Volume 27, Number 3

PPA In BrIef
Palmetto Paralegal Association
Quarterly Publication
October 15, 2014
Volume 27 • Number 3
VIRTUAL AND CONTRACT PARALEGALS
O
THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE FOR THE PARALEGAL PROFESSIONAL
ne of the newest waves hitting our industry is the virtual and/or contract paralegal. Before we even begin
to discuss the pros and cons of this topic let’s define what a virtual paralegal is: but first let’s define what
a Paralegal is: According to NALA (National Association of Legal Assistants) Paralegals are “a distinguishable group of persons who assist attorneys in the delivery of legal services. Through formal education, training, and experience, legal assistants have knowledge and expertise regarding the legal system and
substantive and procedural law which qualify them to do work, of a legal nature, under the supervision of
an attorney.” Then in defining “virtual” according to the Institute for Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA)
Virtual Assistants are “independent contractors who (from a remote location, usually their home or office)
support multiple clients in a variety of industries by providing administrative, creative and technical services.” Therefore, a virtual paralegal can be defined as:
Contract, independent or freelance paralegals that are hired by lawyers, law firms or in-house legal
departments to provide paralegal support services on an as needed basis with such services being supplied through the use of technology such as the Internet, e-mail, fax and remote access systems.
Either by working from a remote location or be working in the office of an attorney on a per case or as
needed bases the contract paralegal makes sense on multiple economic levels and is quickly becoming the
way many solo, small or even some medium-size law firms are opting to make use of the highly trained
paralegal professional. Some large firms have been using contract paralegals to handle specific, large,
heavy-litigation cases, and have been doing so for many years.
The Paralegal Landscape is Changing
The current economic recession has taken its toll on many businesses and service industries, and the
legal industry has been no exception. Numerous layoffs have been reported nationwide, and law firms
everywhere are seeking the most cost-effective way to provide necessary and quality, legal services to
clients who are demanding that costs be reduced.
The American Bar Association addressed the subject of virtual paralegals in its article entitled Outsourcing for Small Firms and Solos: Virtual Paralegals. The ABA stated,“Many functions lend themselves to
being performed virtually, including that of a paralegal. A virtual paralegal still works under the direction
of an attorney; the main difference being that a virtual paralegal works from a remote location, on a contract basis rather than as an employee. A virtual paralegal enables solos and small firms to take advantage
of the economy that effective use, of a paralegal, can provide on an as-needed basis.” (Emphasis added.)
continued to following page
Virtual and Contract Paralegals Continued . . .
The advantages for firms to hire virtual or contact paralegals include
4 No overhead costs to the firms
4 No need to train
4 Attorneys can bill clients for the time of a con4
4
4
tract paralegal
Virtual paralegals are time efficient and cost effective
No need to pay health insurance or other benefits
Save money by not providing an office and equipment
The freelance paralegal is a business owner which
makes good sense on a number of plains. Their work
is transactional. You are not paying them for more than
the specific work they do for you and not for the time
they spend with other.
Advantages include
4 Working From Home
4 Increased income potential
4 Flexibility in determining what contracts you accept and the ones to pass up
Of course as with any business owner the drawbacks or disadvantages are thing such as:
4 Education – making sure your education, experience and/or certification is current and on target
4 Competition
4 Is the area I live ready for this type of service
4 Professional Liability Insurance
4 Taxes
4 Obtaining the right equipment; and
4 No vacation or sick days to depend on.
With all the changes in technology and how people are
conducting business nationally and internationally it is
just a matter of before the legal profession would turn
to the use of the virtual or contract para-professional
as an economic alternative to trying to find the resources to hire ‘in house” qualified paralegals on a 365
day permanent basis. Many firms are even opting now
for part-time professionals to alleviate the economic
strain of benefits. Hiring the virtual or contract paralegal further removes the need for having to provide
equipment and physical space which is the biggest
problem for the solo and small firms.
There are some
great resources
and web-based
workshops on
the advantages
& disadvantages as well
as what
would be the
minimum
requirements to
get started
as a virtual/contract
or freelance paralegal.
Is South Carolina ready for such a thing?
Well, that is a question that can only be answered
by the those who are willing to boldly go where no
paralegal has gone before….
Vickie Bakerm
Inside
THIS ISSUE
Birthdays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 12
Board Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 10
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 24
Career Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 21
Committee Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8
Editor’s Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 3
Greatness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 13
Meeting Report August . . . . . . . . . . .Page 19
Meeting Report July . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 4
Paralegal of the month of August . .Page 22
Paralegal of the month of July . . . . .Page 6
Stress Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 16
Sustaining Members . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 9
Treasurer’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8
Greatness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 13
Photograph by Deanie Kane
PPA
Palmetto Paralegal Association
IN BRIEF
A Quarterly Publication
of the
Palmetto Paralegal
Association
Elizabeth English Cody
Jan Garrison
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.ppasc.org
Palmetto Paralegal Association
Post Office Box 11634
Columbia, SC 29211-1634
An Affiliate of
I
from the editor...
cannot believe how fast this year has gone by. I hope each and
every one of you had a great summer with your family and
friends. We have been so fortunate to have great speakers this
year at our membership meetings and we look to conclude
the 2014 year with more speakers that reflect on how paralegals play an everyday role in the legal world. Your PPA Executive Board has been working hard to revamp PPA to attract
more paralegals to join our organization. Look for new and
exciting changes as we quickly approach the end of this year
and the beginning of 2015. We will also be nominating new
faces to our Executive Board in the near future. If you are interested in being a Committee Chair for one of the committee’s, please let the PPA Executive Board know that you are
interested. Please feel free to contact committee chairpersons
if you have additional questions or would like to volunteer
your assistance with the various committee activities. As paralegals, I would love to have any suggestions on specific stories
and information that you would be interested in reading in
our In Brief. We also encourage you to write an article that we
could feature in an issue. I look forward to our upcoming
membership meetings and all the upcoming events that PPA
has planned.
