The Paralegal Voice

American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Understanding the Intersection of Wellness, Mindfulness, and Tech

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0000

In this jam-packed episode, host Tony Sipp welcomes four outstanding paralegal professionals and educators to share tips on balancing mindfulness, wellness, and self-care in today’s world of rapid tech advancements.

If it seems like the profession is bolting forward at light speed, you’re not wrong. It’s important to take care of yourself. Let tech work for you, not wear you down. At times, you need to plug back into yourself before you plug into the latest technology.

With a race to incorporate that latest in AI, it is important to keep learning, but also to learn how to embrace “the power of the pause,” taking a moment to step back. Don’t just survive, thrive!

Mentioned in This Episode:

AAfPE Legal Luminaries podcast

Paralegals on Fire podcast

Adam Grant, speaker

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Smartest Person in the Room? The One Who Asks and Learns

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:00:00 -0000

Guest June Hunter is a trained paralegal professional and legal technology trainer with a 35-year career in legal services that spans the profession’s growth from the days of physical, paper files to today’s legal tech AI revolution.

Hear how Hunter has come to feel that paralegal professionals are “the best project managers in the world,” juggling clients, lawyers, tech tools, and court schedules and deadlines. The paralegal profession is no longer limited to helping process legal documents. Technology has expanded the field into so many new areas and specialties.

The best part about today’s tech tools, including AI, is that in the long run, it can save clients money, increase efficiencies, and solve ethical issues involving billing. Hunter’s message: be eager to embrace and master the latest technology throughout your career. The smartest person in the room is the person who’s not afraid to ask questions and learn new things.

Mentioned in This Episode:

San Diego Legal Secretaries Association

MCLE, California Minimum Continuing Legal Education

A History of Microsoft’s “Clippy”

National Capital Area Paralegals Association

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Building a Successful Paralegal Career, Step by Step. Yes You Can.

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0000

Once you’ve landed your first job as a paralegal professional, what next? How do you build your career, advance into management, and leverage affiliations and activities within local and national associations as you pursue your goals?

Guest Angela King is a successful paralegal manager at the national law firm of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP. Over more than two decades, she has advanced from a law firm volunteer to a file clerk to legal assistant, then paralegal professional, and now paralegal manager at a national law firm overseeing dozens of paralegal professionals.

At each step, being active with paralegal associations helped her advance her skills and network. It starts with learning, and it extends to helping and mentoring. King explores how a conscious push to improve and learn at every stage built her career and how you can create your own path to professional success.

Mentioned in This Episode:

National Federal of Paralegal Association

IPMA, International Practice Management Association

IPMA Conference and Expo

Lawfully Employed, podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How the Legal Workplace Is Evolving and What it Means for You!

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 12:00:00 -0000

How is the legal profession evolving, and what does it mean for your career? In this episode, host Tony Sipp welcomes a very special, nationally renowned, guest, Chere Estrin for a look into the future of the legal workplace.

Estrin is a guiding force in the legal profession and a nationally recognized voice on career development in the field. She’s the CEO of Estrin Legal Staffing, the author of 12 books, and the creator of the podcast Lawfully Employed and The Estrin Report blog.

Hear how to adapt and stand out and what traps you need to avoid in the new world of law. AI has jolted the industry, but it’s not just about technology. Paralegals are being tasked with increasingly complex duties, you’ve got to keep your skills current and show initiative every day.

Estrin provides insights and advice you can use now, whether that’s in your current job or when searching for your next step. The moves you make today can make or break your career. Start “future proofing” your life and getting ahead now.

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Estrin Report, blog

“If I Lost My Job Tomorrow, Here’s How AI Would Fix My Resume Before Lunch,” by Chere Estrin

“Hot Flashes, Cool Resume: Still Billable. Still Brilliant. Resumes for Legal Professional Women Who Aren't Done Yet,” by Chere Estrin

“Power Plays” by Chere Estrin

Other books by Chere Estrin, Amazon.com

Previous appearance on the Legal Talk Network, Lawyer 2 Lawyer: “Paralegals: The Backbone of the Law Practice”

International Paralegal Management Association (IPMA)

IPMA 2025 Annual Conference & Expo

“New York Clean Slate Act Takes Effect on November 16, 2024, With New Obligations for Employers Running Criminal Background Checks,” LawAndTheWorkplace.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Freelance Paralegal Professionals Boost Law Firm Efficiencies

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 12:00:00 -0000

Ever think of hanging up a shingle and going it alone as a freelance paralegal services provider? It can be done and there is a demand. Working in a firm isn’t your only option.

Guest Corrin Swintosky is a freelance paralegal professional at her own company, Lucid Legal Support LLC, who specializes in helping small and midsize law firms increase efficiencies by providing extra help with criminal law cases as needed.

A former probation officer, Swintosky’s passions include helping expunge criminal records, getting offenders back on their feet and get their lives back on track after minor offenses and missteps. Even a minor mark on a person’s record can create barriers to housing, employment, voting, and everyday life.

Hear how Swintosky as a one-person show balances tech and business skills, how she learned to work side-by-side with attorneys, and how she leans confidently into her expertise.

Mentioned in This Episode:

“It's Time for a Federal Clean Slate,” The Clean Slate Initiative

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justice for All: A City’s Fight for Inclusion, Respect, and Fairness for Everyone

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0000

How do professionals in the legal community help protect and enhance the civil rights we all deserve? Guest Capri Maddox is the executive director of the Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department, working to ensure Los Angeles is a city of belonging, justice, and a welcoming space for all.

She’s an attorney, but she also worked as a paralegal professional, and she recognizes how big projects depend on every level of the legal team.

As a former prosecutor, Maddox says she knows no city can arrest its way to safety. Described as “a powerhouse of purpose,” she believes the only way to ensure public safety is to make sure everyone feels included, feels represented, and feels that justice works for all, not just a few.

Her team’s latest campaign is a simple, yet powerful project called “Just Say Hello.” The idea is that if people say “hello” to a stranger once in a while, it can create a friendlier, more inclusive city. As she notes, it’s unlikely someone will mistreat someone if they’ve just said “hello” to each other. Hear how we can all do something in our own communities to ensure everyone feels welcome, respected, safe, and empowered.

Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department

LAIsForEveryone.com

“LA Civil Rights Celebrates ‘Just Say Hello’ Campaign Citywide for International Friendship Day 2025”

The LA For All Campaign

“I Belong. You Belong. We Belong. Theme for Fourth Annual LA For All Week”

LA Law Day 2025

Using social media? The campaigns’ hashtag is #LAIsForAll

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beyond CLE, Training for Life and Living as a Paralegal Professional

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0000

Paralegals can find themselves on an island at the workplace, left without training, mentorship, and opportunities for growth and advancement in a sink or swim environment. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Guest Eda Rosa is a former paralegal who founded her own firm, Eda Rosa LLC, in 2017. The legal consulting and training company is dedicated to transforming the legal industry from the inside out. Rosa says CLE classes are fine for the nuts and bolts, but what about training to avoid burnout and build “soft skills” that make life and work better?

