June 2010 issue What’s inyour wallet? - NCLawyersWeekly · 2018. 9. 18. · 4 Carolina Paralegal...

A North Carolina Lawyers Weekly and South Carolina Lawyers Weekly PublicationJune 2010 issue

What’sin yourwallet ?

Paralegal blogsincreasing in

popularitypage 3

NC paralegal findsclient appreciation in

an unusual placepage 7

Paralegal educationalinstitutions limitedby lack of resources

page 8

In-house paralegal useshis talent for technology

with‘Smitty’s Notes’page 9

The latest info onparalegal pay,page 6

J u n e 2 0 1 0 � V o l um e 4 , N um b e r 6

Carolina Paralegal News2 June 2010

INSIDE

PARALEGAL PERSPECTIVE

Q&A with Ashley Graham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4South Carolina’s Ashley Graham says that the public needsto have more faith in plaintiffs’ lawyers.

Q&A with Leslie McKesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Educator Leslie McKesson believes that standardizing “core competencies”for paralegals would bring more recognition to the profession.

Q&A with Jeffrey Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9In-house paralegal Jeffrey Smith of North Carolina uses his talentfor technology in both his professional and personal life.

Q&A with Virginia Burrows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10The recipient of the N.C. Bar Association’s Distinguished ParalegalAward tells the story of how she never intended to become a paralegal.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUECorrection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5In the Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Paralegal Association News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Carolina Paralegal News

COLUMNS

Soaring Eagles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Achieving self-mastery means more than just “doing your duty”each day, according to Cheryl Leone and Dave Favor.

Overheard at the Water Cooler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5My work style or yours? Camille Stell offers suggestions onwhat to do if your work style conflicts with your employer’s.

You are the Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5In this column, Annette Church gives an overview of theupdated North Carolina Attorney’s/Paralegal’s/Secretary’s Handbook.

NEWS & FEATURESParalegal blogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3There’s a blog for everyone these days — including paralegals. Practitionersweigh in on why blogs are a valuable addition to the profession.

What’s in your wallet? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Association and national statistics provide the latest informationon paralegal compensation and benefits.

Discovering appreciation in an unusual place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7An unconventional volunteer opportunity taught a Lexington,N.C., paralegal how much clients value lawyers and paralegals —even if they don’t say so right away.

Help for the chronically non-punctual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Are you always late? Vicki Voisin offers suggestions on howto become “persistently prompt.”

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June 2010 Carolina Paralegal News 3

Paralegal blogs increasing in popularityBy KImBerly m. JohNSoN, Special to CPN

In addition to attending seminars andCLEs, paralegals across the country areincreasingly turning to blogs to gatherinformation about the profession.Everything from current legal news,

the latest employment trends and evenhumorous office tales are available onparalegal-oriented blogs. Most arewritten by paralegals themselves, butattorneys have also jumped on boardand are posting content as well.Winston-Salem, N.C., paralegal Lynne

DeVenny uses her blog, PracticalParalegalism, to provide a look at legalcommentary and general news gearedspecifically to support staff. Topicsinclude tips on social networking, officerelations and professional advice.For example, one post provided a

cautionary tale about a legal secretarywho was fired for violating her firm’s e-mail policy.“With so many blogs and publica-

tions focusing on attorneys, I wanted aplace online to recognize the other crit-ical part of the legal team: the talentedstaffers whose work is necessary to thepractice of law today,” said DeVenny.DeVenny was inspired to create her

own blog from reading existing onesand co-writing materials with her super-vising attorney.“Inspired by some of my favorite

legal blogs, such as Above the Law andLegal Blog Watch, I decided a paralegalblog was the way to go. There aren’tmany paralegal blogs in the blawgos-phere, so I hoped there was room forone that focused on paralegal news,legal humor, technology and careerdevelopment,” she said.North Carolina Paralegal Association

president Patti Clapper has also pickedup on the blogging trend. Her blog,Patti’s Paralegal Page, provides entriesthat range from acknowledging paralegalstudents to providing tips on scams andother news. It also spotlights free andlow-cost informational websites.“I started reading other legal blogs

and decided I wanted to do one. I havetaught seminars for many years on howto find information on the web and ablog seemed like the best way to sharethe websites I had found,” she said.California-based Chere Estrin said

that inspiring paralegals and legal assis-tants has been the key to her successwith her blog, The Estrin Report.Estrin envisions her blog as a support

system for paralegals. She said shewanted readers to know “that things willbe better in the morning … that losingyour job may turn into a good thing,that getting a bad review may turn youinto a fantastic paralegal, that there areoptions out there and lots and lots ofparalegals who are successful andhappy.”Estrin’s website hosts an array of

employment-related entries to help para-

legals navigate the ups and downs ofthe workplace. Categories include para-legal compensation, office management,legal technology and humor.

Use with careEstrin stressed that she does not use

her blog for personal reasons. She warnsblog authors to be on guard for thosewho send anonymous e-mails to col-leagues and employers and post videoson the Internet.That advice is based on personal

experience. Estrin said she was onceembroiled in a situation in which ablogger used YouTube to harass her.Eventually, the person was caught andreported to the authorities.But Estrin did not use her blog to

chronicle the events.“No, I wouldn’t write about that. I

went through hell because of herviciousness, maliciousness and lies,”Est r in sa id . “We traced her ISP,found out who she was and reportedher to the FBI. She has admitted tosending the e-mails and making avideo about me.”

SetupFor those interested in setting up their

own blogs, determining its purpose andstructure is important, paralegals said.DeVenny wants readers to learn and

to be entertained.“I want to raise the profile of the

paralegal profession and recognize themany educated, intelligent and multi-talented legal staffers working behindthe scenes, as well as provide informa-tion for career development. And someposts are simply intended to entertainreaders. The legal profession can bestressful and fast-paced. Sometimes weneed a place to go where we laugh atourselves,” she said.Clapper, DeVenny and Estrin agree

that the easiest part of maintaining their

websites is providing inspirationalstories. Free blogging tools such asBlogger help to create a user-friendlyformat, they said.DeVenny adds that layout and design

skills and marketing are part of thepackage.“While a simple blog is not difficult

to set up, creating an attractive tem-plate and deciding how to make thebest use of the space on your site ismore challenging,” she said. “Moreadvanced blogging skills include learn-ing how to add sophisticated elements

to your posts, such as video, as wellas mastering marketing and searchengine optimization techniques to bringtraffic to your blog. I learned theseskills on the job by reading a lot andstudying other blogs.”The most challenging part of blog-

ging is updating the content, accordingto Clapper and DeVenny. Sifting throughwebsites and electronic outlets can beoverwhelming, they said.Some bloggers may use shortcuts and

repost old news stories or outdated blogentries. Clapper suggested that would-be bloggers thoroughly research materialand then market the finished product onmedia outlets such as Facebook andTwitter.“Most importantly, be sure you are

updating the blog to keep your readers,”she said. DeVenny also recommendedjoining forces with an attorney.“The blawgosphere definitely needs

more dedicated paralegal blogs. If you’reseriously thinking about blogging pro-fessionally, check your employer’s socialmedia policies, get your supervisingattorney’s blessing, have a plan for yourcontent and commit to publishing a postat a minimum several times a month,”she told Carolina Paralegal News.Be original and newsworthy, Estrin

added.“Write to your audience. Write what

they want to hear, not what you want topreach. Understand your audience andspeak to them in a way that establishesyou as a leader in their minds,” shesaid.

