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Submit ReviewWhat’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 CP exam prep and educational materials
Vanessa Finley, previous appearances on the Legal Talk Network
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:
San Diego Paralegal Association
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:
The Landscape of Allied Legal Professional Programs (Report)
Limited License Legal Technicians, Washington State Bar
Arizona Legal Paraprofessionals (limited licensing)
American Bar Association, access commissions
Paraprofessionals-Pilot-Project.aspx">Minnesota Legal Paraprofessionals Pilot Program
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:
Los Angeles Paralegal Association
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Article, “Finding New Pathways in your Legal Operations Career”
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:
NALA Keynote Speaker Melissa Zabor
Q&A With NALA Board, 2022, Including Debbie Overstreet
U.S. Department of Justice careers
Oklahoma Northern District Bankruptcy Court (each District has own website)
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