Training shouldn’t stop with paralegal classes and company onboarding. Continuous education and team building exercises ensure teams remain strong and develop as a unit. Every player on a legal team has a role, failure to bring along every player hurts the entire firm.

Hear how Rosa “learned by doing,” growing into her own professional self, earning a master’s degree in law, and then turned her insights into a mission to help paralegal professionals advance their careers and live their best lives both in and out of the office.

Resources:

Previous appearance on the Legal Talk Network, Legal Rebels, “What Does the Future Hold for Licensed Paraprofessionals?”

Previous appearance on Paralegal Voice, “Digging Into California Workers’ Compensation (Plus, Career Advice From a True Pro)”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Shifting Sands of Immigration Law and AI: What to Know Now

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0000

We’re at an interesting and dynamic point in time for immigration law, with Supreme Court rulings and presidential executive orders reshaping the field and challenging the system’s status quo.

The administrative area of immigration law is especially difficult for legal professionals. In an immigration hearing, the judge is essentially on the same “team” as the prosecutor, and because immigration policies are largely under the federal executive branch, the rules seem to shift every four years with a new presidential term.

Guest Nikki Mehrpoo is a former judge, a scholar, and the first and only California dual certified legal specialist in immigration and Workers’ Compensation law. She is a lawyer as well as a professor of law at West Los Angeles College. She recently created the MedLegal Professor, a project dedicated to the ethical use of AI technologies in the field of law and medicine.

In this timely episode of Paralegal Voice, Mehrpoo unpacks recent Supreme Court rulings, executive orders, and even the use of AI facial recognition that are reshaping the field of immigration law. As a legal professional, what we think we know may be subject to change day by day, ruling by ruling.

Mentioned in This Episode:

LAPA

Noem v. Perdomo, SCOTUSblog coverage

“Immigration Officers Intensify Arrests in Courthouse Hallways on a Fast Track to Deportation,” Associated Press

“ICE Awards Clearview AI $9.2M Facial Recognition Contract,” Biometric Update “Nevada Judge Takes Creative and Unusual Approach to Combat AI-Generated Fictitious Citations,” LawNext

“The EU Artificial Intelligence Act”

Clearview AI

Orange County Paralegal Association

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blazing a Trail: The Role of Paralegal Associations in a Changing World

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0000

The paralegal profession is evolving at breakneck speed, driven by emerging technology such as AI and the era of “video connectivity” brought on by the pandemic. It’s up to paralegal associations to keep up.

Guests Milady Cambare and Travis Chow are veteran paralegals and the respective presidents of the Orange County and Los Angeles paralegal associations. They share how their associations are working to stay ahead of technology and ensure no member is left behind or left out.

Today’s information jungle can be beneficial, including social media, Chow says, and paralegals need to keep up with the array of technology. But, Cambare adds, there is still space for in-person events, such as dinner cruises, conferences, and even ice cream socials. As tech takes over more of our lives, she says it’s vital that associations remember the importance of in-person events that connect generations of paralegal professionals.

Cambare and Chow are trailblazers in the paralegal field, envisioning the future of paralegal associations and championing the value of membership, networking, and lifelong learning. Hear how association membership and engagement is more important today than ever before.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Google Meet

Zoom

Survey Monkey

CliftonStrengths assessment

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Paralegal to “Paraleader.” What Legal Recruiters Look For.

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 11:00:00 -0000

Guest and professional legal recruiter Tracey Perkins says in 2025 every paralegal professional should know the importance of technology, especially AI. But she stresses the best paralegals always manage the tech and never let the tech manage them. AI is a tool that can spur efficiency, but it will never replace the mind and analytical skills of a skilled paralegal professional.

In the rapidly advancing world of legal tech, grit matters. You’ve got to keep up. Pushing yourself through even the toughest challenges builds the professional you are destined to become. Perkins is a paralegal professional, educator, and legal industry recruiter who has driven herself forward for more than 20 years. She brings the lessons she learned to every aspect of her life and strives to share each one with every student and every job seeker.

Plus, learn insider tips for when you’re applying for a new position: Don’t include photos on your resume, learn to professionally format everything. Time is money, so get to the bullet points and focus on clear, concise communication. No fluff, no fillers. (And please, no silly email addresses, keep it professional). Hear Perkins’ golden rules for building professional relationships and her pro tips for your LinkedIn page. Get fired up and get hired.

Mentioned in This Episode:

“Behind the Curtain: A White-Collar Bloodbath,” Axios

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI Is Here, How Will Paralegal Professionals Remain Vital?

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 11:00:00 -0000

AI is coming, and it may be coming for your job. Guest Dan Lear, vice president of partnerships at the digital case management company InfoTrack, shares how paralegal professionals can adapt and remain vital. Spoiler, you can’t ignore the AI revolution, but you can learn, evolve, and deliver insights and human skills that AI simply can’t match.

File, case, and data management has come a long way, from physically moving boxes of paper filings to electronic management, and Lear has done it all, from moving paper files to his current position legal tech. Along the way, Lear advanced from a file clerk position to a career as a paralegal professional, then earning his law degree. Now he’s exploring and embracing AI capabilities.

Having worked as a paralegal, Lear understands how vital the profession is to the practice of law, at times even “training” newly minted attorneys as they transition from learning the principles of the law to actually getting the job done.

As Lear explains, lifelong learning, networking, and building strong connections will become increasingly important moving forward, whether you’re a newcomer to the field or an experienced veteran.

Mentioned in This Episode:

“Tech CEO Warns AI Will Eliminate Jobs. What Can You Do to Protect Your Career?” ABC7 Los Angeles

“The Free-Time Paradox in America,” The Atlantic

Paralegals Navigating Perilous Waters Cruise, March 6, 2026

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Classroom to Social Media to Cruise Ship? New Ways to Learn.

Thu, 08 May 2025 11:00:00 -0000

Guest Linda McGrath-Cruz worked as a paralegal professional in private practice and in-house (including Royal Caribbean) for 28 years, and she’s a leader for the Paralegal Navigating Perilous Waters cruise, a CLE paralegal conference that takes place on a cruise ship (how cool is that?).

She is currently the program coordinator and a full-time faculty member in the paralegal program at St. Johns River State College in Florida, a hands-on, real-life program that helps students get jobs and then get the job done. She is also the founder and leader of the social media program Perfectly Paralegal, a community that offers resources, support, and continuing education to paralegal professionals nationwide.

We all need NALA continuing ed credits, but why not make it a family vacation on a cruise ship? Courses on the Perilous Waters cruise are arranged to provide both credits but also leave time for networking, sharing tips, and having fun. Make it a family trip, a friends group outing, or a company event. Learn while you sail.

Whether it’s in the classroom or on the high seas, McGrath-Cruz is dedicated to sharing what she’s learned with practical teachings that make you better and advance your career. Get excited and get involved.

Mentioned in This Episode:

St. Johns River State College Paralegal Program

NALA CP exams

Vanessa Finley, prior appearance on Paralegal Voice, “The Year Ahead For NALA, Plus A Preview Of The 2024 Conference”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Be a Legal MacGyver. Learn More, Create Solutions

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0000

Guest Huascar Matos is a paralegal professional and the new president of the International Practice Management Association (IPMA). He has a varied background including a degree in Spanish and time in the fashion and art industry. After an unusual and unexpected path, he has found himself as a director of paralegals at the firm of Foley & Lardner.

It’s an exciting time for the IPMA as members consider international expansion, the “elephant in the room” of artificial intelligence, and the evolution of a constantly changing profession. AI may shake up the game, but Matos reminds us the legal profession is never static, enduring the shift from paper to e-discovering, the addition of computer capabilities, and other technologies.

Paralegals, Matos says, will adjust and adapt as they always have. Being part of an organization such as IPMA helps paralegals understand new trends and learn new skills. Robots are not going to take over your job, but AI could help you do it better.

Hear about Matos’ own career path and the advice he has for those new to the profession. Stepping up, volunteering for new duties, and learning as you go will build your career and get you noticed. Don’t put yourself in a box. Be a “legal MacGyver.”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

50 Years of NALA! Get the Scoop on 2025 From NALA CEO Vanessa Finley

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0000

What’s new for NALA in 2025? Get the scoop from guest Vanessa “Vinnie” Finley, the CEO of NALA since 2019. There’s plenty of news about the upcoming NALA conference and new initiatives to help you be your best professional self.

2025 is no ordinary year for NALA as the paralegal association celebrates 50 years. Start with the latest on the 2025 NALA Conference & Expo, July 10-12 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Earn continuing education credits, network, learn new skills, and hear about NALA’s plans for the future. Early bird registration ends May 7.

Plus, dig into NALA’s newest national survey on utilization compensation and learn about trends in pay, billing, and benefits. You’ll also hear about new limited licensing programs, AI, and trends across the field.

And we’ll talk about NALA’s new Resource Navigator, pulling together vendor information and the newest in tech, and a new collection of relevant articles and updates on NALA’s free Paralegal Brief page. Even more? How about a review of NALA’s work with affiliates and students nationwide and an upcoming free webinar on billable hours. This special episode has it all.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Vanessa Finley, prior appearance on Paralegal Voice, “The NALA Paralegal Jobs Report: Get Paid What You’re Worth!”

“I’m Not Broken” by Jesse Leon, available at Amazon

NALA Resource Navigator

NALA Paralegal Brief

Get involved with NALA

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acclaimed Author Jesse Leon on Tragedy, Struggle, Hope, and Success.

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 11:00:00 -0000

In this powerful, and deeply emotional and inspirational episode, acclaimed author and speaker Jesse Leon tackles sensitive issues including human trafficking and substance abuse and how he rose above the challenges on his path to success. Leon grew up homeless, addicted, and sexually trafficked. But he survived and is here to remind all of us that we all matter, and we can grow and rise above. None of us are alone.

Leon shares his struggles and ultimate triumph as motivation and inspiration. No matter where you are in life, you are important, you can overcome. We are all warriors.

If you’re struggling, if you’re hurting, there is help. People do care about you. There is help out there.

Mentioned in This Episode:

National Public Radio (NPR) “'I'm Not Broken' Is About Being Broken — And Building a New Life” 2022

MenHealing.org

OnCue trial presentation software

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Making Yourself Essential, The Art of Becoming Indispensable.

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 11:00:00 -0000

Guest Natalie Athas is an experienced international paralegal for a Southern California law firm. She set out to become a nurse but wound up getting into the legal profession and found her place. She worked her way up through a number of positions, starting at the ground floor. Funny how things work out.

Hear about the typical day of a busy paralegal serving a litigation team. She travels extensively as part of her job, mentoring new paralegal groups for her firm around the country. “My day is like a box of chocolates,” she says. “I never know what I’m going to get.”

As she worked through the ranks, Athas took advantage of every opportunity to take on new tasks, from making herself an “essential employee” during the COVID pandemic, coming into the office while others worked from home (even doing the “COVID Cleaning” of door handles and keyboards) to learning Zoom trials and filling in when other branches of the firm are short staffed.

This episode is a great guide to self-propelled career advancement and becoming so essential to your firm’s operations they wouldn’t even think of leaving you behind if they downsize. Stay visible, put in the hours, and build your skills. These are tips for success you don’t want to miss.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Trial Director

California Lawyers Association

Orange County Paralegal Association

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evidence, Tech, and You. How Paralegals Shine in the Digital World.

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 12:00:00 -0000

Today’s legal evidence, more than ever, is digital. We’re not digging through boxes of paperwork and memos anymore. In its own way, paper evidence was easy – if time consuming – to request, sift through, organize, present, and protect. But today, evidence lives in the digital universe. We find evidence in emails, tablets, mobile devices, computers, the cloud, cell phones, even digital doorbells and devices connected through the Internet of Things (IoT).

Guest John Sammons is an author and professor teaching digital forensics at Marshall University and is the associate director of the Marshall Institute for Cyber Security. He explains how vital paralegal professionals have become in the struggle to gather, understand, decipher, explain, and protect today’s digital evidence.

More than ever, well-educated and up-to-date paralegal professionals become indispensable as they help their legal teams understand what to ask for, where digital evidence might be hiding, and how to clearly explain these complex clues to a judge and jury.

Sammons explains how advancing technologies, AI, digital duplicates, and speech replication tech are making tech-savvy paralegal professionals irreplaceable components inside their organizations. Get inspired to get out there and learn something new today.

Mentioned in This Episode:

American Academy of Forensic Sciences

CES, Consumer Electronics Show

Appalachian Institute of Digital Evidence

NALA Certified Paralegal (CP®) program

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Passing the NALA CP® Exam, Help Is Here!

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 12:00:00 -0000

Ever wonder what it takes to pass the NALA Certified Paralegal (CP®) certification exam? Let’s break it down and set you apart in your field. You can do this.

Guest Lori Young is a full-time faculty member at the College of the Canyons in California and a part-time instructor at the University of California Santa Barbara. She has been a paralegal professional for more than 25 years and specializes in legal tech, contract law, estate planning, and helping students just like you prepare for and pass the CP exam.

Young knows firsthand the ins and outs of the CP exam. She freely admits she failed it the first time, so she’s been there, done that, and knows what it takes. She buckled down and passed, then helped develop a curriculum to help others pass the exam the first time. She offers tips and inspiration for anyone considering taking the plunge. (Spoiler: Taking a prep course can give you the confidence you need).

In California, CP Exam test prep programs are free at community colleges, but they’re also available at a very low cost online for those outside the state. Certification can boost your career, elevate your performance, increase your confidence, and make you more valuable to your team. Bottom line: the CP designation opens new doors. No more putting it off.

Lori also offers her first hand experience with the recent California wildfires. The College of the Canyons became an evacuation center for the community and served as a center for the Incident Command team. She urges paralegal students to become more involved in their communities via volunteer opportunities and working with legal clinics to assist those impacted by disaster.

Mentioned in This Episode:

NALA CP practice exam

Certified Paralegal Exam Test Preparation Program, College of the Canyons

Los Angeles Paralegal Association (LAPA)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn, Learn, Learn. Grow Your Career Through Education And Involvement

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 12:00:00 -0000

Life is an opportunity to learn, and learning never stops. Guest Jonathan Dang served in the military, then earned a bachelor’s degree, and then earned his master’s degree. He’s a big believer in lifelong learning, there’s never a bad time to take a course, boost your career, and learn something new.

Hear how Dang started out looking for direction, found his way, learned from mentors, and finally became a leader in his field. If you’re new to the field and want to take on a leadership role, start with being a “servant leader,” go above and beyond and accept new challenges and volunteer for unexpected tasks. Learn something new every day. Yes, it’s hard. But it’s also fun.

Dang’s openness to new experiences, his networking and involvement in his local Paralegal Association, and his journey from mentee to mentor continues to fuel his career. You can do this. Break out of your shell and be excited.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Los Angeles Paralegal Association (LAPA)

LAPA on LinkedIn

LAPA events page

Marine Corps, Toys for Tots

Gayle O’Connor Spirit Award announcement

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mastering E-Discovery, Legal Tech, and Herding Digital Cats at Your Firm

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 22:45:00 -0000

Digital information management is a delicate balancing act, connecting the moving parts of a busy legal operation with the information technologists who manage the data. How do you pull an entire office together and manage and leverage all that information?

Guest Stephanie Clerkin is the Director of Litigation Support at Korein Tillery and a 2024 recipient of the Gayle O’Connor Spirit Award, which celebrates e-discovery and legal technology leaders who make noteworthy contributions to the fields of e-discovery, legal tech, information governance, cybersecurity, and data privacy. The award is named for the late Gayle O’Connor.

Hear some of the secrets of bringing people together around technology (even dragging along some of the stragglers who have “always done it this way”). You’ll learn to adapt to different styles, demonstrate the value of efficient data management, and sometimes do more with less. Legal tech and data management never sleeps. Helping everyone – from support staff to senior attorneys – keep up is a challenge.

Finding a mentor, establishing a work life balance, and mastering technology test us all, but Clerkin has tips you can put to work now.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Relativity e-discovery platform

Relativity certifications

Make-A-Wish Young Professionals

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paralegals To The Rescue, Leading The Way In Legal Tech Integration

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:00:00 -0000

Where do technology and the paralegal profession intersect? Everywhere. Guest Karen Tuschak is a legal tech pioneer with more than 30 years of experience in the legal profession. She combined her experience, knowledge, and her passion for innovative technology to form her own company, Spider Silk Innovative Solutions in Toronto, Canada. Her company helps law firms and paralegals become more productive through technology and innovation.

Tuschak believes every paralegal professional can be their firm’s technology champion and driver. Technology continues to push the legal profession forward. E-discovery, data visualization, and case management are getting faster and better.

Tuschak doesn’t worry about an AI systems taking over a paralegal’s job. Today’s latest tech actually helps paralegal professionals do better work, faster. Don’t be afraid of the latest and greatest. Instead, master it.

The paralegal profession never stands still, and Tuschak sees endless opportunities for paralegal professionals. Project management, wrangling details, managing billing, and driving the adoption of legal tech create new roles seemingly daily. Hear how Tuschak nudges firms to invest in staff development, education, and tech and how you can get ahead in your own career through technology.

Mentioned in This Episode:

National Paralegal Day, August 6, 2025

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New President Cheryl Nodarse Leads NALA Into Its 50th Year

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 12:00:00 -0000

Guest Cheryl Nodarse, ACP, talks about her goals as the new president of NALA. With her background as past NALA vice president and secretary, Nodarse has a clear vision for the national organization of paralegal professionals.

NALA’s relationship with affiliated associations takes a spot at the top of Nodarse’s agenda, as well as developing the relationships between paralegal educators and students. Plus, 2025 marks NALA’s 50th anniversary and the first National Paralegal Day.

Nodarse and hosts Jill Francisco and Tony Sipp also discuss a new era of “breakaway careers” for paralegal professionals and how the skill set and education positions them well in an increasingly complex and digital world. Doesn’t matter what the job title is, a foundation in paralegal work applies to so many interesting career paths. Your skills are in demand.

As the profession changes, as opportunities arise and evolve, Nodarse has her sights set on helping NALA stay involved and help guide the profession forward. This is a great time to be a part of NALA.

Mentioned in This Episode:

List of NALA Affiliated Associations

“Rule Change To Allow Paraprofessionals To Offer Limited Legal Services Proposed By Top Texas Court,” ABA Journal

Paralegal Association of Florida, Palm Beach Chapter

NALA, Facts and Findings

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Neurodivergence, Communication, and Connections. Understanding Our Differences.

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 11:00:00 -0000

Guest Christina Hough dives into the topic of neurodivergence in the legal field. The subject refers to how people learn and behave. We’re all “neurodivergent” in that we are all different. The term covers everything from the autism spectrum to ADHD issues to our own individual quirks and how we interact, learn, and understand each other.

When it comes to neurodivergence, the legal system has a particular interest. It has been estimated about 12.5% of lawyers report having ADHD, attention deficit disorders, nearly triple the rate of the general population. And that’s just the beginning.

Law is a stressful profession, and many may not know they have a neurodivergence issue – issues that may only reveal themselves under extreme stress. That’s why awareness is so important as we learn to account for our own differences and others’ and make sure we are communicating with and understanding coworkers and even opposing counsel and witnesses.

It all starts with being aware and giving thought to how the person across the desk processes information and communicates. As the great (fictional) attorney Atticus Finch taught us in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

Mentioned in This Episode:

“Lawyers With ADHD: Understanding Neurodiversity in the Legal Profession,” JD Nation

“Neurodivergence in Law: The Importance of Advanced Communication in Legal and Neutral Practice” from Will Work for Food with Christina Hough

Christina Hough’s Presentation

“To Kill a Mockingbird Quote Analysis,” Bartleby

California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stress, Burnout, and the Legal Profession: It’s OK To Talk About It

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 11:00:00 -0000

Legal burnout. It’s a real thing. Let’s talk about it. On the podcast “The Legal Burnouts,” guests Kate Bridal and Josey Hoff have opened up about burnout. Both worked in law, Bridal as an attorney and Hoff as a paralegal. One day they realized they’d had enough. They were burned out. They know what they’re talking about, and they know what many in the legal profession are going through.

