The Paralegal Voice

After 15 years working in different offices and positions, Lori Howard decided she was burnt out and her career needed a major fix. She discovered her passion is career transformation – helping those who are unhappy with their careers start fresh and find a job where they want to go to work in the morning. In this edition of Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin invites Howard to outline the key tips of a...

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin invites Kathy Miller, ACP, CAS and Karen Trumpower, ACP to discuss legal apps for paralegals. Miller and Trumpower presented 90 Apps in 90 Minutes at the NALA Convention in July and have done the research and tests to determine the best apps for successful paralegals. The app experts break down and organize their top apps into seven categories:...

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Paralegal Mentor Vicki Voisin chats with Kathy Sieckman about the importance of proofreading and specific proofreading tips for paralegals. Kathy Albrecht Sieckman, PLS, PP, ACP developed an interest in proofreading when she sat for a certification exam. Since then she has become known by her family and her co-workers as the go-to person when they have gramm...

Fine tuned writing skills are pivotal to a firm’s success. They affect first impressions through websites, newsletters, client leads, emails or network listings, client representation, legal write ups, and the list goes on. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, host and paralegal mentor, Vicki Voisin will speak with noted legal writing educator Gary Kinder to discuss how paralegals can improve t...

Katherine James was getting her masters in acting when her mentor was called to jury duty. The stories he had after his experience in court inspired her to open ACT of Communication: Consultants in the Art of Advocacy. The organization brings state-of-the-art communication skills to attorneys and their witnesses. James uses what she learned in acting school, like the importance of eye contact and...

On this episode of The Paralegal Voice Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal, joins host Vicki Voisin to discuss the future of the paralegal profession, how it’s changing, and specific steps you can take to land your dream job. Charles Volkert is executive director for Robert Half Legal and co-managing director of Robert Half Legal eDiscovery Services. Robert Half Legal is the p...

On the April edition of The Paralegal Voice Vicki Voisin hosts Charlsye Smith Diaz, a professor of technical writing at The University of Maine, who got her start as a paralegal. Diaz and Voisin met through The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and there they decided to co-author a book, The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success. The book was written wit...

On The Paralegal Voice host Vicki Voisin welcomes guest Beverly Michaelis, president of Oregon Law Practice Management, to talk about the changes in lawyer-client communication since the Internet, and how lawyers can best communicate with their clients. Michaelis is a member of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, Oregon State Bar, and American Bar Association. She also has more than experience i...

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-host Vicki Voisin welcomes Elizabeth H. Nellis, ACP and Beverly A. Pace, ACP from NALA to discuss tips for transitioning into the legal workplace and how to survive once you are there. Is what you are wearing working against your chance at a job? Listen in as they go over common first-day mistakes and pitfalls you can avoid. Learn more about your ad choic...

On The Paralegal Voice co-host Vicki Voisin welcome’s guests Ann L. Atkinson, ACP, NALA President, Michael Potters, CEO/Managing Partner of Glenmont Group, Inc. and Patrick Oot, co-founder of the Electronic Discovery Institute for a lively discussion about career opportunities for paralegals in the area of litigation support, particularly eDiscovery and technology. Learn more about your ad choices...

Are you thinking about working virtually but don’t know how to get started? Paralegal Voice co-host Vicki Voisin welcomes virtual professionals Tina Marie Hilton, owner of Clerical Advantage and Cathy L. Ribble, ACP, owner of Digital Paralegal Services, LLC, to spotlight virtual paralegals and how to form a magical team. Tina and Cathy share their personal experiences, the important skills needed...

On this September edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin explore the different kinds of work-related stressors many paralegals face on a day-to-day basis. They talk about the realities associated with an exciting but deadline-driven, detail-oriented paralegal job, and offer tips for both anticipating and resolving common stressors. Learn more about your ad choices....