Elizabeth English Cody
Editor
July Meeting
Social Media Trends,
Investigating Witnesses & Jurors
and related Ethic Matters
Speaker, Jacqueline “Jax” Pavlicek, Esquire
Associate with Callison Tighe Firm
by Liz Cody
PPA held its July membership meeting at The
Lourie Center on July 16. We were pleased to
have Jacqueline Pavlicek, Esquire, of Callison
Tighe as our featured speaker.
Jacqueline “Jax” Pavlicek joined Callison
Tighe as an associate in May 2014, after serving as
a staff attorney for the South Carolina Court of
Appeals.
A native of Lemon Grove, California, Jacqueline came to Columbia to attend the University of
South Carolina School of Law, graduating cum
laude in 2012. She served
on the editorial board of the
South Carolina Law Review
as a research editor, and she
was inducted into the Order
of the Wig and Robe and
Phi Delta Phi’s Calhoun
Inn. While in law school,
–
Jacqueline received several
scholarships.
Jacqueline earned numerous honors while in
law school, including CALI awards for legal research, torts, and civil procedure. These prestigious awards are given to law students who earn
the highest grade in a law school course. She also
served as Justice of Community Relations for the
Trial Advocacy Bar, and she competed in mock
trial, earning awards for Best Overall Advocate,
Best Opening Statement, and Best Cross-Examination.
Jacqueline holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from San Diego State University, with
minors in Spanish and political science. During
her undergraduate studies, Jacqueline worked as
an investigative intern for San Diego County’s
Multiple Conflicts Office, a division of the
county’s Alternate Public Defender’s Office and as
an academic advisor for the School of Public Affairs. Jacqueline is a
founding member of San
Diego State University’s
Pre-Law Chapter of Phi
Alpha Delta. After graduating, she worked as an
assistant to a jury consultant, helping to select
Jacqueline Pavlicek
juries in criminal and
civil cases.
Jacqueline is an active volunteer in the legal
profession and the community. As a member of
the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyer’s Division,
she’s involved in the Cinderella Project and the
Professional Development Committee. She is a
member of the Law Related Education Committee
and the Mock Trial Subcommittee, and she serves
as a volunteer judge and assistant coach for the
University of South Carolina School of Law’s Trial
Advocacy Bar. Jacqueline volunteers at Pawmetto
Lifeline, the Midlands’ non-profit animal rescue
organization.
(continued to next page)
It is very important that when using
social media, you are careful in what you
post so that you do not risk the release of
information that could jeopardize your career. Protect all social media posts. . .
4
July Meeting continued
Ethics in the
Social Media
Jacqueline explained to the PPA
membership, that in 2005, there were
eight percent social media profiles. Today,
there are over 75 percent social media
profiles. There has been an increase in
Law Firms using social media for marketing. When it comes to confidentiality in
social media, one of the core values that
law firm’s must abide by is keeping all information from a client confidential.
Some of the tips that Jacqueline mentioned to us about keeping confidential
information and your job safe are the following:
4 Do not talk about business outside of
your work
4 Protect your passwords
Jacqueline also mentioned that consequences of disclosure could result in
one getting fired or being subject to employer ethical charges. She also spoke to
us regarding investigating Jurors and
Witnesses.
ABA FORMAL OPINION 466
4 Accessing jurors social media profiles
4 Passive review, public information
that juror doesn’t know
4 Active Review
4 Passive review of public information,
juror knows
Attorney Pavlicek also mentioned
that when preparing for a trial, and you
are focusing on jurors, it is ok to search
jurors as long as you do not directly contact them. One
should never create a fake profile to get access. The employment aspects of social media allows people to investigate job
applicants. It is very important that when using social media,
you are careful in what you post so that you do not risk the release of information that could jeopardize your career. Protect
all social media posts.
Personal Safety &
g
i
r
F
Outdoor
y
h
t
r
Wo
Exercise
If you exercise outdoors in the dark
early morning or evening hours of
winter, don’t forget to exercise common
sense, too:
• Walk, run, or bicycle with a partner.
• Avoid isolated and poorly-lit areas.
• Tell someone where you’re going and when you
expect to return.
• Carry your cell phone and ID.
• Don’t wear headphones – they make you less
aware of traffic sounds, dogs and aproaching
strangers
• Dress to be seen by traffic; obey pedestrian/
bicycling laws.
zLaura Hawkinson
July Paralegal of the Monthz
PPA recognizes a paralegal each month at our
membership meetings. The paralegal of the month
for July was Laura Hawkinson. Laura is a Workers’
Compensation Paralegal with McAngus, Goudelock
and Courie in Columbia.
In her own words . . .
My name is Laura Hawkinson and I am a workers’ compensation defense paralegal with the firm of
McAngus, Goudelock and Courie. I am also the
Committee Chair for the Paralegal Awareness and
Marketing committee, which for the past couple of
months has been that I’m the one working on getting the website updated. We’re getting very close,
and you’ll like the new look.
