Vicki Voisin - The Paralegal Mentor with Paralegal Career Strategies

Dennyce Korb: 2013 Advocate Capital/AAJ Paralegal of the Year

2013-06-03T15:35:00.002-04:00

Dennyce Korb, a paralegal at the Johnson Eiesland Law Offices, P.C., in Rapid City, South Dakota has been named the recipient of the 2013 Advocate Capital, Inc. / AAJ Paralegal of the Year Award.

Dennyce has been a paralegal for over 30 years. During that time she has worked mostly with clients who have been injured by nursing home abuse and neglect, medical malpractice, or defective products. She has actively participated in the trial of nearly 100 cases.

To be considered for this prestigious award, candidates must have demonstrated their value as members of a legal services team, shown dedication to the legal profession, and shown dedication to AAJ's mission. In addition to a beautifully engraved award trophy, she will receive free airfare, hotel and conference registration for the AAJ Annual Convention July 20 – July 23, 2013 in San Francisco, California.

"AAJ recognizes the immense importance of Paralegals to the legal profession, and how happy we are to be able to give something back to the paralegals who work so hard to help attorneys attain justice for their clients," commented, AAJ President, Mary Alice McLarty.

"This year's recipient, Dennyce Korb, is an excellent example of professionalism in her career and in her work for AAJ. She attends all of the conventions and is always ready to help a colleague. She also has a winning personality and is an exceptional singer."

"Dennyce's dedication to her clients, work and education is impressive and her passion for AAJ's mission is unmatched," commented Advocate's President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael J. Swanson. We are so pleased to be able to collaborate with AAJ on this important award. Paralegals are a key component to any successful law firm. We hope that this award will help bring well deserved attention to the crucial role that paralegals play in our Nation's civil justice system." (emphasis added).

Congratulations, Dennyce!

Biz Buddies: Vacation Tips for Virtual Professionals

2013-05-30T12:56:00.001-04:00

With Memorial Day still a fresh memory, Biz Buddies Tina Marie Hilton of Clerical Advantage and Vicki Voisin, The Paralegal Mentor, discuss vacation time for virtual professionals, including the challenges of disconnecting and the importance of taking time away from your business.

Tina and Vicki addressed:

How vacations differ for business owners and employees
Making time for vacations
Working vacations
Mini-vacations
Handling Holidays
Stay-cations
Earning passive revenue during vacation
The benefits of taking vacation time

Be sure to listen to this episode. It’s easy…and it’s free! Just click on the following links:

Page URL: http://tobtr.com/s/4912383

iTunes Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/biz-buddies-4-virtual-professionals/id541315755?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Please share the links to this episode of Biz Buddies for Virtual Professionals with your friends and colleagues. If you have a request for a future show, or a question for us, you are welcome to contact us at bizbuddies@vasurvivalschool.com .

Also, be sure you never miss a podcast by subscribing to Biz Buddies 4 Virtual Professionals on iTunes.

The Paralegal Voice: Paralegal Hiring Trends

2013-05-28T12:56:00.001-04:00

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; it also offers legal project management and managed review services. Volkert is a noted author, speaker, and former litigator.

Volkert provides valuable advice on how to get noticed in the field, including the importance of a proactive mindset and the need to be flexible. Talking points for this episode include:

The current employment environment;
The most in demand practice areas;
The new “hybrid” paralegal;
The most important criteria for hiring paralegals;
What employers are looking for in terms of technical proficiency and soft skills;
The importance of the right mindset;
What employers are looking for in terms of education and training;
Current salary trends;
And more!

Be sure to listen to this episode. It’s easy…and it’s free! Just click on the following links:

Page URL: http://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/paralegal-voice/2013/05/paralegal-hiring-trends/

MP3 Link: http://legaltalkmedia.com/LTN/PLV/Paralegal_Hiring_Trends.mp3

The Paralegal Voice also thanks its sponsor: NALA...The Association of Paralegals and Legal Assistants.

Please share the links to this episode of The Paralegal Voice with your friends and colleagues. If you have a request for a future show, or a question for us, you are welcome to contact Vicki at Vicki@paralegalmentor.com

Also, be sure you never miss a podcast by subscribing to any Legal Talk Network show, including The Paralegal Voice, by using the RSS Feed links or iTunes links at http://legaltalknetwork.com/rss-feeds/.

Maneuvering Your Paralegal Career from Start to Finish

2013-04-21T21:38:00.000-04:00

On the April edition of The Paralegal Voice Vicki Voisin hosts Charlsye Smith Diaz, PhD, a former paralegal who is now a professor of technical writing at The University of Maine.

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 and Diaz discuss the different phases of a paralegal career, including writing and interview tips, what to do when you get a job, how to organize your workspace and your time, as well as the steps to take to make your career both interesting and fulfilling.

Also in this episode:

How Charlsye transitioned from paralegal to Phd.
Why Charlsye and Vicki wrote The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success
Why paralegal students should participate in internships
What employers are looking for when they review a student’s resume
What NOT to include in your resume
Why you should keep your resume up to date
Interviewing tips
Tips for getting organized and managing your time

Websites mentioned in this episode:

The Paralegal Rookie: http://paralegalrookie.com

The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success

Dancing with the Stars Giveaway: http://legaltalknetwork.com/subsribe-to-newsletter (be sure to choose The Paralegal Voice as your favorite podcast

Be sure to follow these links to access the program, as well as Internet resources and links mentioned.

Page URL: http://legaltalknetwork.com/?powerpress_pinw=13813-podcast

MP3 Link: http://legaltalkmedia.com/LTN/PLV/PLV_From_Start_To_Finish.mp3

Please share the links to this episode of The Paralegal Voice with your friends and colleagues. If you have a request for a future show, or a question for us, you are welcome to contact us at Vicki@paralegalmentor.com.

Paralegals Can Cook: Roasted Chicken Thighs with Roasted Mixed Vegetables

2013-04-09T20:55:00.001-04:00

This recipe was adapted from one that appeared in the April 2013 issue of Martha Stewart Living. I usually don't change the original recipe until I try it once but this one begged for a few more ingredients. Also, how do you like my new quartz countertop? I'm loving the kitchen remodel.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Roasted Mixed Vegetables

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2.5 pounds)

3-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1/2 cup pitted Spanish olives (I used smaller pimiento-stuffed olives)

1-2 medium onions, halved and quartered

4 small red potatoes, halved or quartered depending on size (you may need more than 4 if you're serving more people)

Asparagus spears (Note that I used thinner stalks and they wilted in the roasting process but still tasted fine; fatter stalks would roast better)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Feta cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to a large bowl. Add chicken thighs, turning to coat. Salt and pepper to taste. Move thighs to a large rimmed baking sheet lined liberally with aluminum foil (saves on clean-up).

3. Add remaining vegetables to the large bowl and coat with olive oil. You may need more olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Move to baking sheet with the chicken. This should all be in a single layer so use a baking sheet that is quite large.

4. Roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest parts of thighs (do not touch bones) reaches 165 degrees. This will take 35-45 minutes. Remove chicken to a platter and cover loosely with foil.

5. Return vegetables to oven and roast until golden brown in places, probably an additional 10 minutes.

6. Transfer vegetables and accumulated juices to platter with chicken. Season with salt and pepper if desired (I didn't find this necessary). Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.

Serve with crusty bread or rolls.

Note: Your only clean-up should be the bowl you used to coat chicken and vegetables with olive oil, the serving platter, and your dinner dishes. Very simple!

Biz Buddies: Do Your Clients Know About Your Services?

2013-04-03T19:00:00.000-04:00

This month's episode of Biz Buddies 4 Virtual Professionals explores why your clients may not be utilizing your services to the maximum potential and what you can do to fix it.

Do your clients know about all of your services?

Are they turning to someone else for services you offer simply because they aren't aware you provide them?

Are there services that they aren't taking advantage of that could be helping their businesses?

Hosts Tina Marie Hilton and Vicki Voisin discuss:

Why clients of virtual assistants hire them for a certain service but are never aware of the full scope of services offered;
Ways to keep clients aware of what you offer: and
What to do if your client goes to someone else for what you already offer?

