In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews Katie Clark, J.D., senior legal staffing consultant at Beacon Hill Staffing Group, about how paralegals could benefit from working with a recruiter, the current nature of the paralegal job market, the best resume length, and how to get legal experience. The top paralegal positions are in litigation and corporate law, Clark explains, and those who work with staffing agencies are given exclusive job opportunities and interview consult...
May 21, 2015•28 min•Season 1Ep. 65
In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews Ric Roane, Esq., a lawyer with Warner Norcross & Judd LLP in Grand Rapids, Michigan, about the history of legal rights regarding the LGBT community and how paralegals today can cope with discrimination and fear of coming out in their workplace. Roane discusses how the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) signed in 1996 denies marriage benefits to same-sex spouses. He also talks about how the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act in Michigan...
Apr 29, 2015•37 min•Season 1Ep. 64
In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews NALA President Kelly LaGrave, ACP about the results of the 2015 NALA Utilization and Compensation Survey, ways in which paralegals achieve professional growth, and the importance of certification to a paralegal career. LaGrave talks about the trends in the paralegal industry according to the survey, including more paralegals working in corporate legal departments, banks, government entities, the medical field, as well as private law...
Mar 03, 2015•32 min•Season 1Ep. 63
In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews Madonna University paralegal professor Mary Meinzinger Urisko, J.D. about how paralegal education has changed, the programs and systems at Madonna, and best practices for using your education to get a job. Urisko talks about how online courses expand the geographical reach of paralegal education and have improved with podcasts, videos, and blogs. However, she explains, the ABA doesn’t approve programs done entirely online; there is ...
Feb 10, 2015•35 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Paralegals and paralegal students often have difficulty developing their writing skills to the level expected from legal industry. The legal professionals rely heavily on both verbal and written communication, and writing is an essential necessity for both lawyers and legal secretaries. Because the other employees in a law firm will not tolerate inadequate writing skills, all paralegals need to learn to write in a concise and precise manner with proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. But how...
Jan 13, 2015•40 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Although being a paralegal is a rewarding job, sometimes paralegals experience burnout in their careers and consider changing positions or leaving the profession altogether. There are many ways to revitalize your paralegal career in order to avoid such drastic decisions. Joining a local, state, or national paralegal association can be energizing and spark fresh interest in the field. To really reap the long-term rewards, it is best to become an active member of one of these associations. Engagin...
Dec 10, 2014•36 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Marilyn Wass ACP, CAS is the Senior Paralegal at Lopez McHugh, LLP, a nationally recognized plaintiffs law firm that takes on pharmaceutical companies, nursing homes, insurance companies, auto manufacturers, and the manufacturers of defective medical devices. Her job includes an incredible amount of responsibilities both over time and day-to-day. Being a Senior Paralegal for a firm like Lopez McHugh is one of the most prestigious positions in the paralegal world. How did Wass reach this position...
Nov 12, 2014•33 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Family law and divorce can be a very difficult practice due to the amount of emotion and transition surrounding the client's life. The lawyers practicing in this area are directly responsible for the financial and emotional future of their clients. Because of the level of pressure involved, a successful family law firm depends on their paralegals to maintain organization of the firm and consistently complete projects and emails. But there is much more a paralegal can do to be a valuable part of ...
Oct 08, 2014•46 min•Season 1Ep. 58
The majority of people today are getting their information electronically, whether on a laptop, desktop, tablet, or smartphone. In the legal world, this means lawyers, paralegals, clients, and even judges are reading on screens rather than paper, causing them to skim pages and have a constant source of distraction. Because of this, paralegals and legal professionals need to change the way they write in a way that grabs attention and delivers the message. How should paralegals write in order to c...
Sep 09, 2014•39 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Technology has changed the world of law firms and businesses, affecting the way lawyers are required to retrieve, record, and archive information. Instead of communicating entirely by email or phone, professionals are now also exchanging valuable information by instant message, collaboration systems, or social media. It is important for paralegals to understand the ways in which this data is stored and maintained as it can often result in expensive lawsuits. On this episode of The Paralegal Voic...