Burnout is real. It’s an emotionally grinding field with physically grueling time demands. If you’re feeling the stress, understand what your body is telling you. Understand that you are not alone and know that it’s OK to talk about it.

Bridal and Hoff explain how to recognize burnout and how to put a name on what you feel. Of course, there are times when you’ll work hard, there are periods of stress in any job. But when you find that you can’t turn it off, that every stressful day leads to another stressful day, when you can’t let yourself take a break, it may be time to examine what’s going on in your life.

Legal professionals are by nature competitive, driven people. It can be hard to turn that off or accept that you’ve simply reached your limit and don’t have another gear. But there is more to life, take care of yourself.

If you have insights you’d like to share or a topic you’d like us to take on, please send us a note at Jfrancisco@lawgical.com and HaveASipp@gmail.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Digging Into California Workers’ Compensation (Plus, Career Advice From a True Pro)

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 11:00:00 -0000

No matter where you fit in an organization in the legal system, you’re likely to find yourself at some point involved in a case headed to alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation or arbitration.

Guest Nikki Mehrpoo speaks from a lengthy career in law focusing on Workers’ Compensation and immigration law. In Workers’ Comp cases, the ability of a judge, mediator, and arbitrator to listen without bias and weigh cases solely on the facts and the law is crucial.

And as a legal professional, when representing a Workers’ Comp complainant, it can be especially vital to sift facts from biases and prepare a case that clearly presents the facts in a manner a deciding party can follow.

Mehrpoo also shares some excellent career advice on the importance of legal technology, keeping up with the latest developments in tech and the law, and finding a mentor. Your education is never complete. Embrace every opportunity to pick up a new skill and new information, whether that’s from an industry newsletter, a quick tutorial, or in a classroom. Take the time to invest in yourself.

If you have insights you’d like to share or a topic you’d like us to take on, please send us a note at Jfrancisco@lawgical.com and HaveASipp@gmail.com.

Mentioned in This Episode:

NALA Conference & Expo 2024

NALA Conference & Expo 2024

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Advancing Your Career: Advice From A Real-Life Success Story

Thu, 16 May 2024 11:00:00 -0000

Guest Shelly A. Walker has enjoyed a career spanning nearly three decades of perpetual growth and advancement. Hear how she learned to move forward with every step, up to her current position as regional office administrator and paralegal manager for a large law firm. Successful careers in the paralegal profession don’t just happen. It takes work, ambition, and drive. Preparation creates opportunity.

Walker took advantage of every chance to learn and advance. The paralegal profession never stands still, and Walker explains how seizing opportunities to build skills advanced her career. One example is how she recognized the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and helped her firm create a DEI committee, which she went on to lead.

She encourages today’s up and coming paralegals to understand their worth and show initiative. Speak up with confidence at your organization and demonstrate your value with everything you do. If you’re looking for advice on advancing your career, this episode offers valuable tips. Step up, stand out, and succeed.

If you have insights you’d like to share or a topic you’d like us to take on, please send us a note at Jfrancisco@lawgical.com and HaveASipp@gmail.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Year Ahead For NALA, Plus A Preview Of The 2024 Conference

Fri, 03 May 2024 21:30:00 -0000

The return of an annual tradition: NALA CEO Vanessa Finley joins hosts Jill Francisco and Tony Sipp to talk about all things NALA, including the upcoming NALA Conference & Expo in Louisville, Kentucky July 11-13. (It’s hybrid, live or online, so if you can’t make it in person, you can still take part).

Enjoy both fun and serious sessions, including keynote speaker Iliana Oris Valiente, CPA, CA, as she shares insights into the role of AI and the paralegal profession, while you earn valuable CLE credits. And if you attend in person, you also get the chance to watch recordings of any sessions you miss and pick up those extra CLE hours. Plus, our own Jill Francisco will be a featured speaker, and you can meet co-host Tony Sipp in person as well. Stop by and say hello.

Hear all the conference has to offer, how to register, how to attend in person or online, one day or all, and even learn about early bird and group discounts. Don’t be left out.

It’s a big year for NALA. Hear about the upcoming member survey (including a salary survey, are you being paid fairly?) Watch your inbox for a link to the survey. More? How about the latest on NALA core competencies and the expanding role of paralegals! This is a jam-packed episode.

If you have insights you’d like to share or a topic you’d like us to take on, please send us a note at Jfrancisco@lawgical.com and HaveASipp@gmail.com.

Mentioned in This Episode:

NALA Paralegal Core Competencies

NALA YouTube Channel

American Association for Paralegal Education

NALA Talks DEI Microlearning Episode 1: Access to Justice with Michael Houlberg, IAALS

Equality Ohio

“Exploring the Vital Role of Paralegals in the Legal System” By James David

Louisville Tourism Office

Prior episode, “Live From The 2023 NALA Conference: An Inside Look”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tackling Tech, Getting The Education You Need To Advance

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 12:00:00 -0000

Let’s talk about changes in the law and legal technology in 2024 and how to make yourself more valuable to your firm and reenergize your career. Hear where the legal field is going (and how you’ll get there) with tech guru and guest Joy Murao.

Maybe you’ll even find the motivation and courage to sign up for a course and learn new skills in the coming year. Technology isn’t something mystical or even unusual in the legal field. It’s as vital as a paper and pen. Make this the year you overcome any lingering fears and learn to use the myriad tools available to you, from eDiscovery to AI.

Don’t underestimate what you’ve learned in the past, don’t overestimate the learning curve as you get accustomed to new tools, and never underestimate yourself. Get inspired.

If you have insights you’d like to share or a topic you’d like us to take on, please send us a note at Jfrancisco@lawgical.com and HaveASipp@gmail.com.

Mentioned in this Episode:

PAR training and classes

NALA education programs

NALA Advanced Certified Paralegal courses

LA Law Library

2024 NALA Conference & Expo

“Nala Certifying Board Announces New Certified Paralegal Exam Specifications”

Previous episode with Sonya Sigler, “Career Pressures, The Holidays, And Taking Care Of Yourself”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That’s A Wrap. What A Year: AI, Mental Health, And Conferences!

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 12:00:00 -0000

The return of Jill Francisco! She’s back after a busy autumn just in time to join co-host Tony Sipp as they wrap up 2023 and take a look at what’s ahead for 2024.

There’s a lot to go through, but you can start with a moment to remember to take care of yourself this holiday season. There’s a natural tendency to put yourself last, behind career, family, and so many other things. Be good to yourself. Mental health is important.

Looking ahead, make 2024 the year you get up to speed on the latest legal tech and take advantage of educational opportunities through NALA.org. Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t going away, and while it won’t steal your job, it will change how you do it. Ethics, research, e-discovery, and many other tasks are changing thanks to AI. You may as well embrace it and become the expert in your firm.

We’re also looking ahead to lots of programming from NALA, The Paralegal Association, in the coming year. The national conference takes place in Louisville, KY, this year, packed again with valuable information.