Be sure to listen to this episode. It’s easy…and it’s free! Just click on the following links:

Page URL: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/biz-buddies-4-virtual-professionals/2013/03/28/are-your-clients-really-utilizing-your-skills

iTunes Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/biz-buddies-4-virtual-professionals/id541315755?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Please share the links to this episode of Biz Buddies for Virtual Professionals with your friends and colleagues. If you have a request for a future show, or a question for us, you are welcome to contact us at bizbuddies@vasurvivalschool.com .

Also, be sure you never miss a podcast by subscribing to Biz Buddies 4 Virtual Professionals on iTunes.

The Paralegal Voice To Give Away 2 Tickets to the Season Finale of Dancing With The Stars

2013-04-02T19:55:00.000-04:00

The Paralegal Voice, a podcast hosted by Vicki Voisin on Legal Talk Network, will be giving away two tickets to the 2013 spring season finale of Dancing With The Stars.

Through the Paralegal Voice podcast, Vicki Voisin highlights the latest trends and issues that paralegals, legal administrators, and legal assistants face. She is one of the best known paralegals and is a leading voice in the paralegal community with over 20 years of experience as The Paralegal Mentor.

The giveaway winner will be announced the week of April 22nd, and will receive two free tickets to the season finale of Dancing With The Stars in addition to airfare to Los Angeles and hotel accommodations in the Los Angeles area. Only residents of the continental United States that are 18 years and older are eligible to participate.

Season 16, which kicked off on March 18th, features a cast including Olympians Alexandra Raisman (gymnastics) and Dorothy Hamill (figure skating), comedians Andy Dick and D.L. Hughley, country star Wynona Judd, Jacoby Jones of the Baltimore Ravens, and more.

To enter, participants must subscribe to the Legal Talk Network Newsletter with the Paralegal Voice selected as a show preference. The winner will be selected randomly from the participants.

Dancing With The Stars is a television competition that pits various celebrities and their dancing partners against each other as America votes each week to determine elimination. The season finale caps off the competition by deciding the winning celebrity dancer.

About Legal Talk Network: Legal Talk Network is an online media network for legal professionals. Our podcasts highlight important issues in a talk show format. They’re produced by professionals and available on-demand on the Legal Talk Network website, in iTunes, by free subscription to RSS and from legal portals, blogs and social networking sites. Listeners make connections with colleagues in a B2B environment, helping everyone meet the challenges of a changing legal world.

Yahoo: Leave Paralegals Alone!

2013-03-28T22:22:00.001-04:00

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer made headlines recently when she ordered employees who had been working from home to start showing up at the office. She cited the benefits of collaboration and face-to-face interaction.

According to the American Time Use Survey—2010 Results, USDL-11-0919 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 22, 2011), 24% of employed Americans reported in recent surveys they work at least some hours at home each week.

The idea of working virtually, not commuting every day to an office where the interruptions and crises never end, is becoming more and more popular, though it may experience a slight hiccup in light of Yahoo’s ban of virtual work.

As Yahoo CEO, this shift is certainly within Mayer’s authority. Her job is to improve Yahoo’s bottom line and if she believes this move will do that, it is her responsibility to make it happen.

While Yahoo employees may not be happy with the decision, they do need to remember it’s not about them but, instead, about the company’s financial success.

Mayer’s policy may be right for Yahoo but not for everyone in the workforce, particularly those in the legal profession. The deciding factor should be the type of work being done at home.

San Francisco State University management professor John Sullivan said Mayer's conclusion about the benefits of collaboration is right, if the focus is on innovation.

"People who work from home are less innovative--but much more productive, Mayer said, citing studies on the subject. "If you want innovation, then you need interaction," he said. "If you want productivity, then you want people working from home." (Emphasis added.)

Many paralegals are now working at least part of their week at home. Working from home allows them to set their own schedule, meet their family’s needs, and add balance to their lives. There is a savings of the time and cost involved with commuting, a professional wardrobe (who doesn’t dream of working in sweats and slippers?), meals and daycare.

This can be incredibly successful for paralegals. Why? When your work focuses on drafting pleadings, planning discovery, conversing with witnesses, or preparing for trial, your job is all about efficiency and productivity, not on innovation. This applies to paralegals in all facets of legal work, from mergers and acquisitions to estate planning and probate to corporate record keeping, etc.

Further, the paralegal’s work is measurable in that billable hour goals and deadlines must be met. With the technology available today, the difference between the paralegal working down the hall or the paralegal working 20 minutes (or 20 states) away is minimal.

Another point is that many paralegals interact with clients around the world, necessitating communications in multiple time zones. If you work for a large corporation in Delaware and you need to hold a conference call with clients in Dubai, it is difficult to make that work in the traditional law firm setting. It would not be difficult to make that effort from home while the rest of the family is sleeping. You would be clocking the same number of hours (perhaps more because of the minimization of interruptions) but in a different setting.

However, there is a lesson to be learned from Ms. Mayer’s message: working from home is not about you and making your life easier. It is about your employer’s bottom line. If you approach your employer about this work shift, do not focus on how nice it would be if you could be at home when your children get off the bus or when your spouse finishes his shift at 2:30.

Instead, be ready to prove that your working from home will be a benefit to your employer:

You may get more done than if you had to get dressed, commute to the office, put in 9 hours, and commute back home.
You may be more productive because extra time chatting with co-workers or being interrupted by co-workers will be practically eliminated.
You will have long stretches of time to concentrate.
The result will be increased profit to the firm and, perhaps, decreased costs. All you need is a good Internet connection and privacy and can be as productive as in the office.

Out of sight, out of mind? Working virtually can be a win-win situation for both you and your employer. There may also be a downside: if you are not meeting face-to-face with your supervising attorney and co-workers, will you be forgotten? Passed over for bonuses and raises? Hopefully not, but this may require some extra effort on your part to be sure you are still connecting and communicating with them. You must be willing to appear in person for client meetings when necessary, for strategy planning, and, of course, to assist at trial.

Working virtually is a trend that is here to stay. Employers are going to have to face this and make adjustments. You can advance this transition so long as you do not focus on you but are willing and able to demonstrate that this shift is in your employer’s best interests.

Do you work from home? How is that working for you? Do you see benefits for both you and your employer? Please leave a comment -- I'd love to hear.
=====================================

Vicki Voisin, "The Paralegal Mentor", delivers simple strategies for paralegals and other professionals to create success and satisfaction by setting goals and determining the direction they will take their careers. Vicki spotlights resources, organizational tips, ethics issues, and other areas of continuing education to help paralegals and others reach their full potential. She is the co-author of The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success. Vicki publishes Paralegal Strategies, a weekly e-newsletter for paralegals, and hosts The Paralegal Voice, a monthly podcast produced by Legal Talk Network.

More information is available at www.paralegalmentor.com where subscribers receive Vicki's 151 Tips for Your Career Success.

Facebook: You're Fired!

2013-03-14T20:24:00.000-04:00

Are you having a bad day? Stay away from social media!

Amy McClenathan was having a bad day as the one-year anniversary of her mother’s death approached.

She was not in the mood to be at work so she posted, “I wish I could get fired some days, it would be easier to be at home than to have to go through this."

The next day her employer granted her wish: she was fired from her job at a title company.

A woman named “Wynetta” worked as a basketball coach at her alma mater, something she considered her “dream job”. After one particularly long day at work, Wynetta attended a relative’s party where her daughter took a picture of her drinking from a penis-shaped straw. The daughter then posted the picture on Facebook. When her employer saw the picture, Wynetta was asked to resign.

In 2010, after working at the Arizona Daily Star for over 10 years, reporter Brian Pedersen lost his job with the newspaper because he posted sarcastic Tweets about a Tucson homicide wave on Twitter.

McClenathan, Pedersen and Wynetta are not alone and this issue is being addressed in administrative hearings and in courts.

Mr. Pedersen took his case to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The NLRB ruled that the newspaper was within its rights to fire him. However, the NLRB often takes the position that critical postings are equivalent to workers venting around the water cooler.

Despite accounts such as those about McClenathan, Wynetta and Pedersen, reports by the NLRB make it clear that employees do have the right to complain on social media about working conditions.

The difference between what is protected social media speech about the workplace and what isn’t is determined by “concerted activity”. Concerted activity is a term used to define the activities workers may partake in without fear of employer retaliation.

Employees have the right to discuss working conditions and state their opinions. However, they can’t engage in postings on social media sites that would be considered libel or slander, nor can the post confidential company information.

