By Lakisha Chichester From the Courthouse to the Client’s Corner: A Seamless Shift After more than three decades of service in the Clerk of Court’s Office, Bernice Kendall was poised for retirement. But just one hour into her newfound freedom, a phone call changed everything. A local attorney reached out with an offer: join his […]
By Melissa Burhenne As paralegals, we do not get to choose whether we are OK with change or not. We have to adapt, roll with the punches, and somehow keep things moving, regardless of what is going on around us. 2020 changed many things in our legal world, but we learned from that time. For […]
By Lakisha Chichester Brett Cosgrove is a litigation paralegal with almost 30 years of experience in personal injury, medical malpractice and complex civil litigation. She has two children and six grandchildren who live in different parts of the country. Outside of work, Brett enjoys hiking, reading, cooking and baking, traveling in their RV, and spending […]
By Melissa Burhenne One of the main duties of being a paralegal is meeting and communicating with clients. In some cases, the paralegal may be the point of contact and the person most familiar with the client. In my experience, I have found that people who decide to hire a lawyer do so because they […]
By Rachel L. Royal Paralegal Pro Bono Reporting is open in NC! Four years ago, the NC Pro Bono Resource Center began recognizing paralegals for their valuable pro bono contributions through voluntary reporting with the Paralegal Pro Bono Honor Society. This year, for the first time, NC Certified Paralegals can submit their pro bono hours […]
By Martin A. Ginsburg and H. David Ginsburg Introduction: The Prevalence of Wi-Fi and Data Vulnerability in Law Firms In the legal profession, the protection of sensitive client information is not just a matter of best practices but a legal and ethical obligation. Law firms often handle highly confidential data ranging from intellectual property, trade secrets, […]
By Lakisha Chichester Forging an Unconventional Path Savannah Croxton-Zweigart didn’t set out to work in the legal field. With a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (“UNCW”), she envisioned a future in music therapy. But life had other plans. A severe case of temporomandibular joint (“TMJ”) disorder forced her […]
By Johana Sanchez Clearing Up the Confusion Understanding the role of a paralegal within the legal system has been essential for me since I started as one. There are times when we, as paralegals, need to know how to handle certain situations for clients and attorneys. I recently handled a situation in which knowing the […]
By Alicia Mitchell-Mercer The New Frontline of Legal Helpers As you sit in your car outside the courthouse, your hands tighten around the steering wheel. You know you need to file for temporary guardianship of your aging father — his memory is slipping, and he’s no longer able to manage his medical appointments or pay […]
By Rachel L. Royal When I began working as a paralegal, I envisioned spending my entire career in a law office. I dreamed of working at a big firm and specializing in family law. I had found my calling and loved the work I did because it gave me a deep sense of purpose – […]