NEWS

Here’s a list of paralegal blogs to check out:

• Practical Paralegalism: www.practicalparalegalism.com

• Patti’s Paralegal Page: http://lglduck.blogspot.com

• The Estrin Report: http://estrinlegaled.typepad.com/my_weblog

• New York Paralegal Blog: www.newyorkparalegalblog.com

• The Paralegal Mentor: http://www.paralegalmentorblog.com

• Paralegalese: http://para-mel.blogspot.com

• The Empowered Paralegal: http://theempoweredparalegal.com

• Paralegal Pie: http://kimwalker.typepad.com/paralegalpie

• www.blawg.com

• www. abajournal.com/blawgs


Look again at your vision. A goodvision will define what you want, whenyou want it, why you want it and whyit is important. To move out of the dutyparadigm, you must stay focused onyour vision. Like all steps in self-mastery, we start with well-definedvalues and a clear vision.Here’s an example: You must cross a

rope bridge over a deep ravine. Yourfirst reaction is fear. You stand frozen atthe end of the bridge.Eventually, you realize that you are

expected to cross it. You step out ontothe rope and do your duty. And whileyou are out there, you begin to realizethat you can do it. Eventually, yourealize that you could do more. That’swhen you are moving out of duty andinto achievement.People and businesses get bogged

down when they forget — or never had

By Cheryl leoNe and Dave Favor,Special to CPN

This article focuses on the secondstage of self-mastery — the duty para-digm. As we exit the fear paradigm andenter duty, we are attempting to gaincontrol and exit the deadlock of fear. Inthe duty paradigm, we decide that weneed to act and the best way to proceedis to do what is expected of us.A few things need to have happened

before you decide to move into the dutyparadigm. You must always go back tothe starting point — figuring out yourvalues and vision in life. If you knowwho you are and have faith in yourself,you will quickly move from fear to dutyto the third paradigm — achievement.In duty, you need to know what is

expected of you. In other words, what isyour duty in a given circumstance? Ifyou are in a business, this means thateveryone has to have a good under-standing of what the expectations areso that each member can formulate whattheir duty is. If you are alone oraddressing your internal feelings, youneed to know what your values andvision are to understand what your per-sonal duty is. We still do not have alot of control and we are still in sur-vival mode, but we are moving.The primary advantage of leaving fear

and moving into duty is that we are

exposed to outside influences and haveopportunity to learn. While we are in theduty paradigm, we see what is going onaround us, seek advice and become moti-vated. Eventually you will meet someoneor learn something that will start yourmovement to the next paradigm.To do this, you need to be encour-

aged to take risks. Just doing your dutyis a safe environment. The way to moveon is to encourage your employees oryourself to take risks. This combinationof being exposed to new ideas andtaking risks will move you to theachievement paradigm.It is possible to stay in the duty par-

adigm and be a productive member of abusiness. However, someone in this par-adigm may not make a lot of progresstowards their personal goals.The negative side of the duty para-

digm is that you are not working onyour vision or finding your purpose inlife. By just doing your duty, you areworking on someone else’s agenda.One of the dangers of the duty par-

adigm is that it can become too com-fortable. There is limited risk. You canget locked into this paradigm, just likefear.For example, there could be many

opportunities to build a relationship,family, career or even to save thewhales, but you find yourself saying “Ihad no choice, it was my job.”

‘Doing your duty’ is not enough to achieve self-masterySOARING EAGLES

Leone Favor

— their vision. Without a clear purpose,there is no passion. With no passion,there is no progress.A good vision must be compelling

and easily understood. You cannotcreate a rule for every possibility.Instead, you define a vision of thefuture that describes what you reallywant and why you want it. You thenmust be able to execute a plan toachieve that vision without violatingyour values. If you allow life’s eventsto distract you along the path, you canbecome locked in the fear or duty par-adigms.While we all want to “do our duty,”

the truth of the matter is our goal is tomove onto achievement and finallyoperate from a sense of integrity.Understanding the path leads to controlof your life.

Editor’s note: Cheryl Leone andDave Favor are the principals inCatalyst Group, Inc., a national profes-sional development company in Raleigh,N.C. Both speak and write nationallyon law firm development and mentorand coach lawyers and paralegals inpersonal and professional development.Soaring Eagles is the name they applyto law firm personnel when speakingand writing. The company website iswww.catalystgroupinc.com. SoaringEagles blogs can be found at www.law-firmcoachblog.com.

Q&A: ASHLEY GRAHAM

A Columbia, S.C., native, AshleyGraham is a litigation paralegal withthe Mike Kelly Law Group, where shehandles a variety of cases involvingmedical and dental malpractice, auto-mobile and motorcycle accidents, slip-and-fall incidents and toxic mold issues.She has an associate’s degree in para-legal studies from Horry-GeorgetownTechnical College and a bachelor’sdegree in interdisciplinary studies fromCoastal Carolina University.

CPN: How long have you been aparalegal?

Graham: Eleven years. I have spentthe last six-and-a-half years with theMike Kelly Law Group.

CPN: What drew you into thecareer?

Graham: From the beginning I feltit would be a rewarding and challengingcareer. I also believed my career wouldprovide an opportunity to help thoseless fortunate.

CPN: What paralegal organizations— national, state or local— are youmember of and what positions do youhold in them?

Graham: Well, I am not technicallya member of any paralegal organizationsat this time, but would love to becomemore involved. I do attend monthly

Chamber ofCommerce eventsand other charityprojects, includinglast years coordi-nated NintendoWii campaign onbehalf of thefirm.

CPN: Whenyou talk withother paralegals,what are the main concerns or issuesthey face on a daily basis?

Graham: Currently, job security. It isscary how many calls I get from otherparalegals I have worked with who arecurrently unemployed. Also, maintain-ing needy clients can definitely be achallenge at times.

CPN: If you could name one thingthat would most benefit the paralegalprofession, what would it be?

Graham: Paralegal certifications inspecific areas of law. I have workedmainly in litigation for the past 11 yearsand I learn something new every day. Ithink it would be beneficial to the para-legal and to the firm to be able tochoose one area and become proficientin that particular area. It seems moreand more difficult during the hiringprocess to find paralegals with experi-

People should have more faith in plaintiffs’ lawyers, paralegal saysence and also in the areas we arelooking for.

CPN: If you could snap your fingersand create the perfect CLE, what wouldit be and why?

Graham: A more practical civil lit-igation CLE with an emphasis on draft-ing various pleadings, motions andmemoranda. No case is the same andit seems they get more and more chal-lenging, but it is sometimes hard to findthe correct pleadings, etc. needed.

CPN: Should registration or certifi-cation through the S.C. Bar beapproved?

Graham: Yes, I believe it would addadditional incentive to attain such acertification.

CPN: When you were a kid, whatdid you want to be when you grew up?

Graham: A nurse — until I sawblood for the first time.

CPN: Knowing what you know now,if you weren’t a paralegal, what elsewould you want to do?

Graham: I would love to help run anonprofit organization.

CPN: What do you wish you knewwhen you were getting started in theprofession that you know now?

Graham: If I had known how valu-able the ability to speak fluent Spanishwould be, I would have attained a minorin Spanish while in school for mybachelor’s degree.

CPN: What is the best thing aboutyour job?

Graham: The people. I have met so

many wonderful people during mycareer and I consider everyone at theMike Kelly Law Group family. Theattorneys I work with, Mike Kelly andWill Parker, are both easygoing, knowl-edgeable and compassionate.I also find it very rewarding when

hard work pays off for our clients. Irecently assisted in a case in HorryCounty, and the plaintiff was awarded a$2.88 million verdict in a medicalmalpractice case.

CPN: And what part of your jobcould you do without?

Graham: Misconceptions aboutplaintiff’s lawyers. From working in alaw firm and knowing many plaintiffs’lawyers, the common misconceptionsheld by the general public are not inline with reality. Every attorney I haveworked with has truly put their client’sinterests first.For example, the Mike Kelly Law

Group is a member of Injury Board, anational network of plaintiff’s attorneys,whose primary goal is to ensure safetyand prevention. In reality, our civiljustice system is critical because it maybe an injured person’s only source ofrecovery.

CPN: What one thing, either per-sonally or professionally, are you mostproud of?

Graham: Completing my associate’sand bachelor’s degrees while workingfull time and living on my own.

CPN: Where would we find you onthe weekends?

Graham: Having a cocktail on thebeach or spending time with friends andfamily.

Graham

Emily J. Will, D-BFDECertified Document ExaminerCourt Qualified – 23 years

Box 58552 Raleigh, NC 27658919.556.7414 local877.699.7414 toll free

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Handwriting, altered documents – examination, reports, testimony.

Do you know someone who should be profiled? Please [email protected] with your suggestions.

Have you experienced a crucial con-versation about work styles? Reach outto discuss this or any other topic over-heard at your water cooler by contactingme at [email protected] orCPN Managing Editor Diana Smith [email protected].

Editor’s note: Camille Stell is direc-tor of client services for Lawyers MutualLiability Insurance Company of NorthCarolina. She worked as a paralegalfor 20 years, taught Ethics and LawOffice Management in the MeredithCollege Paralegal Program and servedas President of the Raleigh-WakeParalegal Association, the NorthCarolina Paralegal Association and asDistrict II Director of the NationalAssociation of Legal Assistants.