Employees should be very careful about what they post. As demonstrated in the foregoing examples, you can be terminated if you violate lawful company policy or if your post isn’t protected activity.

The bottom line? Social media presents much to worry about. Postings on social media sites can kill a job and a career.

If you feel the need to vent, don’t!
If you want to let the world know you don’t like your job, don’t!
If you want to post a great/funny picture from an event where you’re dancing ontable, don’t!

Always think twice before you post anything and when you do post, be sure you only write your best.

~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 Vicki Voisin, Inc. Do you want to use this article in your newsletter, ezine or Web site? You can, so long as you include this entire blurb with it:

Vicki Voisin, "The Paralegal Mentor", delivers simple strategies for paralegals and other professionals to create success and satisfaction by setting goals and determining the direction they will take their careers. Vicki spotlights resources, organizational tips, ethics issues, and other areas of continuing education to help paralegals and others reach their full potential. She is the co-author of The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success. Vicki publishes Paralegal Strategies, a weekly e-newsletter for paralegals, and hosts The Paralegal Voice, a monthly podcast produced by Legal Talk Network.

More information is available at www.paralegalmentor.com where subscribers receive Vicki's 151 Tips for Your Career Success.

LinkedIn: Rules of Etiquette

2013-03-05T15:10:00.002-05:00

Many of you wrote to let me know you really enjoyed "5 Steps to Creating an Impressive LinkedIn Profile" when I published it in Paralegal Strategies last fall. You can click here to access that article.

Recently I received a very good question from a reader about the proper way to make connections on LinkedIn:

Dear Vicki,

I subscribe to your email newsletter and love to listen to your podcast. I recently completed a paralegal certificate program and am searching for a paralegal position.

There has been lots of talk about networking on LinkedIn. I have noticed many paralegals in my area have posted profiles. There are even some profiles for law firms I have applied to.

I would like to network with these people to see if they have any advice for a new paralegal and whether they aware of any openings. What is the etiquette on LinkedIn for contacting these individuals?

Sincerely,

Puzzled Paralegal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My response:

Dear Puzzled Paralegal:

This is a great question and you are smart to do some research before you jump into LinkedIn networking.

LinkedIn does not play nice with those who attempt to connect with people who do not know them, or at least have some semblance of a connection to them. If enough people report you to the powers that be at LinkedIn with a complaint that they do not know you, you will receive a reprimand from LinkedIn. Your membership could even be suspended.

Once you have your profile completed (remember to update it often), including a professional picture, you can forge ahead with your professional connections.

The best way to connect is through forums/groups. Search for "paralegal", an area of the law you are interested in such as probate and estate planning, or a paralegal association. You should follow the conversations on those forums and contribute questions and comments when appropriate. You will find members to be very helpful. You will also find notices of job opportunities on these forums.

Once you have joined, you can begin to ask members of the forum to connect with you. Please note:
When you send your invitation, do not just use the default message: "I want to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn."

Instead, personalize your message, much the way you asked your question above: tell them you are a recent graduate (be sure to include the name of your program), that you are looking for a job in XX area, and would like to connect with them.

Do not limit yourself to connecting only with people in the area where you want to work. Connect with bloggers, speakers you've heard or with authors whose material you have read -- always taking the time to explain your interest in connecting with them.

For instance, "I was present when you spoke at the State Bar of Michigan's Annual Meeting and very much enjoyed learning more about resume writing. I would like add you to my professional connections on LinkedIn."

You never know who other people know that might be a beneficial contact for you. At the very least, you will be learning a lot from the questions and answers you are following.

Once someone accepts your request, send them a message thanking them. Wait a few days before you start asking questions. Then ask only one or two questions at a time. These are busy people so you want to be sure you do not impose on them.

If someone asks you to connect with them, check their profile and if they are a fit, go ahead and accept their invitations. Then send them a message thanking them for the invitation and letting them know that you look forward to connecting with them on LinkedIn.

You might also consider endorsing someone you know. And if you know someone really well or have read an article they have written or attended a seminar where they spoke, you might write a recommendation. This attention is very much appreciated and may make them more willing to help you with your questions.

