The Paralegal Voice

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 produc...

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 studen...

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 p...

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...

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 w...

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 opportuni...

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, a...

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 e...

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....

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 wo...

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...

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...

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...

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 h...

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...

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...

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 speci...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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 proces...

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 passi...

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,...

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...