I will take the opportunity to tell you a little bit
about myself and how I happened to end up in the
paralegal profession.
As far as the personal side – I grew up in the
Chapin area, went to Chapin High School and USC;
got married pretty early on to my high school
sweetheart – Robert - and we are actually getting
ready to celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary
this Friday. We lived in a few different places
around the Columbia area and then ended up moving back to the Chapin area and building a house.
We have twin boys, Paul and Cory who are going to
be rising juniors at Chapin High School. We are actually a sort of unusual family in that we spend a lot
of time at the ice rink . . . because several years ago
I thought it would be a fun family activity to learn
to ice skate, and years later, my sons and husband
are all active in ice hockey, my husband does maintenance at the rink, and I am actually a learn-toskate instructor at the rink.
I didn’t have much of a plan for the rest of my
life when I graduated from high school – I knew I
was going to be attending the University of South
Carolina, and English was always my best subject in
school, and I loved to write and read, so I just sort
of took it for granted that I would major in English.
Both my parents were actually English majors, so
they were fine with that, but as I started to get to-
wards the end of my
four years, I realized that . . . I was
going to have to
actually figure out
what I was going
to do . . . besides
just going to
school. So I did
what I usually
do when I’m
trying to make
a decision . . .
went down to
the career office and started
reading about what on earth can you do with an English degree. Come to think of it, that might have actually been the name of the book. There were lots of
different types of jobs listed and “paralegal” was one
of them, and the more that I read, the more it
sounded like something that might work for me.
To backtrack just a little, while I was going to college, I was actually still living at home and commuting in with my mom who worked downtown, so I
ended up spending a lot of time at her work, which
just happened to be an insurance company who did a
lot of claims processing for workers’ compensation
claims, and at some point, I started working for them
part time and learning a lot about the workers’ compensation claim process. So when I started looking
through the want ads looking into paralegal positions, I was lucky enough to find an ad for a workers’
compensation defense paralegal. So I’m thinking –
I’ve got my hook – I can get this job. So I began
working for the firm of Rogers, Thomas, Cleveland,
Koon, Waters and Tally as a workers’ compensation
defense paralegal . . . and the rest is history.
I was fortunate enough to work with an attorney
who was really interested in developing me to do anything and everything that he could do, as long as it
didn’t involve the actual practice of law. Which actually left a lot that I could do! So I drafted pleadings
(continued to following page)
6
Hawkinson . . . July Paralegal of the Month
(continued from previous page)
and did a lot of discovery and was able to be
very involved in our cases and the whole litigation process. I ended up going to Midlands Tech
at night so that I could get my paralegal certificate, but I really have learned a lot from on-thejob learning and from other attorneys and
paralegals who have helped me out along the
way.
The firm where I started working eventually
ended up as the firm currently known as Rogers
Townsend. I also learned along the way that law
firms have a lot of personnel changes . . . they
like to have a lot of mergers . . . and breaking off
to form new firms, and joining up with new
lawyers to form different firms! So I’ve had the
opportunities to work in both small and large
firms . . . from drafting briefs to calling someone
to come fix the toilet. I’ve been working at
McAngus Goudelock and Courie since 2007,
which thankfully, is not one of the firms which
calls on me to fix toilets. Sometimes I was asked
if I didn’t want to go to law school, but I feel
that this is the job that is right for me and that I
felt would allow me to have some balance between work and family.
Working as a paralegal does have its day to
day challenges, and they’re not always good, but
I really enjoy being part of a team and doing the
legwork and investigation to work up a case.
Through the years I have been able to use more
and more technology to help keep myself organized and open up new methods of investigation
and I think that has been a pretty exciting development and I’m looking forward to hearing our
speaker today. Thanks for the opportunity to
speak to you today – I’ve been a member of PPA
almost as long as I have been a paralegal, and I
have learned a lot, and gotten to know some really excellent paralegals, and friends, in the
process. @
*
Staying Cool - Mentally
Act Rather Than React ...
We experience stress when we feel that situations are out of our control. It activates the
stress hormone and, if chronic, wears down
confidence, concentration and well-being. You
need to identify the aspects of the situation you
can control and aspects you can’t. Typically,
you’re in control of your actions and responses,
but not in control of macro forces or someone
else’s tone, for example. Be impeccable for your
50 percent. And try to let go of the rest.
nose. It’s like getting the calm and focus of a
90-minute yoga class in three minutes or less at
your desk.
Eat Right and Sleep Well ...
Eating poorly will stress your system. Our
health advisors say to eat a low-sugar, highprotein diet. And when you’re not sleeping
well, you’re not getting the rejuvenating effects.
According to the CDC, an estimated 60 million
Americans do not get sufficient sleep, which is
a critical recovery period for the body. If racing
thoughts keep you from falling asleep or you
wake up in the night and can’t get back to
sleep, try this simple breathing trick that will
knock you out fast: Cover your right nostril
and breathe through your left for three to five
minutes. @
Take a Deep Breath ...
If you are feeling overwhelmed or are coming
out of a tense meeting and need to clear your
head, a few minutes of deep breathing will restore balance. Simply inhale for five seconds,
hold and exhale in equal counts through the
7
*
iCOMMITTEE REPORTSj
DONNA WHIGHAM, CHAIRj
i
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE • I received the following
email from Jennifer John, the Program Manager for
USC:
Hello Donna,
I hope that this email finds you well! Would you
still be available to speak to our new paralegal students on Saturday, October 11th from 9:00 am –
12:00 noon with Ed Smith?