Thanks for a great 2023, and we look forward to making the coming year even better. If you have insights you’d like to share or a topic you’d like us to take on, please send us a note at Jfrancisco@lawgical.com and HaveASipp@gmail.com .

Mentioned in this Episode:

Previous episode with Karen Tuschak, “Show Us The Money: The Art and Best Practices Of Time Capture and Billing”

“Best Billing Practices For Paralegals,” NALA 2023 conference

NALA 2023 Conference Recording Bundle

2024 NALA Conference & Expo

“Nala Certifying Board Announces New Certified Paralegal Exam Specifications”

NALA LEAD program

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Mayo Clinic

CLE courses on AI from Law.com

“How Can Bias Be Removed from Artificial Intelligence-Powered Hiring Platforms?” Harvard University

“Judge Sanctions Lawyers For Brief Written By A.I. With Fake Citations,” CNBC

“Rethinking Returning to the Office,” Legal Business World

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Career Pressures, The Holidays, And Taking Care Of Yourself

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 12:00:00 -0000

Legal professionals are goal-oriented and driven to succeed. But as we approach a traditionally stressful time of year – the holiday season – it’s important that we remember what’s important and to balance work and life and our own health.

Guest Sonya Sigler is an accomplished attorney who now devotes herself to executive coaching and consulting as well as speaking and writing. Her focus is on work/life balance, understanding your own goals and needs, and focusing on personal development and growth. Mental health and managing burnout in the legal field is crucial.

Sigler’s story started as a busy mom and attorney and volunteer. She was juggling as many roles as she could when she wound up in an emergency room with heart attack-like symptoms. It wasn’t a heart attack, but it was a wakeup call. Sometimes you need to put yourself first and say “no.”

During the holidays, we may feel obligated to do too much. Listen to yourself, and if we need to decline an invitation or a volunteer request, it’s OK. As Sigler says, we all deserve a life we don’t need a vacation from.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Books by Sonya Sigler

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Mayo Clinic

Vistage

Hallmark Holiday Movies, Countdown To Christmas

SDPA, Virtual Lunch With Leaders

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Litigation Support Skills, eDiscovery, And Advancing Your Career

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:00:00 -0000

Guest Cheryl Garner, CEDS, walks through not only becoming a better paralegal, but pursuing higher career goals, earning credentials, and specializing in eDiscovery and litigation support. She’s a litigation manager overseeing her firm’s eDiscovery program, educating attorneys and colleagues on best practices, and staying abreast of the latest trends. Litigation paralegal professionals play a key role in law firm operations.

Successful paralegals are comfortable with technology and embrace every opportunity to learn. Today’s top litigation paralegals are eDiscovery pros.

Negotiating with vendors, establishing rates, managing operations, and freeing up attorneys to focus on legal strategy with the assurance that the foundations are strong are all part of a paralegal’s role in litigated cases.

The skills and demands are always changing and evolving. Preservation, data collecting, and presenting evidence at trial have changed as the legal world shifts from boxes of paper records to electronic documents, emails, and eDiscovery. Tech skills and expertise with digital review platforms are table stakes in this new environment. Learn to uncover opportunities to advance your skills and career.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM)

What is a "Load File,"

NALA ACP Certification

ACEDS Certification

Electronic Discovery Institute

Rutter Group guides

Matthew Bender Practice Guides

Los Angeles Paralegal Association (LAPA)

IMPA 2023 Conference, Building Today For A Successful Tomorrow

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paralegals Rise Up! The New Opportunities In Practice Management

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 11:00:00 -0000

The role of experienced paralegal professionals continues to evolve in exciting new directions. Hear how driven paralegals are finding opportunities in organizational leadership as technology and artificial intelligence (AI) continue to disrupt the legal profession. The sky is the limit for today’s paralegals.

Guest Tara Kim Eberhart shares how the International Practice Management Association (IPMA) is leading the way with its four pillars: people, process, profits, and progress. Paralegal professionals more than ever are driving the operation of successful firms and organizations creating management opportunities for paralegals.

What are the best practices and standards of care in management, and how do organizations incorporate these into their own operations and prioritize goals? Practice management and practice support may be two different fields, but they share the goal of driving an organization in orderly, focused manner.

Moving from daily paralegal duties to practice management and oversight can be an exciting career development opportunity for experienced paralegals seeking new challenges.

And don’t forget IMPA’s 2023 conference, Building Today For A Successful Tomorrow, Oct. 11-13 (pre and post conference events begin Oct. 9 and wrap up Oct. 15).

Mentioned in this Episode:

Organizations Affiliated With IPMA

California Alliance of Paralegal Associations (CAPA)

National Capital Paralegal Association

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Courtroom Tech: Increase Your Value By Perfecting Presentations

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 18:30:00 -0000

Guest Shannon Lex Bales is the author of “The Trial Presentation Companion” and an experienced educator and consultant who helps attorneys and firms follow standards and models for presenting cases using today’s legal tech. When firms go to trial, a lot of them are just “winging it” with the software and equipment, workflow, and skills they need to present a case. Paralegal professionals will find opportunities through education and certifications to professionally prepare and present data, video, and evidence using today’s technology.

We’ve all seen professionally staged “trials” on television shows. So have the jurors. There’s an expectation firms will present a compelling story digitally in the courtroom. What story is your firm telling and how?

As Bales says, “Basic legal technology skills are foundational for today’s legal market.” Understanding the use of legal technology in the courtroom is no longer an option. Keep up or fall behind. The skills you learned 10 years ago aren’t today’s skills.

Hear how to actively pursue the tech skills you need to add to your resume as a modern paralegal professional.

Mentioned in this Episode:

"The Trial Presentation Companion," by Shannon Lex Bales

Cambodia Tribunal Monitor

"White House Executive Office team engages ACEDS to deliver onsite electronic discovery training"

Career Essentials in Generative AI by Microsoft and LinkedIn

Reveal AI eDiscovery and Investigations

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live From The 2023 NALA Conference: An Inside Look

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 11:00:00 -0000

Greetings from Day One of the NALA 2023 Conference and Expo! Host Jill Francisco joins NALA past president and experienced paralegal Cassandra Oliver-Divens and paralegal student and first-time conference attendee Joey Jones to share the experience. Learn why the annual NALA conference is a must for today’s paralegal professionals.

From ethics classes to the latest technology and trends, you’ll hear how paralegal professionals learn from each other and network with organizations and firms across the country. Paralegals have such transferable skills, and the opportunities never fail to surprise. This year’s conference included classes on the newest developments in real estate law, social media evidence, Roe v. Wade, and more.

Learning can be fun. NALA makes sure of it. Meet your CLE requirements in an engaging, supportive environment. Review, refresh, and recharge.

Mentioned in this Episode:

NALA 2023 Conference and Expo

ABA Model Roles

NALA student membership brochure

NALA membership online

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Overcoming Subconscious Bias, How We Can Do Better

Thu, 25 May 2023 11:00:00 -0000

Let’s talk about bias. Not just “explicit” bias, the conscious bias for or against someone. Instead, think about “implicit” bias, those subconscious decisions we all make about hiring, capability, and value because of our own experiences. It happens every day.

