Attorneys: Why eDiscovery Support Staff Is Critical

April 4, 2016
e-Discovery, Technology 1

Attorneys: Why eDiscovery Support Staff Is Critical

By: Angela Masciulli, ACP

 

Legal technology and eDiscovery is here to stay, but you know that right?  As an attorney, you have probably read numerous articles, case law, and attended CLEs on eDiscovery.  Maybe you have even demoed out a few eDiscovery applications and integrated them into your practice.  You are on top of it.  You’ve got this.  But, what about your support staff?  Wait, what?  You haven’t thought about them?  Stop everything and read on.

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Six Reasons Technology Is Important To Your Paralegal Career

September 21, 2015
e-Discovery, Professional Development, Technology

Six Reasons Technology Is Important To Your Paralegal Career

By: Angela Masciulli, ACP

 

Significant change is underway in the legal industry.  Technology is revolutionizing legal processes, court functions, and how many attorneys and firms work and manage cases. Judge and client expectations are evolving with new technologies too. Now is the time for paralegals to adapt to a rapidly changing legal market, not only to do their best in their current positions, but potentially expand their career.

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To Do or Not To Do

May 3, 2012
Professional Development, Technology

This article was originally published by Debra Bruce at Raising the Bar Law Practice Management Thoughts and Tips on December 13, 2011.  Debra is President of Lawyer-Coach LLC.   She draws on her extensive legal experience, as well as a degree in Psychology and well over 500 hours in training as a professional coach, to help lawyers improve their management skills, increase productivity and bring in more business.

The season is upon us! You know — the season of fa-la-la-la-la, holiday decorations, greeting cards, family parties, gift buying, travel plans, winter snow storms, and year-end business.  The list goes on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on….too much to do and not enough time.  If you make it to January 1, then your knee deep in a different set of tasks headed into tax season.

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Technology Toolbox: These are a few of our favorite things…

April 24, 2012
Technology 2

This article was originally published by Debra Bruce at Raising the Bar Law Practice Management Thoughts and Tips on March 20, 2012.  Debra is President of Lawyer-Coach LLC.   She draws on her extensive legal experience, as well as a degree in Psychology and well over 500 hours in training as a professional coach, to help lawyers improve their management skills, increase productivity and bring in more business.

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Electronic Briefs: Hyperlinking Your Way to A Positive Outcome

February 12, 2012
Professional Development, Technology
This article was originally published by Debra Bruce at Raising the Bar Law Practice Management Thoughts and Tips on January 12, 2012.  Debra is President of Lawyer-Coach LLC.   She draws on her extensive legal experience, as well as a degree in Psychology and well over 500 hours in training as a professional coach, to help lawyers improve their management skills, increase productivity and bring in more business.
 
A few months ago, one of my attorney clients called on his way home from a hearing to discuss the briefing schedule the judge had outlined for our case.  The judge had also clearly indicated his preference for electronic briefs with hyperlinks to the cited legal authorities.  I docketed the briefing deadline and began to research the additional steps required to provide the judge exactly what he wanted.
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PARALEGAL TIDBIT: Achieve job security by becoming indispensable to your attorney.

November 30, 2010
Professional Development, Technology
ServeNow makes tracking your citations easier

ServeNow makes tracking your citations easier

Today’s guest post contains great tips for paralegal job security.  I know these tips are valid because I have personally experienced the rewards of applying these practices.  I might add that they apply to traditional paralegals, freelance paralegals and virtual paralegals.

Thanks, Seth, for reminding paralegals of these important facts!

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11 Email Productivity Tips for Attorneys and Paralegals

November 19, 2010
Professional Development, Technology 5

Today’s digital world bombards us with communication from every side.  We still have regular old United States Post Office mail currently delivered Monday – Saturday.  We have email from multiple email addresses.  We get direct messages from LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and any other social media network to which you belong.  We have instant messages, online chats, home phone and office phone voicemail systems, smartphones, texting, desktops, laptops, and iPads.  Is it ever going to end?  Probably not!!

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PARALEGAL TIDBIT: Use effective tools when creating a Table of Authorities for your legal brief.

June 21, 2010
Technology 2

When I decided to start my own independent business to provide virtual paralegal services to licensed U.S. attorneys, one of the things which excited me most was the realization that as my own boss, I would control which tools I use to provide professional services in my area of expertise.

I have experienced firsthand that law firms often try to save money by using outdated software or cutting corners by failing to adequately train staff with the software programs the firm has chosen.   That lack of training lands closer to the bulls-eye when attorneys themselves begin using desktop and laptop computers without investing some dedicated time for proper training.  This mindset actually robs attorneys and their law firms of hard-earned profits rather than saving them money. Here is an example.

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