July 2011 Issue
Read the July 2011 issue of Carolina Paralegal News online.
Read MoreStill on the case
Nell Romanosky doesn’t have an email account, and she still types on her trusty IBM Selectric. At 83, she remembers being shocked when women exchanged their skirts to wear pantsuits to the office. And she favors Bing Crosby over “modern-day music.”
“Hip-hop and that kind of stuff – I don’t care for that at all,” she said.
Romanosky’s tastes may linger in the past, but she has a unique treasure that escapes members of the younger set – first-hand knowledge of an important historical era in Charleston’s legal community.
Read MoreFocus on talents, but don’t let yourself become extinct
In June, I attended the North Carolina Advocates for Justice convention, where Erin Brockovich was the keynote speaker. She began her talk with stories of the movie made about her. As she said, “Everyone wants to hear about that.”
According to Erin, the movie came into being because a friend of a friend of a friend knew Danny DeVito and pitched the idea to him. DeVito eventually became a producer of the film.
The heart of Erin’s speech involved a message from her mother about the need for “stick-to-it-iveness,” which she defines as perseverance and a quest for the truth that came from her father. Not only did Erin display this perseverance as she pressed for the truth in the Pacific Gas and Electric Company case, but Erin continues to fight for the truth today through her consulting business.
Read MoreIn matters of ethics, be proactive to uphold principles
I had only been working in the legal profession for a few months when our client Mrs. Jones (her name has been changed to protect her privacy) came into the office with a man, who sat down with her in the chairs next to my desk. I was in a new job and eager to provide quality work.
As I greeted Mrs. Jones, I asked if the gentleman with her was her son. She confirmed that he was, although she did not provide his name. I had been expecting Mrs. Jones that morning. I also knew that she did not drive and one of her sons lived next to her. Having read her file, I was aware the son who lived beside Mrs. Jones was to be a witness for her, the defendant in the case.
Read MoreStaff diversity creates new challenges, opportunities
Understanding the new workforce will greatly improve your ability to lead this new group of workers. This is all part of what has become known as a high performance team, where all members of the workforce are partners in the firm’s success. Several factors come into play:
Read MorePro bono renovation brightens CourtCare facility in Portland
For young children whose families are tied up in court hearings, sometimes nothing is more comforting than playing with other kids or crawling into a small, safe space.
In the Multnomah County Courthouse, in downtown Portland, children who may otherwise have to attend hearings can find respite in a former jury room that the Multnomah Bar Association converted into a free, drop-in child care center run by Volunteers of America.
Read MoreEconomy prompts lawyers to consider trying paralegal work
Paralegal positions, while less lucrative than starting associate jobs, are becoming an attractive option for unemployed lawyers looking for work.
“I would say for every five resumes we receive today for paralegal positions, two are from either recent law school graduates or experienced attorneys,” said Mary Arnberg, chief human resources officer at Milwaukee-based Quarles & Brady LLP.
Read MoreParalegal website results in unauthorized practice of law charges in Rhode Island
Faced with what increasingly is becoming an issue for bar associations across the country, the state Supreme Court has determined that a Texas paralegal services company was engaged in the unauthorized practice of law in Rhode Island.
The Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee conducted an investigation into Low Cost Paralegal Services and its operator, Dominique M. Salazar, after the defendants used Internet advertising to target Rhode Islanders for legal services.
Read MoreEmbracing the bond between IT and legal
Corporate litigation is often inevitable, but preparation for that inevitability is controllable. Why, then, during a meeting involving corporate litigation are the legal and IT teams introducing themselves across the table?
The truth is that successful companies have embraced the brotherly bond that IT and legal departments share in this age of technology. IT and legal teams should be talking every day. It’s crucial to avoiding document retention problems, e-mail archiving and a host of other complex issues that are crucial to managing discovery.
Read MoreNew site gathers school, pay data for paralegals
A new resource for paralegals, www.howtobecomeaparalegal.com, was put online this summer by its creator, Shelby Crockett. In addition to comprehensive information about paralegal schools and programs throughout the country, the site also offers Crockett’s take on the 25 most popular software applications for paralegals and the 25 essential reference books for the profession.
Read More
Digital edition March 2013
Read the March 2013 digital edition of the Carolina Paralegal News here.