Giving Back, Paying Forward

I'm ashamed to say that it has been years since I sought out volunteer work of any kind. But I broke that streak recently when I volunteered at the monthly Saturday legal clinic sponsored by the Memphis Association of Legal Services (MALS). Thank goodness that I did.

At 9 a.m., I arrived at the library where the Saturday clinics are held. Several people seeking legal assistance were already there filling out intake forms. I was happy to find that many of the volunteers were legal staffers. Our jobs included intake, answering questions about the intake forms, matching legal issues with suitable attorneys, and receiving finalized paperwork.

I walked around most of the time helping people with raised hands and taking up their completed intake forms. I answered questions about the kind of information the applicants needed to give, and I played with babies.

Surprisingly, the number of volunteers that day almost matched the number of clients that showed up. Family and employment lawyers were most on demand, but some people also had estate questions. We saw people of all ages, ethnicities, and income brackets.

The only problem with this otherwise wonderful experience is that I felt nearly useless. As a paralegal, my job is to assist attorneys. In the clinic setting, I was not assisting attorneys, and I had a very limited role in helping the clients. The assistance I was able to provide was purely administrative. I found myself wishing that I could do more... take notes, draft something up, research a legal problem, etc. But in the clinic setting, they need volunteers who can make sure forms are filled out correctly and decipher handwriting. It was much better to show up and be used for those tasks than not to show up at all.

I've decided to make the MALS Saturday clinics a monthly habit. It feels good to be donating time toward the field I love. If you are a legal secretary, paralegal, law student, or attorney in the Memphis area, and you are interesting in volunteering, visit the MALS website.

Good People to Know: Records Custodians

Whether you are trying to acquire medical records, city records, or any other type of recorded material, a relationship with the person who protects their distribution can make all the difference in the world.

I have learned that since moving to Memphis, a place where I know very few people. I took it for granted back in Small Town, Alabama, that all records custodians were sugary sweet and eager to help fill my requests. That was Small Town, Alabama; this is Large Metropolitan Area, Tennessee. While I am sure the hospitals back home see their fair share of records requests, Memphis hospitals probably see three times as many.

In my first two months, I have had few successes at quickly retrieving records. With exceptions, most records requests and subpoenas feel like pulling teeth. I may end up with the wrong address or learn that billing records have to be subpoenaed from an entirely different place. I have been told several times that they never received my request, even after re-faxing it. I can't tell you how many times I have heard the phrase, "We're running behind here, and we have two weeks worth of unopened mail to go through."

Thus, it becomes very important to form a relationship with the records custodian. He or she is not going to work any faster or put forth any extra effort for the faceless voice over the phone. However, a few seconds of warm conversation and a couple of thankyousomuches seem to melt even the coldest personalities.

I have taken to writing down names of people to ask for when I inevitably call these places again. It helps to speak to a familiar person, especially when you can remind her of how grateful you were for her help in the past.

When I first moved here, I made a request for records to a hospital system in a completely different region. The first request was sent to the correct (but incomplete) address. I had to send another one. The first custodian I spoke with gave me the complete address and encouraged me to save my firm a little money by requesting the records on CD. I failed to take down his name. The CD came in, but the records were password protected. This seems like a smart idea. It keeps out those who should not be viewing the records. I called the hospital for the password then proceeded to upload the records to my firm's system. I noticed, however, that they remained password protected.





I attempted to change the security on the pdf documents in order to release the password, but this required a new password. Of course when I contacted the hospital, they were unwilling to give me the administrative pass code. I was unable to OCR, bates stamp, or otherwise alter the documents in any way. And I could not remember the name of the guy who had been so helpful when I first called. He may not have been able to give me the password, but perhaps he would have empathized with me when I explained to him that the double password protection would require me to print the 1,000 pages of records anyway and then re-scan them back into the system before anyone else in my firm could access them or process them. The person I ended up speaking with simply did not care that we were in fact wasting paper and defeating the purpose of the paperless system.

So get to know your local records custodians. They hold the keys to the information you need.

The Life of the Young Urban Professional

Two months into the new job, and I have a few changes to note. First, my attorneys seem to have figured out that I like to work. My to-do list never runs out, and my office is full of accordion files that are stuffed with folders and papers.The best part is that my work is still interesting. While I began my new job by organizing file after file after file, a larger part of my work these days includes researching expert witnesses and obtaining medical records.

