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2012-02-22T22:15:38+01:00text/html2011-12-26T22:47:03+01:00http://www.online-paralegalprograms.comBar Members in Wisconsin Looking For Paralegal Continuing ed Credit
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More than a dozen State Bar of Wisconsin members are seeking permission from the state’s highest court to earn Continuing Legal Education credit for teaching a legal specialty course in a paralegal program.
Attorney Richard Opie, coordinator of the paralegal program at Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland, Wis., filed a rules petition on July 28 to amend Supreme Court Rule 31.05(3) to expand the authority of the Board of Bar Examiners to award CLE credit.
Currently, the rule allows the BBE to award two hours for each hour of presentation of the approved continuing legal or judicial education activity and one hour for each hour of presentation for teaching a course in a law school. The rule does not address credit for paralegal programs, something which Opie wants to change with the proposal.
The petition amends the rule to allow for one hour for each hour of presentation for teaching a legal specialty court in an ABA-approved paralegal program.
Opie could not immediately be reached for comment, and the court has yet to schedule the petition for a public hearing.text/html2011-12-26T22:47:03+01:00http://www.online-paralegalprograms.comChanges to Ada-Based Pre-Paid Legal Services in Works
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Just about two months after they completed their purchase of Pre-Paid Legal Services, officials at MidOcean Partners are planning major changes for the Ada-based company.
MidOcean officials said Pre-Paid’s new CEO, Rip Mason, would announce a rebranding initiative and other changes at Pre-Paid’s 2011 Leadership Summit in Dallas. The event, scheduled for Sept. 7-10, is expected to draw more than 10,000 independent associates from across the U.S.
Mason said his goal was to build on Pre-Paid’s 40-year history and, at the same time, push new growth initiatives.
“From the beginning, Pre-Paid Legal Services has been a unique company, providing a high-quality legal service product through a direct-selling business model,” he said. “There is not another business like this in North America, and our plan is to rebrand the company and expand awareness and use of the company’s products throughout North America.”
While Pre-Paid will undergo several changes, company spokesman George Snyder said the company will continue to host its regular events in Oklahoma City.
“We host two events annually,” Snyder said. “We host the Oklahoma City convention and the leadership summit. We will continue the Oklahoma City convention.”
Snyder said the Oklahoma City convention is one of the largest events in the metro area.
Pre-Paid’s new Chief Commercial Officer Alan Fearnley used an analogy from the film The Matrix to describe the company’s rebranding efforts. Pre-Paid associates, he said, could take either the blue pill and maintain their current status or take the red pill and discover the true potential of the company.
“During this first leadership summit under the ownership of MidOcean Partners, we will introduce the rebranding of the company to our associates and show them the value of the red pill,” Fearnley said.
In February, MidOcean officials said they would make several changes in Pre-Paid, including stabilization of the company’s compensation plan, a decrease in reliance...text/html2011-12-26T22:47:03+01:00http://www.online-paralegalprograms.comDebate Over Paralegal Certification Continues in Newyork
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Should paralegals be certified?
That is a question often debated in New York and across the United States. The American Bar Association has been certifying paralegal education programs since 1975, but it doesn’t certify paralegals, specifically. For other organizations that do provide such certification, the weight it carries can vary and the need for it has yet to be determined.
“[This] been an ongoing discussion with our members for years,” said Pat Sexstone, Paralegal Association of Rochester president. The ABA acknowledges the ongoing paralegal certification issue on its website. Sexstone estimated that only about 10 of the over 100 members of PAR have some kind of certification.
On June 11, Monroe Community College will be one of 12 sites nationwide to host a paralegal certification test called the Paralegal CORE Competency Exam. The test was developed by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations and is designed for beginning- to mid-level paralegals.
Successful completion of the test, however, is not required by any state or bar association to become a paralegal or a legal assistant.
Professor Elizabeth Clifford, director of the MCC Paralegal Studies Certificate Program, said the school is not administering the test but is providing it as a service to students.
“It’s an issue that has plagued the profession,” Clifford said. “Clearly, there are a lot of people that want this [voluntary certification] but the issue has yet to be resolved.”
The testing requirements for certification from leading organizations such as the National Association of Legal Assistants and NFPA vary, but they do try to provide standards for an industry that is largely unregulated. Even a clear definition of the terms “paralegal” and “legal assistant” has proven difficult. Clifford said different groups have different definitions but in general, the terms are now interchangeable.
Sexstone said certification can help weed out a seemingly large number of people who...text/html2011-12-26T22:47:03+01:00http://www.online-paralegalprograms.comEconomy Prompts Lawyers To Consider Trying Paralegal Work
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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.
Though it’s a trend that’s on the rise, Arnberg said a law degree doesn’t give an applicant an edge over other candidates.
In fact, the firm has yet to hire anyone with a law degree to work as a paralegal, she said.
One of the reasons firms are wary of hiring attorneys for paralegal work is because of the potential the person will leave sooner than later for a more lucrative job, said Paul Katzman, assistant dean for career planning at Marquette University Law School.
