As a litigation paralegal, the first thing I look for is court-ordered deadlines when I create my custom to-do list. Almost everything that is filed with the court or served on disclosure has a time limit that is either ordered by the court or set out in the Code of Civil Procedure. I have each of these deadlines scheduled for their due date, with a reminder at least a week in advance. I focus on these deadlines at the beginning of my day to make sure they are completed to the best of my ability by the end of the agreement that day. On some days, the paralegal checked the court plan to see if he should attend. However, you have other tasks that day. Fortunately, there are two legal secretaries in the firm who can take phone calls and speak briefly to all the walk-ins who are not on time. The paralegal asked the secretaries to receive messages that will be returned this afternoon. The paralegal has a special job this morning. You need to find a witness who can potentially help a client`s case. They sit in front of their computer and access their databases. After a few phone calls, the paralegal is able to locate the witness who is ready to make a statement. You make an appointment to meet with the witness to obtain this information.
Create an easily customizable list. I found that the best way to make a list is through an electronic app that can be accessed on any device. During my workday, I can use a laptop, desktop, iPhone, and iPad to go about my daily business. I looked for apps that provided a checklist that I could create and maintain on all my Windows and iOS-enabled devices, and I chose the one that had the features I needed. The app I chose does everything I want it to work in the free version, but if you`re super tech-savvy, you can opt for a paid version with even more features like integration with your email provider. It is necessary for employees to interact and communicate regularly throughout the working day. Some employees interrupt more often than others. An urgent problem for them may not be an urgent problem for you. If you notice that this situation is happening, encourage these colleagues to email you questions. This allows you to preview their requests and decide if this is a priority to work on at this point. If a colleague has a lot of questions for you, encourage them to write down the questions and come to you once or twice a day to discuss the list of questions.
This is also the time to delegate tasks that are neither important nor urgent to others in the workplace when the company or agency has legal secretaries or other office workers available to help. When making a plan, you should always put the difficult or unwanted tasks that need to be done at the beginning of the workday. Keeping unpleasant tasks until the end of the day can cause unnecessary stress and cause the paralegal`s mind to wander towards the dreaded future task instead of focusing on the work at hand. When this difficult task is accomplished, one can relax and focus more clearly on other important issues. If you think the paralegal program could help you achieve your career goals, please contact us today. While much of the office work is related to legal issues, there are other types of work of a legal nature and often performed by paralegals under the supervision of a licensed lawyer. Some of the legal work may include conducting legal research. This may include researching case law for possible precedents established in certain circumstances in relation to a particular law. Priority Level 2 may include documents and information required for meetings with clients or other lawyers.
This also includes important legal research. One factor that is not always considered here is the personal health of the paralegal. A clear mind is important to do the job accurately the first time. Effective paralegals give themselves some time for a break or break to make sure they are refreshed enough to function optimally. Effective paralegals know that it takes time to plan in order to save time throughout the day. Taking 15 to 20 minutes in the morning can help you establish a good work schedule for the day that will allow you to do more work overall. Alternatively, one could choose to take this time in the afternoon before leaving work to plan the next day`s work. In fact, many paralegals find it easier to schedule the most feared tasks first when they set their schedule the night before. The paralegal will likely spend a lot of time drafting or completing the legal documents used by the lawyer.
Some of these documents may be used in court or in cases heard in the courtroom. Legal pleadings, pleadings, discoveries and answers are just some of the types of documents the paralegal will be working on. When preparing the lawyer for court, the paralegal must ensure that all information is presented in a clear and factual manner and that all documents are arranged in an appropriate order so that the lawyer can access them during the court proceedings. It is a very busy and stressful work environment. Every day, your “most important” project can change several times. Do your best to understand the rhythms of the business and set the appropriate priorities. Ask for a little advice if necessary, but try to use your judgment to determine what is really a priority task and needs to be done immediately, and then start doing it quickly. Write a list and tick things off when they`re done. You may need to rearrange things throughout the day, but keep an eye on a list so you don`t lose focus. Time management is an individual`s ability to effectively use the time available in a working day in productive matters. A paralegal may be in a constant race against time in certain situations. However, some days will be busy and hectic, while others can be slow and fast.
Since legal issues require precision and deadlines must be met, managing one`s own time effectively may very well be the most important thing a paralegal can do every day. When the paralegal puts the last file in her “finished” box, she notices that many others have left for the day. The paralegal has already worked for more than half an hour and has yet to finish. They check emails, respond to those who need an immediate response, forward those who need it, and take a note to attack others in the morning. The paralegal returns the last phone calls and saves the rest for the morning. The paralegal clears all completed files for the day. The legal secretaries have already cleaned and closed most of the office, so the paralegal only has to turn off the computer and copier. The paralegal turns on the lights at the exit and takes a mental note to arrive a little earlier the next morning.
In short, the starting point for anyone recruiting a legal secretary is to find someone who can type, is organized, is methodical, can concentrate, is accurate, proofreads, and has knowledge of legal terms and procedures. If you have these skills, you should be shortlisted for an interview. If you can then demonstrate them in an interview, there is no reason why you should not be offered a job. If it`s a new job, there will be a learning curve, but do your best to get it all back on quickly. Ask questions that show that you want to better understand office protocols and practices. Then use that knowledge. If a big school day is approaching, start working early to prepare all the documents and prepare them for use. If there is research, take notes and label them as useful. If there are cases that have set a precedent, list them.
Even small things, like rearranging office supplies before they run out, can result in big savings afterwards. The workload in a law firm is demanding at all levels. How we deal with it will affect how we behave and how we feel. The paralegal may need to find potential witnesses in a case. Once witnesses are found, the paralegal conducts an interview to gather information relevant to the case. Upon receipt of all information, the paralegal is responsible for summarizing this information clearly and concisely in a memo or other type of document so that the lawyer can read it. I call it a brain dump. It`s a great tool to relieve the fear of feeling overwhelmed when the to-do list seems impossible.