One thing I wish I could change is this time clock business. When I worked for The Boss, I never worried about fitting so much into a mere 40 hours. If I needed to work overtime, I did. Five o'clock was just a number. Now it's a deadline. I must clock out by 5:15, and if I do not, then I must cut my Friday short by however many minutes I snuck into the front of the week. Leaving early on a Friday sounds nice, right? Not when I have to leave one or two items on my to-do list for Monday.

And as a stickler for rules, I take the firm policy of no unapproved overtime seriously. Although it seems that a few minutes of overtime seems to be okay every once in awhile, it still feels like cheating to me. So I work and I stress and try to fit as many billable hours into my strict eight-hour day as possible.

I am ridiculously busy these days, and not just with work. Somehow over the past year, I have extended paralegaling into real life. If you read my blog, you already know that. But specifically, I am doing quite a bit of writing lately. A professional paper and two other articles due before August... along with making time for everything else. I guess frazzled is an appropriate word for these circumstances.

But I wouldn't change a thing. One of the partners at my new firm asked me why I had not left the office yet at 5:15 last Wednesday. "You need to grab your man and go out to a coffee shop. Enjoy being young urban professionals," he said. It struck me then that urban professionals is exactly what we are. It also struck me that he used the word "professional" to describe my position as a paralegal. As I said, I wouldn't change a thing.

A Word from Remington College

Online learning is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to traditional education for people wanting to further their education without sacrificing a current job or responsibilities to friends and family.  It offers the possibility of earning a degree to people who thought education was out of the question because of the demands of daily life.       
   
 What if someone is interested in an education in paralegal studies, for instance? Are there benefits to pursuing a degree in paralegal from an online program instead of attending classes on a campus? 
Yes! First of all, it may be convenient for someone who would like to continue to work or manage their family rather than go to campus for classes during the day.  Many potential students need a program that can fit around their busy schedule, not vice versa.  For some students, the best time to work on their course may be after 7 p.m., or early in the morning – times that traditional classes typically aren’t held.  Of course, it’s up to the student to manage his or her time to successfully juggle previous commitments in the pursuit of an associate’s degree. 

For people who are going back to school to receive paralegal training, an online program may offer an ideal education choice for their lifestyle. Taking courses online doesn’t mean people have to sacrifice their daily responsibilities to work and family. Whether it’s taking the kids to soccer practice, working until 6 p.m. or taking yoga classes in the afternoon, online courses can work around the life and schedule they’ve already made.  Working adults may benefit by adding an education into their schedule rather than having an education take over their schedule!
   
Another benefit: Most online paralegal studies program can be completed in a little over a year.  In fact, the online paralegal program through Remington College can be completed in as few as 18 months. 
While no reputable college can guarantee employment upon graduation, students could be working in a law firm or corporate legal department after less than two years of studying for their paralegal degree.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Most entrants have an associate’s degree in paralegal studies, or a bachelor's degree in another field and a certificate in paralegal studies.”  Remington College’s online paralegal program covers many areas of law that paralegals may encounter in their work, such as real estate law, civil litigation, trial preparation, business and contracts law, and family and probate law. 
   
According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “private law firms will continue to be the largest employers of paralegals, but a growing array of other organizations, such as corporate legal departments, insurance companies, real-estate and title insurance firms, and banks also hire paralegals. “
Lawyers want to provide the most efficient legal service they can, and paralegals help to provide the assistance lawyers need to help organize information for cases, research laws, and prepare for closings and trails.  The help that paralegals provide lawyers can be valuable when lawyers are working on a tight schedule.
     
Paralegals can support lawyers in their work and save them time and money, and employment opportunities have stayed in demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “employment of paralegals and legal assistants is projected to grow 28 percent between 2008 and 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations.”   

An online paralegal degree program may be something to consider for someone interested in the field of legal services.  An online program may provide flexibility and convenience – and most importantly, the opportunity to pursue an education.  Visit the website to find out more about obtaining your paralegal degree online through Remington College Online.

Written by: Sasha Roe
Employee of: Plattform Advertising
On behalf of: Remington College

Consumed

You may wonder why my posts have been so infrequent lately. I have been settled into my place for almost two months. I thought by now that I would have found time to write at least every other day. But life has a strange habit of getting in the way of our best set plans.

Before my move, I worked all day then went straight home. I talked to My Boyfriend the Lawyer on the phone before eating dinner and relaxing in front of a television for the remainder of the evening. As one of the few people who returned to my home town after college, I was definitely not a social butterfly. This gave me a ton of time to write.

Now, however, while work still takes up the standard 40 hours of my week, life itself is suddenly requiring more of my time. Nowadays, meeting at a pub for an after work beer or going to a friend's house for dinner is becoming the norm. And forget about a moment of true peace. My Boyfriend the Lawyer also moved to Memphis, and I quickly learned that an apartment of two is much busier than an apartment of one. Between work and get-togethers - and don't forget quality time with the love of my life - I am lucky I found this moment to share tonight.

But I am learning a necessary and refreshing lesson from this whirlwind: life outside of and apart from work is very important. Over the past two and a half years I have become consumed with paralegalism, ideas of regulation, questions about UPL lines and musings about the economic ramifications of an expanding paralegal profession in the greater legal world. I identify whole-heartedly as a paralegal. I am proud to be a contributing force of justice in this world, in some small way. I have always been the kind of person who needed to connect on a personal level with her job.

But this is the first time in my adult career life when I have been forced to take off the legal mask sometimes. And as hard as it is, as much as I love talking paralegalese, I have to admit that it has felt amazing to be just Mel outside of the office. These days, at least during this adjustment period, both in work and personal life, I am consumed with something other than paralegalism... but stay tuned. I am not done being Para-Mel just yet.

Taking Company Brand to a Whole New Level

I have been asked to do a lot for the many jobs I have had in my life. I have worked overtime, calmed angry customers, dealt with spilt food, come home late, arrived early, driven all over the county, and patiently accepted rude comments. I have done these things as a waitress, customer service rep, cashier and most recently as a paralegal. Going the distance is a part of who I am. There is little that I will not do for a boss or company I respect in the course of a job I enjoy.

But I will not get a tattoo of the company logo on any part of my body.

I came across a story tonight of a paralegal who has done just that. States the story at StarTribute.com, "Katie Edmeier, a paralegal for Anytime Fitness, got the health club chain's purple running-man logo tattooed on her upper left arm." Apparently Ms. Edmeier is just one of over 200 employees of the fitness chain who really take company loyalty to heart. The fact that so many staffers are willing to physically take on the brand speaks volumes about the company's relationship with its employees.

However, my personal commitment issues with permanent ink aside, this could spell trouble for any staffers whose relationship with the company may sour in the distant future. It seems to me that having a competing company's logo etched into one's skin might be a lot like having "Brad" tattooed down your arm when you're dating a "Derek." I cannot imagine it going over too well with either the new employer or the new boyfriend.

Thank goodness for me, Ms. Scared-of-Needles, I think my firm will accept good ol' fashioned hard work in place of permanent ink as proof of my love for the job.

Snub in the Elevator

Every elevator ride is different and so is every elevator personality. I believe I've met them all at this point. Something about confined spaces brings out the best and worst in people. 

My own elevator personality is cautiously friendly. If someone speaks to me, I will speak back. I keep an open smile on my face in the effort to be friendly and receptive. I often look down, and when uncomfortable, I either play on my phone or clasp my hands in front of me.

Sometimes a group of people who know each other will step on, and I will feel outnumbered and shy. Other times we will speak awkwardly about the weather. Often I will meet a new face, and we will hit it off on the way to the first floor over shoes or purses or some other thing we have in common.


And sometimes, even in this adult world, in a city, in a big building full of professionals, in an apartment complex inhabited by young  adults, I step onto an elevator that immediately takes me back to high school, a time when I was less assured of myself, insecure, and too eager to fit in. They are the elevator equivalent of the cool kids at school, and they tend not to talk to me, the runt. They have perfect city-professional clothes and sleek hair. They carry portfolios or drag suitcases full of important papers behind them. They avoid looking me in the eyes, and they exude an air of business and importance. They wear expensive shoes. For an eternity of fifteen seconds, I forget my confidence and my worldview and shrink a little on the inside.

Then the doors open and I step into a sun-filled lobby. All of the tension spills into the open air, dissipating. I am myself again in an instant. I am good as gold. I am ready for the next ride up.