Monday, June 3, 2013

Dennyce Korb: 2013 Advocate Capital/AAJ Paralegal of the Year

Dennyce Korb, a paralegal at the Johnson Eiesland Law Offices, P.C., in Rapid City, South Dakota has been named the recipient of the 2013 Advocate Capital, Inc. / AAJ Paralegal of the Year Award.

Dennyce has been a paralegal for over 30 years. During that time she has worked mostly with clients who have been injured by nursing home abuse and neglect, medical malpractice, or defective products. She has actively participated in the trial of nearly 100 cases.

To be considered for this prestigious award, candidates must have demonstrated their value as members of a legal services team, shown dedication to the legal profession, and shown dedication to AAJ's mission. In addition to a beautifully engraved award trophy, she will receive free airfare, hotel and conference registration for the AAJ Annual Convention July 20 – July 23, 2013 in San Francisco, California.
"AAJ recognizes the immense importance of Paralegals to the legal profession, and how happy we are to be able to give something back to the paralegals who work so hard to help attorneys attain justice for their clients," commented, AAJ President, Mary Alice McLarty. 
"This year's recipient, Dennyce Korb, is an excellent example of professionalism in her career and in her work for AAJ.  She attends all of the conventions and is always ready to help a colleague.  She also has a winning personality and is an exceptional singer." 
"Dennyce's dedication to her clients, work and education is impressive and her passion for AAJ's mission is unmatched," commented Advocate's President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael J. Swanson. We are so pleased to be able to collaborate with AAJ on this important award. Paralegals are a key component to any successful law firm.  We hope that this award will help bring well deserved attention to the crucial role that paralegals play in our Nation's civil justice system." (emphasis added).
Congratulations, Dennyce!

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Biz Buddies: Vacation Tips for Virtual Professionals


With Memorial Day still a fresh memory, Biz Buddies Tina Marie Hilton of Clerical Advantage and Vicki Voisin, The Paralegal Mentor, discuss vacation time for virtual professionals, including the challenges of disconnecting and the importance of taking time away from your business.

Tina and Vicki addressed: 
  • How vacations differ for business owners and employees
  • Making time for vacations
  • Working vacations
  • Mini-vacations
  • Handling Holidays
  • Stay-cations
  • Earning passive revenue during vacation
  • The benefits of taking vacation time
Be sure to listen to this episode. It’s easy…and it’s free! Just click on the following links:
iTunes Link:    https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/biz-buddies-4-virtual-professionals/id541315755?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Please share the links to this episode of Biz Buddies for Virtual Professionals with your friends and colleagues. If you have a request for a future show, or a question for us, you are welcome to contact us at bizbuddies@vasurvivalschool.com .

Also, be sure you never miss a podcast by subscribing to Biz Buddies 4 Virtual Professionals on iTunes.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

The Paralegal Voice: Paralegal Hiring Trends

On this episode of The Paralegal Voice Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal, joins host Vicki Voisin to discuss the future of the paralegal profession, how it’s changing, and specific steps you can take to land your dream job.

Charles Volkert is executive director for Robert Half Legal and co-managing director of Robert Half Legal eDiscovery Services.

Robert Half Legal is the premier provider of highly skilled legal professionals for law firms and corporate legal departments; it also offers legal project management and managed review services. Volkert is a noted author, speaker, and former litigator.

Volkert provides valuable advice on how to get noticed in the field, including the importance of a proactive mindset and the need to be flexible. Talking points for this episode include:
  • The current employment environment;
  • The most in demand practice areas;
  • The new “hybrid” paralegal;
  • The most important criteria for hiring paralegals;
  • What employers are looking for in terms of technical proficiency and soft skills;
  • The importance of the right mindset;
  • What employers are looking for in terms of education and training;
  • Current salary trends;
  • And more!
Be sure to listen to this episode. It’s easy…and it’s free! Just click on the following links:
MP3 Link:    http://legaltalkmedia.com/LTN/PLV/Paralegal_Hiring_Trends.mp3

The Paralegal Voice also thanks its sponsor: NALA...The Association of Paralegals and Legal Assistants.

Please share the links to this episode of The Paralegal Voice with your friends and colleagues. If you have a request for a future show, or a question for us, you are welcome to contact Vicki at Vicki@paralegalmentor.com

Also, be sure you never miss a podcast by subscribing to any Legal Talk Network show, including The Paralegal Voice, by using the RSS Feed links or iTunes links at http://legaltalknetwork.com/rss-feeds/.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Maneuvering Your Paralegal Career from Start to Finish


On the April edition of The Paralegal Voice Vicki Voisin hosts Charlsye Smith Diaz, PhD, a former paralegal who is now a professor of technical writing at The University of Maine.

Diaz and Voisin met through The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and there they decided to co-author a book, The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success. The book was written with both beginning and experienced paralegals in mind.

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Voisin and Diaz discuss the different phases of a paralegal career, including writing and interview tips, what to do when you get a job, how to organize your workspace and your time, as well as the steps to take to make your career both interesting and fulfilling.

