Host Carl Morrison reaches into his paralegal grab bag to bring you time management tips and tricks, current association trends, and predictions for the future of the paralegal profession. Tune in as Carl shares valuable advice that all paralegals can use, from tackling time-wasters to engaging a younger generation of lawyers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Disclaimer: This episode was originally aired on September 29, 2017. From Erin Brockovich to My Cousin Vinny, paralegals have often been depicted in movies and TV, but is it an accurate picture of the life of a paralegal? In this Paralegal Voice, host Carl Morrison talks to Lisa Stone about paralegal representation in pop culture, whether it’s accurate, and where it could improve. They also discuss whether these depictions help or hurt the profession they represent. Learn more about your ad choi...
Host Carl Morrison talks to Lisa Vessels about the characteristics that make a paralegal a strong leader. From volunteering with the Girl Scouts to effectively communicating with subordinates, they discuss Lisa’s experience becoming an effective leader. Additionally, Lisa gives her tips and tricks to improve leadership skills through understanding people’s personality type. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Carl Morrison talks to Andrea Grabow about her experience as a government employee, what law firm knowledge has prepared her for her current position, and what was challenging about the transition from law firm to government. Andrea also shares advice for paralegals interested in making the switch. Stay tuned until the end for Listener’s Voice, Carl’s recurring segment featuring audio questions or comments from a listener. To send in your own question email Carl at devoted2law@gmail.com. Learn m...
As solutions to the access to justice gap have been proposed, it has been increasingly clear that there will not be a single solution to the issue. Along with a variety of technology solutions, limited license legal technicians (LLLTs) have emerged as a potential answer to solving access to justice issues. In this episode of the Paralegal Voice , host Carl Morrison talks to Patrick Palace about what LLLTs are and how they provide access to justice in a unique and powerful way. LLLTs provide lowe...
Being a good paralegal requires more than just an eye for detail and an adaptable personality. Quality education is vital to a successful career as a paralegal. In this episode of the Paralegal Voice , host Carl Morrison talks to Lisa Myers about her experience as a paralegal educator, why she’s passionate about teaching, and why it’s vital for aspiring paralegals to obtain a solid educational foundation. Together they discuss how a successful program can explore innovation by enacting hands-on ...
Translated into Latin, pro bono means “for the public good.” Pro bono work is a way for lawyers and paralegals to give back to their communities but is by no means a requirement for legal professionals. In this episode of the Paralegal Voice , host Carl Morrison talks to Conni Hebert about why paralegals should be investing their time in pro bono work and the importance of finding pro bono activities that empassion and engage you. They also discuss the fine line between volunteering your service...
From Erin Brockovich to My Cousin Vinny, paralegals have often been depicted in movies and TV, but is it an accurate picture of the life of a paralegal? In this Paralegal Voice , host Carl Morrison talks to Lisa Stone about paralegal representation in pop culture, whether it’s accurate, and where it could improve. They also discuss whether these depictions help or hurt the profession they represent. Lisa Stone is a senior paralegal for T.D. Williamson and the NALA Liaison on the board of the Tu...
After eight years, the Paralegal Voice is gaining a new host. In this bittersweet episode of the Paralegal Voice , Vicki Voisin hands the hosting reigns over to Carl Morrison who turns the questions on her. In their discussion they talk about the origins of the Paralegal Voice, notable guests, and the challenges she faced in the making of the podcast. Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University , NALA , and ServeNow . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Litigation paralegals are an essential cog in the trial machine, but handling this responsibility often comes with a large amount of stress. In this episode of the Paralegal Voice , host Vicki Voisin talks to Tracy Mosz about her experience as a litigation paralegal, including handling the stress and maintaining all the necessary documents for trial. Together they discuss keeping an organized trial notebook, creating demonstratives, and using technology. Tracy Mosz , ACP is a certified eDiscover...
It’s common for professionals to confuse having a job with having a career. In this rebroadcast episode of The Paralegal Voice , host Vicki Voisin defines what it means to have a successful paralegal career and gives 30 tips on how to live out your calling. Some of her tips include setting goals, keeping your resume updated, and improving public speaking skills. She concludes the episode with a couple of bonus suggestions, including how to handle unforeseen challenges within your calling and wha...
Aspiring paralegals can get caught on a job carousel. You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience. In this episode of the Paralegal Voice , host Vicki Voisin talks to Julia Dunlap, president of the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE), about how paralegal education has changed, trends in the profession, and what employers are looking for when hiring a paralegal. They also discuss ways for young paralegals to get off the job carousel, including investing...
Even if you qualify as an extrovert, the pressure of networking can be stressful for many legal professionals. In this episode of The Paralegal Voice , host Vicki Voisin talks to Carl Morrison about why networking is so important for lawyers and what they can do to improve their professional social skills. Some of his tips include asking open ended questions, joining a professional association, and working on both your passive and active networking. Social media is a critical aspect of maintaini...
It’s common for professionals to confuse having a job with having a career. In this episode of The Paralegal Voice , host Vicki Voisin defines what it means to have a successful paralegal career and gives 30 tips on how to live out your calling. Some of her tips include setting goals, keeping your resume updated, and improving public speaking skills. She concludes the episode with a couple of bonus suggestions, including how to handle unforeseen challenges within your calling and what to conside...
