Paralegal Archives

Silent No More: Court Reporters Speak Up for the Record

Most attorneys understand what court reporters do, treat them with respect, know how to make a good record, don’t speak too fast, and appreciate reporters who interrupt for clarification of the record. However, some attorneys conduct depositions at supersonic speeds…

“Don’t Just Do Something—Sit There!”

Just as case law decided decades earlier still guides the outcome of cases today, our long history as peripatetic hunters and gatherers shapes our experiences today. The sympathetic nervous system, designed to trigger the “fight or flight” actions to help…

Video Conferencing: Five Tips to Help You Show Your Best Side

Video conferencing platforms have been active for a few years, but legal staff rarely needed to attend one nor know how to use them. Mid-March 2020, however, with the spread of COVID-19, work life as we knew it had changed.…

How Third-Party Contracting Robs Your Clients

As a practical matter, if we get nothing for the case, we eat the costs we advanced. If we get a favorable verdict or settlement, the client’s net is less. Court reporters and clients are getting less Lawyers are…

Cannabis Litigation from a Paralegal’s Perspective

Cannabis business litigation is largely the same as other types of civil litigation: a pleading is a pleading, and a deadline is a deadline, regardless of your client’s profession. There are, however, a few nuances worthy of note. Should your…

Simple Steps to Grow Your Paralegal Network

You don’t have to be looking for a new job to take advantage of networking. Whether you are a student breaking into the profession, looking to change jobs, and especially if you’re comfortable in your current position, having a network…

Cut to the Chase: Helpful Keyboard Shortcuts in Word 2010

Teaching my recent CLE seminar on Table of Contents and Table of Authorities in Microsoft Word 2010, I learned there’s a general hunger for fast and effective shortcuts. While nothing beats a good template with styles and schemes, if…

Trial Preparation Tips for Paralegals

The Bar Association of San Francisco’s Paralegal Section’s executive committee is proud to announce its first-ever Paralegal Educational Conference on Saturday, July 13, 2019. This all-day conference will focus on sharpening the skills paralegals need to assist attorneys…

It’s Time to Cut the Cord to 24/7 Availability

Picture this: You’re enjoying time with friends on a Saturday night when you get an alert on your phone. It’s your supervising attorney, reminding you of an upcoming deadline in an important case. Just like that, your work anxieties prance…

Paralegal Pro Tips

It does not matter if you are a new paralegal or an old pro—we have one of the hardest jobs in the legal field. If we are good, we are the glue that holds everything together. While this can…

Clarifying Legal Support Roles

The terms “legal secretary”, “legal assistant”, and “paralegal” are sometimes used interchangeably. While most people believe that these legal support roles are very similar, there are actually many differences between the jobs— including what it takes to become one. Because…

Protect Your Clients: “Digital” Recorded Depositions Revealed

Recently, some agencies offering court reporting services have sent an unlicensed individual to depositions (“digital recorder”) in lieu of a highly trained Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) licensed by the Court Reporters Board of California (CRB) to capture a verbatim…

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