Carolina Paralegal News Paralegal news for North and South Carolina

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.

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.

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.

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.

In a bad economy, it doesn't hurt to have a Plan B. As many law school grads continue to find job pickings slim, paralegals who have gone on to earn their juris doctor degrees are facing a choice they might not have considered before the Great Recession. If there are no attorney jobs available now, would they continuing working as paralegals?

The new tax law, which contains changes to estate, gift and income tax rules, should keep estate planning attorneys busy advising clients on retirement planning for at least the next two years. The changes packed in the tax law signed by President Barack Obama on Dec.17 present lawyers with an opportunity to reach out to clients to review their estate plans. If change is good, big change is better, and the new rules make some major alterations.

How do you know you've got a raging case of burnout? You start a blog called Paralegal Hell. Or at least that's what one senior paralegal - we'll call her PH - decided to do in order to cope with the stress of her long hours at a mid-sized law firm in Texas.

Candace Russell, a paralegal with Nexsen Pruet's Charlotte office, recently received her advanced certified paralegal designation from the National Association of Legal Assistants. Russell is also a participant of NALA's 2011 Leadership Enhancement and Preparation class and an officer in the Metrolina Paralegal Association.

In a recent Q&A interview with Lawyers Weekly (a sister publication of CPN), South Carolina attorney Marcy J. Lamar made a special point of acknowledging how hard paralegals work. Here's what she had to say: Q: Which job would you not want to have and why? Lamar: The legal job I would not want to have is that of a paralegal as I believe their job is much tougher than that of an attorney. Paralegals must know all the particulars of the rules and procedures of the field of law in which they are working. They are responsible for knowing every deadline and making sure their attorney is properly notified of all deadlines.

  By DIANA SMITH, CPN Managing Editor [email protected]  The job market dried up, layoffs loomed and bonuses bit the dust. That may be the gloomy legacy of 2010 when it comes to happenings in the legal industry. The recession left ...

Tagged with: career layoffs practice areas tips

By SYLVIA ADCOCK, CPN Staff Writer [email protected] I guess I owe it to Ziploc bags and my mom’s cooking. I had it all planned out. I thought I could start studying for the North Carolina State Bar’s paralegal certification exam ...

Tagged with: North Carolina Paralegal Certification Exam

By ERICA C. McADOO, Special to CPN I loved working in a law firm the first day I started. I think I made copies for about eight hours … on a Saturday … for free. But I did it with ...

Tagged with: career advice Erica McAdoo law firm paralegal

With fall in full swing, many people are donning their long-sleeved sweaters and warmer dress slacks when they head into work each morning. But that's not the case at every law office.

Tagged with: Add new tag office attire paralegal professionalism promotions

The North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification just announced the names of the paralegals that passed the September certification exam. Out of 171 hopefuls who sat for the test, 131 passed. That brings the total number of N.C.-certified ...

Tagged with: North Carolina Paralegal Certification Exam passers Tara Wilder

Last month I attended a continuing legal education course sponsored by the Association of Litigation Support Professionals. The seminar, entitled "Making the Most of Technology in Trial," featured a panel of graphic designers, litigation support specialists, an attorney and a representative of the South Carolina Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Introducing myself, I discovered that nearly two-thirds of the attendees were in some form of litigation support. That got me thinking: Could a paralegal's perspective benefit a CLE?

Tagged with: CLE lindsay valek paralegal South Carolina Bar