Time is not something you can create more of or borrow when you need it, yet it is one of our most valuable resources. In this episode of The Paralegal Voice , host Vicki Voisin talks to Adam Camras, CEO of Lawgical, about managing your law firm’s time effectively. According to Adam, one of the best ways to do this is by taking advantage of technology and apps, like Google Express and Uber. Additionally, Adam says, paralegals and other legal professionals save time by outsourcing, staying health...
Many of us are petrified by public speaking, but it can open up doors in our careers. So what do you do if making presentations scare you? In this episode of The Paralegal Voice , host Vicki Voisin talks with Toastmasters recognized public speaking expert Vicki Kunz about how to seeking and properly preparing for public speaking opportunities. Together they discuss the importance of introductions, advanced preparation, and delivery as well as other gems of gab including numbering your note cards...
Similarly to most organizations and companies, social media can be very beneficial for nonprofits. They use Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms as tools for communication, networking, and engagement with their audiences. Social media facilitates fundraising, volunteer recruitment, spreading a message, advocacy and awareness, and transparency about current events and actions. But it is particularly important for employees of nonprofits to take care when posting certain content, as they are sub...
When building a law firm there are many variables that an attorney must account for to ensure that their business runs smoothly and is successful. In this episode of The Paralegal Voice , host Vicki Voisin chats with Brown & Associates, PLLC Certified Paralegal Alicia Mercer about legal project management, what the job entails, and why having a project manager is beneficial to the health and well being of any law firm. Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University , NALA , and ServeNow ....
In this episode of The Paralegal Voice , host Vicki Voisin chats with NALA President Cassandra Oliver about the organization and the significance of paralegal certification. Cassandra opens the interview with a brief history of NALA starting with its incorporation back in 1975, and shares that they recently celebrated their 40th anniversary last year. She touches on the importance of continuing education in the profession, how it allows paralegals the opportunity to manage their careers, and lis...
In this episode of The Paralegal Voice , host Vicki Voisin talks with the State Bar of Michigan practice management advisor JoAnn Hathaway about her tips to help law firms go paperless. She shares that there are many procedural steps involved in transitioning a company from a traditional filing structure to a paperless system and that it's imperative to have a paperless policy to ensure that no one deviates from the process. She encourages any company embarking on this conversion to take invento...
A heavily discussed question among legal professionals today is how can we help to increase access to justice for the most economically vulnerable among us? The state of Washington sought to address this problem through its Limited License Legal Technician Program (which licenses non-attorneys who meet certain educational and experience requirements to advise and assist people going through divorce, child custody and other family-law matters in Washington). For paralegals seeking this type of wo...
Going paperless seems to be one of the top new trends among law firms due to cheaper and better hardware and software, refined processes, and effective consulting. And it is especially important for paralegals to know the do’s and don’ts of implementing a paperless office as they may be the ones in charge. So why are so many firms going paperless and how is it done effectively? In this episode of The Paralegal Voice , Vicki Voisin interviews practice management advisor and former paralegal JoAnn...
Similarly to most organizations and companies, social media can be very beneficial for nonprofits. They use Facebook, Twitter, and similar platforms as tools for communication, networking, and engagement with their audiences. Social media facilitates fundraising, volunteer recruitment, spreading a message, advocacy and awareness, and transparency about current events and actions. But it is particularly important for employees of nonprofits to take care when posting certain content, as they are s...
It’s not always easy to serve process on individuals. This is especially true if they move around a lot or are otherwise difficult to find. So what do you do when traditional methods fail? The answer: try social media. Initially, the social media serve was only allowed with foreign defendants who were difficult to locate. Today, it is becoming more widely accepted. In this episode of The Paralegal Voice , host Vicki Voisin interviews Erdal Turnacioglu from Weber Gallagher. Together they discuss ...
The new Windows 10 has received a lot of attention, partly due to the lack of popularity of Windows 8, but legal professionals are notoriously conservative with adopting new technology. Since paralegals will likely be the first law firm employees to use the new operating system, they need to know whether to upgrade and when. Behind the buzz, what are the cold hard facts about Windows 10? In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews lawyer and former paralegal Beverly Michaelis...
Vicki Voisin interviews Ethan Wall, lawyer and authority on the way social media interacts with the law. The effect of new technology on the law Facebook: the personal and family platform Twitter: to connect with people who have similar interests LinkedIn: for professional connection and profile Why you should care about Instagram and Pinterest Picking just one platform to start Using teamwork for social media management What is illegal under the National Labor Relations Act What to specify on y...
Vicki Voisin, interviews Virginia Koerselman Newman, a faculty member on the Essential Skills Institute, about specific ways paralegals can improve their writing and legal research as well as learn to analyze legal cases and increase their own personal value. Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University , NALA , and ServeNow . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Vicki Voisin interviews Ruth Conley and Linda Carrette, presenters at the National Association of Legal Assistants’ 40th Annual Convention, about why an annual review is important for paralegals, how we can prepare for the meeting, and mistakes to avoid. Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University , NALA , and ServeNow . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Vicki Voisin interviews Sam Glover, lawyer and founder of The Lawyerist, about why lawyers need to be competent with technology, why paralegals should teach lawyers how to use technology rather than accepting all IT responsibilities, and tricks to maintain your own tech knowledge. Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University , NALA , and ServeNow . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Vicki Voisin interviews Anthony Johnson, attorney and business technology author, about the best strategy for checking email, how he manages his tech-savvy law firm, and what paralegals can do with or without technology to improve workflow. Special thanks to our sponsors, Boston University , NALA , and ServeNow . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