While all of this takes time and commitment, the end result will be worth it. I hope this helps!

~~~~~~~~~~
© 2013 Vicki Voisin, Inc. Do you want to use this article in your newsletter, ezine or Web site? You can, so long as you include this entire blurb with it:Vicki Voisin, "The Paralegal Mentor", delivers simple strategies for paralegals and other professionals to create success and satisfaction by setting goals and determining the direction they will take their careers. Vicki spotlights resources, organizational tips, ethics issues, and other areas of continuing education to help paralegals and others reach their full potential. She is the co-author of The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success. Vicki publishes Paralegal Strategies, a weekly e-newsletter for paralegals, and co-hosts The Paralegal Voice, a monthly podcast produced by Legal Talk Network.More information is available at www.paralegalmentor.com where subscribers receive Vicki's 151 Tips for Your Career Success.

Paralegal Profile: Sheila L. Williams, ACP

2013-03-04T11:42:00.001-05:00

Sheila L. Williams, ACP, is a paralegal with Lewis, King, Krieg & Waldrop, P.C. where she focuses on product liability defense.

She has a B.S. degree in Education (with a major in Industrial Training and Supervision) from the University of Tennessee. Sheila earned her Certified Paralegal (CP) credential in 1991 and her ACP in 2008/09.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. What prompted you to choose a paralegal career? Soon after finishing my Associate Degree in Secretarial Science, I got married. My husband was in the Air Force and we spent the next 7 years overseas. During those years I worked as a school bus monitor, a library assistant, and a personnel clerk.

I knew once I returned to the US I would finish my degree and thought I was interested in law. The assistants in the TV attorney shows intrigued me.

When we moved to Knoxville, my first job was in a plaintiff’s firm as the receptionist—a great opportunity to learn by reading everything that came across my desk and asking other paralegals to explain things I did not understand. I soon enrolled in UTK’s then two-year paralegal degree. Two years later, I got my first job as a paralegal.   That was in 1984, and I believe I am doing exactly what I envisioned in 1982.

2.    What is your favorite part of your job? Trial!! I love all aspects of trial preparation and being in the courtroom!! The adrenaline rush!!

3.    What professional associations do you belong to? I am a member of NALA and the Smoky Mountain Paralegal Association. I am a founding member and past president of SMPA

4.    How has your membership benefited you?   Professional associations are a great source for honing your skills through CLE, keeping up with legislature involving our career, and networking. I have met so many paralegals from all over the US, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. I have presented CLE topics which allowed me to practice and gain confidence in public speaking. Through NALA I have been able to keep up with trends and news within our profession. The friendships I have cultivated are priceless.

5.    If someone contemplating a paralegal career asked you for career advice, what would your answer be? I would explain that being a paralegal entails more than just taking and completing assignments. Analytical ability is crucial and something that an education cannot necessarily provide. I would advise her/him to search her/his heart to learn whether there is a passion for the law.

Being a paralegal and working with attorneys are not easy, and true success requires a passion for it. If you get in school and decide you don’t have that passion, cut your losses and change paths of study. There is no shame in realizing a career is not for you. Many people look at it as a glamorous career working with rich lawyers. Don’t be fooled by that misconception.

6.    Is there a quote that inspires you? I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

7.     You've enjoyed a successful paralegal career. To what single event or person do you attribute that success? When I finished my degree at UTK (not in paralegal studies), I wanted to remain in the field and wanted to work in a firm and with attorneys who appreciated my skills and knowledge. I believed I was mature beyond my five years of experience and had much to offer.

I was hired at Lewis King and was assigned to work with Attorney Debbie Stevens. She very quickly saw that I was able to work without being told what to do on a daily basis. She and I worked very well for over 21 years, mutually respecting each other. We worked many product liability defense cases and trials in every southeast state. Her confidence in my abilities was just what I needed to excel. In 2010 I moved to our Nashville office and now also work with attorneys who have confidence in my abilities as a paralegal.

8. Who would play you in a movie of your life? Meryl Streep because she can humorously put people in their place.

9. What electronic device can you not live without? I’d like to try to live without them all.

10. From American history, who is your hero? Ronald Reagan – he had the courage to stand up to the opposition and turn our country around at a time we desperately needed it. Sort of like we do now. I keep praying for another Ronald Reagan. He made us proud to be Americans again.

11. What’s your favorite vacation getaway? Southern Italy

12. If you could not be a paralegal, what would be your dream job? Independently wealthy!

13. What makes you lose your patience? People who do just enough to get by.

Bonus Question: Is there one thing in the world you wish you had the answer to? Cure for Alzheimers.

So many passwords...so little time!

2013-03-01T15:16:00.000-05:00

Everything seems to require a password!

In the latest episode of Biz Buddies for Virtual Professionals, Tina Hilton of http://clericaladvantage.com and I discuss the importance of strong passwords, as well as tips for managing and protecting that lengthy lists of passwords for both you and your clients.

Discussion included:

The importance of strong passwords;
How to create strong passwords;
How to manage and protect client passwords;
How to track of all of those passwords!

Be sure to listen to this episode. It’s easy…and it’s free! Just click on the following links:

Page URL: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/biz-buddies-4-virtual-professionals/2013/02/28/so-many-passwordscreating-managing-yours-and-your-clients

Please share the links to this episode of Biz Buddies for Virtual Professionals with your friends and colleagues. If you have a request for a future show, or a question for us, you are welcome to contact us at bizbuddies@vasurvivalschool.com.

Also, be sure you never miss a podcast by subscribing to Biz Buddies 4 Virtual Professionals on iTunes!

Surviving the Workplace Transition: Tips from NALA

2013-02-28T14:24:00.000-05:00

How do you transition from school to the workplace – and survive once you are there?

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin welcomes Elizabeth H. Nellis, ACP and Beverly A. Pace, ACP, NALA members and producers of NALA’s Professional Identity Project.

Vicki and her guests talk about the purpose of the Professional Identity Project, its availability as a free resource, and how it will benefit everyone from the paralegal student to the experienced paralegal.

Discussion includes the outlook for the professional profession and the challenges paralegals face. Also in this episode:

The most important characteristics you must have to work as a paralegal;
The latest trends in the paralegal profession;
Do’s and Don’ts for drafting a great resume;
Tips for your job interviews;
Tips for surviving in the legal workplace;
How to dress for your job;
Why it’s important to be a “bitch buster”
And more!

Be sure to follow these links to access the program, as well as Internet resources and links mentioned during the project.

Page URL: http://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/paralegal-voice/2013/02/school-workplace-transition-nala/

MP3 Link: http://legaltalkmedia.com/LTN/PLV/PLV_021713_NALAWorkforceEntryTips.mp3

The Paralegal Voice also thanks its sponsor: NALA...The Association of Paralegals and Legal Assistants.

Please share the links to this episode of The Paralegal Voice with your friends and colleagues. If you have a request for a future show, or a question for us, you are welcome to contact Vicki@paralegalmentor.com.

Also, you can make sure you never miss a podcast by subscribing to any Legal Talk Network show, including The Paralegal Voice, by using the RSS Feed links or iTunes links at http://legaltalknetwork.com/rss-feeds/.

Will Paralegals Disappear? The Paralegal Mentor Says "No"!

2013-02-27T09:59:00.000-05:00

Recent headlines on the Internet have been alarming:

Paralegal Jobs are Vanishing....
Rise of Technology Causing Paralegal Jobs to Disappear?
Recession, tech killing middle-class jobs...
Paralegal jobs being overtaken by technology...
As technology evolves, jobs disappear...

Instead of allowing these dire, attention-grabbing headlines to create a profession-wide panic, let's give some common sense thought to these predictions.

Background Information:

As recently as 2010 the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, predicted there will be an 18% growth rate in paralegal jobs through 2020 and that this is one of the fastest growing professions.

In contradiction to that, The Associated Press released a report in January 2013 stating that 5 years after the start of the Great Recession, millions of middle-class jobs have been lost world-wide and will never return. Additionally, millions more are likely to vanish.

Further, the report states that, "Year after year, software that runs computers and an array of other machines and devices become more sophisticated and powerful and capable of doing more efficiently tasks that humans have always done." The analysis refers to jobs that are routine and repetitive in the service sector and examples used are paralegals, meter readers and travel agents.

In August 2012, The ABA’s House of Delegates approved updates to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct to acknowledge that information is stored digitally as well as in paper files, clients communicate electronically as well as by phone calls, and email isn’t the only method of electronic communications.

New commentary language added to Rule 1.1 (the duty to provide competent representation) requires lawyers to keep abreast of the benefits and risks associated with technology, according to new commentary language added to Rule 1.1 on the duty to provide competent representation.

It is insulting that the work of a paralegal would be classified as a “routine and repetitive” job, similar to those of a meter reader. The American Bar Association defines paralegals as performing specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. Working as a paralegal is not just a job, but a career. It's doubtful meter reading can be considered a career.
The reality:

Paralegal jobs will not be obliterated by technology. Instead, technology will change paralegal jobs, as well as paralegal responsibilities and skill requirements. But what’s new?

From the time this profession emerged in the 1970’s, paralegals have had to deal with change. The unwritten rule has always been that you either kept up or you were out of a job.

From the manual typewriter to the good old Selectric to today’s desk tops, iPads, laptops, and smart phones, paralegals have accepted new challenges and met expectations. Often it is the paralegal who introduces the new technology to their employers and then trains the staff to use it.

One more thing: the legal field will always require the human touch. Software cannot soothe clients, decide what must be done, or run by itself. Software cannot deal with court staff. Software cannot be relied upon to be correct. A good example is your spell check! The training and expertise of the paralegal, as well as the ability to deal with people, will always be needed.

What should you do?

Don't be frightened by these headlines. Instead, do what you have been told to do over and over again:

Observe trends in the industry. If business is slow in your focus area, take necessary steps ensure you will have a job, perhaps in another specialty area.
Never stop learning; take advantage of CLE opportunities.
Pursue professional certification.
Become an expert in your focus area. This will require work on your part which might include pursuing advanced certification, returning to college, and keeping up with new rules and case law.
Be the one establishing systems and routines that will help your employer.
Watch for new technology, adopt it, and learn it. Never -- ever -- refuse to use it.
Prepare a great resume and keep it up to date.
Use social media. It's here to stay, folks, and it's a great networking tool, as well as an excellent way to learn about new trends, technology and tools.

The bottom line? Remember that headlines are designed to grab your attention. Lately, they have caused paralegals to fear for their future.

Don't fall for this! Instead, study and interpret the materials yourself so that you can make wise decisions. Then follow the steps above so your career will continue to move in the right direction: forward.
========================
© 2013 Vicki Voisin, Inc. Do you want to use this article in your newsletter, ezine or Web site? You can, so long as you include this entire blurb with it:

Vicki Voisin, "The Paralegal Mentor", delivers simple strategies for paralegals and other professionals to create success and satisfaction by setting goals and determining the direction they will take their careers. Vicki spotlights resources, organizational tips, ethics issues, and other areas of continuing education to help paralegals and others reach their full potential. She is the co-author of The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success. Vicki publishes Paralegal Strategies, a weekly e-newsletter for paralegals, and hosts The Paralegal Voice, a monthly podcast produced by Legal Talk Network.

More information is available at www.paralegalmentor.com where subscribers receive Vicki's 151 Tips for Your Career Success.

A Billable Hour Fairy Tale for Paralegals/Attorneys

2013-02-05T09:44:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time, there were three paralegals who had billable hour goals to meet by the end of each year. This may sound familiar to you.

Hope. The First Paralegal adopted a strategy of 'hope' when it came to meeting her billable hour goals. She did her work and hoped she'd meet her goals at the end of the year.

The problem was that she disliked entering her time so she never did that until the end of the month ... and then she couldn't remember what she'd done during the month. She'd spend hours searching her computer and her files to come up with time entries but she never got everything. At the end of the year, she had not met her billable hour goals.

Then the Big Bad Wolf of Billable Hours came to her office and started knocking on her door.

"No, no, no, this can't happen! I'm here to be a successful paralegal!" said the First Paralegal as she continued to 'hope' she'd have enough billable hours to meet her goals...without adopting any new habits to make that happen.

Then "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll see you get no bonus this year! said the wolf.

So the wolf huffed and puffed until it became clear that even though the paralegal had worked very hard all year, sometimes staying late and coming in on weekends, she didn't have enough billable hours entered in the system to demonstrate her hard work. The First Paralegal would get no year-end bonus.

Ignore. The Second Paralegal adopted a strategy of 'ignore' when it came to meeting his billable hour goals. He did his work and ignored the billable hour issue.

The problem was that he was frequently interrupted by his co-workers (and even by himself) and he constantly stopped his work to answer e-mails and take phone calls. He had trouble keeping track of all the 'tiny time' he spent on those tasks. He ignored the fact that 'tiny time' can add up to 'big time'

Then the Big Bad Wolf of Billable Hours came to his office and started knocking on his door.

"No, no, no, this can't happen! I'm here to be a successful paralegal!" said the Second Paralegal. But he continued to ignore all of the small tasks he handled each day and didn't enter them in the system....and when his email notification sounded, he stopped everything to check it.

Then "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll see you get no raise this year!" said the wolf.

So the wolf huffed and puffed until it became clear that even though the Second Paralegal had worked very hard all year, he didn't have enough billable hours entered in the system to demonstrate his hard work. He would get no year-end bonus.

Decisions. The Third Paralegal had writer's block. When she tried to enter her time, she couldn't decide what to write. The process was laborious and took too long.

Her time entries didn't demonstrate the value of her work. Much of her time was written down or written off by the billing attorney. Often clients refused to pay for the work she did because it sounded 'clerical' and not important to their case.

You can guess what happen! The Big Bad Wolf of Billable Hours came to her office and started knocking on her door.

"No, no, no, this can't happen! I'm here to be a successful paralegal!" said the Third Paralegal. But she continued writing pitiful time entries, not knowing that there were formulas and phrases she could use that would demonstrate the value of her work. Her billable hour totals continued to dwindle.
.
Then "I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll see you lose your job!" said the wolf.

So the wolf huffed and puffed until it became clear that the Third Paralegal could not draft time entries that confirmed value and demonstrated her hard work. She lost her job.

What about you? While this may sound like a fable, it happens all too often and to paralegals you know...maybe even to you.

Falling short of billable hour goals is usually the result of at least one of the following:

1. Lack of planning for billable hour goals and devising a strategy to meet them.
2. Forgetting that 'tiny time' must be entered...it adds up to 'big time'.
3. Drafting time entries that do not demonstrate valuable.
4. Neglecting to enter billable time until the end of the week or the end of the month.
5. Spending too much time on non-billable work.

And there are many more reasons. They can all be traced back to not establishing a clear plan for your time. A plan that keeps the Big Bad Wolf far away as you move steadily toward your billable hour goals.

Are you worried that the Big Bad Wolf of Billable Hours is going to come knocking on your office door? Be sure to check out Turn Your Time into a Billable Hour Gold Mine.

Join me on Wednesday, February 6th to learn how to keep the Big Bad Wolf of Billable Hours away in 2013!

==========================>
©2013 Vicki Voisin, Inc

The Rest of the Story

2013-02-04T12:19:00.002-05:00

Can you relate to this message I received from a paralegal?

"I personally struggle with the entry of my billable time. After 18 years as a paralegal, you'd think it would be second nature to just do it as I go along but I HATE it!

"If I don't do it daily (sometimes I'm masochistic and don't enter it for stretches of time) then I'm sitting for hours at the end of the month recreating my time from e-mail and file searches which is a total drudgery!

"I need a billable hour intervention!"

OK...I'm here to do the intervention with Turn Your Time into a Billable Hour Gold Mine!

You see, keeping accurate records of your time is perhaps the most important thing you do! Regardless of your experience or expertise, this may also be the most difficult thing you do.

While there is no 'magic formula' for this process, there are simple steps you can follow...simple habits you can form...that will help you so that you...

Do not have to work harder!

Do not have to work longer hours!

Do not have to sacrifice your quality of life!

Instead, you must learn how to make time work for you, not against you. I call that discovering your billable hour inner power!

=========================

Join Vicki Voisin, The Paralegal Mentor, nationally recognized paralegal author and speaker, as she shares valuable 'How To's' for reaching your billable hour goals.

Turn Your Time into a Billable Hour Gold Mine!

You’ll also receive 'Your Billable Hour System Guide' with a common sense approach to making time work for you, not against you, to effectively reach your billable hour goals.

Wednesday, February 6th

1 pm ET / 12 noon CT / 11 am MT / 10 am PT

=========================

Whether you are new to the paralegal field...or have been a paralegal for a long time...it's never too late or too early to work on those billable hour habits.

Now you can make the billable hour process as easy on yourself as possible with these ideas and techniques.

During this call you will discover the strategies for determining...

What's stopping you from reaching your goals...

Why you aren't getting your hours entered...

Why it takes planning to reach those goals...

Why you may be 'losing' time...

And you’ll receive 'Your Billable Hour System Guide' with the steps and strategies to effectively reach your billable hour goals.

=========================

IMPORTANT NOTE: This call is for you no matter how much experience you have or where you are with your billable hour goals. Why? Well as motivational speaker Brian Tracy put it:

One of the best uses of your time is to increase your competence in your key result areas.

Your key result area is the careful entry of your billable hours so you get out of stress and overwhelm. Your hours are entered by the end of the month and at the end of the year your goals have been met.

Let's work to increase your competence in this key result area! You need to have these steps and strategies in place NOW so you get the results you want LATER!

Bottom line: It's never too early -- or too late -- to get control of your billable hours.
So join me for this information-packed call: Turn Your Time into a Billable Hour Gold Mine

Wednesday, February 6th -- 1 pm ET / 12 noon CT / 11 am MT / 10 am PT

Reaching your billable hour goals doesn't have to be difficult. By applying these easy strategies, you can get yourself on track and stay on track.

I really look forward to sharing these ideas with you!

=========================

Remember...I'm dedicated to your success!

Casey Anthony: A Paralegal?

2013-01-31T15:12:00.000-05:00

News headlines this week proclaimed that Casey Anthony, the Florida resident who was acquitted in the murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, wants to be a paralegal.

I am incensed over this because, in my opinion, Casey's "interest in the justice system" does not qualify her to use the title "paralegal". The American Bar Association defines a paralegal/legal assistant as

"...a person, qualified by education, training or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible."

If my Internet research is accurate, Casey did not graduate from high school, let alone attend college or a paralegal program. Her only "experience" is working on her own murder case.

The attorney who represented Casey at her trial, Charles Greene, seems ready to wave a magic wand and bestow the title "paralegal" on her because he thinks she has the “skills” and “desire” to pursue a job in the legal field.

Mr. Green also says he believes she has a lot of skills: she's very organized, very intelligent, and very computer savvy. Those are all qualities a paralegal needs -- but they do not automatically make her a paralegal.

I have no problem with Casey's ambition to be a paralegal. Everyone should have goals and plans. However, she must first get the necessary education, training and work experience most paralegals have worked so hard to obtain. Serving as the Defendant in a murder trial isn't in any way adequate training for the paralegal profession.

What do you think? Please leave a comment below and let me know.

Paralegal Profile: Brian Haberly, RP

2013-01-28T17:38:00.001-05:00

1. Where do you work and what is your job title? I am a Senior Corporate and Securities Paralegal working in the Silicon Valley for Infoblox Inc., a tech company based in Santa Clara, California, that provides Automated Network Control solutions, and that became a publicly traded company in early 2012 (NYSE: BLOX).
I have been in the legal profession for nearly 25 years, having served in the Corporate Legal departments of several leading public companies such as Starbucks Coffee Company, Expedia.com, Infospace.com, Clearwire Corporation and Franklin Templeton Investments.

I was previously employed as a paralegal with the law firms of Lane Powell PC and Williams Kastner PLLC in Seattle, and also at the firms of Irell and Manella and Jones Day in Los Angeles.

2. What prompted you to choose a paralegal career? While finishing my Bachelor's degree at California State University, Northridge, I was hired by a law firm in Southern California where I was part of their legal support staff, opening case files and performing general office services duties.

I next joined a second law firm as part of their law library team where I honed my skills as an online researcher, cite checker, patent prior art investigator and more. Those research skills opened the door to an in-house corporate and law library position at a public company corporate headquarters where I performed competitor intelligence gathering and monitored our peer companies for possible merger or acquisition candidates, soon being promoted to Assistant Corporate and Law Librarian. The Corporate Secretary took notice of my range of skills and offered me a position up in the executive wing as a Corporate Paralegal. I then obtained my paralegal certificate, with a Corporations specialization, in an ABA approved paralegal studies program from the University of West Los Angeles.

When speaking to paralegal students trying to transition from one career and into the paralegal profession, I always call out the need to highlight your transferable job skills so that you aren’t seen as being inexperienced in trying to find your first paralegal job. Using myself as an example, my transition from an assistant librarian to corporate paralegal was in large part due to my being able to show I had transferable research skills and good general business knowledge. Too many people belittle their own prior experience, when they really need to connect the dots for a prospective employer to show their “hidden” strengths.

3. What is your favorite part of your job? Like many experienced paralegals, I think that the combination of having a high degree of responsibility along with a good amount of independence (after demonstrating your competency to your supervising attorney), provides some real gratification. Being able to help my attorneys and co-workers quickly resolve issues is especially satisfying.

I have long enjoyed Corporate and Securities work as it is a very high profile practice area for most companies where you get to deal directly with the senior management and boards of directors. Additionally, many corporate paralegals are among the first people in their organizations to learn about major company events (possible acquisitions and divestitures, management changes, financial reporting and other material news) that may need to be reported publicly to the SEC on an 8-K, 10-K, or 10-Q, but such information must be kept strictly confidential (even from your fellow law department members) until it is publicly reported.

One prior supervisor of mine described the rest legal department as being a “three ring circus”, but reminded his team that because of the scrutiny given to SEC filings, that the Corporate Secretary’s office was the real “high wire act that people come to see, working under a bright spotlight, with a drum roll, and without a net!” (No room for mistakes!)

