Practical Paralegalism

Paralegal Career Dressing: Friday's Deal Is a Wrap at Walmart

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:45:00 +0000

I like the bold print on this Tessuto wrap dress from Walmart for easy, inexpensive career dressing. I might have to try it on the next time I'm in there buying snack food in bulk for the ~~locusts~~ Teens. (The product description cracks me up. Note this "does not contain a battery.")

Contours by Tessuto Collared Wrap Dress ~ $18 (Walmart)

Paralegal Career Dressing: Bellishment

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

If you blog enough, you get hard up for post titles, so I thought I'd use the typo from the email I sent myself with the smart phone pics for this outfit. I've been under the weather this week, so these pictures are actually from last week. This outfit reflects my tendency to buy black, black, and more black in separates, a habit I'm trying to break with inspiration from some great style bloggers.

Embellished tank (Sears clearance rack years ago); Shrug (Ross Dress for Less); Banana Republic slacks (thrifted); Bracelets (Walmart); Booties (Ross Dress for Less)

The older I get, the less I like my clothes to actually touch me :P

You can sneak a little bling into the office.

Walmart, the go-to place for groceries and stretchy bracelets for skinny wrists.

I have a ridiculous number of black skirts. How 'bout you - do you find yourself buying certain separates over and over?

Paralegal Career Dressing: Wednesday's Deal Is Sequins at Forever 21

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:45:00 +0000

I tried to find you guys a great deal on a pale greenish cardigan with grommets, but honestly, the search results were so horrifying that I'll never be able to rid my brain of the nightmarish style images. But I ~~love love love~~ kinda like this pale mint cardigan from Forever 21. Paired with conservative, neutral separates and minimal accessories, it's a nice way to sneak a little bling into a conservative office.

Sequin Front Cardigan ~ $29.80 (Forever 21)

Paralegal Career Dressing: Great Grommets Again

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Honestly, this Target sweater I ~~begged for~~ received for Christmas is my fave article of clothing. Clearly, I need to buy more stuff with grommets.

Also, trying to take outfit pics by yourself in less than five minutes results in missing feet, or part of your head lopped off. Trying not to be too creepy, I went with the missing feet, but trust me, I'm wearing those same grey Impo booties I always wear with these pants. Because law firms are pretty strict about wearing shoes.

Stoopid missing feet. Merona cardigan (Target/gift); Vintage Susie blouse (@$8 Ross Dress for Less); Express Design pants (thrifted); Impo booties (@$14 Ross Dress for Less); Necklace (lia sophia party last year)

I spent a little more on this lia sophia necklace than I normally would on jewelry (pretty much anything over $8), but you know how it is when you go to your friends' make-up, jewelry, or kitchenware parties. You get caught up in the moment and whip out your check book, and then have some explaining to do when you get home. At least this necklace goes with everything I own, and converts to a shorter necklace as well.

Maybe I could bedazzle another sweater...

There's lots of cool stuff dangling from the pendent to play with during long meetings.

Have you ever gone to a friend's jewelry party and bought a piece outside of your normal spending range?

Today's Quote: You Go, Girl!

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:05:00 +0000

Today's quote isn't actually from a real news story, but from an email my boss and I received last week from an opposing party. I had emailed her an initial request for subrogation information, and she responded that she would provide it - but she was "unrepentantly" out of the office the previous week.

My boss, being ever more charitable than I am, thought her grammar check had snookered her, and that she meant to say "unexpectedly".

Me, I thought she was just plain unrepentant. It wasn't like I had even asked where she was the week before, but I was all, "You GO, girl!"

Interviewing Tips for the Paralegal

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000

By Kim Wierzel

Congratulations! Your dream job has just called to ask you in for an interview. You thought it was a long shot, but you got the interview. How many times have you said, “If they would just meet me, I know they would love me?” Here are some interviewing tips to help you make that statement a reality.

1. Preparation, preparation and more preparation: Research the firm or company. You should know the firm’s size and number of offices. Take it a step further. Get on LinkedIn and see if any of your contacts work there, or have worked there. Reach out to that contact and ask some questions about the company or firm culture. If you’re interviewing with a particular practice group, you should know something about that kind of law! Were there any recent changes? If you know who you’re interviewing with, you should at least attempt to view their firm profile. You could even search for him/her on LinkedIn. Maybe you went to the same high school. Maybe the person you’re interviewing with just published an article.

