vol. ii, february 2008 - New York City Paralegal Association

VOL. II, FEBRUARY 2008
Commitment to Excellence, Advancement & Service
THE NAVY LEGALMAN PROGRAM
The Navy Legalman & Military Paralegal Outreach Program is a fantastic initiative that was undertaken by the National
Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) that boosts community service and forges a special link with our brethren in
military service. This program was started after a conversation between Lori Thompson (NFPA Pro Bono Coordinator) and
Steve DiStefano (President of the Navy Legalmen Association) during the NFPA’s 2005 Leadership Conference that was held
in Washington, DC. Since then, it has grown from the first nine care packages sent in December of 2005 to encompass more
than twenty-seven of NFPA’s member affiliated paralegal associations currently supporting 128 Navy Legalmen (men and
women) and Military Paralegals that are deployed at three locations in Afghanistan and four locations in Iraq (as of February,
2007). The purpose of this program is to bring some measure of comfort, along with information and news regarding the civilian
paralegal profession, to our military paralegal counterparts serving overseas. NFPA’s member affiliated paralegal associations
have made a commitment to “adopt” a Navy Legalman or Military Paralegal to whom they send bi-monthly care packages.
The care packages include items such as
hygiene products, food, snacks, puzzles, books,
games, postage and stationary, and personal
cards and notes. The goal of the program is to
send each and every Navy Legalman and
Military Paralegal a personalized care
package every other month. (NFPA Press
Release, May 21, 2006; NFPA Supports The
NavyLegalmen And Military Paralegals
Deployed To Afghanistan And Iraq)
For more
As one can imagine, these efforts have been
information on the
greatly appreciated by our men and women in
Navy Legalman
service, who undertake legal tasks much like
and Military
Paralegal Outreach
their civilian counterparts, except that they do so
under combat situations within Iraq and
Program please
Afghanistan. At the recently concluded NFPA
visit the Pro-Bono
Annual Convention held in Tampa, Florida
page on the NFPA
website at
(Oct. 18-21), the Navy Legalmen Association
was granted time to speak to the delegates,
www.paralegals.org
wherein they expressed their appreciation for
this program and presented the NFPA Coordinator with a US Flag which was flown over the headquarters of the coalition forces
in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, each local association was presented with a certificate of appreciation signed by the
commander of the regional forces in Iraq as well as a military “coin.” The New York City Paralegal Association is excited about
this program and we look forward to becoming involved in such an initiative in the very near future!
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
PARALEGAL INTERNSHIP
OPPORTUNITY:
There are a number of internship opportunities
that are currently available to members of the
New York City Paralegal Association. They are
unpaid, but can serve as an ideal medium for
students to get "real world" experience in a law
firm environment. One particular law firm currently
has three positions that are available, and the
successful candidates will be able to start
immediately. The areas of practice for this firm are
intellectual property and entertainment law.
Any student who is interested in obtaining one of
these positions, should contact Crystal Franklin at
[email protected].
Show Me the Money!
A Look at High Paying Paralegal Positions
Contributed by Chere B. Estrin
At the Washington DC Paralegal SuperConference
last week, I had an interesting conversation with one
of the Paralegal Administrators who teaches at
the event. She told me that she was trying to hire a
corporate paralegal for the firm and had just lost the
candidate to another major firm who outbid her.
"What was the final outcome?” I asked. "The other
firm offered $80,000 plus overtime, bonus and
benefits," she said. "There's no way I was going to
go that high. There are principles involved and
scales of economy. The candidate barely had five
years of experience," she added.
HUH????
Did
she
say
"barely
five
years experience?" Holy Moly! Apparently so.
(cont., p.3)
INSIDE THIS EDITION:
Navy Legalmen & Military Paralegal
Outreach Program
2
President’s Message
Internship Opportunities
3
Show Me The Money
3
3
NFPA 2007 Annual Convention Report
ESAPA Meeting Report
4
4
The Show Must Go On
10 Helpful Job Hunting Tips from Two
Experienced Recruiters
6
Career Corner
Calendar of Events
11
10
15
Welcome back to the second
edition of our official newsletter.
Since our inaugural issue, we have
had quite a number of exciting
events and meetings! Our first
social event was in September and
it was a great success. Not only did our members get to
network with each other, but we had quite a large number of
representatives from legal placement agencies to mingle
with our members and dispense useful job searching advice.
Our primary ESAPA representative attended our first
meeting as a member of the Empire State Alliance of
Paralegals and her report can be found in this edition of the
newsletter. We also attended our first NFPA Annual
Convention. We have been welcomed into the fold of the our
Region V as well as the broader national community of
paralegal associations, and as one of the new kids on the
block, we really do appreciate it!
Our front page story was all about the important work that is
undertaken for the Navy Legalman Program. The NYCPA
looks forward to launching such a program within our local
association, we will certainly keep you updated about our
progress on this front.
The New York Paralegal SuperSeminar just concluded at the
end of October, our booth at this event was well attended,
and I would like to extend my congratulations to our
scholarship winners for this event.
Our first holiday social event is coming up this month and I
look forward to meeting with you all for a great social mingle
with our sponsors to cap off a wonderful first year for our
Association.
The year 2008 is one that looms with great potential and
other exciting opportunities for professional advancement
and progress for all of our members.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere
appreciation to the entire Board of Directors for the NYCPA,
who have dedicated both their time and efforts and getting
this association “off the ground” and into a true viable
medium for professional advancement for our members. I
look forward to an equally fantastic 2008!
Sincerely,
Letitia M. Smith
NFPA 2007 Convention
Our primary and secondary
representatives to the National
Federation of Paralegals (NFPA), Shaun Pilcher, and
Letitia Smith, recently attended the 2007 Annual Convention in
Tampa, Florida (Oct. 18-21). This was an exciting event for our
new Association, as we had worked very hard to get the NYCPA
credentialed in time to attend this Convention. There was a semiannual Regional V meeting held, that dealt exclusively with
issues pertaining to Region V associations and ways to
invigorate and sustain membership. Shaun and Letitia also met
extensively with a number of national vendors and organizations
and spread the word so to speak about the NYCPA. Both of our
reps were present at the presentation made by the Navy
Legalmen Association (as described in the feature article on
page 1) and they were both very moved and inspired to get the
NYCPAinvolved in this worthwhile program.
Shaun as our primary representative actively participated in the
session to vote on the various agenda/policy review items that
were presented. According to his description it was quite an
illuminating and adrenelin filled experience. There was a
presentation from Arkansas who will host next year’s convention.
New Board members were sworn in and the torch was passed to
the new board, as well as to the new Regional Directors that
were subsequently sworn in. Congratulations to our new Region
V Director, Tracey Young. For a more comprehensive report on
the 2007 NFPA Annual Convention, members please log on to
the following section on the NFPA website (www.paralegals.org)
News & EventsSection (Members Only Area)
Show me the money..cont. from p. 2
According to a recent report published by Robert Half Legal
called "Future Law Office", a shortage of highly skilled,
experienced legal candidates, especially in high-growth practice
areas such as real estate, intellectual property, compliance and
ESAPA Conference
Majorie McFarlane, our
primary representative to the
Empire State Alliance
of Paralegal Associations
(ESAPA), attended the
semi-annual meeting at
Syracuse, NY on September 29. This was
the NYCPA’s first meeting as an official
member of ESAPA. The 20th anniversary of this
Empire Alliance is coming up on January 30, 2008. One
of the major announcements was the initiative to
finalized a proclamation to establish this date as New
York State Paralegal Day and have it signed by
Governor, Eliot Spitzer. We hope that this will come to
fruition in the very near future so that the hard work of all
professional paralegals will be accorded
“official” respect and due recognition throughout the
state.
PLEASE VISIT US AT
WWW.NYC-PA.ORG TO COMPLETE AN
IMPORTANT SURVEY FOR INPUT INTO
ESAPA’S WHITE PAPER ON PARALEGAL
REGULATION. THE INFORMATION PAPER
IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE SITE
(cont.)... litigation, is prompting law firms to rethink their
recruiting
strategies.
Firms
are
reevaluating
compensation and benefits packages, enhancing
corporate culture and expanding training and
advancement opportunities in order to attract the
industry’s top talent.
Many firms are creating incentives and providing
rewards to demonstrate their commitment to motivating
and rewarding attorneys. Firms are extending the scope
of their recruiting efforts through a combination of
technology and traditional methods: For some, the
corporate website is the primary recruiting tool. Because
benefits and company culture are major recruitment
drivers, company websites that offer a wealth of
information about culture, career paths, training,
rewards, work-life balance and diversity tend to be most
effective in attracting candidates.
According to Craig Brown, President of the New York
based Elaine P. Dine staffing organization, the highestpaying paralegal positions are in patent and trusts and
estates. “Especially if the paralegal has any fiduciary
accounts experience, “ says Brown. “Right behind that
would be corporate, compliance and '40 Act/Mutual
Funds.”
FOR RECENT JOB POSTINGS, PLEASE LOG IN TO THE MEMBERS-ONLY
AREA OF OUR WEBSITE AND TAKE A TOUR OF OUR JOB BANK.
FOR UP TO DATE NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS CHECK OUT OUR “NEWS &
EVENTS” LINK ON OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.NYC-PA.ORG.
The Show Must Go On
Evaluating the bright lights of a new
job while gracefully closing the curtain
on an old one. By Brad Baber
“As seen in the March/April 2006 issue of
Legal Assistant Today, Copyright 2007
James Publishing, Inc. Reprinted courtesy
of Legal Assistant Today magazine. For
subscription information call (800) 394
2626, or visit www.legalassistanttoday.com”
It has been said that the average
American worker spends a third of his
or her life at work, a third sleeping and
another third doing everything else.
Knowing this, my advice is to invest in
a comfortable mattress and get a good
job. And by good job, I mean one that
is personally fulfilling and financially
rewarding. This might require you to
take your show on the road, but you
still can leave your current job with
class and style.
The stigma of several job changes
over the course of a career has all but
disappeared
in
today’s
work
environment.
Nowadays,
hiring
managers are accustomed to seeing
résumés with more than a few
workplace transitions, and five years in
the same position is viewed as job
stability. You should feel comfortable
making a job change — if you do so
properly. This is accomplished by
paying attention to two key points:
making the right decision and exiting
your company with grace.
THE BIG DECISION
Let’s say you are presented a new
opportunity, either as the result of a
persuasive recruiter or a job search on
your own initiative. In either case,
carefully evaluating the opportunity will
give you the best shot of landing a
satisfying new position. Making a hasty
decision or not considering all the facts
can lead to a career disaster.
Adlai Stevenson, former Illinois
governor
and
United
Nations
ambassador, once remarked, "Flattery
is all right, if you don’t inhale." It’s nice
to be wanted. It makes us feel good
when our skills are sought after and a
new company courts us. But be careful
— deciding whom to work for should
not be based on emotions. Of course,
you need to feel good about your
decision, but this is a time to put our
head before your heart and thoroughly
analyze the new opportunity.
If you are working with a headhunter,
remember he or she has a personal
incentive to get you to accept a job
offer from a new company — usually
to the tune of about 15 percent to 25
percent of your starting salary. Weigh
headhunters’ words wisely and put
their encouragement in the context of
a solid analysis. Likewise, your
potential new employer should not be
too eager (i.e., desperate) to get you
on board, and the new firm should
want you to take the time to make the
right decision for yourself. After all,
presumably the firm wants to hire the
right match for its company, too. A bad
decision could cost thousands of
dollars in time and training if you
decide to leave.
Finally, examine your motivation for
changing jobs. Every job has its good
and bad points. Sometimes situations
at work are temporarily disagreeable,
but soon take a turn for the better. Are
you really making a good career move,
or are you escaping an unpleasant
situation in your current job? Is there
too much overtime, an uncooperative
co-worker or a lower than normal
salary increase? These situations
might be satisfactorily resolved without
having to end your employment in an
otherwise good position. Talk to a
supervisor or human resources
representative before making the big
decision to leave a job for a small
reason. More importantly, be sure your
motivation is to move toward the light
of a great new opportunity, not run
from the darkness of your current job.
A FIVE POINT CHECK
I have mentioned putting your head
before your heart and conducting a
solid analysis of any new job
prospects. To do that, you need to
examine your new opportunities from
five key perspectives.
1. Job duties. Be sure to get a clear
understanding of your areas of
responsibility, the tasks you will be
performing, your new firm’s goals for
you, who you will be interacting with
and what tools you will need
(technological and otherwise) to do
your job. Many companies will, and
should, provide you with an official job
description. Many job descriptions
include fine print language, for
example, "…and such other duties that
may from time to time be assigned."
Ask what these other duties could
include before you sign on with a new
firm.
2. Co-workers. If you spend a third of
your life working, more than likely you
will spend as much of your waking
hours with your co-workers as with
your spouse, family or significant
other. The people we work with often
can make or break the work
experience. Usually circumstances
don’t allow you to know your
supervisor or co-workers very well
before you accept a new position, but
your time will be well-invested if you
meet as many people as you can
during the interview process. When
possible, conduct informal reference
checks on a new supervisor to see
what reputation he or she has. After
all, you probably will be spending a lot
of time with these people after you
begin your new job.
3. The firm. Conduct thorough due
diligence on the organization where
you will spend so much of your time.
Ask questions during the interview
process to get a sense of the firm’s
culture and long-term goals. If the firm
has a mission statement, get a copy. If
you don’t know the reputation or
history of the company, be resourceful.
Conduct online research and ask
around to see what the word on the
street is about the firm.
4. Compensation. Compensation
generally comes in four parts: base
pay, overtime, bonuses and benefits
(including stock options and retirement
contributions). Eligibility for benefits
often is nonnegotiable when joining a
new firm, and in the case of retirement
and 401(k) plans, participation and
amounts might be set by laws and plan
rules. Be sure to get a sense of the full
range of insurance, parking and travel
supplements, and long-term savings
options and what costs you are
expected to assume. Inquire about
average bonus amounts, bonus criteria
and how much overtime you can
expect to work.
The area where firms generally have
the most flexibility to negotiate
compensation is in base pay. This
topic could be an article unto itself, but
you should expect a minimum (cont.
p.8)
of 5 percent to 6 percent increase in
base compensation when moving to a
new job. Anything in the 10 percent to
15
percent
range
should
be
considered a good offer. For most
paralegal jobs, an offer that comes in
above 25 percent higher than your
current base salary is rare and
indicates either very good fortune for
you, or that something is askew with
your current salary or with the new
employer.
In formulating an offer, law firms and
legal departments usually consider
what a person with similar skills and
experience might be making in the
same locale. This is accomplished by
using salary surveys. There are
several good sources for this
information. Most law firms and law
departments rely on surveys prepared
by
the
Association
of
Legal
Administrators, International Paralegal
Management Association and the
surveys of a few private consulting
firms. Online salary Web sites are not
the most comprehensive or valid
indicators of job market salaries and
generally are not considered a good
source for this information.
Like you, most employers have the
goal of making sure you are fairly
compensated. They seldom are out to
get a bargain. In the long run, dealing
with an underpaid employee in an
organization is time-consuming and
costly, so most firms strive to be sure
their employees are fairly paid from
day one.
5.
Career
growth.
Mentioned
previously, your transition to a new
position should be motivated by
moving toward something you want to
accomplish as part of your career plan.
This could be to gain new experience,
build new skills or to do the work you
ultimately want to do. If you have a
clear direction in mind, be sure that
accepting the offer on the table will get
you where you want to go.
Go With Grace
You have made the decision to accept
a position at another firm, and now it’s
time to turn your attention to exiting the
old firm. Leaving a company seldom is
an enjoyable process. It’s always hard
to deliver bad news. Put aside any
feelings of guilt and have confidence
that you are taking your career in a
positive direction. Companies expect
some turnover, and believe it or not,
your new employer will survive without
you.
depending on how your firm is
organized) and your supervising
attorneys. It doesn’t matter which
comes first.
Regardless of the reason for your
departure, never burn a bridge and
always exit the stage with grace. This
might mean biting your tongue and
exercising your best diplomatic skills
when giving notice or during an exit
interview. It’s in your best interest to do
so. Anything less could result in you
being haunted by your words
or poor judgment, or worse, being
excluded from a future opportunity.
While everyone hates to see a good
employee leave, managers and
attorneys
should
expect
some
departures in staff from time to time
and should receive your message well.
If the working relationship has been
positive, they will be happy you have
landed a great new opportunity, even
though they might regret that you are
leaving. If the working relationship has
been strained, they most likely will be
politely pleased to receive your notice.
In either event, in this conversation, I
think it’s fine to say who your new
employer will be and share how this
transition will be a good one for you
and your career.
Aside from your good conduct, here
are most of the components of
resigning from a job that will give you
more insight into the process and what
you can expect.
Proper notice. A minimum of two
weeks notice is expected for most
paralegal positions. Employers might
request longer notice — three to four
weeks — if you hold a high-level
position. The notice period might be
negotiated depending on the job,
circumstances of departure or any
number of factors.
Letter of resignation. Employers
normally will ask for a formal letter of
resignation. It’s common practice to
deliver a letter to your supervisor when
you meet with him or her to announce
your resignation. Some people send
them by interoffice mail, but I believe a
personal delivery is a nicer touch.
"Short and sweet" usually is a good
rule of thumb for the letter of
resignation. The letter should state
what your last day will be and typically
sets the tone for a friendly departure
by indicating your appreciation for the
opportunity to work with the firm. It’s
unnecessary, and rarely beneficial, to
explain who your new employer will be
or how you came to your decision.
Limit any details or explanations to a
conversation with your supervisor or
human resources representative. You
simply can state that you are excited to
have accepted another opportunity
that will advance your career.
Conversation with Supervisors. For
paralegals, I believe it’s best to
announce your departure from the firm
in a personal conversation with a
manager (e.g., a paralegal manager,
legal administrator or office manager,
In the spirit of good will, you might
offer to make yourself available by
phone, within reason, after you leave
the company to answer questions as
your work is transitioned to others
within the old firm. The key here and
throughout this process is to always be
polite and positive. If you must give
criticism, make it constructive and put
it in the best possible light.
The counter-offer. In some instances,
your firm might entice you to stay by
making a counter-offer of a higher
salary or better benefits. Some firms
have a policy of not making counteroffers. If you have done a careful
analysis of the new opportunity, and
you are confident you are leaving for
the right reasons, then it should be
easy to evaluate and respond to any
counter-offer. Don’t let money cloud
the issue of your career advancement.
However, if you generally are happy
with your current employment, and the
main reason you are leaving is salary,
you might want to entertain a counteroffer. As you do your final analysis of
this career transition, be very clear
about what it would take, if anything, to
make you stay with your current firm.
The exit interview. Many firms ask
that employees meet with a human
resources representative or manager
to find out what the employee can
expect in terms of final pay, pay-out for
unused vacation time and benefits,
and the employee’s rights regarding
continuation
coverage.
of
medical
insurance
The other purpose of an exit interview
is to get the perspective of the
departing employee on his or her
experience with the firm in a continual
effort
to
improve
the
work
environment. This is an opportunity to
use your best judgment and diplomatic
skills to leave everyone with the
impression that they would love to
have you back in the future.
From a manager’s perspective, this
process is more meaningful if the
employee is very candid. From the
employee’s perspective, the No. 1
priority is to go with grace. You should
carefully balance your words to be
honest in your constructive feedback,
and
bring
the
most
positive
perspective to any negatives that are
discussed. A savvy manager or human
resources professional can read
between the lines and often will hear
what is not said in an exit interview.
And remember, it’s OK to say: "I don’t
know," or "I am not comfortable
discussing that."
Stay in touch. The legal community,
even in the largest of cities, is a small
world. Who you know can play a role
in your success, and opportunities
often come about from personal
contacts. The people at your old firm
are no exception to the rule. I
recommend staying in touch with
former co-workers or supervisors as
you advance in your career. You never
know when a short phone call or email exchange will land another
personal or professional opportunity on
your doorstep.
A Positive Move
Changing jobs today is a natural part
of
our
ever-changing
work
environment. Just be sure you are
doing it correctly. Take the time to
make the right career decision for
yourself, and always leave your
current situation on good terms. I am
reminded of good show business
wisdom that definitely applies in this
case — accept only good parts, and
always leave them wanting more.
Brad Baber is the paralegal manager in
Troutman Sanders’ Atlanta office. He earned his
bachelor’s degree from Wabash College in
Indiana and a paralegal certificate from Midlands
Technical College in South Carolina. He has more
than 15 years of paralegal management
experience and formerly worked as a paralegal in
the areas of bankruptcy and litigation. He has
been an instructor in an American Bar
Association-approved paralegal program and is a
former expert columnist for LAT. Baber is an
active member of the Legal Assistant
Management Association.
TEN HELPFUL JOB HUNTING TIPS FROM
TWO EXPERIENCED RECRUITERS:
Henry Macchiaroli & Lori Marks
1. NETWORKING: If you are not a member of the
5. ASSESSMENT: Think about the skills/education
New York City Paralegal Association, Inc.,
www.nyc-pa.org, JOIN TODAY.
If you are a member, get your money’s worth. Use the
Job Board, Mentors, Education, Newsletter, etc.
you can offer that would separate you from your
competition.
(For example:
languages, economics,
accounting.) Add them to your resume.
2. RESEARCH:
•
•
•
If you use recruiters, make sure they are reputable
and find out where they intend to send your resume
before it is sent.
Don’t depend on recruiters for your first paralegal
job. Check Martindale Hubbell, the New York Law
Journal, Paralegal Newsletter, law firm websites, etc.
for openings.
Be prepared. Conduct research on the firm and
interviewers before the interview.
3. RESUME:
•
•
Create a resume with an eye-catching and attractive
format.
Get assistance from a mentor to help you prepare a
resume that gets interviews.
4. INTERVIEWING:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Arrive 10-15 minutes early.
Review your background, information and possible
answers to interview questions prior to the interview.
Accompany your firm handshake with a friendly smile
and direct eye contact.
Be yourself.
Try to remain calm and enthusiastic.
Ask smart questions and answer directly. [One
favorite question is how the interviewer got to his/her
current position.] Listen to the interviewer. Hear
what is being said between the lines.
Be aware of your body language during the
interview. Make sure you maintain eye contact.
6. INTERNSHIPS: If you are still in school, find out
whether or not the school will finance an internship.
7. CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION: Research
technical skills for the position you seek. Find ways to
learn special software programs before you begin your
search (on-line courses, training sessions, self-help
books, etc.).
8. WRITING SAMPLES: Not many paralegal
positions require writing samples, but if you have them, it
will put you ahead of the competition.
9. TRANSCRIPT: Make sure you have a legible copy
readily available.
10. REFERENCES: References are an important
part of the job search. Make sure, even if you are a
recent graduate, that you have the names and contact
information of at least three supervisors, teachers or
career counselors.
In short the best tips for job hunting are: Prepare, Prepare, Prepare. Remain positive and persistent
and ask questions. We wish you a long, happy and successful career as a paralegal!
Lori Marks worked for law firms for over 17 years and has been a Legal Recruiter for over seven years. She can be reached at
[email protected] or 212.818.0300. Henry J. Macchiaroli, CLM worked for law firms for over 20 years before working for The
Dine Group (formerly Elaine P. Dine Temporary Attorneys and Paralegals). He can be reached at [email protected] or
212.759.4673.
CAREER CORNER:
The 10 Deadliest Phrases Guaranteed to Bust Your Career
Contributed by Chere B. Estrin
As someone who teaches and gives seminars, I have met literally thousands of paralegals in all phases of their careers. Those
just entering the field, some in it for a few years, a strong component who are lifers, others who are wannabees and those that are
banging at the doors in a desperate attempt to get out.
Whenever someone wants to discuss their career with me, it’s generally because they reached a stumbling block. Whether it’s a
job move, lack of promotion, more sophisticated work, higher level assignment, more interesting and stimulating atmosphere or just
complaints about the same old same old, I generally find that the block is coming from within the person and not from the
environment surrounding them.
How you communicate gives others the key to your thoughts. Communication governs how you behave, are perceived, and how
you think. Convincing yourself of certain beliefs and conveying those beliefs to others can dictate how you take the journey from
average-garden-variety-paralegal to SuperStar.
Here are the biggest career blockers I have found:
1.“I don’t know.” Deadly, deadly, deadly. The last thing 4.“My firm doesn’t pay for seminars, so I can’t
an employer wants to hear is you don’t know. Employers hire go.” In certain states, such as California, there is already
employees for knowledge. This phrase is particularly annoying to
supervisors in high-pressure positions who look to you as their
number one assistant. You may not, in fact, know the answer. A
better response might be, “I will find out” or “That’s not my area
of expertise however, I will research it and get back to you” or
“I’m not familiar with that, however, I will find someone who is
and get back to you by……”. These answers 1) admit you don’t
have a ready answer and 2) will take an extra step to find out. It
won’t leave your supervisor hanging.
2.“I’m not saying anything bad about them
but….” Whenever you preface a statement about what you’re
not doing and then proceed to do it, you’re in for trouble. First of
all, you make a liar out of yourself. Second of all, you’re setting
yourself up for the gossip circuit. How can anyone trust you if
you’re known as someone who gossips? You may not think
you’re participating in the rumor mill but believe me, you’re
already there. Never rock the trust boat. It will kill your career in
about two seconds.
3.“Paralegals
assignment.”
don’t
do
this
kind
of
We sometimes see this remark on
evaluations
after
a
sophisticated
workshop.
AREYOUSERIOUS????? Unless it is practicing law, giving
advice or negotiating fees, paralegals can tackle just about any
assignment. Frequently, in our seminars, we present the next
rung on the career ladder. An example would be drafting briefs.
We’ve had paralegals say, “Paralegals don’t draft briefs.”
Ahem! What you mean is, you don’t draft briefs and you’ve
become too narrowly focused to tackle new assignments. Have
you investigated what other paralegals are doing in other firms?
Are you convinced that you’re going to stay at the same firm for
the rest of your career? This statement is a career buster for
sure. I always want to get sarcastic and say, “OK, just keep
doing what you’re doing and you’ll keep getting’ what you’re
gettin.” But I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut. It’s really better
for business.
mandatory continuing legal education required of paralegals.
Either you ignore Business & Professions Code 6450 and end up
in violation of the Code or, in the case of firms not paying for
continuing legal education, you wind up paying for it yourself. The
number of paralegals who ignore continuing education altogether
because their firm or organization does not reimburse them is,
unfortunately, very high.
Essentially, what these paralegals are saying is, “I’ll pay for season
tickets to go to the football game (or a new Marc Jacobs purse or
dinner and theatre, etc.) but I won’t put out any of my own money
to advance my career.” This is the Knowledge Age. There isn’t a
better return on investment than the one in your career. Employers
now pay for knowledge not years of experience in the field. You
can do the same thing year-in-and-year out without expanding your
horizons. Waiting for employers to make the first move is the same
as becoming a victim to Circumstance. Wake up and become the
Master of Your Own Destiny.
5.“I’m really not into technology.” Uh, huh. I
suppose that you are still indexing documents on 3 x 5 cards, too.
Everyone is into technology. True, some more than others and
some, quite frankly, better at it than the next person. This phrase is
a guaranteed career buster. Even if the rumors that lawyers are
the last to get on the bandwagon in terms of advanced, modern
technology, is true, the fact is that law firms now use technology to
compete with other firms. You cannot exist in this world without
knowing about technology on some level. This phrase only tells
people you are not planning on joining us in the 21st century.
6.“I’m too old.” I don’t know what this means. You’re too
old to learn something new? Too old to move to a new job? Too
old to get a degree? Have you heard that the new 60 is the old
40? People are not as old at 60 as their parents were. It’s a new
age. You’re not too old to go back to school, to seek a better job,
to learn a new specialty, to move up the ladder. The average age
of paralegal student is 36-38 years of age. The average age of
paralegal responding to the NFPA (National Federation of
Paralegal Associations) surveys is somewhere in their forties. This
is a second and third career choice for most paralegals. The only
thing you’re too old for may be a mini-skirt. For that matter, I was
too “old” for that when I was 20.
7.“I’m looking for a balance of lifestyle and 9.“It’s somewhere on my desk.”
career.” I should hope so! I never used to have that balance. I even tackle this one, it’s so deadly.
was all about careers. Ninety hour work weeks were the norm. I
would go to a movie and not hear half of it because my mind was
racing about all the work I had to do. Now that I have put balance
into my life, I feel so much better about myself, my work and well,
life in general.
However, I guarantee you, few employers, particularly in law firms
mired in crisis management, want to actually hear that from you.
It’s the nature of the beast. They want to know that careers come
first. Ok, so maybe it doesn’t for you but reminding your supervisor
who is out there working 2300 billable hours a year while trying to
raise 3 children and the family dog is not going to boost your career
in their eyes. This is one phrase that may be better left unsaid.
8. “I want a raise like Susie’s.” Raises are not based
on your colleague’s increase. Justifying an increase in salary
because your neighbor in the next cubical is earning more than you
will not cause employers to pony up. True, market rates play an
important part in what you earn. However, employers pay for
performance and do not feel competitive about people in their own
firm. Go back to your performance, kudos, billable hours,
knowledge, surveys, and gung ho attitude to justify an increase.
You’ll do much better.
Oh, dear. I can’t
10.“I want to move to a corporation so I can
work fewer hours, move up the corporate
ladder and have less stress.” Better check out that
corporation first! In some companies, the pressure is on to
keep as much work in-house as they can rather than send it to
outside counsel. If you are looking for a bump up the corporate
ladder, you need to check out how many vice-presidents came
up through the legal department. And for heaven’s sake, don’t
make the mistake that just because you don’t have billable
hours, you don’t have to account for your time!
Most in-house legal departments want to keep track of how
many hours you spent on any particular matter. It may not be
time sheets for billing purposes but they do track time. Get the
lowdown first before you make a career move that you may end
up regretting!
I hear these phrases all t the time and can only tell you that if you are telling yourself any of the above, you might want to scrutinize
your messages to the world and to yourself. You may find out why you’re not “feeling the love”. Careers are fluid and attitude goes
a long way in what happens on that journey. Take the time to change your attitude and you’ll find that you’ve changed the way you
think and the way the world looks at you. Not a bad way to go!
Chere Estrin, Ph.D., is the CEO of Estrin LegalEd, a paralegal training and publishing company and founder of The Paralegal SuperConferences. She has written nine
books on the paralegal career including Hot Jobs & Amazing Careers: Smart Moves for Paralegals. Ms. Estrin is the co-founding member of the International Paralegal
Management Association; a recipient of the Los Angeles Women of Achievement Award; and an Inc. magazine Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. She has been
interviewed by Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and other prestigious publications. She can be reached at www.EstrinLegalEd.com.
cont. from p. 3
A 2006 article in Money magazine cites the Paralegal position
ranking 27th out of the top 50 jobs in America. The average
pay? $61,204. The article stated that the top position in the
paralegal field is a Patent Paralegal. It further goes on to state
that salary total compensation (includes bonus): 75% in this
career make more than: $50,850; 25% in this career make more
than: $66,860 - $69,320; and that the top potential
compensation (5% make more): $119,472........The career is
slated for growth in the next 10 years by 29.75%.
Out on the west coast, Lynda Priest Stevens, Executive Director
of Special Counsel’s Southern California offices, has seen a lot
of movement in the national corporate legal departments for
seasoned corporate and real estate paralegals and paralegals
with compliance and contract administration skills.
“These positions are paying between $65,000 and $95,000 per
year,” says Stevens. “The higher paying positions are for those
paralegals with exceptional large law firm training with some inhouse experience and in some instances, top academic
credentials, paralegal certificate and stable work history.
Paralegals with tenure in some of the national firms will often be
pushing against the 100K mark in most practice areas.”
Stevens encourages paralegals to consider career moves for a
reason other than just for more money. “I say this because
many paralegals making a career move equate “more money” to
“happier with my work”. My recommendation is to take time to
make a list of the top three reasons you think you should be
making a career change. Once you find a true “career
opportunity” that will provide each of those elements, then you
are ready to consider a career change,” she says.
In Discovering the Paralegal Profession (Wiley), Chapter 1
seems to be dedicated to inducing students to join the paralegal
profession and dedicates significant page inches to the sixfigure paralegal. The book states, “If you think that attorneys
are the only legal professionals capable of making six-figure
salaries, you’re wrong! In bigger cities, experienced paralegals
working for large firms can make more than $100,000 per year.
Two factors have a big influence on the salary you can earn as a
paralegal:
If you choose to specialize in corporate law or litigation, you
have a high earning potential. Increased salaries usually mean
more responsibility. The highest paid paralegals often supervise
other paralegals or have particularly important duties within the
firm. Here are some areas of the law where paralegals often
make the highest salaries: Litigation: Paralegals working in the
field of litigation have some of the most interesting, (cont. p. 14)
and challenging, duties available to legal rofessionals. Litigation
can be fast-paced and mountains of evidence. It takes qualified
and talented lawyers and paralegals to deal with complicated
litigation. If you aren’t afraid of intense work that often extends
beyond the normal workweek, you may have what it takes to
make a big salary in litigation.
An excellent survey published in 2005 by the International
Paralegal Management Association (IPMA) showed that the
average salary for Paralegal Managers across the country is
$93,000 per year. Paralegal Managers must not only be able to
recruit, evaluate and manage talented paralegals, they must
know budgeting, technology and now, globalization.
Corporate law: Corporate law involves important and lucrative
deals. Contracts, mergers, takeovers, and issuing of stock
constitute just some of the activities of a corporate legal team. If
you have an eye for detail and you’re interested in business,
corporate law could mean a big deal for you.
Other well-paying positions include Litigation Support
Managers. These positions are often awarded to top litigation
paralegals with excellent litigation support technology skills,
management abilities, e-discovery backgrounds and large case
management experience. Average salary? Between $125,000 $175,000.
Other special areas of law: Another way to make a high salary is
to specialize. Paralegals are always in demand in certain
specialties. These specialties require knowledge of more than
just the law. For example, if you have a degree in chemistry,
you could specialize as a paralegal working with the
pharmaceutical industry. Nurses find highly paid positions as
consultants in firms that specialize in medical malpractice.
Examples of areas where your interests can turn into a high
paying paralegal position include patent and trademark law,
environmental protection and other areas involving science, and
medical malpractice and product liability.”
Interesting stuff. Say, I’d love to stay and chat. But it looks like
I’ve got to go back to work. Somehow paralegal education
wasn’t on that list………..
Chere Estrin, Ph.D., is the CEO of Estrin LegalEd, a paralegal training and publishing company and founder of The Paralegal SuperConferences. She has written nine
books on the paralegal career including Hot Jobs & Amazing Careers: Smart Moves for Paralegals. Ms. Estrin is the co-founding member of the International Paralegal
Management Association; a recipient of the Los Angeles Women of Achievement Award; and an Inc. magazine Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. She has been
interviewed by Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and other prestigious publications. She can be reached at www.EstrinLegalEd.com.
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
March 10
Social Event, Fashion 40 Lounge, 202 W. 40th Street NY, 6-8pm
March 20
Resume Writing Workshop, New York, location to be
announced
April 25-26
Regulation/National Leadership Joint Conference,
Indianapolis, IN
May 10-11
Pro Bono Conference, Minneapolis MN
The NYC Paralegal Times
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