• Practice prior to your meeting. Weoften practice school assignments or pre-sentations, but we don’t practice someof the conversations that are mostimportant in the workplace. After you’veanalyzed what you’ve done in the pastand what you will do better in thefuture, and after you’ve outlined a planfor discussing this with your boss, finda mentor or trusted adviser to serve asa coach. Make sure your coach under-stands the situation and then ask himor her to role-play various scenarios ofthe conversation with you.• Practice conversations where you

run into resistance or where you getemotional. What will you say or do?When you have successfully practiceda variety of outcomes, you will haveincreased your ability to actually have asuccessful real conversation.As a part of your practice, consider

your options if the conversation doesn’tgo as planned. What will you do?In one of my crucial conversations

about a job I had that wasn’t goingwell, I ended the discussion by leavingthe job. That wasn’t planned, and Ididn’t have a back-up job. Fortunately,it turned out OK as I had already beeninterviewing and I found a job within afew months, but better planning on mypart would have helped me not rushinto a decision I wasn’t prepared tomake. Anticipating and planning for theoptions can help you make good choicesin the heat of a crucial conversation.

By CamIlle Stell, Special to CPN

The Guilford Paralegal Associationhad a seminar on the first Saturday inMay with over 100 paralegals in atten-dance. I was impressed with the dedi-cation of the professionals who wouldgive up a Saturday to learn more abouttheir profession, many of them payingfor the program out of their ownpockets.I had a chance to speak with some

of the attendees after the program andfield questions and comments during theprogram. One question that came upduring our session was how to work forsomeone who has a different work stylefrom your own.Many of us have found ourselves in

work situations where our supervisingattorneys want us to work in a differentway. I’ve worked with attorneys whowanted to micro-manage my projects,and this is a difficult style for me towork with. I had a friend who workedwith a lawyer who was constantlytelling her how to organize her desk.She liked to crisscross her work pileswhile he wanted everything laid out sep-arately.When it is OK to disagree with

your boss on work style? I’ve listed afew tips to help you navigate thispotential minefield and prepare to have

a discussion withyour employer:• Analyze your

situation. I suggestyou reflect on theexchanges you’vehad with yoursupervising attor-ney. Write downwhat happenedand then go backand ask “What didI do that worked?What did I do that didn’t work? Whatare the specific complaints? Is theproblem with the process or the finishedproduct? What intentions or motives werepresent at the time we disagreed?”• Ask yourself a few more questions:

“What can I do differently to makethings better? What can I say or do dif-ferently? How can I deal with thethoughts or emotions that were nothelpful? Do I need to work on our rela-tionship or improve my skills?”• Seek objective advice from a

mentor or trusted adviser.• Prepare for the conversation with

your supervising attorney. Plan the timeof day to request the meeting and planwhat you will say. Share your intentionthat you’d like to work out any areasof conflict so you can have a goodworking relationship moving forward.

OVERHEARD AT THE WATERCOOLER

My work style or yours?

Stell

By aNNette ChurCh, Special to CPN

The North Carolina Attorney’s/Paralegal’s/Secretary’s Handbook is anessential resource for each group listedin its title. I know attorneys and para-legals who treasure their copies. Nowin its 16th edition, this reference bookremains a key ingredient within lawoffices across the Tar Heel State.Updated annually in May, it is full of

information. This book is one of thoserare items in which once you get yourhands on it, you will wonder how youever worked without it.I am not receiving any type of

benefit for this optimistic review. Thebooks are shipped in June and when Isaw them arrive at our office thismonth, it triggered a memory. I recalledthe two years I worked in a law officewithout knowing of this resource. Myobjective is to share the existence ofthis book with anyone who is unawareof it.If you have an opportunity to get a

copy, do it. Familiarize yourself with it.If you do not know the wealth ofgoodies inside it, it is research andmoney wasted, just gathering dust.Designed for trouble-free use, there is

a table of contents as well as gener-ously proportioned tabs. For example,the features under the “Judges” tabinclude an alphabetical listing of all ofNorth Carolina’s judges. Each judge isidentified according to which court theyserve and, when applicable, which dis-trict. Also provided are the judges’ tele-phone numbers.There is also contact information for

all North Carolina attorneys, either bythe alphabetical listing or the by countyof practice.Want to send a letter of opinion to a

United States Supreme Court justice?Turn to the “Federal Information” taband find address information, telephonenumbers and contact names for thehighest court in the country.

Also includedin that tab iscontact informa-tion for a givendistrict’s court-room deputy anda complete listingof federal judgesand related infor-mation within thestate.

The NorthCarolina appellate

courts have a separate section and tab aswell. Also, each of North Carolina’s 100counties’ superior and district courtcontact information is available.Included are the judges, county officesand an abundance of other source mate-rial.You can also find federal, state and

county court fees and the secretary ofstate’s fees in the manual.Need the name of the mayor of

Apex or Laurinburg? Perhaps you needthe website address for the City ofKings Mountain. Check out theMunicipal Information tab and you willfind that information and the name offire chief, city manager and muchmore.There is a subscription-based inter-

net site for an eBook version of thehandbook. The cost of the hard copybooks vary with the quantity ordered.For one to three copies, the cost is

$58 without a binder and $68 with abinder. You need purchase a hard-wearing binder only once, as they aresturdy and the annual updates aredesigned to fit right inside them.The North Carolina Attorney’s/

Paralegal’s/Secretary’s Handbook is apublication of Mariposa Publishing, St.Paul, Minn., 800.442.1419, www.mari-posapublishing.com

Editor’s note: Annette G. Church isan N.C. State Bar-certified paralegalwith Ted A. Greve and Associates ofCharlotte.

YOU ARE THE LINK!

Updated legal handbook is a vital resource

Church

CorrectionThe May 2010 issue of Carolina

Paralegal News, which was inserted inthe May 31 issue of North CarolinaLawyers Weekly and South CarolinaLawyers Weekly, incorrectly spelled thelast name of one of the individualsquoted in “Virtual paralegals becomingmore common as profession grows” onpage 3. The correct spelling of thesource’s name is Kris Canaday. Also,the article should have said that she pro-vides support in administrative law,intellectual property and litigation.


FEATURE

By rICK BruNDrettSpecial to Carolina Paralegal News

Next to sex, one’s pay might be themost sensitive topic to discuss openly.But as paralegals across the country

have faced layoffs, furloughs and salaryfreezes and cuts with the GreatRecession, the subject of pay has beenon the front burner in recent years.Carolina Paralegal News wanted to

find out what’s happening with parale-gal pay, both in the Carolinas and incomparison, nationwide.Melissia Ford, president of the South

Carolina Upstate Paralegal Association,knows from personal experience howtough it’s been on paralegals. Herhusband’s aunt, who had been a para-legal for more than 20 years, recentlylost her job because of downsizing.“Though the firm I work for is rel-

atively secure at the moment, I haveheard of many firms that were cuttingback due to smaller caseloads,” saidFord, a nationally certified paralegalwith Stephen D. Baggett Attorneys atLaw in Greenwood, S.C.Several other S.C. paralegals who

provided written responses to CPN butwho asked to remain anonymous saidwhile they had noticed few or anylayoffs or furloughs in their areas, ben-efits have been reduced, and raises andbonuses eliminated.At the request of CPN, Ford distrib-

uted a survey to members in Mayasking them questions about their pay,education, certification and experience.Ford said her organization has about 80members. Twenty-four survey responseswere returned.Following is a breakdown of the

survey responses. Some respondents did

not answer all of the questions, andseveral gave multiple answers to par-ticular questions. Of 23 responses onbase pay ranges:• 48 percent earned between $30,000

and $45,000;• 35 percent earned between $45,000

and $60,000; and• 17 percent earned below $30,000.When it comes to benefits, 71

percent of respondents said they receiveincentives or bonuses. Most respondentswere evenly split on the question ofwhether the bonuses were based on a

firm’s productivity policy or theemployer’s discretion.In terms of education and certifica-

tion:• 52 percent of respondents held

associate’s degrees;• 29 percent held bachelor’s degrees;• 19 percent held certificates in para-

legal studies; and• Nine respondents said they had

obtained a certification. The NationalAssociation of Legal Assistants’ desig-nation was the most common.SCUPA also polled its members’

experience levels:• 29 percent have up to five years’

experience on the job;• 25 percent reported five to 10

years’ experience;• 12 percent have 10 to 15 years’

experience;• 17 percent listed 15 to 20 years’

