeah, this press release sounds right: "'What we've discovered is that paralegals, not lawyers, are the people introducing technology into law offices,' said Tom Goldman, AAfPE Chairman, Technology Task Force. 'At AAfPE's annual meeting in October , I delivered a presentation on SmartDraw's capabilities. Afterwards, over half of the attendees requested copies of the software, so clearly...

“Electronic Evidence – Fear and Loathing in the Legal Profession”

Great post to the MassLawBlog! First, a great quote, followed by a daunting, yet very informative diagram of "client server architecture" : "The schematic displayed...is a simplified illustration of a corporate network which Microsoft provided to the Federal Rules Committee in connection with proceedings on electronic evidence. It was intended to illustrate a generic corporate...

“Top Ten Tips for Effective Utilization of Paralegals”

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...

“Paralegals. Just say no.”

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...