Strong writing skills are essential to your job as a paralegal. The legal industry relies on good communication; and written communication is one of the most commonly relied upon modes. Between emails and letters to clients, opposing counsel, and court officers and various pleadings and responses, paralegals play an important role in helping ensure that the law firm clearly transmits its message.
I work with a lot of lawyers. Primarily, I provide web content and social media management. Yet, I’ve also provided virtual paralegal services and worked in a traditional law office. Recently, I sat down (virtually!) with one of my clients, Megan Zavieh, to discuss what she looks for when she needs to hire a paralegal. Megan Zavieh runs Zavieh Law. She’s licensed to practice law in several states, including California and Georgia. Megan’s practice focuses on helping lawyers who are facing an ethical investigation by their state bar. Here are the five things she expects out of her paralegal.
One of the most frustrating parts for paralegal students is finding that first job. There’s a lot of information out there online about finding a professional job in an industry. The problem is that not all of the information available is written from the perspective of someone who went through the process of finding that first job in the legal field. Because of that, we’ve put together this list of the top 5 paralegal job search questions and answers!
If you’re thinking about going to school to become a paralegal, I have great news for you! There are more career options for paralegals than ever before. In this article, we’re going to discuss some exciting career options and you’ll learn how to tell if that career option is right for you. One more note […]
As 2017 draws to a close, many people are thinking about what they’d like to accomplish in 2018. Goal setting is a wonderful way to prioritize what you’d like to accomplish. Yet, many people find the process of goal setting an overwhelming proposition. In addition to following the SMART method for goal setting, which will be explained below, there are some questions you should ask yourself.
A new reality show emerged, and it centers around one of the world’s scariest occurrences: being interviewed for a job. The Job Interview brings the interview process live to your television. It involves real employers interviewing real people for real jobs. And job interviews? They are nerve-wracking. You’re being judged for your merits, your education, and your experience in a very short amount of time. In honor of The Job Interview, here are tips new paralegals can use for their interviews.
When you’re a new paralegal or even as a paralegal student, it can be hard to find primary authorities during the research phase of a case. Yet, that’s not always easy to do in some areas of law; and even if you find some things that you think might be primary authority, how do you know for sure? Computer-assisted legal research platforms, such as LexisNexis or WestLaw, aren’t cheap. The free resources may not always be up-to-date. So, how can you find primary authorities in a way that is time and cost efficient?
The number one key to success is something that can be learned: time management. Whether you’re considering paralegal classes, balancing school with your other responsibilities, or a new paralegal, time management is an absolute necessity.
If you want to be a great paralegal studies student and a great paralegal, there’s one thing you must do. This one thing is something that most people either think they do really well or that they don’t have to do at all because they know everything.
Being a paralegal isn’t easy. It’s certainly not easy if you’re a paralegal student or new to the profession. Sure, certain concepts get easier to understand. Certain documents become easier to draft. Yet, there are challenging times for paralegals throughout their entire career. Make sure that regardless of whether you’re considering a paralegal studies program, a current paralegal studies student, a new paralegal, or well established in your paralegal career that you avoid these 10 mistakes.
Being a paralegal can be exciting. It can also be frustrating, scary, and even confusing for paralegals of all experience levels. Judges, court officials, attorneys (our supervising counsel and even opposing counsel), other paralegals, and clients all rely on us and expect us to have knowledge about certain things.
Whether you’re dreaming of working as a paralegal for a solo practitioner or looking to work with a megafirm, all paralegals have one thing in common. It doesn’t matter if your work focuses on personal injury, insurance defense, family law, estates, real estate, contracts, criminal defense, or any other area of law (maritime or arbitration, anyone?).
Robin Bull holds a BS in Paralegal Studies and is the former Program Director of Paralegal Studies for Vatterott College in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Did You Know
Q: How long does it take to become a paralegal?
A: Most positions require at least an associates degree, which takes 2 years to complete.
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