experience; and• 17 percent have more than 20

years’ experience.When it comes to firm size and job

location:• All but one of the respondents

worked in a law firm;• More than 70 percent work in

urban regions;• Nearly half of the respondents work

in firms with more than 50 lawyers; and• 34 percent work in firms with 10

or fewer attorneys.“I do not feel underpaid,” Ford said

in response to a separate list of ques-tions from CPN. “Actually, I feel I amwell-compensated. I have a flex sched-ule, and my boss still contributes toretirement — that says a lot for a smallfirm. I actually feel more fortunate thanmost of my fellow paralegals becauseI have a great boss.”Several survey respondents who

asked to remain anonymous expressedconcerns about pay.“Particularly with the reduction in

benefits and raises, most paralegals Ihave spoken with believe they areunderpaid,” one respondent wrote.As far as hiring is concerned, Ford

said she believes that experience andeducation are the two most important

factors. Rhonda Rodenbough, chair-woman of the Legal Assistants Divisionof North Carolina Advocates for Justice,emphasizes experience more.“I can tell you that our firm would

be more likely to hire somebody withfive to 10 years’ experience in a par-ticular field than somebody with 25degrees,” said Rodenbough, a NorthCarolina-certified paralegal with theWells Jenkins Lucas & Jenkins firm inWinston-Salem.Still, Rodenbough added that if “we’re

talking about an entry-level [applicant]getting in the door, we would look ateducation — a degree from a universityor paralegal program, or certification.”The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

estimated that as of May 2009, therewere 8,920 paralegals and legal assis-tants in North Carolina compared to3,770 in South Carolina. The annualmean wage was slightly higher in thePalmetto State — $41,510, compared to$41,100 in the Tar Heel State.Nationally, the bureau estimated there

were 246,810 paralegals and legal assis-tants in the U.S. as of May 2009,earning a mean annual wage of $50,080.Pay varied widely by region of the

country. For example, the average meanwage in metropolitan areas with thehighest concentration of paralegals/legalassistants ranged from $31,260 inBowling Green, Ky., to $63,110 in theWashington, D.C., area.The national statistics do not include

self-employed paralegals, but thePalmetto Paralegal Association in a 2009survey, among other things, trackedhourly billing rates by independent para-legals and firms that charged clients forparalegal work. The hourly rates rangedfrom $66 to $125, according to asummary of the survey provided to CPN.In 2009, the PPA had 143 members,

46 of whom participated in the survey,said Natalie Butrym, the current asso-ciation president.“PPA believes that education as well

as experience does impact the salaryrange, and that is why our main focus is

Paralegal payAssociation and national statistics provide the latestinformation on paralegal compensation and benefits

as of may 2009, there are:

• 246,810 paralegals andlegal assistants in the u.S.

• 3,770 paralegals in South Carolina

• 8,920 paralegals in North Carolina

• $50,080: the mean annualwage nationwide

• $41,510: mean annual wagein South Carolina

• $41,100: mean annual wagein North Carolina

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

� See PAY page 7

often not heard during the case becausethere’s so much stress.”Ward said that paralegals are often

very active within their professionalassociations and take on charitable proj-ects as a group, but she less often hearsabout those who volunteer in uncon-ventional ways.“I think so often paralegals are so

focused on the paralegal associations— and they should be, and I havebeen — but I think it’s important tolook for ways to assist your com-muni t ies outs ide the box,” sheexplained.Bunce has almost finished closing

Gamblin’s practice. Ward is no longerworking for her, but Bunce told CPNthat the project would be nowhere closeto completion now if Ward hadn’tstepped up to help.“I don’t know what I would have

done without her,” Bunce said. “I wouldhave been pulling my hair out. Youknow how paralegals are — they’rewonderful to have around to take careof the details.”


NC paralegal finds client appreciation in an unusual placeBy DIaNa SmIth, CPN managing [email protected]

North Carolina lawyer Beth Bunceinherited stacks of paperwork when shewas appointed by the State Bar to closeout the practice of a local attorney whopassed away.Her job: to review, reorganize and

return the files to the clients.It was a daunting task. There were

over 200 files that the deceased lawyer,Doris Gamblin of Lexington, had beenhandling at the time of her death.That’s when paralegal Grace Ward

stepped in.A family law paralegal, Ward works

in Winston-Salem, but lives inLexington. When she heard ofGamblin’s death and that Bunce wasgoing to wind down the practice, shewondered if there was a way that shecould help.“Every year, I have a different motto

or quote that I take on personally asmy goal for that year,” said Ward. “Myquote for this year is from Charles

Dickens. ‘No one is useless in thisworld who lightens the burdens ofanother.’”Ward contacted Bunce to volunteer.

After her regular workday at Davis &Harwell, Ward hopped in her car andheaded over to help Bunce sift throughclient files. Ward also volunteered onSaturdays.Although Bunce could bill the Bar

to provide compensation for the work,Ward refused.“She jumped right in and devoted

hours and hours of her time for free,”said Bunce. “I don’t even know howmany hours she worked, but it was alot, and nothing was charged to theState Bar for what she put in.”

The work was slow-going. BecauseGamblin had been a sole practitionerand was very ill during the last fewmonths of her life, there was a backlogof paperwork to sift through, Bunce andWard told Carolina Paralegal News.“There were mounds and mounds of

paper that had no home,” Bunceexplained. “Most things were really not

filed, so first wehad to go throughevery mound ofpaper and file it,and once we didthat, we had tocomb that fileand make sureonly that client’spaperwork was inthere.”“We literally

went piece bypiece by piece,” Ward added.But when all was said and done,

Ward said she experienced an unex-pected payoff.“What was really neat was when a

client would come in to pick up theirfile, the client would tell how this attor-ney helped them in so many ways andmade their life better,” she told CPN.“My personal experience has been atthe completion of a case when I returna file promptly to a client, many times[he or she] offers their appreciation forthe work we have done. It’s a reward

FEATURE

Ward

continued education and why weadvocated ABA-approved paralegalschools,” Butrym told CPN.According to the 2009 PPA survey

summary:• 45 percent of the respondents had

an annual base salary ranging from$34,001 to $50,000;• 11 percent earned between $50,001

and $55,000;• 17 percent made between $55,001

and $70,000;• 7 percent earned more than $70,000;

and• 13 percent made less than $34,001.In another 7 percent of the responses,

the question was not applicable.When it came to bonuses:• The average bonus paid in 2008

was $2,200, though 61 percent ofrespondents said bonuses made up nopercentage of their annual salary.When bonuses were paid:• 15 percent of the respondents said

they ranged up to 3 percent;• 11 percent said they ranged from

3.1 to 5 percent;• 9 percent said they ranged from

5.1 to 7 percent; and• 4 percent said they ranged from

7.1 to 10 percent.More than a quarter of PPA’s respon-

dents said they hadn’t received anyrecent salary increase.However:• 42 percent said they received raises

of up to 3 percent;• Another 20 percent of respondents

indicated their raises ranged from 3.1to 5 percent;• 9 percent said their increases

ranged from 5.1 to 7 percent; and• 4 percent said their raises ranged

from 7.1 to 10 percent.As for benefits:• 46 percent of the respondents said

they received fully paid employeemedical insurance;• 61 percent had cafeteria or pre-tax

plans; and• 401(k) plans or other types of

savings plans were offered to 83 percentof the respondents.• The average number of vacation

days was 18.2;• The average number of paid sick

leave was 10 days; and

Pay� Continued from page 6 • The average number of paid mater-

nity or paternity leave was 17.5 days.In addition, 39 percent of the respon-dents had fully paid parking, while 28percent had partially paid parking.The PPA survey also covered education

and experience levels, as well as infor-mation about the paralegals’ employers.For example, 70 percent of the respon-dents had bachelor’s degrees, while 58percent had at least 10 years’ experience.The PPA survey did not ask

respondents whether they had any cer-tifications.

CertificationTheresa Prater, a PACE (Paralegal

Advanced Competency Exam) regis-

tered paralegal and vice president/director of professional developmentfor the National Federation ofParalegal Associations, told CPN thatin general, paralegals “with any typeof certification earn slightly more inmost markets.”“I know paralegals who have gotten

raises upon passing the [PACE] exam,”Prater said. “When I was in corporate,my duties and salaries were influencedby my certification.”Prater said about 800 paralegals

nationally have a PACE certification.In comparison, as of Feb. 1, there were15,856 paralegals in the U.S. with aNALA certification, according to NALAexecutive director Marge Dover.