4. What professional associations do you belong to? I am a 17 year member of the Washington State Paralegal Association (WSPA). I previously served as WSPA’s Vice President, Professional Development, and as WSPA President.

I am also a member of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), and the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals (NASPP). I have also served as a Community Advisory Board Member of the Edmonds Community College and University of Washington paralegal programs.

5. How has your membership benefited you? I have been blessed to have met paralegals from all across the country. I have spoken before paralegal student audiences at several local paralegal schools. Several supervising attorneys have called on me for my input on continuing education and career development opportunities for my fellow paralegals.

6. Do you have any professional certifications? I passed the NFPA Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam and became a PACE Registered Paralegal (an “RP”) in March, 2009.

7. What has been the highlight of your career? It is hard to pick out a single highlight so I will let your readers decide from a few milestones that are top of mind to me.

In 2007 I was selected to be an Advisor to the Association of Corporate Counsel's inaugural Paralegal Education track at "Corporate Counsel University" and help design some of the suggested courses. I was then invited to speak on two panels at CCU held in St. Louis, and invited back as a panelist at the 2008 conference held in San Francisco.
I was honored to present the morning Keynote address at one of Chere Estrin's Paralegal Super Conferences held in Atlanta in 2008 before a large audience.
I was also humbled by being also profiled in Delmar/Cengage Learning's Paralegal textbook "The Law of Corporations, and Other Business Organizations", 6th ed., published in March 2012.
I served three consecutive terms as President of the Washington State Paralegal Association and 8 years as a Board member, helping organize and promote semi-annual day long Continuing Legal Education Conferences, Annual Student Dinners, and more.
As WSPA President, I was proud to testify and write letters in support of the groundbreaking new Limited License Legal Technician Rule that went into effect in September 2012, which for the first time anywhere in the U.S., will allow non-attorneys who meet certain educational and experience requirements to directly advise clients on specific areas of law. WSPA’s current President, Brenda Cothary, was recently appointed by the Washington State Supreme Court to serve on the Limited License Legal Technician inaugural Board which will establish the requirements and procedures for paralegals who wish to work in this capacity, and all WSPA members are very proud of Brenda!

8. What do you see as hot trends in the paralegal industry? Being a Generalist is the quickest way to be seen as surplus headcount if a company or law firm is struggling. In the current economy, being a Specialist of a narrower niche that is hard to replace will help you survive any downsizing events. If you work in-house within a corporation, it is key to acquire both skills and contacts that stretch beyond your legal department role.

As the U.S. economy continues to improve, both General Business and Merger and Acquisition work will heat up. Bankruptcy work will continue to be strong for the near future, but not growing nearly so fast as it did the last two or three years. Intellectual Property law is still very strong on the West Coast.

Implementation of the Dodd-Frank financial reforms means Governance professionals will also benefit. And besides insuring 30 million more Americans, the Affordable Care Act will help the paralegal profession, as Health Care and Tax specialists will be in increasing demand, especially as we get closer to full implementation in 2014. Privacy and Ethics specialists will also see their paychecks rise faster than other legal specialties due to increased demand for experienced paralegals with these skills.

On the West Coast at least, Intellectual Property work has remained relatively strong even through the economic downturn. Both e Discovery and Litigation Readiness remain areas of steady growth as more and more routine communications being done by email, instant messaging, and social media, and litigation holds become more challenging. Continued growth in Cloud computing, Software as a Service (SaaS), Tablets and smart phone applications replacing both desktops and laptops, and the challenges of companies embracing “BYOD” (Bring Your Own Device) to Work, Social Media Marketing, all add up to mean that paralegals that are technology savvy can show their value to an organization and will earn top dollar.

9. Have you dipped your toes in the social media waters? Love it or hate it, Social Media is here to stay, and becoming increasingly important for both prospective employers and employees. I have long been a proponent of having a strong "Personal Brand" on the professional networking site, LinkedIn which now has over 200 million users and is the first tool of Legal Recruiters. You are only holding yourself back from future opportunities if you have a limited (or perhaps no) presence on the web. I have helped several paralegals improve their Personal Brand so that they are seen as subject matter experts and I am a LinkedIn Open Networker (“LION”) and happy to connect with anyone that asks. Feel free to send me an invitation using my brianhaberly@gmail.com address.

10. If someone contemplating a paralegal career asked you for career advice, what would your answer be? Join your local paralegal association and take an active role in making it a success! Volunteer to serve on a Committee or run for an elective office. Recognize that your first paralegal position is not likely going to be your "dream job" and that you can learn something from every position that you hold, even if doesn't seem like it at the time.

Give some serious thought as to what specialty area you already have strengths or an interest in, and don't just accept any job because it is a paycheck. You will find that after working 3 -5 years in one specialty area will pretty much lock you into always working in that same area, as a shift to a new specialty would mean taking a step backwards. Have a good skill set so that if your present work situation changes unexpectedly, you can “Kayak” to a new position quickly.

10. What book are you reading? I was recently introduced to Jeff Olson’s inspiring book, “The Slight Edge”. He points out that what makes someone successful usually isn’t a single, dramatic decision. Rather, it simple small disciplines that, done consistently over time, will add up to the biggest accomplishments. He notes that “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal”, and that small actions become habits, and eventually shape what you will become as a person.

11. You've enjoyed a successful paralegal career. To what do you attribute that success? I've worked with some extremely bright and energetic attorneys and paralegals. It is hard to point to a single one as the source of my success.
I think that continually being challenged to do better, setting high standards, and being recognized for your contributions has been personally satisfying for me. Helping lift others up is very important to me personally. Good managers understand the concept of Servant Leadership as espoused by Robert Greenleaf, and know that in order for them to be successful, they must first make sure that other people's needs are being served. That is, while being served, do those served grow as persons? Do they become healthier, wiser, more free, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?

12. What is the most important step a paralegal can take to keep his or her career interesting? Keep an inquisitive mind. Don't be afraid to try new things even if that means occasionally being willing to fail in order to learn from your own mistakes. Accept responsibility for mistakes and learn from them, don’t just run from them. Remember that the difference between a .200 hitter playing in Double AA minor league baseball and a .300 hitter that is playing in the Major Leagues is that in ten at bats, the .300 hitter strikes out only one less time!

13. What is your favorite “secret” job searching tip? Well, I have a few! Use job searching sites like simplyhired.com or indeed.com to speed your search. Use LinkedIn to find the names of recruiters or attorneys at the firm or company you are seeking to work for, and send a targeted letter to them by name, not just to an anonymous mailbox. Have an open profile and a professionally taken photo for use on LinkedIn so that people will want to connect with you. Google yourself to see if your name comes up in the first page or two of search results. If not, then you need to improve your online presence so prospective employers can find you!

Bonus Question/Just for Fun Fact: Soccer has been a central focus for my family for many years. I’m a huge Seattle Sounders soccer team fan and have been a season ticket holder. All three of my children play or played Premier (year-around) Club soccer and High School soccer too. Youth tournaments have taken us to Sweden, Finland, France and Spain and made lifelong friends for kids and parents alike. While soccer was not a part of my own youth sports experience (I was on track and cross country teams), through my children's many experiences, the sport has led to their increased self-confidence and many friendships that would never have happened had we not traveled down that road. So too, participation in professional associations like NFPA and WSPA had led to many great friendships that I would not otherwise have had the pleasure to make!

5 Steps to Creating an Impressive LinkedIn Profile

2013-01-24T19:21:00.002-05:00

Social media is an important tool for growing your career. Facebook and Twitter get a lot of attention. However, LinkedIn is a powerful tool for forming new connections and, perhaps finding new employment.

LinkedIn as the more professional version of Facebook. On LinkedIn you can post links and status updates, join groups, and “link up” with key players in your profession. It is also useful for networking.

Setting up a LinkedIn account is simple. Once it is done you need to work on your profile and that can be tedious. Instead of rushing to complete it all at one time, I suggest you work on one part at a time – perhaps 15 minutes a day until it is finished. Then you have to keep it updated -- more about that in No. 5 below.

Here are five simple steps to craft a LinkedIn profile that may be your secret to career success:

1. Do not skimp on details. If you have only a basic profile or (worse yet), one without a picture, you appear to be only a half-hearted user of LinkedIn.

Be sure to complete each section and use specific numbers you can to quantify your accomplishments. (Example: First Chair of the Paralegal/Legal Assistant Section of the State Bar of Michigan.)

If you want to change the order of your profile sections, just drag and drop the section as you are editing your profile. For instance, if you are a recent graduate of a paralegal program, you will want to highlight your educational experience. If you have been in the profession for several years, you will want to feature your skills at the top of your profile

2. Be sure there are no typos. Your typographical errors may be overlooked on more casual platforms like Facebook and Twitter. With LinkedIn, you will want to put your best professional foot forward. Use the spell check function and, if possible, have someone else check your profile for errors.

The key to success on LinkedIn is being likable and professional at the same time. Save the celebrity gossip and LOL’s for Facebook.

3. Utilize the skills section. Many LinkedIn users are not familiar with the skills section. However, people wanting to hire professionals with a certain skill set use this feature to find the right person instead of posting an ad.

For instance, if a law firm needs a litigation paralegal with experience using Trial Director, he or she can go to www.linkedin.com/skills and sort through profiles where Trial Director is listed as a skill instead of doing a more general search. Add your skills at www.linkedin.com/skills so prospects can find you easily.

4. Endorsements and recommendations. Endorsements are a fairly new feature on LinkedIn. People can easily endorse your skills and expertise with only a few clicks. Often if you endorse someone and they know you, they will reciprocate.

Endorsements and recommendations are not the same.

Recommendations are more detailed than endorsements. These normally include a few sentences about why your colleague or vendor enjoyed working with you. A few genuine, well-written recommendations can really help build trust and provide proof for people who are considering hiring you.

Speed up the recommendation process by recommending a few of your connections. These should only be people you highly recommend. LinkedIn has a feature where you can request recommendations from connections.

5. Update frequently. Now for the hard-to-get-to part. Once your profile is created, be sure to keep it up to date by posting new career milestones, any awards you receive, offices you are elected to, etc.

Your status update can also include links to relevant articles or news about your employer. Set aside time once each week (at least once each month!) to review your profile and make appropriate updates.

My request to you: To keep your career moving forward, it is very important to be active on LinkedIn. This includes keeping your profile up to date, getting recommendations, and making frequent updates.

Implement LinkedIn to make new connections and strengthen relationships with existing connections. LinkedIn can also be a tool for looking for a job OR for someone looking for a new-hire with your particular skills!

Do you use LinkedIn as a tool for your career success? If we are not already connected, please add me to your list!
~~~~~~~~~~
© 2012 Vicki Voisin, Inc. Do you want to use this article in your newsletter, ezine or Web site? You can, so long as you include this entire blurb with it:

Vicki Voisin, "The Paralegal Mentor", delivers simple strategies for paralegals and other professionals to create success and satisfaction by setting goals and determining the direction they will take their careers. Vicki spotlights resources, organizational tips, ethics issues, and other areas of continuing education to help paralegals and others reach their full potential. She is the co-author of The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success. Vicki publishes Paralegal Strategies, a weekly e-newsletter for paralegals, and hosts The Paralegal Voice, a monthly podcast produced by Legal Talk Network.

More information is available at www.paralegalmentor.com where subscribers receive Vicki's 151 Tips for Your Career Success.

12 Tips to Help You -- and Your Career -- Thrive in 2013

2013-01-10T19:41:00.002-05:00

As you kick off the New Year, instead of "resolutions" look for "real solutions" that will help you grow and flourish in the 12 months ahead.

Here are 12 tips to help you make 2013 one of your best years ever:

1.    Look for the opportunities and be prepared to take advantage of them.

2.    When you make plans, back them up with action. A plan without action is just a wish.

3.   Doing what's right may not be the easiest way, but it is the best way.

4.    When you encounter negativity, respond with education instead of anger.

5.    Nourish your mind every day with new information that educates, motivates and inspires you.

6.    Deliver on your promises and exceed expectations.

7.    Always ask, “What can I learn from this situation?”

8.    Do not be a follower. Instead, find the courage to be your unique self.

9.    In addition to work that pays, do work that matters.

10.    When you start a project, always be working on the end result you want.

11.    Avoid fixating on disturbing news and disasters that you can do nothing abou.

12.    Rather than complain, create a solution.

What would you add to this list?

Do you give gifts at the office?

2012-12-10T17:30:00.001-05:00

The ABA Journal recently asked attorneys about their holiday gifting:

"The season for law firm bonuses, holiday cards and related gift-giving is already upon us.

"So this week, we'd like to ask you: Do you give gifts at the office? If so, who are your recipients, and how much do you spend? Do you just buy for the person you report to, the people who report to you, or for co-workers who are truly close friends? Or all of the above?

"Tell us instead if you opt out of shopping altogether and hope your co-workers do the same with regard to you. Or if you just bring in some baked goods and call it even."

The Paralegal Mentor is curious about happens at your office for the holidays. Do you give gifts? If so, to whom and how much do you spend? Please answer in the comments below.

To read the ABA Journal article, follow this link.

25 Excellent Clutter-Free Ideas for Holiday Gifting

2012-12-07T22:35:00.000-05:00

Elle is ready for Christmas. Are you? The holidays are looming and it's time to think about gifts.
Since we all talk about how we need to get organized and clear out the clutter, it only makes sense that more gifts should be clutter free -- in other words, consumable-- so no one's stuck with more "stuff" in January.

Recently I asked readers "What is your favorite clutter-free gift (or gifts) to give or receive?" Here are some of their great ideas (and a few of mine):

1. Gift Cards/Certificates. This was mentioned the most. My granddaughter will be getting one from Visa or MasterCard so she can shop anywhere she pleases. My grandson will get the same to use on a school trip planned for January.

My advice is to do something similar unless you know what the recipient likes. In past years I've purchased gift cards to Starbucks, Target, Home Depot, Cabella's (The Don can always find something there), iTunes, Amazon, Macy's, Bed Bath & Beyond, and to a major gas station.

If the recipient has a hobby, send them a gift card (or certificate) so they can purchase supplies from the store that feeds their addiction. Let's see if The Don reads this and gets me a gift certificate to our local quilt store.

2. Brown Sugar Vanilla Body Scrub! A fun, zero calorie, non-clutter way to pamper yourself.

3. Coffee. Give a pound of a nice coffee or a pack of the cups used in a Kuerig (or some similar brand). People also enjoy tea and hot cocolate mix.

My office used to give a pound of "Pointner Blend" coffee that was named after one of the partners. It was 1/2 pound Columbian (caffienated) and 1/2 pound Hazelnut decaf ground together. It's delicious! Once the Pointner Partner departed, we switched to Snickerdoodle flavor.

