In 2009 I ventured out of my comfort box and formed Digital Paralegal Services, LLC®. I began offering my services to attorneys across the country on a virtual basis from my home in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Has it been hard? Yes. Has it been worth it? Absolutely. Progress was slow. Some lessons were hard, but the benefits have been amazing. I think the most important benefit to me has been having more personal choices while still meeting some long-term financial needs. Some things are sometimes more important than work on any given day.  Family is very important to me, and I consider my callin ..read more

Attorneys: Why eDiscovery Support Staff Is Critical By: Angela Masciulli, ACP   Legal technology and eDiscovery is here to stay, but you know that right?  As an attorney, you have probably read numerous articles, case law, and attended CLEs on eDiscovery.  Maybe you have even demoed out a few eDiscovery applications and integrated them into your practice.  You are on top of it.  You’ve got this.  But, what about your support staff?  Wait, what?  You haven’t thought about them?  Stop everything and read on. Attorneys who haven’t done any of the above ..read more

What Does A Paralegal Do At Trial: Six Things Your War Room Must Have By: Christina Roberts, CP Going to trial can sometimes seem as if you are going to war.  You suit up – putting on your finest armor and best effort, yet sometimes you still hit brick walls all day long during a trial. Having a well-organized place to concentrate and collaborate during trial can calm the trial tension.  A “war room” basically serves as an office away from the office with all the comforts of the office back home.  Sounds simple enough, right? There are many ways to organize your trial war room ..read more

What Does A Paralegal Do At Trial (Series) By: Christina Roberts, CP Most paralegals never get the chance to go inside a courtroom. That fact may be lost on most of the legal population.  Approximately half of the paralegals in the Civil Litigation job category of the National Association of Legal Assistants 2012 Job Analysis Study listed Trial and Pretrial work as important in their day-to-day activities. That could be because their cases never go to trial, or because the attorney may not realize how helpful a paralegal can be during pre-trial and trial. Preparation is key, but trial is ..read more

Six Reasons Technology Is Important To Your Paralegal Career By: Angela Masciulli, ACP   Significant change is underway in the legal industry.  Technology is revolutionizing legal processes, court functions, and how many attorneys and firms work and manage cases. Judge and client expectations are evolving with new technologies too. Now is the time for paralegals to adapt to a rapidly changing legal market, not only to do their best in their current positions, but potentially expand their career. Attorneys should also encourage the paralegals they work with to advance their technology ..read more

Much of early education is spent trying to tackle the skill of writing, specifically the intimidating task of the child’s name.  Parents and teachers may use any number of techniques to tackle this ability, including the most common method of connecting dot-to-dots on a lined paper tablet.  With due diligence and patience, the dots are slowly taken away and a child can begin to both recognize and trace their own name.    It is a big deal.  The significant milestone proves to be a confidence booster, of sorts.  Once a child has mastered the skill of writing ..read more

September is almost here and the new school year is upon us.  Although kids are the ones going back to class, attorneys and paralegals could use a curriculum refresher too.  Lessons learned in kindergarten are often forgotten, but are proven to be fundamental to the building blocks of success in life and business.  Legal professionals would do well to remember those early lessons. On the first day of class, students are introduced to the idea of Class Rules – a simple list of do’s and don’ts to facilitate a more positive learning environment.  Even kindergarten and first gr ..read more

Born and raised in the small town of Graham, just ninety miles outside of Fort Worth, I was deep in the heart of Texas.  Springs filled with bluebonnets, falls filled with football – it was home.  Our claim to fame was America’s Largest Town Square.  Located in that square was the Young County courthouse – where I began learning about the intricate workings of the civil litigation process. At the age of seventeen, I accepted a position in a local law firm as a receptionist-bookkeeper.  Under the mentorship of four attorneys and supporting staff, I became familiar with all o ..read more

3 Common Reasons Solo Attorneys Call a Virtual Legal Assistant Smart lawyers often learn from their peers by engaging in mentor relationships.  Some take it a step further and retain professional services of a lawyer coach.  From time to time in my 6-year virtual paralegal practice, I have been privileged to receive referrals from lawyer coaches.  A recent referral caused me to re-examine just exactly why the referrals are made.  After consulting with a number of lawyers who are prospective clients for Digital Paralegal Services, I find some common threads.   A change ..read more

“There just are not enough hours in the day to do everything myself! I want to improve my work-life balance by delegating tasks, but no one is available. I keep reading and hearing about virtual paralegals and virtual assistants as affordable options, but I wonder: Where can I find virtual support which meets the needs of my law practice?” Solo and small firm attorneys often share these same thoughts. For both groups, virtual paralegal or virtual assistant support is often the perfect solution provided you find the assistant who matches your needs. The first step is deciding what task(s) you w ..read more