Those with certified paralegal orcertified legal assistant designationsearned an average salary of $49,652in 2008, compared to $45,256 forthose without the certifications, accord-ing to a March 2008 NALA survey.Dover said NALA conducts thenational survey every two years. The2010 survey began June 1.Ford, of SCUPA, said for all the

focus on pay these days, the “biggerquestion from my conversations withmy fellow paralegals is not so muchpay, but how a law firm views parale-gals versus legal secretaries.”“There are many firms that call them

a paralegal but treat them like a legalsecretary,” she said.


Q&A: LESLIE MCKESSON

Paralegal education programslimited by lack of resources

Leslie McKesson is a college instruc-tor and program administrator for theparalegal technology program at WesternPiedmont Community College inMorganton, N.C. She is certified throughthe North Carolina State Bar and has acertificate in litigation specializationform the National Center for ParalegalTraining. McKesson also has a bache-lor’s degree in criminal justice admin-istration from the University of NorthCarolina and two graduate degrees ineducation from Appalachian StateUniversity.


McKesson: I started working as anadministrative law paralegal in 1981 andtransitioned into paralegal education in1989. Technically, I worked as a para-legal in the public sector for a littlemore than eight years prior to movinginto education.

CPN: What drew you into the career?McKesson: Originally, I was inter-

ested in attending law school andwanted to be sure that area suited myaptitude and ability before investing inthree years of professional education.After working as a paralegal for awhile,I decided to go on to graduate schoolbut I felt more of a tug toward educa-tion than toward the practice of law.

CPN: What paralegal organizations— national, state or local— are youmember of and what positions do youhold in them?

McKesson: I am currently (by wayof my institution) a member of theAmerican Association for ParalegalEducation. I am also a North Carolina-certified paralegal and have served onthe Paralegal Certification Committeefor N.C. State Bar Board of ParalegalCertification since its inception.

CPN: When you talk with otherparalegals, what are the main concernsor issues they face on a daily basis?

McKesson: Currently, employmentand pay are common concerns.Paralegals that are unemployed areanxious about finding jobs. Those whoare employed but want to move are con-cerned about starting new positions andlosing their seniority, and many who arehappily employed are concerned withlosing their positions due to economicconditions.


McKesson: I know there are thosewho would disagree, but I believe thatstandardization of core competencies andduties for paralegals would bring greaterconsistency across the labor market andwould also eventually increase recogni-tion of the profession. Standardizationwould reduce the number of people actu-ally qualified for paralegal positions, butit should result in a higher salary becauseof simple supply and demand. I believecertification would have to be mandatoryfor such changes as these to take place.

CPN: If you could snap your fingersand create the perfect CLE, what would

it be and why?McKes son :

The educator inme would createa “perfect” CLEby combininghigh-quality sub-stantive knowl-edge with relevantethics applicationsand ample oppor-tunity for interac-tion, perhaps in

more of a workshop setting than as purelecture.


McKesson: I was a young childduring the civil rights movement andI remember watching television athome on the day JFK was shot andkilled. It was one of those momentsthat is frozen in time that you alwaysremember. From that time, I had astrong desire for justice and I wantedto be a lawyer. I wasn’t always sophilosophical, though — there werealmost as many times that I was down-right artsy and wanted to be a balle-rina!

CPN: Knowing what you know now,if you weren’t a paralegal, what elsewould you want to do?

McKesson: I love music, so I wouldpursue a career in singing, writing andproducing Christian music.


McKesson: I wish I had known thatI could combine my love of the lawwith my passion for music and enjoy acareer that combined both. When Ibegan my paralegal career, the optionswere much more limited than they arenow. The profession has really evolved.


McKesson: I enjoy the creative sideof teaching and running a program. It isboth challenging and rewarding to havethe discretion to solve problems withingenuity. I also really enjoy helpingstudents discover and move toward theirlife goals.


McKesson: The biggest problem Iface in my current position is limitedresources, particularly funding, admin-istrative support and time.


McKesson: I’m proud to have beenable to enter the paralegal professionwhile it was still a relatively youngventure and to have been able to con-tribute to its development in NorthCarolina as an educator and leader.


McKesson: Hanging out with myfamily, admiring my patio garden orworking on a home-improvement project.

Do you know someone who should be profiled?Please e-mail [email protected]

with your suggestions.

McKesson

By vICKI voISIN, Special to CPN

“I’m late I’m lateFor a very important date.No time to say ‘Hello.’Goodbye.I’m late, I’m late, I’m late.”– The White Rabbit,

“Alice in Wonderland”

Can you relate to the White Rabbit?Always running behind? Always rushed?Always overwhelmed? If so, you areprobably ‘chronically non-punctual.’ Andyou’re not alone — an estimated 15 to20 percent of the U.S. population findbeing on time a challenge.People who are typically late are

usually aware that their lack ofpunctuality is a bad habit that results instress, worry and anxiety. Although theyhate always explaining and apologizing,they just can’t seem to be early nomatter how hard they try.There is a perception that people who

are always late are disorganized,disrespectful, unprofessional and evenlazy. In my experience, this simply isn’ttrue. The chronically non-punctual neverintend or plan to be late. In fact, theygenerally plan to be exactly on time.They abhor feeling rushed and they’reembarrassed that they can’t be prompt.Even with these very strong feelings,they always skate in just a few minutespast the deadline with their long list ofexcuses for being late.Their problem, put simply, is most

likely the result of over-planning theirschedules and underestimating theirtime.The bad habit of always being late

can’t be changed with good intentionsalone. You must first make the consciousdecision to be punctual. Follow that upwith an honest self-evaluation: why areyou always late? Once you recognizethe underlying reason for your tardiness,you’re ready to begin the hard work itwill take to change your self-sabotagingactions.Here are five of the most common

reasons people are habitually late andsome ideas for transitioning fromchronically non-punctual to persistentlyprompt.• You believe being early is

annoying: you’re just wasting timewaiting for other people. You viewwasting time as akin to the first deadlysin, so you try to make the most ofevery minute. Since you don’t want toarrive early and have nothing to do, youplan to arrive exactly on time and theresult is that you’re usually late.

Solution: Always plan to arrive 10to 15 minutes early. Instead of viewingthis as a waste of time, consider it your“warm up” time. Do athletes just runout on the court when the startingbuzzer sounds? No! They take time fora few shots to warm up and get readyto play. Use your “warm up” time togather your thoughts, plan and relax.• You underestimate how long

something will take you. This isn’t acase of poor planning, but a matter ofthinking you need less time than youactually do. You have to be realistic abouthow long things take — especially routineactivities like getting ready for work.For example, you estimate it takes

you 20 minutes to drive to work. Sinceyou’re supposed to be at work at 8 a.m.,you pull out of your driveway at exactly7:40 a.m. In reality, the drive takes youat least 30 minutes on a good day soagain, you’re always late.

Solution: It’simportant to keeptrack of exactlyhow long certainactivities take you.Never estimate,and then plan formore time in caseof “tech-nicaldifficulties.” Yousimply have to bea bit of a pessimistand assume

something will happen to take you longerthan you planned: parking may be difficult,you may hit every red light, there may beheavy traffic, etc. While you can alwayssay your tardiness was someone else’sfault, there’s no need for that whenoverestimate the time it will take you.• You allow other people to hold you

up. You may know exactly how muchtime something will take you, but yourplanning may be waylaid by someoneelse if you don’t learn to say “no.”

Solution: Decline or defer requestsby having a few stock responses ready:“I have to be at work in a half-hourand just can’t talk with you now.” Or, “Ido want to help you but I have tocomplete this brief by 3 p.m.” Or, “Ihate to cut you off but I have to leaveright now for a dental appointment.”This takes practice, but with stockresponses on the tip of your tongue,you’ll stay on schedule.• You always try to squeeze in one

more thing. When you have an extrafive minutes, you attempt to check offone more thing on your list — fill upthe gas tank, drive-thru for a latte, pickup the dry cleaning or throw in anotherload of laundry.

Solution: Instead of squeezing in onemore thing, just leave and use the timeat the other end for your “warm up.”• You can’t find your “travelers”

when you’re ready to leave.“Travelers” are the things that go withyou everywhere: your keys, purse orbriefcase, cell phone, etc. The inabilityto find them when it’s time to leave isfrustrating and will make you late.

Solution: Have a home for yourtravelers and always put them in thesame place so they’re waiting for youwhen you rush out the door.You can make all the excuses you

want, but you control your actions andpunctuality is ultimately your respons-ibility. Being chronically non-punctualis a bad habit, but it’s one that can bechanged with hard work anddetermination.You’ll need continual effort to change

from chronically non-punctual topersistently prompt. The result will be anew, calm you who estimates timecorrectly, has stopped the squeeze-ins,arrives early and has planned for thetransition time. Your reward will bepeace and renewed self-confidence.

Editor’s note: Vicki Voisin, “TheParalegal Mentor,” is a paralegal,writer, educator and speaker. Voisinspotlights resources, ethics issues,organizational tips and other areas ofcontinuing education to help paralegalsand others reach their full potential. Shealso publishes “Paralegal Strategies,”a weekly e-zine available atwww.paralegalmentor.com and co-hostsThe Paralegal Voice, a monthly podcastproduced by Legal Talk Network. A pastpresident of the National Association ofLegal Assistants, Voisin is employed inthe Charlevoix, Mich., office of Running,Wise & Ford.

Are you always late? Help forthe chronically non-punctual

Voisin

FEATURE


Jeffrey L. Smith is a litigation para-legal with Syngenta Crop Protection,Inc. in Greensboro, N.C. His responsi-bilities include litigation support andhandling IT issues for the legal depart-ment. Smith is a member of theParalegal Division of the N.C. BarAssociation and earned its Pro BonoAward in 2005.Smith is also the creator and writer

of Smitty’s Notes, an e-mail commu-nity newsletter that is published twicea month. He also created a website,www.smittysnotes.com, which focuseson news and happenings in the Winston-Salem, N.C., area.


Smith: Twenty-three years — 10years in private practice, 13 yearsworking in an in-house legal department.


Smith: By accident. I was waitingfor a management job at the law firm Iwas hired to open when it expanded.When the firm decided not to go in thatdirection, they offered me a paralegalposition. I graduated from ElonUniversity with a major in publicadministration. This worked out greatbecause I dealt with a lot of govern-ment agencies in my paralegal role andunderstood the bureaucracy.

CPN: What paralegal organizations— national, state or local — are youmember of and what positions do youhold in them?

Smith: I’m a member of the ParalegalDivision of the N.C. Bar Association. Iwas on the board of the ParalegalDivision from 2003-2005, served as chairof the Pro Bono Committee from 2004-2005 and received the ParalegalDivision’s Pro Bono Award in 2005.


Smith: I would say it’s differentworking in-house. Mostly, the concernsinvolve dealing with company issuesand developing and maintaining goodrelations with your “client,” who isalso your work colleague. The biggestchallenge is balancing deadlines drivenby litigation discovery and those withyour client who also has work chal-lenges of their own. In the end, it allworks out.


Smith: I think the fact that theNCBA, the N.C. State Bar and the attor-neys in the state embraced the idea ofparalegal certification was a tremendousbenefit. It gave paralegals a goal to reachfor and raised the bar of professional-ism for paralegals. I wish the SouthCarolina attorneys would see this as awin-win situation for the legalprofession.

CPN: If you could snap your fingersand create the perfect CLE, what wouldit be and why?

Smith: How to get attorneys to useand embrace legal technology tools. Ifattorneys better understood the benefitsof technology, they would actually useit more (such as Summation in privatepractice or matter management and con-tract management software in an in-house environment). If they used these

tools more often than relying on theirparalegal staff, attorneys could see morebenefits in their use with clients.


Smith: An architect. When my fatherexplained how much math was involved,I quickly gave that idea up. Math wasmy least favorite subject in high school.

Q&A: JEFFREY L. SMITH

In-house paralegal uses his talentfor technology with ‘Smitty’s Notes’

PuBLISHER

TONYAMATHIS, [email protected]

EDITORIAL

DIANAO. SMITH, CPN Managing [email protected]

TERESA BRUNO, Esq., Opinions [email protected]

FREDERICKHORLBECK, J.D., [email protected]

PAULTHARP, Esq., Staff [email protected]

CIRCuLATION

MAGGY JONES, Circulation, Marketing& Events Supervisor

[email protected]

SUEHARDEE, Sales&[email protected]

ADVERTISING

JENNIFERCLEMENCE, [email protected]

SHARONLIPPS, [email protected]

KATHERINELEWIS, [email protected]

ART

MICHAEL D. ZELLMER, Production [email protected]

JIM SLEEPER, Graphic [email protected]

NOELLE EDWARDS , Graphic [email protected]

ADMINISTRATIVE

MIREILLE SEGER, Business [email protected]

NELL FRANKE, Administrative [email protected]

THE DOLAN COMPANY

JAMES P. DOLAN, Chairman, President/CEO

SCOTT J. POLLEI, Executive Vice President/CFO

MARKW.C. STODDER, Vice President/Newspapers

© Carolina Paralegal News. Material maynot be republished, resold, recorded, orused in any manner, in whole or in part,without the publisher’s explicit consent.Any infringement will be subject to legalredress.

Established 2007Circulation to S.C. and N.C. Paralegals

Published monthly byNorth Carolina Lawyers Weekly

and South Carolina Lawyers Weekly1-800-876-5297

Questions or comments:1-800-876-5297x12

Carolina Paralegal News is publishedmonthly by N.C. Lawyers Weekly,107 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, NC 27601and S.C. Lawyers Weekly, 701 GervaisStreet, Columbia, S.C. Standard postagepaid at Raleigh, N.C. and additionalmailing offices.

CPN: What do you wish youknew when you were getting startedin the profession that you knownow?

Smith: Attorneys aren’t managers.They are trained to practice law. That’swhen a good paralegal steps in.


Smith: Discovery deadlines, whichare fast and furious.


Smith: Professionally, doing threeseparate legal software integrations(matter management, contract manage-ment and patents) during my careerwith Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc.Personally, creating Smitty’s Notes, ane-mail newsletter with over 10,000 sub-scribers and my website,SmittysNotes.com, that has fosteredsocial capital building in Winston-Salem, N.C.


Smith: Dinner with friends. I lovethe art of great food and goodconversation.

For more informationor to place an order, contact

Sue Hardee at 800-876-5297 x16.

Back by popular demand!Remember when you could keep all of your

Lawyers Weekly issues in one place for easy reference?You can again.

(They’ll also work well with CPN issues)Binders are available for purchase now for $19 each, plus tax and s & h.

Attorneysaren’t managers.They are trainedto practice law.That’s when a

good paralegalsteps in.

‘’


NCBA’s ‘Distinguished Paralegal’ never aspired to join the professionThe 2010 recipient of the

Distinguished Paralegal Award from theNorth Carolina Bar Association, VirginiaBurrows is a paralegal in the ResearchTriangle Park office of K&L Gates. Herprincipal area of practice is commercialreal estate.Burrows received her undergraduate

degree in business education from EastCarolina University in 1978. She alsoholds a master’s degree in educationfrom ECU. In 2009, Burrows alsoearned her associate’s degree in appliedscience in paralegal technology fromDurham Technical Community College.


Burrows: I have been a paralegalsince 1982 — 28 years this summer.


Burrows: As long as I can remem-ber, I have enjoyed reading books aboutthe law. My favorite for a long timewas “You and the Law,” published byReader’s Digest. After a year of teach-ing business education at a communitycollege, I went to work for an attorneyas a legal secretary in May. BySeptember, my position was downsized.I was hired by Dennis M. Marquardt,

an attorney in Morehead City, as a legalsecretary. During my interview, he toldme he was looking for a secretarywhom he could train to be a paralegal.The only thing I knew about the para-legal profession at that time was thatparalegals worked in the basement ofthe courthouse with dusty books.Despite the fact that I needed to find anew position within the next week, Itold Mr. Marquardt that I wasn’t inter-ested in being a paralegal, only in being

a legal secretary.He looked at myresume again,looked me squarein the eye andtold me I wouldnot be satisfiedwith being a sec-retary. I dis-agreed, but hehired me anyway.I now know

that God broughtus together. During the next year, hegave me all sorts of paralegal work todo. He just didn’t tell me it was para-legal work and I didn’t know enoughabout either the legal secretary profes-sion or the paralegal profession to knowthe difference. I had a good laugh atmyself when I realized what he haddone. I thank him for encouraging andteaching me so much. He was rightabout me. I probably would havebecome bored.

CPN: What paralegal organizations— national, state or local — are youmember of and what positions do youhold in them?

Burrows: I have been an activemember of the National Association ofLegal Assistants since 1986. I served ascertified legal assistant examinationadministrator in the past, but do nothold any position now.I have been an active member in the

NCBA Paralegal Division and RealProperty Section since 1998. Amongother positions, I began my service in1998 as treasurer, served as chair from2000-2001 and currently serve as para-legal liaison to the Real Property Section.I have also been a member of the

N.C. Paralegal Association since 1985.

Among other positions, I began myservice in 1995 as CLA/CLAS exami-nation review court committee co-chair,but do not hold any position now.


Burrows: For those paralegals whofeel they are not treated as profession-als by their firm and are not considereda valuable part of the legal team, themain concern is the fear of being laidoff as a cost-cutting measure in thiseconomy. During better economic times,the main issue is administrative —“busy” or non-billable work beingassigned to a paralegal rather than moreappropriate support staff.


Burrows: Volunteering, especially forparalegal association activities, but alsofor your church and community. Yourcommitment does not have to be long-term. Even a few hours can be a bless-ing for a project that needs assistance.Volunteer as a notary public or witnessfor Project Grace or Wills for Heroes(both projects of the NCBA’s YoungLawyers Division) or other pro bonoactivities. Volunteer to work as a com-mittee member or as the chair of thatcommittee for an organization. Volunteerfor the local animal shelter or food bankone Saturday a month. Find a projectthat interests you and fits your schedule.It will be as rewarding for you as itwill be beneficial for the project.

CPN: If you could snap yourfingers and create the perfect CLE,what would it be and why?

Burrows

Burrows: The most helpful CPEevents provide lots of practical tips andhints and/or hands-on activities in addi-tion to the law and theory behind theparticular topics. You can tell me andshow me how to do anything, but I tendto more readily remember how to dotasks when I have had the opportunityto actually do it.


Burrows: A librarian, a teacher anda horsewoman. I’ve only accomplishedone of those, but I wouldn’t change thecourse my life has taken. I love what Ido.


Burrows: First, to find and use amentor early. Even better — find severalmentors. I have too many to mentionthem all, but the ones I have used mostfrequently over the years are:• Sharon L. Wall for leadership in

sensitive situations and real estate;• Teresa L. Bowling for real estate;• Grace C. Ward for family law and

PowerPoint presentations;• Phyllis M. Hines. She’s become my

new intellectual property guru, althoughshe probably doesn’t know that yet; and• Sharon G. Robertson for leadership

in tough situations.All of these paralegals are consum-

mate professionals and have wonderfulleadership qualities I try hard toemulate. Many of them have taught methe importance of my professionaldemeanor; i.e., how to look calm on theoutside while paddling like crazy under-neath (think of a duck swimming on apond).The second lesson: Despite what

the person might say, not everyone ona team will be a team player. Youmay have to complete your assignment— and part of someone else’s assign-ment as well — in order for theproject to get finished. Unfortunately,that is true both in life and in theworkplace. Perform your assignmentthe best you can, smile, offer to assistothers when appropriate and move on.Life — and sometimes deadlines —are too short to dwell on the unpleas-ant parts.


Burrows: I get to perform a varietyof tasks, most very independently.Lately I have had the pleasure oflearning new skills and new areas oflaw by working with firm attorneysoutside the real estate area, outside myparticular office and outside the state.It has been challenging, but a lot offun.Also, the people I work with are

great. They are personable, supportiveand professional.


Burrows: Punching the time clock. Ilike to finish a project before I go homerather than watching the clock so I canmake sure I leave on time.


Burrows: I have done so manythings that I never thought I would dogrowing up in a small town, all ofwhich I am proud of, but I believe atthe moment I would have to say I ammost proud of receiving the 2010Distinguished Paralegal Award from theNCBA Paralegal Division.

Q&A: VIRGINIA BURROWS

SouthCarolinaSeveral paralegal associations in South Carolina recently

installed officers for 2010-2011.Legal Staff Professionals of South Carolina’s new state

officers are: Jamie Early, president; Tara Jean Prevatte,president-elect; Frances Powell, secretary; StephanieSaporita, treasurer; Kerry Waldrop, functional director ofmembership; Robin Deming, functional director of educa-tion; Jan Berger, functional director of marketing; LoisBelle, functional director of certification and Stacy Burke,immediate past president/parliamentarian.The Spartanburg County Legal Staff Professionals’ new

leadership will be: Robin Deming, president; SarahWallace, president-elect; Theresa Douglass, secretary; NancyLemmons, treasurer; Rhonda Mitchell, functional directorof membership and Kerry Waldrop, chapter liaison.New officers for Legal Staff Professionals of Greenville

include Tara Prevatte, president; Mary Beth Morgan, pres-ident-elect; Laura Harling, vice president; MargaretHampe Campbell, secretary and Patti Bacon, treasurer.

Hilton Head Island paralegal Meredith Lazarski hasreceived her Advanced Certified Paralegal designation fromthe National Association of Legal Assistants. Lazarski is aparalegal with Hale & Bolchoz and is also a member ofthe National Association for Legal Secretaries. She is alsomember and officer in the Hilton Head Legal StaffProfessionals.

The S.C. Upstate Paralegal Association recently raised$2,340 to donate to the March of Dimes’ “March for Babies”campaign. The association exceeded its goal of $1,500 andalso sponsored a comfort station to hand out water andcandy to participants in the annual walk/run. Participantsin the event included both members and friends. They were:Dorothy Huskey, team captain; Marianna Jackson, co-captain; Barbara Adkins, Daysha Bonner, Jennifer Greene,Karen Hall, Whitney Horn, Gail Inzero, Phyllis Mitchell,Lee Owens, Laura Page, Diane Petrice, Travis Ray,Logan Ray, Liz Scharf, Colleen Stevens, Wendy

MacDonald and George Huskey. Gallagher CourtReporting, McAngus Goudelock & Courie, Jackson Lewis &Legal Eagle also helped support the event with SCUPA.

NorthCarolinaJanice D. Linker received the 2010 Paralegal Award

from the Metrolina Paralegal Association in May. The awardis given to a paralegal who exhibits a commitment to pro-fessionalism and to the advancement of the legal community.Linker has been a senior paralegal at Johnson, Allison &

Hord in Charlotte for 37 years. In addition to her profes-sional work, Linker has served several leadership roles inMPA including third vice president, NALA liaison and his-torian.Other nominees for the award included Micah DeCamp,

Rosa M. Goss, Tiffany Marx Butcher, Laura Peres andStephanie Elliott-Park.MPA also installed its officers for 2010-2011 in May.

They are Antoine Robinson, president; Penny Higdon, firstvice president; Michelle Kass, second vice president; TiffanyMarx Butcher, third vice president; Susan Randolph, sec-retary; Roxanne Crouch, treasurer and Candace Russell,NALA liaison.

The N.C. State Bar Board of Paralegal Certificationhonored the members of its paralegal certification commit-tee at its board meeting in May. Committee members LisaDuncan, Virginia Burrows, Susan McIntyre, LeslieMcKesson, Theresa Irvin, Cheryl Waltz Smith and MaryWillard each received a certificate in recognition of theircreation of 800 test questions for the paralegal certificationexam.The board also certified 99 paralegals that passed the

certification exam at the meeting.

Candace Russell, a paralegal with Nexsen Pruet inCharlotte, has been selected by NALA to be a member ofthe LEAP Class of 2011. LEAP is a yearlong leadershipdevelopment program that teaches participants leadershipskills beyond what they may have acquired through localassociations or community experience.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT


North CarolinaParalegal Association, Inc.Notes:• NCPA is proud to once again offer

the Meredith R. Pollette scholarships,which are open to anyone who will betaking the CLA or ACP exams. Thesescholarships will cover the exam fees.Participants do not have to be NALAmembers, but must be NCPA membersin good standing and meet the eligibil-ity criteria to sit for the CLA/CP orACP exams. Check out the summerissue of NCPA FORUM or www.ncpara-legal.org for details.• Any paralegal association that is

interested in becoming an affiliate ofNCPA may contact affiliates directorTeresa Stacey at [email protected].• NCPA is now on Facebook and

MySpace. Contact Beverly King [email protected] if you have troublelocating NCPA on Facebook. ForMySpace questions, e-mail ErinGalloway at [email protected].• NCPA recently kicked off a men-

toring program. If you are a studentmember or new to the profession andare interested in being paired up witha more seasoned NCPA member, visitthe association’s website at www.ncpara-legal.org and click on the “mentoring”link.• NCPA is looking for speakers/teach-

ers for its mid-year seminar andCLA/CP review course that will be heldin Asheville on Sept. 10-11. The asso-ciation seeks instructors for its coursesin real estate, family law andprobate/estate planning. If you are aNALA-certified paralegal and interestedin teaching or can recommend an attor-ney who practices in one of those areas,contact Laura Champlin at lcham-plin@vwlawfirm or Melissa Rutledge [email protected]. State Bar Boardof Paralegal Certification• The board will have an open seat

for a certified paralegal beginningOctober 2010 and the nominationprocess is beginning. The followingparalegal associations may submit nom-

inations: NCBA Paralegal Division,Research Triangle Paralegal Association,Alamance Paralegal Association andAsheville Paralegal Association.Tara Wilder, assistant director of the

Board of Paralegal Certification, willcontact each association to submit nom-inees. Voting will take place online, andthe top two candidates will be up forselection at the State Bar Councilmeeting in October.Certified paralegals interested in

serving on the board should contact oneof the eligible paralegal associations andrequest a nomination.