Jul 30, 2014•35 min•Season 1Ep. 56
John and Patsy Ramsey, Richard Jewell, and Gary Condit are names everyone has heard as they were all on trial in the court of public opinion. These cases were spread throughout the media and, even though there was never an arrest made in any, the public had judged the accused. L. Lin Wood was the lawyer representing these individuals as they fought for their reputations. An expert in First Amendment litigation and management of the media in high-profile cases, Wood has been referred to as "the a...
Jun 27, 2014•39 min•Season 1Ep. 55
Despite US notions of innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, many innocent people have been sent to prison for lengthy to life sentences. Common reasons for these wrongful convictions are faulty eyewitness accounts, use of "junk" science as evidence, and informants with conflicts of interest. On this episode of The Paralegal Voice, host Vicki Voisin interviews Professor Marla Mitchell-Cichon from the Cooley Innocence Project at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Together they dis...
Apr 17, 2014•33 min•Season 1Ep. 54
In reaction to rising legal costs and decreased access to legal services, Washington State has authorized paralegals to practice law on a limited basis through its new Limited License Legal Technician (LLLT) program. Soon paralegals will be able to practice in specific areas of law. To learn more about this developing field, tune into this episode of the Paralegal Voice, where host Vicki Voisin interviews NALA President Ann Atkinson, ACP, as well as attorneys Steve Crossland and Thea Jennings of...
Mar 05, 2014•34 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Today's economy can be challenging for paralegals. Make sure you're taking the right steps to advance your career. On this episode of the Paralegal Voice, host Vicki Voisin interviews future President of NALS Karen McElroy. Together they discuss what you should be doing as a paralegal to get ahead and stay ahead in this job market. Karen McElroy will become the President of NALS at the end of February 2014. She has been working in law since 1981 in a multitude of capacities including legal secre...
Feb 11, 2014•30 min•Season 1Ep. 52
“Say something to make them put down their salad fork,” public speaking coach Deb Sofield said. The window of opportunity to engage an audience is small, and your introduction is a key factor in success. In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Paralegal Mentor Vicki Voisin hosts a lively discussion with Sofield covering public speaking basics, how to conquer fears of public speaking, and general standards to advance your career and daily life. Sofield is a public speaker, author, and coach. Her ...
Dec 30, 2013•33 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Hard skills can be taught in school – things like speaking a foreign language, earning a degree or certificate, or the ability to type efficiently. Soft skills are more complicated to master. Examples of soft skills are critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and flexibility. A valedictorian may lack a necessary soft skill for a role, and this could be the deciding factor of hiring someone else. In this edition of The Paralegal Voice, host Vicki Voisin invites Ann L. Atkinson, ACP and...
Dec 05, 2013•36 min•Season 1Ep. 50
After 15 years working in different offices and positions, Lori Howard decided she was burnt out and her career needed a major fix. She discovered her passion is career transformation – helping those who are unhappy with their careers start fresh and find a job where they want to go to work in the morning. In this edition of Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin invites Howard to outline the key tips of a career transformation covering the job search, resume, and interview. Howard also provides free ins...
Nov 08, 2013•28 min•Season 1Ep. 49
On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin invites Kathy Miller, ACP, CAS and Karen Trumpower, ACP to discuss legal apps for paralegals. Miller and Trumpower presented 90 Apps in 90 Minutes at the NALA Convention in July and have done the research and tests to determine the best apps for successful paralegals. The app experts break down and organize their top apps into seven categories: fax/scan, publications, research, note-taking, PDF and PDF-signature, security, games, and miscellan...
Sep 20, 2013•27 min•Season 1Ep. 48
In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Paralegal Mentor Vicki Voisin chats with Kathy Sieckman about the importance of proofreading and specific proofreading tips for paralegals. Kathy Albrecht Sieckman, PLS, PP, ACP developed an interest in proofreading when she sat for a certification exam. Since then she has become known by her family and her co-workers as the go-to person when they have grammar questions. She has worked as a paralegal and a secretary for more than 30 years, where she can ap...
Aug 26, 2013•33 min•Season 1Ep. 47
Fine tuned writing skills are pivotal to a firm’s success. They affect first impressions through websites, newsletters, client leads, emails or network listings, client representation, legal write ups, and the list goes on. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, host and paralegal mentor, Vicki Voisin will speak with noted legal writing educator Gary Kinder to discuss how paralegals can improve their writing skills. Kinder is a lawyer and New York Times bestselling author. He has taught over 1,...