Guest Al De La Cruz leads the litigation department for the San Diego office of Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP and examines how our own internal biases affect our daily decisions, even if we don’t realize it.

When legal cases touch on discrimination or other issues in employment law, start with understanding how the decision was made. What was going on? It’s complicated.

To overcome bias, start by being intentional. Learn to reflect on your decisions and understand your own starting point and thought process. It’s not just race, ethnicity, or gender. Think about being tall, short, older, younger, etc.

Bias has consequences across our daily lives, from education to business to economics and the law. Take this opportunity to make the best, most equitable, decisions you can. Start with the Harvard University’s implicit bias test.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Law360 Article, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (free registration required)

Implicit Association Test (IAT), Harvard University

American Bar Association, “Implicit Bias Videos and Toolkit”

New York Times, “Why Many CEOs Are Tall People? The Height Of The Matter” (registration required)

The Economic Times, “The Necktie Syndrome: Why CEOs Tend To Be Significantly Taller Than The Average Male”

“Thinking Fast and Slow,” Daniel Khaneman

“Blink, The Power of Thinking Without Thinking,” Malcolm Gladwell

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keep Up With Today’s Legal Tech (Or Be Left Behind)

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 11:00:00 -0000

Legal technologies wait for no one, including you. Guest Joy Murao is the Founder and CEO at Practice Aligned Resources, a legal tech support firm that offers a blend of services including e-discovery consulting and advisory, case planning and implementation, vendor and software selection guidance, and trial and war room setup and management.

Murao turned her background as a paralegal professional into helping legal teams incorporate technology and available resources to streamline casework, manage projects, incorporate e-discovery techniques, and maximize efficiencies and outcomes.

In this podcast:

High tech tools aren’t just for big trials anymore. Learn to incorporate the latest tech for depositions and even smaller hearings and trials.
Keep track of every detail and hold every bit of data at your fingertips.
The COVID-19 pandemic opened doors and highlighted technologies that support paralegals and legal teams in the courtroom and online.

Don’t get passed by. Take action today to become comfortable – even expert – with the latest technology. Sounds intimidating? It doesn’t have to be. Murao offers simple steps to set achievable goals and get started today.

Mentioned in this episode:

NALA conference

InfoTrack Legal Up Registration

Women in eDiscovery

California Lawyers Association Law Practice Management and Technology

LACourtConnect

Zoom Cat Lawyer

“Newsom's Proposed Courts Budget Includes Millions for New Judges, Courthouses,” Law.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NALA Paralegal Jobs Report: Get Paid What You’re Worth!

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:00:00 -0000

What’s new for NALA in 2023. Start by getting excited about the 2023 NALA conference with NALA’s chief executive officer, Vanessa Finley. This time in Boston in July. You don’t want to miss it. With 30 educational sessions, CLE credits are yours to earn with three ways to attend: the full, in person experience; a hybrid in-person/virtual package; and the single-day pass in person. Early bird specials available until May 12.

NALA in 2023 is also providing the CP (Certified Paralegal) exam review track covering every section of the exam – including the writing section. (Psst, co-host Tony Sipp is taking the exam and will be participating!)

And the new NALA Compensation Survey Report is out. These are good times for paralegal professionals, we are in demand. The profession is growing by about 12% and salaries are up. Log in to your NALA account and see if you’re getting paid what you’re worth after the COVID pandemic shook things up across the profession.

Plus, the new NALA YouTube Channel. See what you’ve been missing and subscribe today for the latest videos. Advocacy, information, community. NALA works for paralegals. “Be in the now, be in the know, be NALA.”

Resources from This Episode:

NALA conference

NALA CP exam prep and educational materials

NALA Compensation Survey 2022

NALA on YouTube

Vanessa Finley, previous appearances on the Legal Talk Network

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Us The Money: The Art and Best Practices Of Time Capture and Billing

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 16:00:00 -0000

Let’s talk about the art, and science, of billing. We’ll go ahead and say it, billing isn’t fun, but it’s crucial to the success of your law firm. And tracking many of those billable hours often falls on paralegal professionals. Getting work done is important, getting paid for that work is crucial.

You aren’t alone. Everybody hates billing. Tracking your time and entering it into your system isn’t natural, and maybe it’s not even taught. But you can get better at this, make it part of your daily routine.

Guest Karen Tuschak is an experienced consultant who runs her own firm, Spider Silk Solutions. She provides not only coaching and practice management development to law firms worldwide, but she also encourages firms to adopt the latest technologies. She dedicates much of her time helping paralegals understand billable hours and the importance of time capture.

Tuschak says a lot of paralegals “self-monitor” their work, they shave time from a task if they feel it could’ve been done faster. Don’t double check yourself, simply mark down the actual time you spend on a task. If you don’t, not only does it take money from the firm, it makes it hard for managers to spot areas of inefficiency where better tech could help.

This is a great reminder and could change the way you think about your job. Your “time capture” tells your story and demonstrates your value.

Resources from This Episode:

International Practice Management Association

The Landscape of Allied Legal Professional Programs (Report)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Paralegals Can Fill Legal System Gaps, A Panel Discussion

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 21:00:00 -0000

Our justice system is changing as demand for access to court services grows. Are specially trained paralegal professionals the answer?

Across the country, states are looking for ways to grant special licenses so paralegal professionals can handle some issues that have traditionally required an attorney. New programs with names including “allied legal professionals, “limited licensing,” and “legal paraprofessionals” are opening ways to offer access to justice and, at the same time, opening pathways for paralegals to expand their roles and embrace new opportunities.

This is important stuff that affects us all, even if the stereotype is that “legal aid” projects are for indigent cases, studies find up to 40% of the legal needs of middle-class people go unaddressed due to high demand and costs. There has to be a better way. The medical community developed new ways to provide care (nurse practitioners instead of an M.D.), so why can’t we build a new tier of legal service providers?

It's been a long slog as states individually decide how tiers of limited licensures can ensure access to justice. And it’s been contentious, maybe because the issue isn’t fully understood. Get educated and get involved with this informative episode of the Paralegal Voice.

Resources from This Episode:

North Carolina Justice For All Project’s legislative proposal, “Looking Beyond Lawyers To Bridge The Civil Access To Justice Gap”

Limited License Legal Technicians, Washington State Bar

NFPA

AAFPE

Arizona Legal Paraprofessionals (limited licensing)

N.C. Justice Richard Dietz

American Bar Association, access commissions

Minnesota Legal Paraprofessionals Pilot Program

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Cohost Tony Sipp Helps Kick Off A Year Of Big Upcoming Events

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 19:00:00 -0000

Host Jill Francisco is joined by NEW Paralegal Voice cohost (and a longtime friend of the podcast) Tony Sipp. Together, they kick off the new year with a rundown of upcoming events and news in the paralegal profession.

