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This page is advice from our graduates to our graduates.
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My advice? Definitely that "flattery will get you everywhere!"
-- Marie
If you will be working in a firm that handles various areas of the law, it is a good idea to always take notes when you
are working on something new because you will find that you will work in one area and complete the project, and not work in
that area again for a few weeks. It is good to have your notes to look back for the next project. Understand your cases. Always
double check your work. I like to check my work on printed paper as opposed to checking it on the computer screen before finalizing.
Always click that spell check button, even on inner-office e-mails. When calling the courts for information, be courteous
and friendly. You never know when you'll need a favor. Sometimes you may talk to someone at the clerk's office that may give
you wrong information, so use your intuition; if they sound like they don't know what they're talking about, ask more questions
to make sure you are getting correct information.
--Esther Bishop
Even if you don't have any experience as a Paralegal, it is OK. It really is all about the way you sell yourself, play
up your good qualities, work ethic, and work experience. It was really hard for me to finally find a job I really like and
there were times where I was extremely frustrated and wanted to give up. Finding a job is a fulltime job, so I'd also
like to say don't give up that easily if you can't find a job initially, it will happen. But also don't just take any job
because it's a waste of your time, as well as the firm's.
__ Afsheen
I would say the best thing to do when starting as a fresh paralegal is to make friends with other paralegals the receptionists,
even baby lawyers. They serve as as great references since attorneys give you a list of tasks they want completed and sometimes
I have no idea what it means and being able to ask someone who knows, besides having to keep going back to the attorney, is
a lifesaver. They show the quick ways of doing things and don't mind reviewing your work before you turn it in. Also making
lots of note on how to do little daily things so they just have to show you once, EXAMPLE how to send certified mail or forward
telephone calls.
Christina Lara
1. Remember that your quality of work should always be the best even if
other people's work is not.
2.
Office politics rule. You have to play (and play well, at that) whether
you want to or not. This applies to
most jobs.
3. Don't take it personally.
4. I made a very basic table to write information down and the Project
Director
said to my team, "You guys did good, I'm addicted to the
tables." I then said, "Thank you, I actually created that
on my own."
Always stand out in a good way and take credit.
5. Customer service and satisfaction is important.
It's not just for
restaurants.
-- Marisa
I can't stress how important details are in my job. My company looks to me to make sure I know the rules and regulations
front and back to ensure that we cover all the details in a filing, be it a public filing with the SEC or a litigation matter,
or even meeting internal deadlines and control environment reviews. I keep very detailed project lists and use Microsoft
Excel and Project extensively.
Stephanie Concelman
Advice for new Paralegals:
1. Have a good, positive, can-do attitude.
2. Be indispensable. You want your attorney to think he/she can't practice law without you. Be the right and left hand.
3. Never go into your attorney's office without pen and paper. The one time you are just dropping off something is when
a new assignment will be rattled off.
4. When you are given an assignment go one step further than what is asked of you. For example, if you are asked to research
something and print out your findings - do a little more, highlight the areas applicable, and prepare a short memo explaining
your findings and any questions you have.
5. Think outside the box. If you are given an assignment stop and think about how you would want the assignment done.
A lot of assignments do not come with instructions. That is when you have to stop and think about what you are doing.
6. Always be willing to learn. Do not turn down an assignment because you do not know how to do it. Figure it out or
ask for guidance.
7. Be organized. Your attorney will rely on you for organization.
8. Most importantly, learn from your mistakes!
Jan Whaley
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My first tip for new paralegals is to make sure you have a
good relationship with the office administrator
or secretary. This person has often been around forever and is an unending source of legal information and procedures.
Lawyers are often out of the office or unavailable and the administrator/secretary can often answer those "who do I call to
find out?" or "how do I file?" or "where can
I find?" questions. I find that being respectful and pitching in to
help in crisis times can go a long way. On the other hand, a paralegal who angers the administrator/secretary by being disrespectful
will soon find her work life hell. It is a tricky thing because often legal secretaries can resent a new paralegal who
comes in and may make more money and have more interesting assignments but is less experienced than they are.
My second tip is to always ask questions, especially on the first days and weeks of a job. Often lawyers
are extremely busy and you hate to pester them constantly with questions, but lawyers and courts are very picky, and you can't
just guess and say, "Well, this looks about right to me." Things have to be done exactly right and you will have wasted your
time and need to do it over when you could have just
asked.
My third tip is about confidentiality. My dad (a lawyer) was in a
completely different city (Washington
DC) than where he worked (Chicago) when he heard people at a table behind him in a restaurant discussing details of a case
he was working on. So crazy coincidences do happen. People know not to discuss cases in the elevators at the
courthouse, but seem to think nothing of discussing them in other public places. The person in the checkout line behind you
may know the
"pervert teacher who exposed himself to a 9-year-old" or "vindictive wife of a senator asking for sole custody"
(made up) and be very interested in the details of their case. Some cases might seem too juicy to keep to oneself, but in
my view confidentiality needs to be total.
Kathryn
As a paralegal, you
must think of yourself as an extension of the lawyer/firm you are working for and consider the ramifications of your actions.
Always take the time and the extra effort to make your work complete and polished. Positive feedback from clients resulting
from your thoughtful work is a good marketing tool for the lawyers. Ask questions! It’s always better to obtain
a clear knowledge of what you need to accomplish before you get yourself into a mess of trouble. Do it right the first
time, and you’ll prevent headaches for you and your co-workers. Don’t take anyone or anything around you
for granted—take the opportunity to learn from those around you. We all have different outlooks and opinions,
and if you’re open to those perspectives, you might find a new and better way of doing something. Just be observant
and considerate!
--Linda
This is what you do on your first day at a new law firm. Find the biggest, toughest looking person in the place and punch
him in the face. Wait, that is the first day of jail. On your first day as a paralegal, do NOT punch anyone in the face. They
tend to frown upon that sort of thing. And if you find yourself if jail, well, now you know what to do.
Danny Vara
Paralegals -- the REAL Power of Attorney!
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