How well-versed should paralegals and and paralegal students be in Microsoft Office Suite? Paralegal Voice co-host Vicki Voisin welcomes Deborah Savadra who blogs at LegalOfficeGuru.com, to take a look at the skills most legal employers expect and how paralegals can master those skills, and the resources available for improving skills. Deborah also shares her top tips for Word and Outlook, as well...

Are you looking for answers when it comes to billable hour practices? Paralegal Voice co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin join Jennifer Karns, Legal Professional Training Manager for Snell & Wilmer L.L.P., as they discuss billable hour practices. Jennifer emphasizes the importance of meeting billable hour goals and adding value to time entries. She also shares essential tips for improving your...

Is the paralegal profession a woman’s world? Or is the number of male paralegals on the rise in this female-dominated profession? Paralegal Voice co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin get the male perspective and some interesting insight from special guests, Carl H. Morrison, II, PP, AACP, a Certified Paralegal at Rhodes Hieronymus and Zachary W. Brewer, CP, a Litigation Paralegal at Hall Estill...

Paralegals need to know the latest trends in law practice and productivity technology to contribute to a successful law practice. For the hottest tech trends, Paralegal Voice co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin turn to Jared D. Correia, Esq., the Senior Practice Advisor for Massachusetts’ Law Office Management Assistance Program (MASSLOMAP). Jared shares his thoughts on everything from law pra...

Edward De Bono’s, Six Thinking Hats, also known as parallel thinking, is a fun method used in NALA’s year-long leadership webinars for those involved in state and local affiliated associations. On The Paralegal Voice, co-host Vicki Voisin welcomes Karen G. McGee, ACP, President of NALA, as they spotlight De Bono’s method of thinking and share some important tools paralegals can use to facilitate o...

Are you ready to search for a paralegal job? On The Paralegal Voice Kim Wierzel, Esq., a reformed litigator and Placement Director with Special Counsel, joins co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin to talk about everything you need to know regarding the paralegal job market. Their discussion includes current paralegal hiring trends, educational and certification requirements, tips for paralegals...

Can paralegal ethics be fun? On The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin join lawyer/humorist Sean Carter, founder of Lawpsided Seminars, to share his comedic approach to legal education, the biggest challenges for legal staffers today and his thoughts on his popular talk, Thou Shalt Not Lie, Cheat and Steal: The 10 Commandments of Legal Ethics. Learn more about your ad choices...

Usually a law firm will hand off documents to a process server who will then take care of service. Locating a process server who will do this promptly and ethically is very important. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-host Vicki Voisin joins Adam Camras, co-founder and CEO of LAWgical which operates ServeNow.com. Adam provides tips for locating a reputable process server, red flags parale...

Want some tips from the experts about how to get ahead in the paralegal profession? On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin join NALA President, Karen McGee, ACP and Charlsye Smith Diaz, Ph. D., as they take a look at career development and how to advance in the paralegal profession. They cover key topics including creating professional resumes, obtaining pr...

When it comes to redaction and the process of removing confidential information from legal documents, some paralegals still rely on the traditional yet cumbersome method of using a black marker and the copier machine. A new option is growing in popularity: the use of specialized electronic tools like Redact-It, which is specifically built for redaction. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-h...

Is your resume up to par? Will it rise to the top in a stack of other paralegals’ applications? On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin present a 101 course about paralegal resumes. They share their own experiences on preparing and reviewing resumes, offer suggestions for handling the “no experience” issue for newcomers to the field, discuss the recommended...

How do you keep up with constantly evolving trends in the paralegal field and stay ahead of the pack? The Paralegal Voice, co-host Lynne DeVenny joins very special guest Jeannie S. Johnston, Founder and CEO of ParalegalGateway.com, to discuss the latest trends in the industry, how to use social media, their favorite publications and blogs, why they use RSS feed readers, and how to make the most of...

Are you thinking about becoming a paralegal, or are you already working toward a paralegal degree? On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin address the most frequently asked questions from people interested in becoming paralegals. They talk about the realities of the profession, including assessing the traits paralegals need to succeed, working in a legal env...