Also in this episode:
  • How Charlsye transitioned from paralegal to Phd.
  • Why Charlsye and Vicki wrote The Professional Paralegal: A Guide to Finding a Job and Career Success
  • Why paralegal students should participate in internships
  • What employers are looking for when they review a student’s resume
  • What NOT to include in your resume
  • Why you should keep your resume up to date
  • Interviewing tips
  • Tips for getting organized and managing your time
Websites mentioned in this episode:
 Be sure to follow these links to access the program, as well as Internet resources and links mentioned. Please share the links to this episode of The Paralegal Voice with your friends and colleagues. If you have a request for a future show, or a question for us, you are welcome to contact us at Vicki@paralegalmentor.com.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Paralegals Can Cook: Roasted Chicken Thighs with Roasted Mixed Vegetables

This recipe was adapted from one that appeared in the April 2013 issue of Martha Stewart Living. I usually don't change the original recipe until I try it once but this one begged for a few more ingredients. Also, how do you like my new quartz countertop? I'm loving the kitchen remodel.
 
Roasted Chicken Thighs with Roasted Mixed Vegetables

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2.5 pounds)

3-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1/2 cup pitted Spanish olives (I used smaller pimiento-stuffed olives)

1-2 medium onions, halved and quartered

4 small red potatoes, halved or quartered depending on size (you may need more than 4 if you're serving more people)

Asparagus spears (Note that I used thinner stalks and they wilted in the roasting process but still tasted fine; fatter stalks would roast better)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Feta cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to a large bowl. Add chicken thighs, turning to coat. Salt and pepper to taste. Move thighs to a large rimmed baking sheet lined liberally with aluminum foil (saves on clean-up).

3. Add remaining vegetables to the large bowl and coat with olive oil. You may need more olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Move to baking sheet with the chicken. This should all be in a single layer so use a baking sheet that is quite large.

4. Roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest parts of thighs (do not touch bones) reaches 165 degrees. This will take 35-45 minutes. Remove chicken to a platter and cover loosely with foil.

5. Return vegetables to oven and roast until golden brown in places, probably an additional 10 minutes.

6. Transfer vegetables and accumulated juices to platter with chicken. Season with salt and pepper if desired (I didn't find this necessary). Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.

Serve with crusty bread or rolls.

Note: Your only clean-up should be the bowl you used to coat chicken and vegetables with olive oil, the serving platter, and your dinner dishes. Very simple!

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Biz Buddies: Do Your Clients Know About Your Services?


This month's episode of Biz Buddies 4 Virtual Professionals explores why your clients may not be utilizing your services to the maximum potential and what you can do to fix it.
Do your clients know about all of your services? 
Are they turning to someone else for services you offer simply because they aren't aware you provide them? 
Are there services that they aren't taking advantage of that could be helping their businesses? 
Hosts Tina Marie Hilton and Vicki Voisin discuss:
  • Why clients of virtual assistants  hire them for a certain service but are never aware of the full scope of services offered;
  • Ways to keep clients aware of what you offer: and
  • What to do if your client goes to someone else for what you already offer? 
Be sure to listen to this episode. It’s easy…and it’s free! Just click on the following links:
Please share the links to this episode of Biz Buddies for Virtual Professionals with your friends and colleagues. If you have a request for a future show, or a question for us, you are welcome to contact us at bizbuddies@vasurvivalschool.com .
Also, be sure you never miss a podcast by subscribing to Biz Buddies 4 Virtual Professionals on iTunes.
 






 
 


Tuesday, April 2, 2013

The Paralegal Voice To Give Away 2 Tickets to the Season Finale of Dancing With The Stars


The Paralegal Voice, a podcast hosted by Vicki Voisin on Legal Talk Network, will be giving away two tickets to the 2013 spring season finale of Dancing With The Stars.

Through the Paralegal Voice podcast, Vicki Voisin highlights the latest trends and issues that paralegals, legal administrators, and legal assistants face. She is one of the best known paralegals and is a leading voice in the paralegal community with over 20 years of experience as The Paralegal Mentor.
 
The giveaway winner will be announced the week of April 22nd, and will receive two free tickets to the season finale of Dancing With The Stars in addition to airfare to Los Angeles and hotel accommodations in the Los Angeles area. Only residents of the continental United States that are 18 years and older are eligible to participate.

Season 16, which kicked off on March 18th, features a cast including Olympians Alexandra Raisman (gymnastics) and Dorothy Hamill (figure skating), comedians Andy Dick and D.L. Hughley, country star Wynona Judd, Jacoby Jones of the Baltimore Ravens, and more.

To enter, participants must subscribe to the Legal Talk Network Newsletter with the Paralegal Voice selected as a show preference. The winner will be selected randomly from the participants.

Dancing With The Stars is a television competition that pits various celebrities and their dancing partners against each other as America votes each week to determine elimination. The season finale caps off the competition by deciding the winning celebrity dancer.

About Legal Talk Network: Legal Talk Network is an online media network for legal professionals. Our podcasts highlight important issues in a talk show format. They’re produced by professionals and available on-demand on the Legal Talk Network website, in iTunes, by free subscription to RSS and from legal portals, blogs and social networking sites. Listeners make connections with colleagues in a B2B environment, helping everyone meet the challenges of a changing legal world.