He has advised students considering paralegal positions that employers may be less inclined to hire attorneys, given the perception that most want to practice law at some point.
“Someone might say, ‘I’m an attorney, obviously I’m the best candidate,’” Katzman said. “That might not be the case because the firm could be looking for a particular skill set.”
Having a law degree doesn’t always hurt applicants, though, said Kelly Conrardy, director of attorney recruiting for Godfrey & Kahn SC.
The Milwaukee-based firm has recently seen a handful of attorneys apply for paralegal positions, she said.
While the firm has not yet hired an attorney as a paralegal, Conrardy said, applicants with a law degree shouldn’t be disqualified because of their versatility to practice law.
“You always want to hire the best people no matter what,” she said. “So by no means would being an attorney hurt them.”
At the same time, she said, hiring also depends on experience and a candidate’s ability to fit into firm culture.
Conrardy agreed that...text/html2011-12-26T22:47:03+01:00http://www.online-paralegalprograms.comLawyers Do Well by Doing Good
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Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "The time is always right to do what is right." Now, as our nation faces economic uncertainty and anemic state court budgets threaten access to justice, it is important for us to do what is right as lawyers.
Pro bono work helps our communities grow stronger, and it makes us better lawyers. We learn about fields outside our expertise. We develop new skills and sharpen those we already have. Then there are intangible things we learn, like leadership, judgment and empathy. When we volunteer time and expertise to assist the most vulnerable in our society, we help fulfill the promise of justice for all.
Volunteerism is in our professional souls. It's part of our DNA. And it may be the most interesting, challenging and rewarding part of our careers. Pro bono work reminds us why we became lawyers in the first place.
The ABA has encouraged pro bono work and public service throughout its history. Our Model Rule 6.1 says every lawyer has a professional responsibility to provide legal service to those unable to pay. To fulfill this responsibility, the ABA asks professionals to provide at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services every year.
For most of us, we have the will to do good, but we just need to carve out the time to do it. Each day is a new opportunity to help others. We challenge you to go beyond the number of pro bono hours you volunteered last year. Make this your best year ever. If you have not yet started your great work for the year, now is the time.
This month, Kansas Legal Services will hold a free document preparation clinic to help seniors write wills and advance medical directives. In Michigan, Thomas M. Cooley Law School and four other organizations will...text/html2011-12-26T22:47:03+01:00http://www.online-paralegalprograms.comLeveraging The Value of Paralegals
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It is well demonstrated that paralegals improve a firm’s bottom line. These paralegals may be employed within the firm itself, or they may provide outsourced services in a virtual relationship.
Either way, paralegals epitomize the highly effective concept of leverage as a way that law firms enhance their profitability by doing billable work as members of client service teams. In this way, their lower rates, when blended with other team members, boost partner profitability.
What should firms expect from their paralegals to justify using them? The fundamental question in this regard is obvious: is there enough work?
In analyzing a paralegal’s worth to the firm, there is no formulaic expression that specifically depends on origination, billing or collection.
To say that a paralegal is worth the amount of profit due to billing or the amount of profit due to business brought in does not take into account the subjective factors that should be considered, such as a desirable combination of skill and attitude. When all factors are present and positive, the paralegal relationship is most successful.
A paralegal’s fundamental task is to allow a firm’s lawyers to do more client or marketing work without running up against the danger of not properly addressing client needs. The extra business that paralegals allow a firm to do under the principle of leverage more than pays for added salary, in addition to reducing lawyers’ stress level. Paralegals enable the lawyers who hire them to focus on the tasks for which the lawyers themselves are best suited.
Once they are part of the firm, paralegals can be leveraged not just through their technical abilities, but also for their client service strengths. For example, having a paralegal answer phone or written client inquiries (ones that do not require a lawyer’s response), or at least assuring the client that their inquiry will...text/html2011-12-26T22:47:03+01:00http://www.online-paralegalprograms.comPre-Paid Legal Services Rebrands itself as LegalShield
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Pre-Paid Legal Services announced a new name and marketing plan in front of thousands of independent sales associates during the company’s fall 2011 Leadership meeting in Dallas.
The 40-year-old company is undergoing a rebranding initiative following its acquisition by MidOcean Partners on June 30. Company officials said the corporate makeover would include new literature, training and Web-based outreach.
“Pre-Paid Legal Services has been an icon in the legal service plan industry for decades, so we didn't take lightly the 'name recognition' and the 'equity' invested in the PPL brand,” said CEO Rip Mason. “Still, we believe this company has untapped potential for future growth and the brand name ‘LegalShield’ and the current tag line, ‘Total Access. Total Freedom,’ reflect the expanded vision we have for the company moving forward.”
Mason said about 10,000 associates were present at the meeting to hear LegalShield’s President and Chief Commercial Officer Alan Fearnley present the company’s rebranding plan.
