Paralegal Archives

Competing for Talent in 2017

The world of work is changing. Sweeping global forces and technological advancements continue to reshape how companies do business. With California unemployment hovering near record lows, job seekers – especially those in the legal field – can be more selective…

Paralegals Must Take More Ethics MCLEs Than Attorneys, But Why?

The State Bar of California requires attorneys to complete 25 total hours of MCLEs per three-year reporting period, four hours of which must be in legal ethics (Cal. Bar Rule 2.72.). California paralegals are also required to complete four hours…

Share Your Voice and Passion by Joining the Paralegal Section

In January 2015, The Bar Association of San Francisco launched its first non attorney section with a mission to instill an ethos of professionalism in all legal paraprofessionals, which includes but are not limited to paralegals, legal assistants, legal nurse…

Five Timeless Tips to Make Every Minute Count

“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so when you do it, it’s not all messed up.” – Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh 000000 1.The Rule of Five: Do It Now We often think, “I’ll get to…

Skyline College’s Paralegal Clinic: Inspiring Agents for Change

Access to justice for all is a serious issue. The American Bar Association acknowledges that the legal profession fails to adequately address the “major gap between the civil legal needs of low-income people and the legal help that they…

Seven Timeless Tips to Achieving Success at Your New Job

Congratulations on getting that job with the law firm! Whether you are an attorney, paralegal, law clerk, secretary, office manager or other member of a legal team, these seven tips will pave the way to making you memorable from the…

Paralegal Corner: Maintaining Marketability (and Sanity!) in a Competitive Job Market

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics lists the San Francisco Bay Area as the top-paying metropolitan area in the nation for paralegals, but it is also one of the most competitive job markets in the nation, a spot where legal…

Family Law Disclosure Forms: The Ins and Outs

In late April, BASF’s Paralegal Section hosted a presentation about Family Law disclosure forms. The speakers included David Blacker, a partner at Blacker, Sammis & Blacker; Patricia Pennington, RP®, a senior paralegal at Sideman & Bancroft; and Dennis Hanshew, a…

Paralegal Section Member Spotlight: Mitzi Wortman

In my interview of BASF Paralegal Section’s Mitzi Wortman, she shares her path to becoming a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant and the deepest influences in her life: family, community and creative expression. Education and certifications I received my Associate of…

Paralegal Section Member Spotlight: Rhonda Andrew

In my interview of Vice Chair Rhonda Andrew, Senior Litigation Paralegal at Keker & Van Nest, she shares her unique path to becoming a paralegal and the driving forces in her life: family, faith and a life of service. Education…

The Top Three Unauthorized Practice of Law Scenarios for Paralegals to Avoid

Below are three situations that i commonly see throughout the United States that may result in Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL) investigations. There are very experienced paralegals who have developed good relationships with their clients, and sometimes the clients will forget the…

Navigating the 2016 Talent Market

In today’s talent market, finding and retaining qualified employees can be challenging. In a 2015 survey, nearly 30% of U.S. companies reported experiencing a candidate shortage. This shortage is expected to continue through 2016; a recent survey revealed that 61%…

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