The Paralegal Voice

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 their writing skills. Kinder is a lawyer and New York Times bestselling author. He has taught over 1,000 writing programs to prestigious law firms nationwide. His career is dedicated to teaching legal professionals how to write precisely, vividly, concisely and memorably. Kinder channeled years of experience studying superior legal writing and editing into the creation of WordRake, a software designed to help law firms and organizations tighten their prose and become better writers. He also authors a weekly writing tips blog called WriteToThePoint.com. Tune in to learn more about the importance of Paralegals’ writing skills, the basics of the Plain Writing Act of 2010 and how it affects paralegals, how to avoid common mistakes, and more. Special thanks to our sponsor, National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 clear communication, to prep attorneys and witnesses for the courtroom. With more than 30 years of experience, she has helped take more than 15,000 cases to trial. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice host Vicki Voisin talks with James about her career in witness preparation and the importance of paralegals in her work. James stresses that paralegals are the key to getting to know witnesses, the first step to making them feel comfortable with their role in the case. She also provides tips for witness preparation such as practicing on camera, the importance of appearance and wardrobe, and more. There is also a surprise interview at the end of the show where listeners can get to know Jericka Lyon, fellow paralegal and winner of a trip to Los Angeles and tickets to the Dancing With the Stars Finale through the Legal Talk Network giveaway! Special thanks to our sponsor, National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 premier provider of highly skilled legal professionals for law firms and corporate legal departments; it also offers legal project management and managed review services. Volkert is a noted author, speaker, and former litigator. Volkert provides valuable advice on how to get noticed in the field, including the importance of a proactive mindset and the need to be flexible. Special thanks to our sponsor, the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 with both beginning and experienced paralegals in mind. In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Voisin and Diaz discuss the different phases of a paralegal career, including writing and interview tips, what to do when you get a job, how to organize your workspace and your time, as well as the steps to take to make your career both interesting and fulfilling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 in the legal field as a lawyer and legal assistant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 to be a successful virtual professional, as well as the websites and blogs that they visit often for their businesses. They also predict a very bright future for virtual professionals and provide their reasoning for that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 as her favorite technology tools. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 billing descriptions and capabilities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 practice management software, to cloud-based solutions and document management, to remote access and the benefits of social media. A big fan of legal support staffers, he explains why they are a key part of the legal team. This podcast is a must-listen for both paralegals and attorneys! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 open discussions in a meeting or work situation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 just entering the job market, and the top three areas paralegal job seekers most need to improve to be more marketable. Kim also addresses a current “hot button” issue for the paralegal profession, i.e. whether employers are seeking inexperienced new attorneys instead of experienced paralegals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 paralegals should look for, and the questions they should ask of a process server before making a hiring decision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 professional certification, and networking at CLE programs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin join Christine Musil, Director of Marketing for Informative Graphics Corporation, to discuss the benefits of this modern face of redaction and how paralegals can get current and step away from their redaction methods of yesterday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 formats for paralegal resumes, and provide tips on how to separate yourself from the pack of competitors for every job. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 paralegal association membership. Listen in as Jeannie starts off the show by taking a look at Paralegal Gateway and what it offers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 environment, and preparing for and finding that first job. Lynne and Vicki talk about the importance of networking, education and training, and share their personal experiences and their paths to becoming paralegals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What exactly is this 'Cloud' that everyone is talking about? On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Tom Mighell, legal technology expert and senior consultant with Contoural Inc., author of the new book, iPad in One Hour for Lawyers, and Chair-Elect of the ABA Law Practice Management Section, to discuss what every paralegal needs to know about "The Cloud." Tom talks about how cloud-based services can improve the efficiency of a law practice, what paralegals should consider when evaluating cloud-based services for their firms, and how legal staffers can use the iPad to assist lawyers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ethics and professionalism are essential to becoming a successful paralegal. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome paralegal, Camille Stell, Director of Client Services for Lawyers Mutual, who provides ethics tips for paralegals, talks about how paralegals can assist attorneys in the area of client communications and what paralegals can do every day to maintain the highest level of professionalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Volunteering can be an uplifting experience for all involved. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin spotlight two paralegals who are 'giving back' to the community and volunteering their time to help others in need. Vicki and Lynne welcome Cindy J. Geib, ACP, PaCP, a Certified Coordinator for Wills for Heroes and Lee A. Paige, CLA, Senior Paralegal at Parker, Milliken, Clark, O’Hara & Samuelian, who volunteers at the Los Angeles Food Bank, to discuss their individual experiences, time management and the impact volunteering has had on their lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A spotlight report on four successful paralegals from across the country who LOVE their jobs. The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Brian Haberly, Corporate and Securities Paralegal with Clearwire Corporation; Patricia F. Clapper ACP, NCCP, a paralegal from the firm, Levine & Stewart; Ruth Conley, a litigation paralegal at Andrews Kurth LLP; and Carl H. Morrison, II, AACP, a paralegal at Rhodes, Hieronymus, Jones, Tucker & Gable, PLLC. They share their diverse backgrounds, discuss career highlights, and offer ways to stay relevant and enjoy long careers in the paralegal profession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looking for new opportunities in the paralegal world? On The Paralegal Voice, co-host Vicki Voisin welcomes Karen G. McGee, ACP, President of NALA and Christine E. Porter, ACP, Chair of NALA’s Continuing Education Council, to talk about opportunities through NALA and how you can revitalize your career with continuing education. They discuss Advanced Certification and all of the options available in specific practice areas, as well as NALA’s new "blended learning" approach and how to use these tools for career growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to hear ideas about how to advance your paralegal career? On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-host Lynne DeVenny welcomes Karen Tuschak, President of the International Paralegal Management Association, Stacie McLean, IPMA President–Elect, and Sylvia Naim, IPMA Secretary-Treasurer, to take an in-depth look at IPMA, and discuss IPMA’s mission, the job market for paralegals, what they look for when hiring, and key traits needed to make a successful paralegal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Kim Walker, a senior litigation paralegal with the firm of Berger & Montague, P.C. in Philadelphia, to talk about her recent Law.com article, "What Do Attorneys Wish Their Paralegals Knew" Lynne, Vicki and Kim discuss how paralegals can improve their legal technology skills, maintain the highest level of professionalism in the office, and communicate more effectively with their supervising attorneys. They also share what they wish attorneys knew, emphasizing how attorneys can better utilize paralegals in the practice of law. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Sue Ann Jaffarian, a paralegal for Hooper, Lundy & Bookman in Los Angeles, and author of the best-selling Odelia Grey mysteries. Sue Ann talks about balancing dual careers as a very busy corporate paralegal and successful fiction writer; her “large and in charge” fictional paralegal, Odelia Patience Grey; and what’s next for both Sue Ann and Odelia. Throw in vampires, writing advice, and dealing with weight prejudice - and you have a lively discussion not to be missed! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Kim Plonsky, a paralegal at Gainsburgh, Benjamin, David, Meunier & Warshauer, L.L.C., in New Orleans, Louisiana, who knows her technology inside and out! Kim looks at the kinds of technology to use on the job, the minimum technology and software skills that today’s paralegals should have and shares her favorite online resources for keeping up with today’s legal technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome William P. Statsky, one of the foremost experts on paralegals in the country and the author of numerous paralegal and legal writing textbooks. Bill talks about the importance of a paralegal’s writing skills, legal research, technology today, blogging and the future of the paralegal profession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the fastest growing areas of law is intellectual property and so the demand for paralegals with that expertise is great. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Colleen Sarenpa, Director of Trademarks for Polaroid Corporation at PLR Brand Services, LLC and Gwen Spurrier, a paralegal at the Minneapolis law firm of Gray Plant Mooty to discuss IP at a law firm and a major corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome attorney, mediator and management consultant, Nancy Byerly Jones, as she draws from her extensive legal experience to share career advice for paralegals. A passionate advocate for the paralegal profession, Nancy talks about the biggest challenges facing paralegals today, how the profession has changed over the years, handling conflict at work and how paralegals can enhance their individual value, as well as the value of the profession. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) leaders, Georgette Lovelace, RP and Tracey L. Young, RP. They talk about the benefits NFPA provides to its members, NFPA's position on regulation of the paralegal profession and its upcoming convention. These experienced paralegals also offer advice to listeners considering a paralegal career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Giovanni Masucci, a Sr. Digital Forensic Examiner and the CEO/President of National Digital Forensics, Inc., to explore digital forensics and evidence. They discuss the latest technology, including surprising sources of digital evidence, how paralegals can help identify digital evidence in cases and how to prepare for digital forensics careers in litigation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Patricia E. Infanti, PP, PLS, President of NALS, the Association for Legal Professionals, and Kathleen R. Amirante, PP, PLS, the association’s President Elect, who discuss the opportunities provided by membership in a professional association. They look at the history and mission of NALS, what NALS is doing to attract a diverse membership and how they are informing attorneys and the general public about the qualifications for using the title ‘paralegal’. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ability to write well is critical for successful paralegals. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Sally Kane, Esq., Editor-In-Chief of Paralegal Today, to talk about the importance of a paralegal’s writing skills. They will discuss why it's important for paralegals to write and publish, how to get published, common writing problems and how paralegals can improve their writing skills. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Education is vital to a successful paralegal career. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-host Vicki Voisin welcomes Linda J. Wolf, ACP, the current President of the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and Attorney Elizabeth Mann, Department Head of the Paralegal Program at Greenville Technical College, to focus on the importance of paralegal education. They will also discuss entering and growing in the career field and what employers look for when hiring paralegals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Attorney Beverly Michaelis, Practice Management Advisor for the Oregon State Bar's Professional Liability Fund, to discuss practice management, technology and current ethics issues for paralegals. Later in the program, Vicki will chat with Shawn Siek, Vice President of ESI Business Development at Teris, about what to look for in a service provider and hiring a litigation support vendor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erin Brockovich began her career by taking a risk, looking into a case and ultimately helping the people of Hinkley, California who were battling medical problems due to the contamination of the water supply. From there, Erin has become a global speaker and a passionate environmental crusader. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Erin Brockovich to offer her advice to the paralegal community. Erin will discuss the power of a paralegal and their vital role in a case, the Million Baby Crawl and her neverending fight for awareness, the truth, and a person's right to know. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paralegals are an important part of the trial team, and play a valuable role in jury selection. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome one of America’s most influential trial consultants, Dr. David Ball, to explore the many ways that paralegals can assist in jury selection and why attorneys should maximize paralegal support at trial. Dr. Ball explains why paralegals may be under-utilized and why they are ideally suited to help their attorneys during this critical phase of trial work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is a Paralegal 's role when it comes to working with expert witnesses? On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Bradley J. Beehler, Esq. and Candy Reilly, ACP, as they put the spotlight on the expert witness. They will share their experiences working with expert witnesses, explore a paralegal's duties when working with an expert witness, the Daubert standard, resources and practice tips for working with experts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

E-Discovery has become a necessary part of the legal profession and often it's paralegals and legal assistants are the gatekeepers for implementation at a law firm. On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin welcome Tom Mighell, a consultant with Fios and co-host of The Kennedy-Mighell Report on the Legal Talk Network and Dorothe Howell, senior paralegal at E.I. du Pont De Nemours and Company, to share their insights into current trends in e-discovery. They will discuss what it takes to work in this specialty area, e-discovery training and the importance of e-discovery to a paralegal's job. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin get an inside look at the virtual legal practice. Lynne and Vicki welcome Stephanie Kimbro, an attorney who operates a virtual law firm called Kimbro Legal Services and Denise Annunciata, who provides outsourced paralegal services at Virtual Paralegal Services, Inc. They both share their experiences in the field of a virtual legal practice and what it takes to work as a virtual paralegal or legal assistant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this first edition of The Paralegal Voice, co-hosts Lynne DeVenny and Vicki Voisin debut with a topic on everyone's mind - hot jobs in today's market! We welcome guest Charles Volkert, Executive Director of Robert Half Legal, to discuss the latest in hiring trends for paralegals. They will take a look at what specialty areas are in highest demand, international opportunities, experience as a factor in your job search as a paralegal and what skills are in high demand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices