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FEATURES

January/February

Getting Into the Pro Bono Game

Advance your career: Start a firm-wide volunteer program.

By Lori Thompson

January/February

Sidebar: Heller Ehrman Does Pro Bono Right

By Rachel Ng

January/February

Master Plan

Will your next move be a graduate-level education?

By Rod Hughes

January/February

Sarbanes-Oxley

Almost four years later, paralegals still are trying to unscramble their increased workloads.

By Cary Griffith

January/February

2005 Index to Articles

Online only – click here

January/February

Taking Off

Salaries climbed in 2005 according to LAT’s 14th Annual Salary Survey results.

By Rod Hughes

March/April

Flying Solo

LAT’s Freelance Survey results.

By the editors of Legal Assistant Today

March/April

Sidebar: Persuading Attorneys to Use Freelancers

By Liz Miller

March/April

Regulation Roll Call

A look at paralegal legislation and certification activities across the nation.

Compiled by Patrick Vuong

March/April

The Show Must Go On

Evaluating the bright lights of a new job while gracefully closing the curtain on an old one.

By Brad Baber

March/April

Technology to Go

LAT’s 5th Annual Technology Survey results.

By Sarah K. Cron

May/June
 

Legal Blogging

How paralegals can enter the blogosphere.

By Kim Plonsky

May/June

Risky Business

Learn how to climb outside of your comfort zone.

By Stacey Hunt, CLA, CAS, and Mark Gorkin, “The Stress Doc”

May/June

E-Discovery Explosion

Can the new FRCP amendments help pick up the pieces?

By Elissa A. Santo

July/August

Do You Have the Timeline?

Illustrating a sequence of events can make your case.

By Milton Hooper

July/August

Cracking Personal Injury Cases

Drafting key documents leading up to trial.

By Catherine Astl, CLA

July/August

Legal Technology Trainers Revealed

Taking firms to new levels of productivity.

By Erin M. Blakemore

July/August

2006 Paralegal of the Year

This year’s winner and runners-up are unique, passionate and among the most skilled in the legal profession.

By Rachel Ng

September/October

Hunt for Justice

A product-liability case turns into a maze of mayhem, bribery and deceit.

By Stacey Hunt, CLA, CAS

September/October

Sept. 11: Five Years Later

Survivors and witnesses reflect on the day that changed everything.

By Rod Hughes

September/October

2006 Rookie of the Year

Julianne Fink overcomes personal and professional struggles and finds a fulfilling career in the paralegal field.

By Rachel Ng

November/December

The Hottest Corporate Practice Areas

Four in-house paralegals describe what it’s like to work in the most sizzling fields.

By Ursula Furi-Perry

November/December

Managing Legal Entities

Tracking corporate information with the latest Web-based applications.

By Cary Griffith

November/December

The Extranet Revolution

Online collaboration has never been so easy.

By Ari Kaplan

November/December

 

COLUMNS

Association Spotlight

• Maryland Association of Paralegals
  By Traci M. Radice
  January/February

• Arizona Paralegal Association
  By Joanie Littrel
  March/April

• Lancaster Area Paralegal Association (Pennsylvania)
  By Cindy J. Geib
  May/June

• Washington State Paralegal Association
  By Theda Yandell
  July/August

• Paralegals of Southern West Virginia
  By Jill Francisco, CLA

  September/October

• Local Government Paralegal Association of Virginia
  By Carol A. Iacone
  November/December
   

Career Advice

• Seven Ways to Lose Your Job
  Learn the most common reasons for firing paralegals.
  By Elizabeth A. Gillis
  March/April

• The Name Game
  Can professional designations enhance a paralegal career?
  By Elizabeth A. Gillis
  July/August

• Avoiding Legal Malpractice
  Know what you and your lawyer can and can’t do.
  By Cindy Lopez
  September/October

• Regulating Your Career Temperature
  Using burnout to reignite your professional passion.
  By Gary Melhuish
  November/December
   

Corporate Comment
By Claudia J. Taller

• Setting the Corporate Record
  How to gain control of a record books nightmare.
  January/February

• The Rise of the LLC
  What you need to know to help form this popular business entity.
  March/April

• Surfing the SEC Site
  A guide to understanding the Securities and Exchange Commission’s online portal.
  May/June

• One World
  Dealing with global business transactions and foreign laws.
  July/August

• Land Surveys and Standards
  The ins and outs of survey review for corporate paralegals.
  September/October

• Working Together
  A slow dance between corporate law departments and outside counsel.
  November/December
   

Creative Computing
By Kim T. Plonsky

• Exploring Electronic Medical Records
  Online services can simplify document retrieval.
  January/February

• Building a Knowledge Bank
  A legal electronic research database can save time and money.
  March/April

• Software That Complies
  In a Sarbanes-Oxley world, corporate paralegals can reduce paperwork by using corporate compliance software.
  May/June

• When You Are Away
  Safe solutions for remotely accessing your PC.
  July/August

• OCR It
  Making Strides Toward the Paperless Office
  September/October

• The File Factor
  Free resources for sending large attachments.
  November/December
   

Ethics Roundtable
By Therese A. Cannon, Nancy B. Heller, RP, and Stacey Hunt, CLA, CAS

• Reporting Unethical Conduct
  January/February

• Finding Ethics Resources
  March/April

• Avoiding Technology Traps
  May/June

• Marketing Freelance Services
  July/August

• Ethical Obligations at Trial
  September/October

• Ethical Nightmares
  November/December
   

Legal Research & Writing

• Making Research Easier
  What is new on LexisNexis and Westlaw.
  By Mark A. Gediman
  January/February

• Sentence Citations vs. Footnotes
  What is the best method for citing cases in legal documents?
  By Juanita M. Greenfield
  May/June

• Good Day, Sunshine
  A review of environmental resources.
  By Mark A. Gediman
  July/August

• Taking the Contract Challenge
  How to draft clear, concise agreements.
  By Christy Hall Benson, CLA
  September/October

• Thought Equity
  Intellectual property resources.
  By Mark A. Gediman
  November/December
   

Legal Teams

• Tandem Teaching
  Joni Boucher and Frank J. Drago
  September/October

• Cross-border Collaboration
  Viswapriya Senthilkumar and Regine W. Corrado
  November/December
   

Litigation Corner

• When Your Case Gets a Second Chance
  Paralegals can play an important role in retrials.
  By Catherine Astl, CLA
  January/February

• Expert Discovery
  Paralegals can play an important part in this litigation phase.
  By Oliver M. Gierke
  March/April

• Paralegals and Punitives
  Organization is key when dealing with motions for punitive damages.
  By Catherine Astl, CLA
  May/June

• Undaunting Depositions
  Staying organized during large cases.
  By Oliver M. Gierke
  July/August

• Deposition Digests
  Providing a clear, objective summary of testimony.
  By Oliver M. Gierke
  September/October

• Meet the Clients
  A day in the life of discovery.
  By Catherine Astl, CLA
  November/December
   

Manager’s Desk

• Dealing With Office Politics
  The dos and don’ts of creating a productive environment for your legal team.
  By Fawn K. Barnes, CLA
  January/February

• Frustrated Employees and Possible Lawsuits
  Learn how to retain paralegals and avoid litigation.
  By Fawn K. Barnes, CLA
  May/June

• Managing in the Middle
  Developing relationships with other firm managers.
  By Donna F. Prehm
  September/October
   

My Opinion

• Are You Happy as a Paralegal?
  Survey reveals overall satisfaction in the profession.
  By Patrick Vuong
  January/February

• Taking a Stand on Education
  Majority favors academic standards, but disagrees on what kind.
  By Patrick Vuong
  March/April

• Paralegal vs. Legal Assistant
  Survey reveals that “paralegal” is the more popular term.
  By Patrick Vuong
  May/June

• Local Paralegal Associations Going Strong
  Survey respondents cite networking and education as top benefits.
  By Amanda Flatten
  July/August

• An Obligation to Educate
  Paralegals think employers should pay for CLE.
  By Amanda Flatten
  September/October

• Barring Disbarred Attorneys
  The majority don’t want them working as paralegals.
  By Amanda Flatten
  November/December
   

My Specialty

• Immigration Law
  Irene E. Lefebvre
  January/February

• Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury
  Sheri Womble
  March/April

• Construction Defect
  Luis Rivas
  May/June

• Bankruptcy Law
  Laura Ahtes, RP, DCP
  July/August

• In-house Contracts
  Holly H. Manlove
  September/October

• Domestic Violence
  LaFran Plunk
  November/December
   

Pro Bono Spotlight

• Separate But Worthwhile Endeavors
  The fine line between pro bono and community service work.
  By Lori Thompson
  September/October
   

Raising the Bar

• Donald W. Williams
  January/February

• B. Joyce Yeager
  March/April

• Richard A. Pluimer
  May/June

• Ernest Davila
  July/August
   

Student’s Workshop

• Compassion Among Campuses
  After three hurricanes, the Gulf Coast paralegal schools slowly mend with help from nearby programs and beyond.
  By Patrick Vuong
  January/February

• Making the Grade
  Paralegal programs go through a rigorous application process before obtaining ABA approval.
  By Patrick Vuong
  March/April

• Ready, Set, Start Your Career
  From shadowing to speed interviewing, paralegal programs find unique ways to prepare students for the job search.
  By Patrick Vuong
  May/June

• Meet and Greet
  Student paralegal associations create networking and educational opportunities.
  By Patrick Vuong
  July/August

• E-Discovery School
  Which seminar is right for you?
  By Kaitlin Creager
  November/December
   

What’s New

• January/February
  CT Corp.’s Case File
  On Site E-Discovery Web ListMaster
  Esquire Innovations Inc.’s iOffice System EP6
  Juris Inc.’s MyJuris
  CompuLaw’s Rules of Practice for International Arbitration and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
  DolphinSearch Intelligent Archive Director
  WinScribe 3.6
  Verdatum Digital Dictation System Version 2.0
  KnowX’s Tracer
  CCH/Aspen Labor and Employment Law Library
  GSI Inc.’s Livedgar
  Legal Services Alabama’s Hurricane Katrina Disaster Legal Assistance Hotline Network
  LexisNexis’ “Collier On Bankruptcy, 15th Ed. Revised”
  James Publishing’s “Florida Family Law & Practice” by Judge Renee Goldenberg

• March/April
  Corel WordPerfect Office X3
  Recommind’s MindServer Legal 4.0
  LexisNexis’ Microsoft SQL Version of PCLawPlus and PCLawPro Enterprise
  Solutions In Software’s CaseManagerPro 3.0
  Great American Technologies Inc.’s MailCall
  BQE Software Inc.’s BillQuick for Sage Software’s Peachtree Accounting Solutions
  Equitrac Print Tracking 4.1
  Worldox GX
  Integrity Disclosure
  Xmlaw’s QuickStart Program
  LexisNexis’ Martindale-Hubbell Web Site Comparison Tool

• May/June
  Gavel & Gown Software Inc.’s Amicus Attorney 7
  WorthMore Software’s CaseWorth
  CaseSoft’s CaseMap 6
  ProVantage Version 8.0
  RTG Conflicts
  Thomson West’s West PeerMonitor
  LexisNexis’ Litigator 1.0
  Fios Collection Manager
  American Bar Association’s “2005 Annual Review of Antitrust Law Developments”
  Edmond Montgomery Publications’ “Advanced Corporate Business Transactions” by Elizabeth Gillis

• July/August
  Serengeti Law’s Serengeti Tracker 7.1
  InData Corp. TrialDirector 5
  Equitrac Corp. Equitrac Professional 5
  NCH Swift Sound’s ExpressScribe V 4.04
  Syngence Processing System
  Interwoven Inc. and Research In Motion BlackBerry Integration
  Thomson West’s Counsel Monitor
  OnSite Discovery SecureDealRoom
  American Bar Association Publishing’s “The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law” by Mark Herrmann
  American Bar Association Publishing’s “Bankruptcy Deadline Checklist, Third Edition” by Norman L. Pernick

• September/October
  Deadlines On Demand Paralegal Licensing Options
  Cowles Legal Systems Inc. Trust Plus and TrusTerminator Version 17 with Cowles Marketing Assistant and Cowles QuickMerge
  Esquire Innovations Inc. iRedline 2.0 Enhancement Pack 6
  LexisNexis Dataflight Software FYI 3.0
  CaseCentral Online Review and Repository 4.2
  Thomson Elite Enterprise Version 3.6 and WebView 5.2
  Software Technology Inc. Tabs3 Version 14
  Spellex Corp. Perfect Defense 2006 With Spellex Legal 2006
  LexisNexis HotDocs 2006, InterAction 5.5 and Total Practice Advantage

• November/December
  Gavel & Gown Software Inc. Amicus Small Firm and Amicus Accounting
  Kroll Ontrack Inc. Ontrack Inview 5.0
  Sage Software Inc. Timeslips 2007
  CaseLogistix Inc. Version 4.2
  Abbyy USA Software House Abbyy PDF Transformer 2.0 Pro
  American LegalNet Forms WorkFlow
  Project InVision Governance, Risk and Compliance
  Research In Motion BlackBerry Pearl
  Equivio Partners With TechLaw Solutions, FTI Consulting Inc. and Zantaz
  SoftWise Corp. Innova 5.5

REVIEWS

• January/February
  Case&Point Enterprise Edition 6.5
  BillingTracker Pro 3
   

• March/April
  Westlaw 50 State Surveys
  CT Summation iBlaze Version 2.7.1
   

• May/June
  Sanction v2.8
  LawyerLinks Advantage v1.2.0
   

• July/August
  Amicus Attorney 7 Premium Edition
  Corporate Focus
   

• September/October
  TrialDirector 5
  Corel WordPerfect Office X3 Standard Edition
   

• November/December
  LexisNexis Practice Advantage
  Qwikdox

NEWS

Association

• NYSBA Reorganizes Law Practice Management Committee
  Paralegal subcommittee not included in re-formed group.
  By Tim Pareti
  January/February

• National Association Meetings Roundup
  Paralegal organizations educate and elect at fall conferences.
  By Rachel Ng
  January/February

• Membership Has Its Privileges
  Paralegal associations aim to recruit and retain as profession grows.
  By Rod Hughes
  January/February

• A Houston Paralegal Association Joins Litbureau.com
  New online service provides benefits and charity work.
  By Tina Dhamija
  January/February

• Vote on Proposed Paralegal Division Delayed
  Okla. Bar’s paralegal committee pledges to strengthen pitch before resubmitting proposal.
  By Patrick Vuong
  January/February

• NFPA Adopts Navy Legalmen
  Deployed paralegals receive gift packages in Iraq.
  By Lyndsey Shinoda
  March/April

• Texas Division: 25 Years and Counting
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  March/April

• CLA Search Page
  NALA offers simple searching for CLAs worldwide.
  By Tina Dhamija
  March/April

• Pennsylvania Goes With “Paralegal”
  Alliance leaves “legal assistant” out of paralegal definition.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  July/August

• New Leaders, New Policies
  NFPA annual convention sets the stage for 2006-2007.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  July/August

• ATLA Adopts New Name
  Association works to improve image of trial lawyers.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  September/October

• NALA Holds Annual Convention
  Education and achievements rewarded at the 31st annual event.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  September/October

• AAPI Annual Seminar
  Group focuses on education and legislation.
  By Amanda Flatten
  November/December

• Scouting National Salaries
  IPMA’s 2006 compensation survey shows modest pay increases.
  By Melody Ip
  November/December

• Dallas Paralegal Association Among the Pioneers of MCLE
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  November/December
   

Education

• California Revamps Specialty Exam
  CAS designation moves to curriculum-based online training program.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  January/February

• UWLA Sells Paralegal Program
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  May/June

• The Litigation Edge
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  September/October

• New School Rules
  ABA amends guidelines for the approval of paralegal programs.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  November/December
   

Legal Resources

• September/October
  “Introduction to Law for Paralegals: A Critical Thinking Approach” by Katherine
  Currier and Thomas E. Eimermann
   “1001 Job Choices for Paralegals” by Estrin LegalEd
  Paralegal Gateway’s Weblog: http://paralegalgateway.typepad.com/my_weblog
  Miller-Motte Technical College in North Charleston, S.C.’s resource page: http://mmtccharleston.com/library/paralegal.html
   

• November/December
  LegalView: http://legalview.com
  “Electronic Discovery and Evidence” treatise by Michael R. Arkfeld
  “Wage and Hour Handbook for Small Business” by the National Federation of
  Independent Business
  The Mildred F. Sawyer Library at Suffolk University’s paralegal resource guide: http://www.suffolk.edu/sawlib/subject/paralegalguide.html

Litigation and Court Decisions

• Paralegal’s Case Moves Forward
  By Sarah K. Cron
  January/February

• News Brief: Iowa Fee Cap Reversed
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  March/April

• Paralegal Sues Government for Spying
  Legal experts say surveillance program is illegal.
  By Patrick Vuong
  May/June

• News Brief: Wrongfully Convicted Man Fights for Compensation
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  July/August
   

Pro Bono and Community Service

• Paralegals Aid Louisiana Prisoners
  Reed Smith reaches out to hurricane victims.
  By Lynn Penkingcarn
  January/February

• Answering the Pro Bono Call
  Paralegals provide legal services to Mexican citizens via a hotline.
  By Sarah K. Cron
  May/June

• Georgia Law Firm With a Cause
  Attorney and staff raise money to fight cancer after death of paralegal.
  By Melody Ip
  July/August

• Mentoring to Make a Difference
  Elementary school students play jurors in mock trial.
  By Tina Dhamija
  July/August

• Paralegal Uses Experience to Help Those in Need
  Resource center will provide legal assistance to domestic violence victims.
  By Kenya McCullum
  September/October
   

Profiles

• Quadriplegic Paralegal Student Perseveres
  Jake Brown was recently honored by the Courage Center.
  By Lynn Penkingcarn
  January/February

• Getting Through a Divorce
  Paralegal helps couples mediate differences before seeking legal counsel.
  By Lynn Penkingcarn
  March/April

• Balancing Work and Life
  Paralegal Joanne Ollman creates winning firm environment.
  By Elizabeth Callaghan
  March/April

• Remembering Martha J. Llano
  Friends highlight late president-elect’s contributions to ALA.
  By Lynn Penkingcarn
  May/June

• Maine Paralegal Recognized for Outreach Work
  Danny Mills received the John W. Ballou Distinguished Service Award for his tireless efforts to help migrant farm workers.
  By Kenya McCullum
  May/June

• Meet the “Doogie Howser” of the Paralegal Profession
  By Tina Dhamija
  May/June

• Traveling Justice
  Paralegal brings legal help to abused women.
  By Rachel Ng
  May/June

• Making a Case for Change
  From city mayor, to county supervisor, paralegals are seeking political office.
  By Lynn Penkingcarn
  July/August

• Kentucky Paralegal Fits the Bill
  ATLA recognizes Julie Hunt as Paralegal of the Year.
  By Melody Ip
  September/October

• Paralegal Receives President’s Call to Service Award
  Texas legal assistant honored for volunteer work with the Dallas Police Department.
  By Janet Roberts
  November/December

• Legal Studies Student Inspires Conn. Legislation
  Thesis paper could lead to online registry for advance health care directives.
  By Rachel Ng
  November/December
   

Regulation

• Regulation Debate Continues in Florida
  Legislation reintroduced, recommendations made.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  January/February

• Paralegal Regulation Proposed in Canada
  Legislation would extend lawyer mandates to all legal service providers.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  January/February

• Indiana Regulation a Reality?
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  March/April

• News Brief: Florida Regulation
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  March/April

• Certification Boosts Legal Assistants’ Standing
  Attorneys, paralegals capitalize on North Carolina program.
  By Sarah K. Cron
  July/August

• News Brief: Ind. Paralegal Registration in Hands of Supreme Court
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  July/August

• News Brief: Florida Update
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  July/August

• Ohio Provides Paralegal Certification
  Bar association creates education, experience standards.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  September/October

Technology

• Cutting-Edge Court
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  January/February

• BlackBerry Users Worried
  Supreme Court rejects RIM’s petition for review.
  By Melody Ip
  March/April

• Top 200 Firms Stay Connected
  Survey shows increased use of PDAs and extranets.
  By Patrick Vuong
  March/April

• Federal Communications Act Overhaul Proposed
  Senator calls for market-oriented and competition-based regulations.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  March/April

• Electronic Case Filing in Full Swing
  More than 200,000 legal professional have filed documents via the Internet.
  By Lynn Penkingcarn
  May/June

• Congress Contemplates Cameras in the High Courts
  By Brian R. Hook
  July/August

• Lexis Land
  With its recent acquisitions, LexisNexis continues to expand its presence.
  By Tommy Sangchompuphen
  November/December

• E-Prescribing Raises Compliance Concerns
  Paralegals dealing with health-related issues must be prepared.
  By Tommy Sangchompuphen
  November/December

Trends

• Studies Show Improvements in e-Government
  Attorneys and paralegals find state and federal Web sites can provide a wealth of information.
  By Patrick Vuong
  January/February

• Proclaiming Paralegal Celebrations
  State and local governments honor the profession throughout the nation with paralegal day and week festivities.
  By Patrick Vuong
  January/February

• Surprising Results in Paralegal Survey
  By Lyndsey Shinoda
  January/February

• Paralegal Utilization Grows
  IPMA’s 2005 survey reveals increased responsibilities for legal assistants.
  By Lynn Penkingcarn
  March/April

• Starting Salaries Looking Up
  Guide predicts compensation increases and niche-area demand.
  By Janet Roberts
  March/April

• International Paralegal Survey 2005
  Estrin LegalEd polled paralegals on job satisfaction, pay and more.
  By Sarah K. Cron
  May/June

• Tackling Consumer Fraud
  Paralegals research and investigate businesses’ misrepresentations.
  By Janet Roberts
  July/August

• Paralegal Pension Sleuths
  Legal assistants throughout the nation help track down lost funds.
  By Melody Ip
  July/August

• Florida Opens Mediation Doors
  More nonlawyers can become mediators under new point-based system.
  By Amanda Flatten
  September/October

• Advisory Committee Considers Proposed FRE
  Rule would protect privilege of certain inadvertently disclosed evidence.
  By Janet Roberts
  September/October

• Corporate Paralegal Positions on the Rise
  Two surveys find specialized areas are growing.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  September/October

• USPTO Updates Patent Procedures
  New guidelines will mean late nights for patent paralegals.
  By Kenya McCullum
  November/December
   

UPL

• UPL Bill Passes New York Senate
  Law would reclassify the violation from a misdemeanor to a Class E felony.
  By Jamie Ann Tyo
  May/June
   

Miscellaneous

• Legal Team Helps Lighten the Load
  A Washington state district court’s case overload requires the paralegal touch.
  By Tina Dhamija
  May/June

• Carrying on After Katrina
  The paralegal community strives to cope one year later.
  By Allyson T. Collins
  September/October

• View From the Bench
  A federal judge provides insight and leadership to a Texas paralegal committee
  By Allyson T. Collins
  November/December
   

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Updated 06/18/07
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