2. Everyone’s time is valuable: You would think this goes without saying, but you must make sure you’re on time. Take a test drive to the office if possible. Know the traffic. Ask whether there are security procedures that you’ll have to get through. Make sure you know where you’ll park. But don’t walk in 30 minutes early! Wait in your car or in the lobby until 5-10 minutes before your interview.

Paralegal Career Dressing: Monday's Deal Is Bead Swag at Kohl's

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:55:00 +0000

Okay, maybe the green rhinestone Vera Wang necklace I wore in my last post isn't for everyone who works in a conservative office, but this Vera Wang Two Tone Bead Swag Necklace is a less blingy but still lovely and versatile choice, for styling with everything from suits to cardis and trouser jeans. You can probably get it for much less if you're holding onto some Kohl's Bucks or coupons.

Vera Wang Two Tone Bead Swag Necklace ~ $33 (Kohl's)

Paralegal Career Dressing: Visible Monday Bling

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:06:00 +0000

Boy, did I have plans to blow Not Dead Yet Style's Visible Monday Link-Up right out of the water this morning. I was going to wear one of my fave dresses with bright tights.

But then I walked Thing One and Thing Two (the dogs) before breakfast, and realized that I was cold through and through and would probably never be warm again, and what would really be cool is if wearing one-piece fleece pjs with footies to work would suddenly become acceptable.

As I caught sight of myself in the mirror, wearing my trusty, conservative Loft sweater and slacks, I realized I was warm but way boring. I decided that a key accessory was what I needed to save myself from invisibility, and maybe set the world on fire on a Monday morning.

So I added a Vera Wang necklace that called my name from Kohl's super-clearance-reject rack last summer, marked down to just a few bucks because no one wanted it. But it reminds me of my paternal grandmother's blingy rhinestone costume jewelry, and it's her fave color, green. I've only worn it once. To a Ke$ha concert for The Teen's 15th birthday. Which makes it perfect for a law firm, right?

Sweater (Loft clearance); Slacks (Loft clearance); Cami (@$3 at Rugged Wearhouse years ago); Booties (Ross Dress for Less @$14); Vera Wang necklace (Kohl's reject rack)

Take that, Monday!

I added some glow, 'tho it pro'bly didn't need it :P

Worn rhinestones to the office yet?

Five More Paralegal Blogs to Check Out

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:05:00 +0000

If you haven't already started reading these paralegal blogs, and added them to your RSS feed reader, I encourage you to do so:

Atlanta Paralegal Services, http://www.atlantaparalegalservices.com/ , ~ Freelance paralegal Misty Sheffield is a talented and thoughtful essayist about all things paralegal.
The Paralegal Society, http://theparalegalsociety.wordpress.com/ ~ A terrific collaborative effort, this is one of the most exciting new paralegal blogs to enter the blawgosphere, featuring essays on a variety of paralegal-related topics from both paralegals and attorneys.
Ms. Austen's Cubicle, http://www.msaustenscubicle.com/ ~ An anonymous legal assistant employed by a midwestern law firm chronicles the issues many of us deal with every day, including annoying co-workers and dating.
LegallyBlog, http://samihartsfield.wordpress.com/ ~ Texas paralegal Sami Hartsfield shares a great deal of detailed information helpful to paralegals and students.
Career Liberty, http://careersandliberty.com/ ~ Colorado contracts manager Neal Huffman shares thoughtful posts on the state of the paralegal profession today.

Have you discovered any new blogs by legal staffers - or started one? Send me the link care of lynne.devenny@gmail.com, so I can share the good word with the paralegal herd!

Tech Tip: Did You Know Dropbox Is a Great File-Sharing Service?

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Most people think of Dropbox, http://www.dropbox.com/, as a free cloud storage service that allows you to access your stored files from any electronic device, but did you know it’s also a fantastic way to securely share files that are too large to email?

You can share your Dropbox files with others simply by emailing them an invitation to share a folder, or even create a shareable link. Our firm recently used Dropbox to share video files that were too big to email and needed to be shared immediately.

Are you using Dropbox yet?

