A Guide for the Newbie Paralegal

When I became a paralegal I had no idea what to do, in a practical sense. My paralegal certificate didn't prepare me well at all. It took me many months to really learn what I needed to know to be efficient and effective, and there were no other paralegals helping me. 

So I wrote a book about the wisdom I've gained since I finished paralegal school in 1985, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. The book is Paralegal 411: Tips, Tricks and Timesavers for the Litigation Paralegal.

Unlike most books for paralegals, it doesn't cost $20-$200. 

Fair warning: If you are interested in being a non-litigation paralegal, this may not be the book for you. I only know litigation.  

I started my first paralegal job in June of 1985, and I am still working today. I have worked for huge firms, medium-sized firms, sole practitioners, and in the corporate legal departments of big companies. I've seen my work evolve from a lot of paper pushing and phone calls to a completely computerized workspace and no paper. Those are HUGE changes, trust me. 

Paralegal schools have evolved, too. I know because when I was writing my book I did a lot of research. It's still frustrating to me today, however, to see that paralegal schools rarely teach anything really practical in school. Most classes are taught by attorneys, who know nothing about how to really function as a paralegal. 

Graduates still get hired and have to reinvent the wheel, unless they are at a firm with a good training and/or mentorship program.  

A big part of becoming a successful paralegal is learning good work habits and people skills. I address that in the book. When I got my first job I was 23 years old and I knew nothing. I was lucky because my father [a banker who headed up a department] worked right downstairs and was friends with all the attorneys in my firm. So he would take me out to lunch and we would discuss how to handle tricky interpersonal situations. His advice was always correct. 

Now, I've noticed lately on LinkedIn that there are a lot of paralegals starting their own businesses advising paralegals. I commented on one such posting the other day. The paralegal/entrepreneur who wrote the post advised paralegals to prepare a case for trial even if it was soon going to mediation, because mediation would likely fail. Maybe in a plaintiff's firm that would be okay but in a defense firm, where every hour has to be billed, that will likely get a paralegal in big trouble. Most insurance companies don't want to pay for trial prep right before a mediation. As a practical matter, never do trial prep unless or until your lawyer supervisor tells you to do it.

So buyer beware, when it comes to paralegal advice.  

Check out Paralegal 411: Tips, Tricks and Timesavers for the Litigation Paralegal. Worst case scenario, you buy the book and aren't satisfied, you only spent $12, not $92. 

Best case scenario: you get that first job and hit the ground running, ready to become an integral part of the team and prove your worth. 

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