“For many, Pre-Paid Legal Services is synonymous with the concept of prepaid legal services, and while this is a laudable achievement, the legal service plan industry, along with our company, has expanded in size and service offerings,” Fearnley said. “The LegalShield brand reflects not only what we are as a company, but also where we plan to take this company in the future.”
Fearnley said the rebranding initiative is a component in the overall integration plan for long-term growth of the company, which began immediately after the MidOcean acquisition.
LegalShield officials said the strong operational and administrative systems within the company, as well as the scalable operating system and legal network, offer strong opportunity for future growth.
Mason said company administrators are focusing on an ambitious plan of action that includes increased focus on business retention; standardization of training and expanding; and developing new market segments, such as small business services and...text/html2011-12-26T22:47:03+01:00http://www.online-paralegalprograms.comState of New York OKs New FLCC Paralegal Certificate
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The state Education Department has approved a new paralegal certificate program at Finger Lakes Community College that will allow those who already have college degrees to move into the profession more quickly.
Starting in fall 2011, eligible students can begin the 33-credit program, which can be completed with night classes in as little as a year.
College officials worked with an advisory board of local attorneys, paralegals and others in the legal field to develop an up-to-date and relevant curriculum. The FLCC paralegal certificate program has also been approved by the American Bar Association.
“This new certificate makes it possible for people who already have a college degree to transition into a new field in less time and at less cost,” said attorney Cassy Kent of Fairport, the FLCC paralegal program coordinator.
Students entering the certificate program must provide evidence of completion of either an associate degree or bachelor’s degree with at least 18 credits in a liberal arts curriculum.
Most classes will be held at the FLCC Victor Campus Center, off Route 251.
Finger Lakes Community College also offers a 68-credit paralegal associate degree.text/html2011-12-26T22:47:03+01:00http://www.online-paralegalprograms.comThe University of Texas at Austin Launches Paralegal Certificate Program
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The Professional Development Center (PDC), a component of Continuing and Innovative Education (CIE) at The University of Texas at Austin, is proud to announce the launch of a new Paralegal Certificate Program. This paralegal training program is offered in two formats: as an in-person, classroom offering or as an online course. Online courses are also available in Spanish. The program is presented by PDC in conjunction with the Institute of Career Development (ICD), a nationally acclaimed provider of paralegal training. Students can complete the Paralegal Certificate Program and begin their legal career in just 4 months.
The paralegal field is one of the few employment growth fields in the United States. Law firms and corporate legal departments are relying more heavily on paralegals as cost-saving measures and to perform tasks once routinely handled by attorneys. The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, forecasts a faster-than-average growth rate of 28 percent through 2018.
"I am very proud to offer the Paralegal Certificate Program to our Austin community and to professionals across the country," said Liliya Spinazzola, director of the Professional Development Center. "The program offers a comprehensive, in-depth education into this growing field. Students have a wonderful opportunity here at the university to start a new career or deepen their existing skills. I am fully confident that the Paralegal Certificate Program stands with the very best professional development training of its type anywhere in the world."
The Paralegal Certificate Program focuses on giving participants the most in-demand skills and education to begin a paralegal career or advance an existing career in the legal profession. The program is designed by paralegals, attorneys and judges from across the country and is taught by some of Austin's most respected and esteemed legal professionals, all members of the State Bar of Texas and approved by the...text/html2011-12-26T22:47:03+01:00http://www.online-paralegalprograms.comTwo Step Adds Senior Paralegals to Corporate Focus Support Team
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Two Step Software, the market leader for consolidated entity life-cycle management, ownership administration and equity compensation reporting, announces it has hired two new Senior Paralegals to join its implementation, support and services team.
Terrie Williams, ACP has more than a decade of experience as an East coast corporate paralegal at a number of Florida law firms, most recently with Macfarlane, Ferguson McMullen. She has obtained the Advanced Certified Paralegal designation in the area of Business Organizations from the National Association of Legal Assistants and brings years of Corporate Focus experience, with an emphasis on corporate governance and minute book tracking. Roberta Jones, CEP also has over a decade of experience as a West coast corporate paralegal, most recently with the Silicon Valley office of Morrison Foerster, as the lead Corporate Focus user. As a Certified Equity Professional, Roberta's expertise is in the area of equity administration and capitalization reporting, having worked with hundreds of venture-backed, Silicon Valley companies.
Leveraging the experience Terrie and Roberta bring to Two Step, the company will continue to expand its service offerings for training, implementations, consulting and outsourced services.
"Terrie and Roberta will provide the perfect complement to our existing services as we continually strive to do more than just answer questions," says Gary D. Levine, CEO of Two Step Software. "Whether it's having resources on both coasts or offering even more governance and equity administration expertise, we know our Corporate Focus users will be thrilled to work with these outstanding new members of our support team."
Daniel Enroth, Chief Information Officer of Tonkon Torp LLP, has experienced Two Step's world-class support first-hand, and says: "We've been a customer for seven years, and whether they're answering a user question or working on a more technical challenge, Two Step's support staff always provides personal service and...