Sweet Apps for Legal Professionals: Time Master, Trackord & CardMunch

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:45:00 +0000

By Helen Parsonage

Time Master ($9.99): This is the perfect app for any attorney who spends a lot of time outside of the office. It has a very simple time-keeping interface that allows you to stop and start timers for projects for different clients. You can also record expenses such as mileage and parking. Settings include the ability to count time in six-minute increments for those who bill in tenths of an hour. Having lost all my billing info when another app crashed, the fact that Time Master allows you to back up your data (I back it up to Dropbox) is a great feature. For an extra in-app purchase, you can sync between iPhone and iPad, which I love.
Trackord (.99): This app allows you to record a trip and will tell you at the end exactly how many miles you went. I then add the mileage to Time Master as an expense. The app appears to be very accurate. It's very useful if you have a case where you be billing mileage charges.
CardMunch (free): This app allows you to use your smart phone to take a photo of a business card and have it converted for use in your contacts. I've tried a number of these that use OCR and they have been very spotty and unreliable. This one uses, apparently, real people to do the conversion, and it is uniformly accurate. There is an added bonus that this app is operated by LinkedIn, so you can automatically connect to people through the app.

____________________________
Helen is one of my brilliant and tech-savvy supervising attorneys at Elliot Pishko Morgan P.A., http://epmlaw.com. She specializes in caring, thoughtful, and thorough representation of individuals struggling against adversity. She represents those hurt on the job and those dealing with insurance adjusters, the Social Security Administration, and the North Carolina Industrial Commission; those trying to navigate the maze created by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; those facing the frightening prospect of a criminal charge, and those confronting discrimination. She was recently featured in The Xemplar, "Fighting for the Underdog."

Paralegal Career Dressing: Celebrating Another Birthday Is a Good Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000

I turned 49 years of age last week. There I said it. I even took the day off from work on Friday to get used to it, but honestly it doesn't feel much different than 48. I did get two different birthday cakes (coconut, and chocolate mousse), and if I eat the rest of them all by myself, it'll be an excuse to run out and buy new and bigger clothes.

Gap sweater (thrifted); Nine West jeans (Marshalls several years old); Bow tie flats (Ross @$14); Necklace (Forever 21)

I love shopping for inexpensive costume jewelry at Forever 21. Add my essential diamond posts and I'm done.

Blog posts are more popular if you include the word "dog".

This is what happens when you say "cheese".

What's your fave brand of trouser jeans for work?

Paralegal Career Dressing: What's Wrong with Being the Mother-of-the-Bride?

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:45:00 +0000

I'm of an age where I like Steinmart, sort of considered a destination for the older crowd in our neck of the woods. No, you don't see too many young whippersnappers in there, but if you need a mother-of-the-bride dress, you are guaranteed a hit. I like to wait for the 40-60-80% off the Red Dot clearance rack sales, and then go in for the kill, like for this jacket I'd been watching for a few months. I like buttons and piping.

Cass jacket (Steinmart red dot clearance); Cloud Nine t-shirt (old); Loft skirt (50% off clearance rack); Tights (We Love Colors); Aigner pumps (Ross Dress for Less); Earrings (Jada's Jewels)

My boss gave Bucky an attitude, and possibly me one, too :P

I like my men tall and dead. Shoutout to Eric the Northman and Vampire Bill!

Does anyone have any Visine?

So, will you admit to shopping in any store your mom likes?

Paralegal Profile: Jill G. Nelson, NCCP

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:45:00 +0000

Jill Nelson

Job Title: Paralegal

Employer: Tharrington Smith, LLP, Raleigh, NC

Years of Paralegal Experience: 5

Education/Degrees: UNC Chapel Hill - B.A. in English; Duke University – Paralegal Certification

Specialty Areas: Family Law

Career Highlight: Joining Tharrington Smith, LLP. I love the people that I work with, and they have opened so many doors for me professionally.

Read more »

How to Curse Under Your Breath with Culture

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Write these down. You might need them later.

Sometimes a paralegal that works in an adversarial specialty area like litigation needs to mumble something nasty under her breath, while still maintaining professionalism and not cursing at the office. But what to say, what to say?

Maybe a nice combo from the "Shakespeare Insult Kit" will fill the bill, fulfilling the urge to stay something brilliantly derogatory, yet completely unintelligible to ~~the intended target~~ anyone within hearing range.

I'm saving these for a particularly evil-tempered day (not especially mine, but sometimes in litigation, peeps on the other side are unnecessarily mean):

Thou mammering milk-livered minnow (I like alliteration)
Thou lumpish fool-born barnacle
Thou reeky rump-fed scut
Thou unmuzzled knotty-pated canker-blossom

These are good - and satisfying. Take that, you villainous doghearted measle.

What's your fave?

Searches that Found this Paralegal Blog (and Made Me Cry)

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

The Corginator's not THAT bad...

Okay, just kidding about that last part, but not entirely.