Jul 19, 2013•38 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Katherine James was getting her masters in acting when her mentor was called to jury duty. The stories he had after his experience in court inspired her to open ACT of Communication: Consultants in the Art of Advocacy. The organization brings state-of-the-art communication skills to attorneys and their witnesses. James uses what she learned in acting school, like the importance of eye contact and clear communication, to prep attorneys and witnesses for the courtroom. With more than 30 years of e...
Jun 24, 2013•41 min•Season 1Ep. 45
On this episode of The Paralegal Voice Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal, joins host Vicki Voisin to discuss the future of the paralegal profession, how it’s changing, and specific steps you can take to land your dream job. Charles Volkert is executive director for Robert Half Legal and co-managing director of Robert Half Legal eDiscovery Services. Robert Half Legal is the premier provider of highly skilled legal professionals for law firms and corporate legal departments;...
May 16, 2013•29 min•Season 1Ep. 44
On the April edition of The Paralegal Voice Vicki Voisin hosts Charlsye Smith Diaz, a professor of technical writing at The University of Maine, who got her start as a paralegal. Diaz and Voisin met through The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and there they decided to co-author a book, The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success. The book was written with both beginning and experienced paralegals in mind. In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Voisin ...
Apr 23, 2013•28 min•Season 1Ep. 43
On The Paralegal Voice host Vicki Voisin welcomes guest Beverly Michaelis, president of Oregon Law Practice Management, to talk about the changes in lawyer-client communication since the Internet, and how lawyers can best communicate with their clients. Michaelis is a member of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, Oregon State Bar, and American Bar Association. She also has more than experience in the legal field as a lawyer and legal assistant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...
Mar 15, 2013•34 min•Season 1Ep. 42
On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-host Vicki Voisin welcomes Elizabeth H. Nellis, ACP and Beverly A. Pace, ACP from NALA to discuss tips for transitioning into the legal workplace and how to survive once you are there. Is what you are wearing working against your chance at a job? Listen in as they go over common first-day mistakes and pitfalls you can avoid. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 15, 2013•32 min•Season 1Ep. 41
On The Paralegal Voice co-host Vicki Voisin welcome’s guests Ann L. Atkinson, ACP, NALA President, Michael Potters, CEO/Managing Partner of Glenmont Group, Inc. and Patrick Oot, co-founder of the Electronic Discovery Institute for a lively discussion about career opportunities for paralegals in the area of litigation support, particularly eDiscovery and technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 30, 2012•33 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Are you thinking about working virtually but don’t know how to get started? Paralegal Voice co-host Vicki Voisin welcomes virtual professionals Tina Marie Hilton, owner of Clerical Advantage and Cathy L. Ribble, ACP, owner of Digital Paralegal Services, LLC, to spotlight virtual paralegals and how to form a magical team. Tina and Cathy share their personal experiences, the important skills needed to be a successful virtual professional, as well as the websites and blogs that they visit often for...
Oct 17, 2012•29 min•Season 1Ep. 39
On this September edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin explore the different kinds of work-related stressors many paralegals face on a day-to-day basis. They talk about the realities associated with an exciting but deadline-driven, detail-oriented paralegal job, and offer tips for both anticipating and resolving common stressors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 24, 2012•31 min•Season 1Ep. 38
How well-versed should paralegals and and paralegal students be in Microsoft Office Suite? Paralegal Voice co-host Vicki Voisin welcomes Deborah Savadra who blogs at LegalOfficeGuru.com, to take a look at the skills most legal employers expect and how paralegals can master those skills, and the resources available for improving skills. Deborah also shares her top tips for Word and Outlook, as well as her favorite technology tools. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Aug 29, 2012•35 min•Season 1Ep. 37
Are you looking for answers when it comes to billable hour practices? Paralegal Voice co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin join Jennifer Karns, Legal Professional Training Manager for Snell & Wilmer L.L.P., as they discuss billable hour practices. Jennifer emphasizes the importance of meeting billable hour goals and adding value to time entries. She also shares essential tips for improving your billing descriptions and capabilities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...
Jul 25, 2012•30 min•Season 1Ep. 36