4. An experience. Choose a balloon ride, cooking class, dogsled ride, a play, a fishing trip...the list goes on. A day at the zoo or state park passes would be wonderful family gifts. How about tickets to a game or to a concert? One year I gave The Don tickets to an Olivia Newton John concert -- he's been crazy about Olivia since she sang Hopelessly Devoted to You. Another year I gave him tickets to a NASCAR race.
5. Homemade Treats. Jellies and jams, cookies, a coffee cake, a quiche, white chocolate covered pretzels, fudge, etc. See today's featured recipe for a cookie mix that is so nice to have on hand. Also look for these 3 recipes on this site Hot Fudge Sauce, Aunt Nancy's Granola and Vinnie's Favorite Hot Chocolate Mix.
6. If you don't cook, purchase food Gifts. American Spoonfoods is headquartered in our area, as is Cherry Republic. Both have a wide variety of products that will fit any budget. A reader suggested Kringle from O&H Bakery in Racine, WI. One year someone sent us tamales...delicious! Omaha Steaks are also nice.
7. A cute USB. These always come in handy and some will make you smile. Other computer supplies are nice, too. Vince gave me a PowerMat last year and I love it. While these both qualify as "stuff", they're so useful that I had to include them.

8. Donation to favorite charity in someone's name. This also works well when someone passes away or has a birthday, anniversary, etc. My mother makes a donation to Hospice in our family's name since that is one of our favorite charities.

9. A State Parks Gift Package. This reader purchased one for her son and his wife. It includes an annual pass to all parks in their state, magazine subscription and a $100 credit for any of the state park inns. Proceeds support their state parks. Check your state's DNR website.

10. Movie Tickets. Most theaters have gift certificates or buy real tickets to a new movie.

11. Time. Spend time with a friend or family member - maybe go to a show or dinner out. Time is the most valuable gift you can give.

12. Fun Munchies. Another reader asks people for fun munchies for her work lunches. She nearly always bring a lunch to work and gets bored with her own stuff. She's gotten fruit cups, juice boxes, tuna kits, shelf stable meals that just need a microwave, bags of chips or kettle corn, fruit gummies, candy, powder drink mixes for her bottled water, granola bars, you name it! These are things that take pantry space, but not for long. They make preparing her lunches more fun and don’t cost a lot for anyone to buy. AND they don’t gather dust!

13. Useful handmade items. Pot holders and dishcloths like your grandmother used to make are fun. Also check out these Bowl Buddies -- simple to make and will keep their fingers from burning when they heat a dish in the microwave.

14. Services. Ideas include organizing, oil changes, car wash, snow removal, spa treatments or any kind of service that offers gift certificates.

15. Wine. White? Red? Pino Noir? Champagne? It will all be used and the bottles will be recycled.

16. Picture Books. Again, not totally clutter-free but watch them melt when you give them a book of memories from a trip, a party, a special occasion -- so simple to produce at Shutterfly. Or how about a gift certificate to have a family portrait made?

17. Something they would get themselves. A month's worth of the gardening service or maid service that they already use. You could also buy them a professional carpet cleaning. For something a little less expensive, purchase prepaid credits to get their digital pictures printed.

18. A Gift of the Month. Try a gift-of-the-month club for the gift that keeps on giving. There are gift-of-the-month clubs for every taste. Your gift recipient will receive fresh food or other items each month. In addition to food of the month clubs, you can also find spa items, wines, flowers and DVDs that can arrive every month (A year of Netflix, anyone?) You don't have to commit to a full year since most allow you to give for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. Chocolate of the Month? Cheese of the Month? Wine of the Month? Flower of the Month? Beer of the Month, Fruit of the Month?

19. Travel accessories. How about a personalized luggage strap from IDmyBag? Another gift that will protect your friends and family is an id bracelet to wear when they're running or cycling (and really should be worn all the time). This may save their life in the event of an accident.

20. Magazine subscription. My kids would be so disappointed if they didn't get their annual subscription to People! Tailor the subscription to their interests and you'll be a hero. Another gift that keeps on giving -- and then can be passed on or recycled.

21. A Movie Rental Night. Buy a six pack of their favorite beverage (the kind with plastic bottles and cardboard carrying case). Remove the two middle bottles. Stuff a couple of bags of microwave popcorn in one of the vacant spaces. Put a couple of bags of candy (M&M's?) and a movie rental gift card in the other.

22. Dinner on the town. In Atlanta several restaurants have joined up to offer The Ultimate Dining Card. Recipients can choose from several wonderful restaurants...and the cards can be reloaded. Is there something like this where you live?

23. A Membership (or contribute to something they want to do). This might be a membership to a zoo, museum or aquarium -- or even a health club. As for contributing to something they want to do, my sister had a great idea: she paid for her son and his wife's entry fees to a marathon they want to run. Those fees are steep these days.

24. A dessert every month -- that you make. Who wouldn't love having a cake, cookies, a pie, Banana Pudding (with the vanilla wafers), a cheesecake, etc. showing up at their house once a month? If you love to cook, give them your own gift certificate. You have the fun of cooking and whatever you make can go on someone else's hips!

25. Treat yourself! During this very busy time of the year, treat yourself to something you would really enjoy. A massage? A pedicure? A few hours to play golf or tennis? Lunch with a friend? Whatever you choose, just be sure it generates no clutter. DO NOT play the "one gift for them and one for me" game or you'll be overwhelmed with "stuff" in January.

Your challenge: Sometimes the most difficult part of gift giving is the indecision: not being able to decide what to give. This is a waste of time and you end up doing last minute shopping. Once you have an idea, don't waffle. Buy it or make it and then move on. Another time saver is to give the same gift to several people.

Do you have any additional ideas? Tell me...just enter your suggestion in the comment box below.

Think Before You Tweet!

2012-11-20T16:14:00.000-05:00

Despite all the warnings and information available, it seems that legal professionals still post stupid things on Facebook and Twitter -- and put their jobs in jeopardy.

A Kansas appeals court attorney was fired Monday after using foul language about the state’s former attorney general, Phill Kline, in comments she posted to Twitter last week.

Sarah Peterson Herr, a research attorney for a Kansas Court of Appeals judge, posted the comments while Kline was appearing before the Kansas Supreme Court as part of an ethics investigation.

One tweet commented on Kline’s facial expression, saying “Why is Phil Klein (sic) smiling? There is nothing to smile about, douchebag.”

Another predicted that Kline would be disbarred for seven years for his conduct.

Herr's comments appeared around 10 a.m. Thursday when Kline was standing before the seven-member court answering questions about his conduct while he was attorney general and Johnson County district attorney.

Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawton Nuss said Monday that Herr had been fired and that her case had been referred to other offices for possible ethical violations.

Herr said she failed to realize her posts were readable by all Twitter readers and she understood her posts may have reflected badly on the state’s court system.

Court rules regarding judges and justices commenting on pending cases extend to the judicial branch staff.

Source: Washington Post

NALA 2012-13 Utilization/Compensation Survey

2012-11-20T11:01:00.000-05:00

NALA 2012-13 National Utilization and Compensation Survey Now Ready for YOU!

NALA's National Utilization and Compensation Survey of paralegals is now underway! The survey form is online at www.nala.org/survey.htm and ready for you to complete! The control number is 729843.

This biennial survey, conducted since 1986, is the nation's most comprehensive look at the paralegal profession.

Questions cover:

educational backgrounds,
work environments,
duties and responsibilities,
billing and salary levels, and
regional demographics affecting paralegal utilization and compensation.

Participation in the convenient "scroll-and-click" survey is totally anonymous. A universal control number is required for access in order to thwart Web surfers from finding the survey and spoiling it with bogus entries. The control number is 729843. The control number is the same for every participant and cannot be used for identification.

The survey is open to all paralegals .... Please participate and please tell others of this opportunity.

The survey findings will be summarized in the January 2013 Career Chronicle edition of Facts & Findings. The report in its entirety will be posted on the NALA web site for all visitors, f'ree of charge.

Question of the Week: The Holidays are Looming...

2012-11-20T09:57:00.000-05:00

Question of the Week. The holidays are looming and it's time to think about gifts.

Since we all talk about how we need to get organized and clear out the clutter, it only makes sense that more gifts should be clutter-free -- in other words, consumable-- so no one's stuck with more "stuff" in January.

So this week, the Paralegal Mentor wants to know: What is (are) your favorite clutter-free gift (or gifts) to give or receive?

Please help by sharing your ideas in the comments section below.