Here's a few of the funnier Internet search queries that landed readers at Practical Paralegalism:

"appropreiate paralegal business attire" (please, please don't let this be a paralegal)
"quail" "quail pics" (because that's a serious hobby of mine. Not.)
"halo kitty" (um, again, please don't let this be a paralegal. Plus, our cat threw up on my stove once, so I'm pretty sure I didn't use halo and cat in the same sentence.)
"dom perignon" (yes, do send me a bottle) also "don perion" (please don't let that be a paralegal student)
"corgi bad" (how did you know The Corginator thinks that's her name?)
"high end litigators briefcase" (do you know how much those babies cost? Paralegals can't afford them.)
"stacy london legs" (well she does have great legs and great style)
"hipaa cartoons" (I am proud of posting one once. Do you know how hard it is to find anything funny about HIPAA?)
"how many people work through lunch" (well, I guess I'm kinda an expert at working through lunch)

Also, I discovered I'm popular in the Ukraine, probably where all the spammers live.

Today's Quote: What's Better than a Kindle Fire?

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:18:00 +0000

You do not have a traditional legal assistant career path? We are more interested in someone who has an entrepreneurial spirit, great energy, and is not afraid of taking on new challenges! So if you have such qualities and want to work hard, have fun, and make history, please apply! ~ Excerpt from Amazon's ad for a Contract Manager for Kindle

A job as a Kindle Contract Manager in New York! (I love a good exclamation point!)

I'd also like to nominate this language from the ad for best qualification I've seen in a while, and you know I love the paralegal want ads:

React with appropriate urgency to situations and events that require a quick response or turnaround and the ability to take effective action without having to know the total picture

That sounds slightly less fun...

Paralegal Career Dressing: Tuesday's Deal Is Bold Floral at Target

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:07:00 +0000

What is today? Is it still Tuesday? I have Paralegalitis so bad today that I think I may have to be retired to that mythical Home for Paralegals. I just made all that up, but I believe it, which is the most important part of the cure...I think.

Sometimes a bright and beautiful scarf is all that stands between you and putting your head down on your desk and crying. Or you can wipe your tears with the edges. Or strangle your boss/co-workers/IT guy/opposing parties/yourself. It's versatile that way :P

Merona Pink Bold Floral Print Scarf ~ $14.99 (Target)

Paralegal Career Dressing: Visible Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:52:00 +0000

The terrific style blog Not Dead Yet Style has a neat weekly event called Visible Monday, where style bloggers share an outfit or accessory that makes them "feel more confident, alive and visible that day." Which I will do, too, as soon as I figure out how.

I think my visible accessory was my red tights on Monday. Almost every single person I ran into mentioned them, and generally favorably, too :P (On an unrelated note, it was the worst Monday I've had in a while. It'll require a separate post after I've recovered from it...)

If you're wondering why you're seeing so much of Bucky this week, my supervising attorney keeps coming into my office and posing him. When he tried placing Bucky's hand on his hip on Monday, he complained that Bucky was a cheap piece of crap that didn't work right. I explained that Bucky is actually a moderately pricey, fully-articulated skeleton, and that the reason he wasn't posing right was because my boss was pretty much dislocating Bucky's shoulder.

Target scarf (Christmas gift from Teen); Loft skirt (thrifted); Tahari t-shirt (real old); Red tights (part of a $2.99 twofer from Hamricks); Aigner Mary Janes (Ross Dress for Less); Mossimo grey sweater (not seen because I was over-heating again); Magnetic Fashener

If I wasn't taking my own pictures, I'd know the maker tag on my scarf was showing. On the other hand, Dear Hubby and The Teen don't tell me these things when they take the outfit pics either.

Oh, earrings from a $5.99 Walmart three-pack. Sometimes I forget I'm there to get groceries.

It's like Where's Waldo, except you're looking for the Fashener :)

What's your favorite outfit or accessory to raise your spirits on Mondays?

Sweet iPad App for Paralegals: Allrecipes, Your Kitchen Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:15:00 +0000

Allrecipes

For the record, I can ~~follow directions~~ cook. My real problem is the inability to think of anything to cook.

Seriously, for a paralegal that has a reputation as a creative problem solver, I'm a dud when it comes to making dinner plans. I'll wander down the grocery store aisles uninspired, stressed out, and leave with the ingredients for grill cheese sandwiches. Again.

But I recently downloaded the free Allrecipes iPad App, and liked it so much that I spent the extra coupla bucks to upgrade to the pro version.

Seriously, all you have to do is select the course, the ingredient(s), the cooking method - and how long you want to cook (for me, as short a time as possible) - and then pictures of recipes within those parameters parade across your iPad screen.

Suddenly, you're seriously hungry, and ready to cook something specific!

With the pro version, you get a recipe box for your faves, and the app makes your shopping list.

For a few bucks more, this app will cook your dinner!

Oh, gosh, I got carried away there, but seriously, Apple, could ya work on this?

This is how great this app is. One teen said she wanted Beef Burgundy because someone brought the dish to French class, and she only got a bite - and I made it! Me, the face of Hamburger Helper, made it from scratch!

Like I said, a sweet app for paralegals.

Former Paralegal Sues State of Connecticut for Unpaid Vacation Time

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Whatever you do, don't let this "erroneously accrue."

The moral of this news story might be to not let your vacation time accrue. Take it now.

However, Paula McIlduff, a paralegal who retired from the Connecticut Office of the Claims Commissioner last year after a stellar 26-year career, thought she was helping her short-staffed department by not taking 480 hours of accrued vacation time, which had a value of around $15,000.

The hard-working paralegal wasn't worried about not being compensated, because she had a 2008 letter from the Office of State Comptroller, assuring her she would be compensated for the unused time upon retirement.

McIlduff pointed out to the CT Post that using the vacation time would have resulted in her extended absence from work:

Read more »

Practical Paralegalism's Recommended Reading this Week

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:45:00 +0000

I blog for paralegals and legal professionals to share information they may find helpful for professional development, or simply entertaining during a fast-paced week. Once a week (or less when Life happens - expect less with many projects looming in 2012), I share links to a half dozen or so articles focusing on law practice and technology, professionalism, career dressing on a budget, legal news, and hopefully, a good laugh or two.

I also share the daily minutia of a paralegal and working mom at Practical Paralegalism's Facebook Page and via my Twitter Feed, @ExpertParalegal.

Here are this week's links:

Paralegal Career Dressing: Monday's Deal Is Cropped & Feminine at Target

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:35:00 +0000

I think it's hard to beat Target's sales for beautiful cardigans to re-mix with your career basics. Even though this one is technically for juniors, sometimes you need the shorter, cropped cardigans, especially for dresses and full skirts. I think this one wants to be my 49th birthday prezzie...

Mossimo Supply Co Juniors Cropped Feminine Cardigan ~ $17.99

Paralegal Career Dressing: It's a Wrap Again

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

When I've mentioned wearing wrap dresses to work in the past, occasionally a reader will tell me these dresses feel a little too clingy or revealing for a conservative office. Actually, I feel the same, and almost donated a couple of wrap dresses I wasn't wearing very often. But inspired by other style bloggers, I decided to give this London Times wrap dress another shot, partly because of the unseasonably warm winter we've been cautiously enjoying (I know we're gonna pay for this with a March blizzard).

The secret to comfortably wearing a slinky wrap dress to a law office? Layering with a cardigan or jacket, and using a Fashener, http://www.fasheners.com/, at the neck line to make sure there are no unseemly surprise displays. I used a tiny black one which blended right into the pattern of the dress.

London Times wrap dress (long time ago but under $25 because I had weird personal price limit set :p); MODA cardigan (Victoria's Secret clearance); Wide belt (probably Ross Dress for Less cheap); Aigner Mary Janes (Ross Dress for Less @$16); Hoops (old); Tights (Target)

None of the paper on the shelves behind me is actually used, because we've been scanning everything for years. We just haven't had the time to clean off the shelves. I smell a project for a summer intern...

I read some style photo advice that said not to look into the camera, but I simply look lost :P

Really clueless. What did you say my name was again?

Are you comfortable wearing wrap dresses to law firms, legal departments, and other types of conservative offices?

Paralegal Career Dressing: Can't Tie a Bow? Use a Fashener

noreply@blogger.com (Lynne DeVenny) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

You know I love my bow tie blouses. But for some reason, I'm all thumbs trying to make pretty bows - on anything - including little girls' hair, holiday packages, and my own blouses. For this outfit, one of Mina's magnetic Fasheners, http://www.etsy.com/shop/fasheners, saved the day.

George cardigan (Walmart); Ralph Lauren slacks (thrifted @$11); Bow-tie blouse (Gap clearance); Booties (Ross Dress for Less @$14); Belt (Rugged Wearhouse @$4); Black onyx magnetic Fashener; Earrings (so old I've forgotten)

The Fashener saves the day.

Black Onyx Magnetic Fashener ~ $13.75

P.S. This not a sponsored post. I did review Fasheners last year, and liked them so much I bought them for Christmas gifts for my co-workers, and purchased a few more for me.