We would love for the PPA to return as your last
presentation was well received by our students.
Please let me know if this still works on your end.
Happy Labor Day weekend! -Jennifer
My response was as follows:
I told Jennifer that the PPA would be happy to participate on October 11. I asked Tyrone Johnson,
who works for the SC Court Administration, to join
me. I wanted the students to understand that you
have other opportunities as a paralegal other than a
law firm environment. During the class the students were not shy when it came to the Q&A part
and they really seemed to appreciate our “real
world” descriptions of our duties as paralegals. Tyrone and I both enjoyed participating in the class.
As of today’s date we have the following member
totals:
Voting-47 • Associate-16 • Student-12 • Total-75
iMELISSA TAYLOR, CHAIRj
WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE • We now have 15
Sustaining members as of July 31st. Our newest
sustaining member is Legal Professionals, Inc.
They are a Charleston based legal staffing and service of process firm.
2014 Sustaining Members as of July 31, 2014
A. William Roberts Jr. & Associates
Capitol City Investigations & Process Service, LLC
Carolina Legal Associates
Case-Closed Investigations
CompuScripts, Inc.
DSi
Gaffney Lewis & Edwards
Legal Professionals, Inc.
McAngus, Goudelock & Courie
Midlands Technical College
Nova Office Strategies
Paranet Corporation Services, Inc.
Sarvis Law, LLC
Serve One, Inc. Process Serving
Southern Reporting
k
iTREASURER REPORTj
Operating Account:
Balance 1/01/14 .................................................. $ 5,027.06
Income ................................................................ 12,807.66
Semi-Annual Transfer to Money Market ............
5.00
Expenses ............................................................ 11,216.84
Operating Balance 7/31/14.................................. $ 6,612.88
Money Market Account:
Balance 1/01/14 .................................................. $11,185.42
Interest Earned....................................................
5.98
Semi-Annual Transfer from Checking Account..
5.00
Money Market Balance 7/31/14 .......................... $11,196.40
We Appreciate Our 2014
Sustaining Members
AWR Court Reporting
<www.scheduledepo.com>
McAngus Goudelock &
Courie, LLC
<www.mgclaw.com>
Capitol City Investigations &
Process Service, LLC
Midlands Technical College
<www.capitolcityinvestigation
andprocessservice.llc>
<www.midlandstech.edu>
Carolina Legal Associates
<www.novaoffice.net>
<www.carolinalegalassoc.com>
Nova Office Strategies
Paranet Corporate Services, Inc.
Case-Closed Investigations
<www.paranetlegal.com>
<www.case-closed.net>
Sarvis Law, LLC
CompuScripts, Inc.
<www.sarvislaw.com>
<www.compuscripts.com>
Serve One, Inc. Process Serving
DSi
<www.DSicovery.com>
Gaffney Lewis & Edwards
<www.glelawfirm.com>
<www.weservepapers.com>
Southern Reporting
<www.southernreporting.net>
We welcome our newest member: Legal Professionals, Inc.
<www.legalprofessionals.net>
4
1
20 Executive Board
President
President Elect
VicKie BaKer
Vacant
collins and lacy, Pc
1330 lady Street, Sixth Floor
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
–––eMail–––
[email protected]
1st VP & Education Committee
2nd VP & Membership Committee
Secretary
Vacant
Donna WhiGhaM
roshel tusKa
McGowen, hood & Felder
rogers, townsend & thomas Pc
1517 Hampton Street
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
220 executive Center Drive
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
Treasurer
–––eMail–––
–––eMail–––
[email protected]
[email protected]
Coordination Committee
Employment Information Committee
Vacant
Wynne M. Potash
Kelli sPinKs
haynsworth sinkler Boyd, Pa
Gaffney lewis & edwards
1201 Main Street, Suite 2200
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
3710 landmark Drive, Suite 109
Columbia, South Carolina 29204
–––eMail–––
–––eMail–––
[email protected]
[email protected]
Newsletter Committee
Parliamentarian
Ways & Means Committee
liz enGlish-coDy
linnea hann
Melissa taylor
Mcangus, Goudelock & courie, llc
nelson Mullins riley & scarborough
clawson and staubes, llc
1320 Main Street
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
1320 Main Street, 17th Floor
Columbia, South Carolina 29201r
1612 Marion Street, Suite 200
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
–––eMail–––
–––eMail–––
–––eMail–––
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Paralegal Awareness & Marketing
Policy Committee
Community Relations/Pro Bono
Vacant
laura haWKinson
Diana cohen
Mcangus, Goudelock & courie, llc
McKay, cauthen, settana & stubley
1320 Main Street
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
Post Office Box 7217
Columbia, South Carolina 29202
–––eMail–––
[email protected]
–––eMail–––
[email protected]
10
• court reporting
• videography
• videoconferencing
• trial presentation
• 24/7 service
• online repository
800-743-DEPO
scheduledepo.com
Charleston • Columbia • Greenville
Hilton Head • Myrtle Beach • Charlotte
AWR is a valuable resource for any law office,
and provides the BEST customer service with
top notch quality and professionalism.
Melissia Ford, Paralegal
1 January E
E
E
3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lia Calk Morris
3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tamekia Hunter
9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lakeyia Thompson
17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Herbert
E
1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jo Anne Watkins
9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christi Cooper
19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tammie Pope
28. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dale Anne Scaglione
31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ann Brock
2 February E
5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patricia L. LeBecq
16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jessie Dickerson
17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michelle King
17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kimberly E. Smith
20. . . . . . . . . Margaret (Peggy) McClintock
24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kimberly Falls
26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexandra Carlson
E
2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melissa Taylor
8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donna F. Whigham
12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristi L. Lindley
19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Allison Estrada
E
E
4 April E
2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melinda Cotton
13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol A. Shaffer
14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelli Spinks
27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tietta Gowans
28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wynne Merline Potash
9 September E
3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amanda A. Folk, CP
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beth Valdes
8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sharon Kirkland
23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephanie Ralston
28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Candace Attaway
29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bessie Jones
E
10 October E
4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Natalie C, Butrym
20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tracy Moore
22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mia Jackson
27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Christie
29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kimiko Noble
7 July E
2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Albert Ard
31. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larry Nelson
E
E
6 June E
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tina S. Auten
8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kaye K. Mullinax
14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan Collings
17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laura W. Hawkinson
21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summer A. Slaughter
E
3 March E
5 May E
8 August E
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol Caulk
5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Koenig
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vera Denise Ford
9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liz Cody
12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dana W. Cohen
12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linnea Hann
30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vickie Baker
The birthday list has been revised and we
would like to be sure you are included.
Please email me if you are not listed or if the
listing is incorrect.
Thank you,
Liz Cody, Editor
[email protected]
12
E
11 November E
21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roshel Tuska
E
12 December E
16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leslie Clamp
18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katie A. Minton
20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . S. Bronwyn Ellington
27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debra White
EEE
Lesson: Honest Abe’s productivity hack is a
good one. Before you start a job hunt or a new
project, make sure you’ve sharpened your skills
so you can succeed.
6. “Courage is being scared to death, but
saddling up anyway.” – John Wayne
Lesson: You should try to frequently do
things which scare you and push you outside
your comfort zone. Take on a complicated new
project, offer to do some public speaking, or
learn a new skill. You’ll never rise in your career
if you don’t take the chance to fall.
7. “A business that makes nothing but
money is a poor business.” – Henry Ford
Lesson: Sure the bottom line is important,
but it’s not the only thing. A business should be
more than dollar signs, it should give something
back to the world and inspire passion in employees.
8. “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston
Churchill
Lesson: It’s important not to let the little
things get you down. You might not be successful
every time, but if you bounce back you’ll come
back stronger.
9. “Look at a day when you are supremely
satisfied at the end. It’s not a day when you
lounge around doing nothing; it’s when you’ve
had everything to do, and you’ve done it.” – Margaret Thatcher
Lesson: You might sometimes dream about a
slow day in the office, but you know you thrive
when things get crazy. Don’t rest on your laurels
when you could be challenging yourself to do
and be better.
Sometimes we need an extra push to follow
our dreams. Great quotes can inspire us, motivate us, and help us get through hard times. Now
is the time to take your career to a whole new
level.
No more making excuses for why you can’t go
after your dream job or the title you know you
deserve. Let these quotes from some great
thinkers inspire you to pursue your dreams and
make them a reality:
1. “Worrying does not empty tomorrow of
its troubles, it empties today of its strength.” –
Corrie ten Boom
Lesson: Identify what has been holding you
back from your career success. Most likely, it’s
been worry and fear. In the new year, it’s time to
leave fear behind. The things you are afraid of
are often the things most worth doing.
2. “The best way to predict the future is to
invent it.” – Alan Kay
Lesson: You can’t wait around for good
things to happen this year; you need to make
them happen yourself.
3. “Strive not to be a success, but rather to
be of value.” – Albert Einstein
Lesson: Bringing value to your company is
the best way up the corporate ladder. Don’t play
office politics, just make sure you bring as much
value as you possibly can to your organization.
4. “Every strike brings me closer to the
next home run.” – Babe Ruth
Lesson: You can learn and grow from your
mistakes if you see them not as mere errors, but
as opportunities to grow as a professional and as
a person.
5. “If I had six hours to chop down a tree,
I’d spend the first four hours sharpening the
axe.” – Abraham Lincoln
(continued to following page)
13
13. “Without ambition one starts nothing.
Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will
not be sent to you. You have to win it.” – Ralph
Waldo Emerson
Lesson: The best way to succeed is to marry piein-the-sky ambition with hard work. If you dream
big and work hard, you’ll be able to make those
dreams a reality.
14. “There are no traffic jams along the extra
mile.” – Roger Staubach
Lesson: Going the extra mile is really the best
way to arrive at your dream destination. No one ever
made it to their dream career, got their dream job, or
started a business without going above and beyond.
15. “Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.”
– Gloria Steinem
Lesson: It’s hard to get anywhere in your professional or personal life without a little bit of dreaming. You need a destination in mind, so don’t be
afraid to dream big.@
10. “It always seems impossible until it’s
done.” – Nelson Mandela
Lesson: Nothing is ever impossible, even if it
often feels that way. If you give up too soon, you’ll
never know if you could have actually achieved your
dream.
11. “Successful and unsuccessful people do not
vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.” – John Maxwell
Lesson: Don’t write yourself off before you actually try. If you put in the hard work and effort this
year, you’ll be closer to achieving your dream.
12. “When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed
door that we do not see the one that has been
opened for us.” – Helen Keller
Lesson: There will always be negatives in your
professional life. If you focus on the negative instead
of the positive, you’ll miss out on great opportunities.
*
from Helen Keller . . .
most is lack of time. I used to have time to think,
to reflect, my mind and I. We would sit together of
an evening and listen to the inner melodies of the
spirit, which one hears only in leisure moments
when the words of some loved poet touch a deep,
sweet chord in the soul that until then had been
silent. But in college there is no time to commune
with one's thoughts. One goes to college to learn, it
seems, not to think. When one enters the portals of
learning, one leaves the dearest pleasures – solitude, books and imagination – outside with the
whispering pines. I suppose I ought to find some
comfort in the thought that I am laying up treasures for future enjoyment, but I am improvident
enough to prefer present joy to hoarding riches
against a rainy day.” @
“I began my studies with eagerness. Before me I
saw a new world opening in beauty and light, and
I felt within me the capacity to know all things. In
the wonderland of Mind I should be as free as another [with sight and hearing]. Its people, scenery,
manners, joys, and tragedies should be living tangible interpreters of the real world. The lecture
halls seemed filled with the spirit of the great and
wise, and I thought the professors were the embodiment of wisdom... But I soon discovered that
college was not quite the romantic lyceum I had
imagined. Many of the dreams that had delighted
my young inexperience became beautifully less
and "faded into the light of common day." Gradually I began to find that there were disadvantages
in going to college. The one I felt and still feel
14
*
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Stress Management
for Women
1.
Accept the fact that some days you’re
the pigeon and some days you’re the statue!
2.
Always keep your words soft and sweet
just in case you have to eat them.
3. Always read stuff that will make you
look good if you die in the middle of it.
4.
Drive carefully... It’s not only cars that
can be recalled by their Maker.
5. If you can’t be kind, at least have the
decency to be vague.
A young
lady confidently walked around
the room while leading and explaining stress
management to an audience with a raised glass of
water. Everyone knew she was going to ask the
ultimate question, ‘half empty or half full?’ She
fooled them all .... “How heavy is this glass of
water?” she inquired with a smile. Answers
called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
6. If you lend someone $20 and never see
that person again, it was probably worth it.
7.
It may be that your sole purpose in life
is simply to serve as a warning to others.
8.
9.
Never buy a car you can’t push.
Never put both feet in your mouth at
the same time, because then you won’t have a leg
to stand on.
She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t
matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I
hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I
hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right
arm. If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an
ambulance. In each case it’s the same weight, but
the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” She
continued, “and that’s the way it is with stress. If
we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or
later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavier,
we won’t be able to carry on.”
10.
Nobody cares if you can’t dance well.
Just get up and dance.
11. Since it’s the early worm that gets eaten
by the bird, sleep late.
12. The second mouse gets the cheese.
13. When everything’s
coming your way, you're in
the wrong lane.
14. Birthdays are
good for you. The more
you have, the longer
you live.
“As with the glass of water, you have to put
it down for a while and rest before holding it
again. When we’re refreshed, we can carry on
with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the
evening as you can, put all your burdens down.
Don’t carry them through the evening and into
the night.”
(continued to
following page)
16
Stress Management
for Women Continued
15. Some mistakes
are too much fun to make
only once.
16. We could learn a
lot from crayons. Some are
sharp, some are pretty and
some are dull. Some have
weird names and all are different colors, but they all have
to live in the same box.
17. A truly happy person
is one who can enjoy the
scenery on a detour.
18. Have an awesome day
and know that someone has thought about you
today.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY
19. Save the earth..... It’s the
only planet with chocolate!
Today someone asked me if I
liked you. I laughed and said,
“Ha! That's funny! I absolutely
LOVE that woman! She’s funny,
caring, crazy as heck, sweet, beautiful, she’s reading this e-mail
right now and I adore her!”
Share this with ten ladies you
love.
Be the kind of woman that
when your feet hit the floor each morning the
devil says “Oh crap, she’s up!”
Fall in
Yosemite
17
DIVERSITY IN ACTION
PREMISES LIABILITY DEFENSE • TORT LITIGATION
MEDIATIONS • INVESTIGATIONS • INSURANCE DEFENSE
EMPLOYMENT LAW • FAMILY LAW
Amy L. Gaffney
[email protected]
Regina Hollins Lewis
[email protected]
Susan Rawls Edwards
[email protected]
Lee Ellen Bagley
[email protected]
Mary D. LaFave
[email protected]
Robert Blain
[email protected]
John Strom
[email protected]
glelawfirm.com
Columbia, SC
•
•
(803) 790-8838
Isle of Palms, SC
August Meeting
Court Appeals
Speaker, John S. Nichols, Esquire
Bluestein, Nichols, Thompson
and Delgado LLC
by Liz Cody
T
he PPA monthly membership meeting was held on
August 20, at the Lourie Center in downtown Columbia. Our featured speaker was John S. Nichols,
Esquire, of Bluestein, Nichols, Thompson and Delgado LLC. Mr. Nichols received his B.S. in Mathematics in 1978 from Francis Marion College. He PRACTICE AREAS
Litigation Support and Appeals Team
obtained his J.D. from the University of South CarBusiness Litigation
olina School of Law in 1985. After receiving his law
Personal Injury
degree, Nichols worked with the Court of Appeals
Wrongful Death
for 10 years. Over the years, Nichols has done more
Medical Malpractice
state appeals than he
Motorcycle Wrecks
has federal appeals.
Wrecks with Tractor Trailers
After working with the
Criminal Defense
Court of Appeals, he
ADMISSIONS
went on to work for
South Carolina Bar
four years with the
U.S. District Court, District
Suggs and Kelly Law
of South Carolina
Firm in Columbia. He
– John Nichols
U.S. Court of Appeals for
has been with his curthe Federal Circuit
rent firm since 2000.
U.S. Court of Appeals for
During our meeting, John stated that he “never does
the Fourth Circuit
an appeal without his rule book.” When dealing
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
with the State Court, you have to serve an appeal
U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
within 30 days. He also mentioned that you must
Supreme Court of the United States
order transcripts within 10 days of serving a notice.
ASSOCIATIONS
You have to have full page transcripts and no conRichland County Bar Association
densed copies. When preparing cases for court,
South Carolina Association for Justice
Nichols stated that it is important to keep regular
South Carolina Association for
contact with clients while waiting on the court to
Justice President’s Council
schedule a hearing. When you get a file, be sure to
Southern Trial Lawyers
look for the agreement and the transcript. Briefs
Roscoe Pound Institute
must be filed within 30 days and you can request
American Association for Justice Leader’s Forum
extensions. Most courts allow up to two extensions,
American Bar Association Council of Appellate
however, they are starting to do away with them.
Staff, Education Committee
j
When preparing cases for court,
it is important to keep regular contact with clients while waiting on the
court to schedule a hearing. . . .
j
j
19
August Meeting Continued
ASSOCIATIONS j
Outstanding Alumnus, 2011 - 2012,
Francis Marion University
2013 Lawyer of the Year, SC Lawyers Weekly
2013 Leadership in Law, SC Lawyers Weekly
Super Lawyers, 2010-2013
2015 Best Lawyers in America
Public Justice Foundation
John Belton O’Neall Inn of Court
OFFICES AND AWARDSj
Federal Bar Association, South Carolina
Chapter, Past President
South Carolina Board of Law Examiners Member
South Carolina Commission on Indigent
Defense Commissioner
South Carolina Bar Professional Responsibility
Committee
South Carolina Bar Solo and Small Firm Section,
Immediate Past Chair
South Carolina Association for Justice,
Past President
South Carolina Association for Justice,
Board Member
South Carolina Association for Justice President’s
Council, Chair
Gold Compleat Lawyer Award from the
University of South Carolina School of Law,
2002
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTj
Richland Public Library Foundation,
Board member
University of South Carolina Coaches versus
Cancer, Board member
Columbia Tip-Off Club, Secretary
Furman University Riley Institute Diversity
Leadership Consortium (founding member)
PUBLICATIONSj
Trial Handbook for South Carolina Lawyers
(Thomson Reuters), co-author 1993-present
South Carolina Jurisprudence, Volumes 1-25
(SC Bar), supplemental material
Ervin’s Jury Charges (SC Bar), supplemental
materials
South Carolina Law of Torts (2010-2013)
Masters in Equity and Special Referees (SC Bar)
Service of Process in South Carolina (SC Bar)
A
Yosemite
Fall
20
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CAREER ADVICE
WRITING PARALEGAL RESUMES FOR NEW PARALEGALS
by Linda T. Chin a Web Exclusive
and academic organizations. Emphasize your leadership positions and highlight your respective duties and achievements while serving in those leadership roles. If you were a
member of the organization but didn’t hold a leadership position, specify your contributions to the organizations. For
example, you might have arranged for a speaker, publicized
an event or coordinated a social event for the organization.
Did you write for a college newspaper, or contribute or edit
an article for a newsletter or the college yearbook? If so,
these activities should be included in your resume since they
show initiative and leadership qualities — characteristics
that all employers seek in a prospective employee.
Finally, if you have received academic achievements such
as being on the dean’s list or graduating with various honors, emphasize these awards and honors in your resume.
Experience. This section is the meat of a resume. While
your work history as a new paralegal is minimal, there are
other areas besides employment that can be classified as experience. Serving in an internship program is an excellent way
to highlight your duties and responsibilities as well as the
skills you obtained. Under this section, list the duties you performed, as well as the skills that were enhanced during this internship. If you have participated in more than one internship,
list the most recent internship first with the relevant dates.
Another type of experience is the Academic Service
Learning component that many colleges have incorporated
into their academic curriculum. St. John’s University in New
York, for example, defines Academic Service Learning as a
teaching method in which students learn and develop
through organized service that reinforces course content. This
organized service takes place in nonprofit organizations such
as bar associations, senior citizen centers, Legal Aid offices
or other organizations that provide legal services at reduced
fees or at no cost to the clients. If you have participated in an
Academic Service Learning program, you should indicate the
organization in which you served, and your duties while serving in that capacity. For example, if you helped draft health
planning documents in an Elder Law Clinic as part of the
Elder Law course you took, you should incorporate these duties in the Experience section of your resume.
Skills. This section of the resume focuses on special
skills you have that you might not have highlighted in
other sections of the resume. Are you familiar with Microsoft Word? Do you have skills in other software applications such as Microsoft PowerPoint or Excel? Are you an
expert in using Westlaw and/or Lexis as a research tool?
Are you proficient in a foreign language? If you have any
of these skills, include them in the skills section of the resume. However, be honest in assessing your proficiency.
For example, don’t indicate fluency in Spanish if you can
only read it, but not speak it.
From the Editor: Resumes for Experienced Paralegals will be addressed in the next issue of the In Brief.
Be sure to peruse your next issue to receive this valuable information.
Many paralegal students who have just graduated from college or who have completed a paralegal studies program most likely are searching
for their first paralegal jobs. This article will
assist them in drafting resumes that will be concise but comprehensive, appealing but not overwhelming to prospective employers.
Resumes. Let’s begin with some general pointers. Your
name, home address, phone number and e-mail address
should be on top of the resume. Use more common computer fonts, such as 12-point Times New Roman. Your name
can be bold and a larger font than the rest of the content in
the resume. Try to keep the resume to one page, if possible.
Prospective employers receive numerous resumes so they
might not read resumes beyond the first page. Many resumes
usually contain four to five sections. Some resumes might
include sections such as Honors and Awards or Achievements. For the purpose of this article, we will concentrate
on four sections: Career Objective, Education, Experience,
Skills and Other Relevant Experience, if applicable.
Career objective. This is important for several reasons. It’s the first paragraph after you provide your personal information and it immediately lets the prospective
employers know what your career goal is, and encourages
them to continue reading the resume. You should express
your career objective by writing a one-sentence description of the job you are seeking. If you are unsure of the
area of legal practice in which you want to specialize, focus
your objective to a general practice of law. Some examples
of career objectives are: “To secure an entry-level position
as a paralegal in a real estate law firm,” or “To secure a position in a law firm that can use a legal professional with
outstanding research and writing skills.”
Education. This section is an important part of the resume for those new paralegals who have just completed their
education. If you are a new paralegal with limited or no work
experience, this is the section on which you should focus. Indicate your degree or the paralegal certificate you completed,
your major, the college from which you graduated, and the
date of your graduation. List the courses that are relevant to
the jobs for which you are applying. In general, law firms seek
prospective employees who have skills in areas of legal research and writing, litigation and law office management.
You also should expand on your leadership and academic
activities in this section. List your membership in all student
21
(continued to following page)
Kelli Spinks
August Paralegal of the Month
Kelli Spinks has been a paralegal for 24 years
and is currently employed with Gaffney, Lewis &
Edwards and their lead paralegal. Her practice area
is litigation defense. In the past she has worked in
workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, domestic and personal injury. Her favorite area of
practice is medical malpractice.
goldfish pond. She
has two boys Cade
(15) and Jace (12)
and has two dogs,
a bearded dragon
and leopard
gecko.
She is the current Coordination Committee
Chairperson. Her duties include locating and securing facilities for meetings and socials, arranging
menu and door prizes. Also responsible for registering attendees at the monthly meetings and seminars; collecting fees; preparing and submitting
invoices, preparing and submitting monthly reconciliation reports to the Treasurer. She also prepares
and emails Cvent invitations and maintains and updates information on Cvent.
Kelli worked
with Sistercare
for approximately four
years helping
incarcerated,
battered
women with
their legal issues. She still
helps out on a volunteer and consulting basis.
Her hobbies include baking, reading, working
out and gardening and piddling around with her
CAREER ADVICE CONTINUED . . .
Other relevant experience. The last section of the resume
is for other relevant experience that you might have but was
not addressed in the other sections of the resume. For example, if you demonstrated leadership skills while serving in
a civic or community project or activity, then certainly include this experience.
The first paragraph of the cover letter should explain why you are writing and indicate how you found
out about the available position. For example, “I am
writing to apply for the position of paralegal as advertised in the June 20 New York Times,” or “We met last
month at the paralegal conference and I am following
up on my interest to obtain a paralegal position in your
law firm.”
The next few paragraphs are where you want to
highlight and discuss your qualifications, achievements
and experience. Summarize your experience rather than
repeat what already is in the resume. Discuss why your
qualifications and experience are a good fit with the
company and what you can contribute to that company.
The final paragraph closes the letter by thanking the
employers for their consideration of your application
and notifying them where they can contact you for an
interview. Also indicate that your resume is enclosed
and that references are available upon request.
Cover Letter. The cover letter is your initial contact
with the prospective employer. The purpose of the cover
letter is to convince the employer to read your resume
and invite you for an interview. Therefore, like the resume it has to be error-proof and neat. It should be wellwritten since employers are seeking paralegals with
good writing skills.
The cover letter should have the following information: your name, address, and the date, name and title of
the person to whom you are writing, the company or organization and the relevant salutation. Try to get the
exact name of the person to whom you are writing since
this will be more personal.
22
Calendar 2014
October
7. Executive Board Meeting /
Approval of Budget
Deadline for scholarship essays
Candidacy Forms Due
Proxy Mailing/Qualifications
15. Membership Meeting
November
4. Executive Board Meeting
Membership Renewal
Applications Distributed
19. Annual Business Meeting /
Election of Officers
Paralegal of the Year nomination
submission deadline
December
2. Executive Board Meeting
(2014/2015 Board
Review Timeline for 2015
Review Committee Rules 2015
17. Holiday Social
Renew Bond for Officers and
Directors. All CLE Credit
Due to Education Chair
Photograph by Deanie Kane
1122 Lady Street
Suite 725
Columbia, SC 29201
Ph. 803-354-4300
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