Raleigh-WakeParalegal AssociationUpcoming events:• For 2010, RWPA membership meet-

ings will occur bi-monthly. Meetingswill take place from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.on the second Wednesday of February,April, June, August, October andDecember at the Holiday Inn, 4100Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh. Featured ateach luncheon are guest speakers froma variety of practice areas and localbusinesses. The 2010 annual seminarwill not be affected by the change andwill proceed as scheduled.Notes:• Any questions about RWPA can be

directed to Sherry Grady [email protected].

Research TriangleParalegal AssociationUpcoming events:• The Research Triangle Paralegal

Association meetings occur the thirdWednesday of June, August and October.A holiday meeting will occur inDecember.Notes:• RTPA regularly supports Interact of

Wake County (www.interactofwake.org)and challenges you and your firms orcompanies to get involved. Please visitour website at www.rtpanc.org for addi-tional information about upcoming meet-ings and events.

Asheville Area Paralegal AssociationUpcoming events:• Monthly membership meetings

occur the first Thursday of each monthat 12 p.m. at a downtown Ashevillerestaurant. Visit www. aapaonline.net formeeting details and locations.• Topics vary from meeting to

meeting. They are posted online atwww.aapaonline.net. RSVP with menuselection is needed.Notes:• AAPA welcomes its members to

submit articles of interest for potentialposting to the association’s website.Send your submissions to JennyIaquinto, chair of the publicity com-mittee, at [email protected].• AAPA will support MANNA Food

Bank and the Salvation Army in 2010.• NCPA is looking for speakers/teach-

ers for its mid-year seminar andCLA/CP review course that will be heldin Asheville on Sept. 10-11. The asso-ciation seeks instructors for its coursesin real estate, family law andprobate/estate planning. If you are aNALA-certified paralegal and interestedin teaching or can recommend an attor-ney who practices in one of those areas,contact Laura Champlin at lcham-plin@vwlawfirm or Melissa Rutledge [email protected] Valley Paralegal AssociationUpcoming events:• Monthly meetings are held the

second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.at various locations. Membership is opento paralegals, legal assistants, legal sec-retaries, attorneys, students enrolled inparalegal programs of study, paralegaleducators, employees of judicial entitiesand other recognized legal agencies.For more information, visit http://

www.catawbavalleyparalegalassoc.org.• July 13: Quarterly social from 6-8

p.m. at the Riverbend Clubhouse inGranite Falls. Admission is a preparedfood item to share in the potluck dinnerand an in-kind donation for WRC orHSCC. See the “Community Outreach”link on the association’s website to viewwish lists. E-mail Lynn Price to let her

know what type of food you will bebringing at [email protected] to help coordinate the eventare welcome.Notes:• For membership inquiries, contact

Cyndy Adams at [email protected] or Leah Poovey [email protected] CountyParalegal AssociationUpcoming events:• Monthly membership meetings:

Second Thursday of each month at12:30 p.m. at various locations. Visitwww.ccpara.com for details.Guilford Paralegal AssociationUpcoming events:• GPA meets on the second Tuesday

of every month in either Greensboro orHigh Point. Meetings are open to anyattorneys, legal support staff and othersconnected to the legal profession. VisitGPA’s website at www.guilfordparale-galassociation.org for information onmeetings, events and local continuingeducation opportunities.Legal Support Staff of AshevilleUpcoming events:• Monthly meetings will be held at

5:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of eachmonth at the law offices of Northup,McConnell & Sizemore, 123 BiltmoreAve., Asheville. No membership neces-sary to attend. Contact Susan D. Austinat [email protected] for details.Metrolina Paralegal AssociationUpcoming events:• Monthly membership meetings:

Second Thursday of each month at 12p.m. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church,115 W. 7th St., Charlotte.North Carolina BarAssociation Paralegal DivisionNotes• Visit www.paralegaldivision.

ncbar.org for information about newsand information about upcomingmeetings and CLEs.

SEND uS YOuR NEWS:Carolina Paralegal News is happy to pub-lish announcements of upcoming events,association anniversaries or meetingsscheduled for your paralegal organization.Please e-mail your news [email protected] byJuly 7 for the next issue.

Charleston Associationof Legal AssistantsUpcoming events:• Membership meetings are held the

third Wednesday of each month.• Dec. 2: CALA holiday party at the

Charleston Yacht Club.Legal Staff Professionalsof South CarolinaUpcoming events:• July 30-Aug. 1: Region 4 Annual

Meeting and Education Conference andLSPSC summer membership meeting.• Oct. 21-24: NALS 59th Annual

Education Conference & National Forumin Branson, Mo.Notes:• LSPSC is continuing to support the

S.C. Coalition Against DomesticViolence and Sexual Assault. Donateditems may include paper towels, toilettissue, paper items, cups, plates,napkins, utensils, envelopes, stationary,

personal items, bars of soap, shampoo,toothpaste, toothbrush, sanitary prod-ucts, diapers and baby wipes.• For LSPSC information, please

contact Tara Jean Prevatte at 864-271-7940 or visit www.lspsc.org.Legal Staff Professionals of GreenvilleUpcoming events:• LSPG’s regular membership meetings

are on the third Wednesday of every monthfrom 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the PoinsettClub. The meetings offer educationalspeakers and one half-hour of CLE credit.For reservations, contact Myra Culbertsonat 864-239-5959 or at [email protected] or Laura Harling at 864-232-8722 or at [email protected].• Oct. 21-24: NALS 59th Annual

Education Conference & National Forumin Branson, Mo.Notes:• For membership inquiries, contact

Laura Harling at 864-232-8722 or lau-

[email protected]. Please visitwww.lspg.org for updates and additionalinformation.Legal Staff Professionals of theLowcountryUpcoming events:• Regular membership meetings are

held on the third Monday of everymonth at 6:00 pm., Sunfire Grill &Bistro, 1090 Sam Rittenberg Blvd,Charleston. The meetings offer edu-cational speakers and one hour ofCLE credit and a short businessmeeting. For reservations or addi-tional information, please contactJennifer Cook at (843) 724-1115 [email protected] Staff Professionalsof the MidlandsUpcoming events:

• Regular membership meeting on thesecond Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m.,

1320 Main St., Meridian Building, 17thFloor, Columbia. A presentation by alegal education speaker will earnmembers a half-hour of CLE credit. Ashort business meeting will follow. Bringyour lunch and a friend! For additionalinformation, please contact Jamie Earlyat 803-422-6813.Palmetto Paralegal AssociationUpcoming events:• Regular membership meetings on

the third Wednesday of each monthfrom 12:30 to 2 p.m.S.C. Upstate Paralegal AssociationUpcoming events:• Educational luncheon meetings are

held on the second Thursday of themonth at 12:30 p.m. at the PoinsettClub, 807 E. Washington St., Greenville.• Oct. 1: 15th annual seminar,

Embassy Suites Hotel, 670 VerdaeBlvd., Greenville.

gals. The courses are offered during twosessions per year. Twelve of the 44courses offered through the program arerecommended as preparation for the cer-tified paralegal examination.For more information, visit

www.nala.org.• Starting in the fall, the NALA cer-

tification exam will be computer-based.The new exam format will be

National Associationof Legal AssistantsUpcoming events:• July 14-17: 35th annual convention

and exhibition at the Hyatt RegencyJacksonville Riverfront Hotel inJacksonville, Fla.Notes:• NALA Campus LIVE provides

online educational courses for parale-

NorthCarolina

SouthCarolina

National

ASSOCIATION NEWS

available at all NALA testing centersnationwide.

National Federationof Paralegal Associations, Inc.Upcoming events:• A calendar of upcoming events and

Webcasts can be found at http://www.paralegals.org/calendar.cfm.

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June 2010 issue What’s inyour wallet? - NCLawyersWeekly · 2018. 9. 18. · 4 Carolina Paralegal...

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