NALA Conference and Expo, July 12, in Boston.
New continuing education requirements are coming. Are you ready?
NALA’s six-part series on real estate education, coming soon (and why you need this)
Black History Month and how diversity and inclusion makes you better and helps you support your firm.

We’ll also take a look at the current state of paralegal work with the NALA jobs report. How has the profession changed in recent years? You’d be surprised at how technology affects the tasks we all do and why it’s so important to stay current. You never know when you’ll be asked to step up to something new. The paralegal profession is never dull.

Mentioned in This Episode:

American Heart Association

2023 NALA Conference and Expo

NCCA

PSI Exams

NALA Job Analysis Survey

Advanced Certified Paralegal Exam

NALA Webinars

Black History Month

Embracing Diversity Through Inclusion: Round Table

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paralegals: This. Is. Your. Year! (So, What Do You Want?)

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 20:00:00 -0000

In 2022, so many things changed. If you don’t love your job, this is your year. Find out if your pay, and job, measure up. Is your work arrangement still fair? Get out, join associations, network, and learn new skills.

The pandemic showed us we can work from home if that’s what we want. Firms requiring workers to come back to the office risk losing valuable paralegals. It’s a job seeker’s market.

If your firm is looking for paralegal help, you can poach from employers who aren’t adapting to the new reality. And if you’re a paralegal professional, polish your resume and be ready when an opportunity knocks. Start the new year by writing down your goals, personal and professional, and ask yourself, what’s holding you back? (But be careful, not all jobs are created equal. Know what you really want). New laws in some states require “pay transparency.” Job listings must list pay ranges. Even if you’re not looking, look. Know where your salary stands in the market.

Let 2023 be your reward for making it through the Great Pandemic. You’ve earned this.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Goodbye, Farwell, and Amen: Host Carl Morrison Departs With Words of Wisdom

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 12:00:00 -0000

A year-end farewell as co-host Carl Morrison steps away from the mic. It’s been a great ride for the past five years, and Carl closes with a look back at 2022. Have no fear, co-host Jill Francisco stays with the podcast and will continue to deliver important insights in 2023.

We’re watching so many changes to the role of paralegal professionals: more responsibilities, better tools, improved processes, and more options than ever.

How can we make the legal profession more efficient and deliver more value? Think of paralegal professionals as “revenue protectors” not a “cost center.” By adding value, paralegals let firms keep more of what they earn. Process management remains key.

Carl also revisits “DEI,” diversity, equity, and inclusion. How are we doing in the legal profession? And then there’s ALSP, alternative legal service providers. Did that turn out well for paralegals? The creativity of paralegal professionals continues to improve the process and drive the profession.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paralegals: It’s Your Mind. Use It Or Lose It

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 11:00:00 -0000

No matter if you’re new to the profession or a seasoned vet, paralegal professionals can never know too much.

Guest Cathy L. Davis is an assistant professor and department chair of the criminal justice and legal studies programs at Alabama’s Faulkner University. She’s a champion of continuing education and the lifelong pursuit of new skills.

Make your job your passion, and make learning your passion. Lexus, Clio, Mycase, Microsoft Office, local paralegal associations, and others all offer opportunities to learn and demonstrate competencies. Get every certification you can.

For those new to the business, start with:

Professionalism: Be organized, manage time, and listen.
Writing matters: Hone your skills. Really work on your writing.
Research skills: Go beyond traditional sources, even social media counts.
Preserve and protect data: Evidence and research are crucial.

Offer to attend hearings or assist at the courthouse, even if some tasks are outside your scope. Consider volunteering at a legal aid office, neighborhood associations, and community causes. Ever thought about teaching or speaking at a local college? Never stand still.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And What, So What, Now What? An NFL Star And The Power Of Positive Thinking.

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 19:00:00 -0000

In a very special, and very personal, episode host Jill Francisco is joined by her good friend, NFL star and Super Bowl champion Vinny Curry of the New York Jets. The power of positive thinking.

Paralegal work is stressful and at times emotional. There are deadlines, complicated problems, and even difficult people and situations. It’s OK to feel frustrated, sad, even angry. But as Curry explains, the key is to acknowledge those feelings and work through them with the help of the positive, supportive people you surround yourself with.

Curry was a standout college player and enjoys a productive, rewarding career at the highest level of the most popular league in the country. But even a star goes through rough patches. Hear how Curry faced down a scary health issue that threatened his career by thinking positively.

The paralegal profession takes a special kind of person. Take a moment to step back and recognize your contributions, abilities, and expertise. Feel good about yourself and your work. Take a breath, get some rest, and be thankful a 300-pound lineman isn’t going to try to knock you to the ground on your next trip to the copier.

Be sure to visit Curry’s foundation,Rush2Victory, dedicated to helping economically challenged students through motivation, mentorship, and empowerment.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Contract AI, The Game Changer for Corporate Paralegals

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 10:59:00 -0000

Guest Memme Onwudiwe was a speaker at July’s NALA 2022 Conference & Expo delivering a presentation titled “Corporate Paralegals in the Age of Contract AI.” It’s an exciting topic as the role of corporate paralegals shifts from generating contracts to overseeing, managing, and validating contract data.

This doesn’t mean corporate paralegals will lose their jobs, instead Onwudiwe expects they’ll be more valuable than ever, applying their expertise more productively. Imagine, no more "fire drills” when someone needs a specific data point buried deep inside complex language.

Automated content extraction is only one use. Consider automated reviews, language management, and datapoint classification, freeing paralegals to apply their expertise to the highest-level tasks. Imagine legal turning the corporate library of contracts and all that information into tools that help the bottom line, prioritizing customers during supply chain snarls or spotting opportunities to boost profit. With AI, legal turns from a cost center to a revenue center.

Hear how to integrate AI into your workspace and how to avoid missteps. For corporate paralegal professionals, this changes everything.

Mentioned in This Episode:

2022 NALA Conference & Expo

Article, “Finding New Pathways in your Legal Operations Career”

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Incoming President NALA President Talks NALA Conference 2022

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 11:00:00 -0000

Guest Debbie L. Overstreet, the incoming NALA president, gives an overview of the upcoming NALA conference – a return to the in-person gathering after two years of virtual, but with a remote option as well. Plus, the state of the job market for paralegal professionals and the role of the paralegal in government organizations.

Now is a great time to be in the paralegal field. Jobs abound, and the field is transforming with new options for flexibility, including working from home. But every new step requires a willingness to embrace change. The field is never going back.

What’s new for NALA? Overstreet vows to continue national outreach to affiliates, working with colleges to supporting students, and looks for NALA to reach out to government-affiliated paralegal professionals who need national support in a niche that can get lost.

Don’t miss the upcoming conference, chances to network, meet vendors, and earn continuing education credits. Hot topics include the legal side of social media, modern policing, climate change, ethics, and motions in limine.

Mentioned on this Episode: