167 episodes

The Paralegal Voice covers the latest issues and trends in the paralegal world. Hosted by Jill I. Francisco and Tony Sipp, The Paralegal Voice is an award winning show where leading paralegals and legal professionals discuss a range of topics from career tips and tactics to writing skills and hiring trends. The Paralegal Voice is a comprehensive educational resource for paralegals and all legal professionals at any level of experience.

The Paralegal Voice Legal Talk Network

    • News
    • 4.4 • 56 Ratings

The Paralegal Voice covers the latest issues and trends in the paralegal world. Hosted by Jill I. Francisco and Tony Sipp, The Paralegal Voice is an award winning show where leading paralegals and legal professionals discuss a range of topics from career tips and tactics to writing skills and hiring trends. The Paralegal Voice is a comprehensive educational resource for paralegals and all legal professionals at any level of experience.

    Tackling Tech, Getting The Education You Need To Advance

    Tackling Tech, Getting The Education You Need To Advance

    Let’s talk about changes in the law and legal technology in 2024 and how to make yourself more valuable to your firm and reenergize your career. Hear where the legal field is going (and how you’ll get there) with tech guru and guest Joy Murao. 
    Maybe you’ll even find the motivation and courage to sign up for a course and learn new skills in the coming year. Technology isn’t something mystical or even unusual in the legal field. It’s as vital as a paper and pen. Make this the year you overcome any lingering fears and learn to use the myriad tools available to you, from eDiscovery to AI. 
    Don’t underestimate what you’ve learned in the past, don’t overestimate the learning curve as you get accustomed to new tools, and never underestimate yourself. Get inspired. 
    If you have insights you’d like to share or a topic you’d like us to take on, please send us a note at Jfrancisco@lawgical.com and HaveASipp@gmail.com. 
    Mentioned in this Episode:
    PAR training and classes
    NALA education programs
    NALA Advanced Certified Paralegal courses
    LA Law Library   
    2024 NALA Conference & Expo
     “Nala Certifying Board Announces New Certified Paralegal Exam Specifications”
    NALA, The Paralegal Association

    • 35 min
    That’s A Wrap. What A Year: AI, Mental Health, And Conferences!

    That’s A Wrap. What A Year: AI, Mental Health, And Conferences!

    The return of Jill Francisco! She’s back after a busy autumn just in time to join co-host Tony Sipp as they wrap up 2023 and take a look at what’s ahead for 2024.
    There’s a lot to go through, but you can start with a moment to remember to take care of yourself this holiday season. There’s a natural tendency to put yourself last, behind career, family, and so many other things. Be good to yourself. Mental health is important.
    Looking ahead, make 2024 the year you get up to speed on the latest legal tech and take advantage of educational opportunities through NALA.org. Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t going away, and while it won’t steal your job, it will change how you do it. Ethics, research, e-discovery, and many other tasks are changing thanks to AI. You may as well embrace it and become the expert in your firm.
    We’re also looking ahead to lots of programming from NALA, The Paralegal Association, in the coming year. The national conference takes place in Louisville, KY, this year, packed again with valuable information.
    Thanks for a great 2023, and we look forward to making the coming year even better. If you have insights you’d like to share or a topic you’d like us to take on, please send us a note at Jfrancisco@lawgical.com and HaveASipp@gmail.com .
    Mentioned in this Episode:
    Previous episode with Sonya Sigler, “Career Pressures, The Holidays, And Taking Care Of Yourself” 
    Previous episode with Karen Tuschak, “Show Us The Money: The Art and Best Practices Of Time Capture and Billing” 
    “Best Billing Practices For Paralegals,” NALA 2023 conference 
    NALA 2023 Conference Recording Bundle
    2024 NALA Conference & Expo
    “Nala Certifying Board Announces New Certified Paralegal Exam Specifications”
    NALA LEAD program
    NALA, The Paralegal Association
    Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Mayo Clinic
    CLE courses on AI from Law.com
    “How Can Bias Be Removed from Artificial Intelligence-Powered Hiring Platforms?” Harvard University
    “Judge Sanctions Lawyers For Brief Written By A.I. With Fake Citations,” CNBC
    “Rethinking Returning to the Office,” Legal Business World

    • 39 min
    Career Pressures, The Holidays, And Taking Care Of Yourself

    Career Pressures, The Holidays, And Taking Care Of Yourself

    Legal professionals are goal-oriented and driven to succeed. But as we approach a traditionally stressful time of year – the holiday season – it’s important that we remember what’s important and to balance work and life and our own health. 
    Guest Sonya Sigler is an accomplished attorney who now devotes herself to executive coaching and consulting as well as speaking and writing. Her focus is on work/life balance, understanding your own goals and needs, and focusing on personal development and growth. Mental health and managing burnout in the legal field is crucial. 
    Sigler’s story started as a busy mom and attorney and volunteer. She was juggling as many roles as she could when she wound up in an emergency room with heart attack-like symptoms. It wasn’t a heart attack, but it was a wakeup call. Sometimes you need to put yourself first and say “no.” 
    During the holidays, we may feel obligated to do too much. Listen to yourself, and if we need to decline an invitation or a volunteer request, it’s OK. As Sigler says, we all deserve a life we don’t need a vacation from.
    Mentioned in this Episode:
    Books by Sonya Sigler
    Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Mayo Clinic
    Vistage
    Hallmark Holiday Movies, Countdown To Christmas
    San Diego Paralegal Association
    SDPA, Virtual Lunch With Leaders

    • 38 min
    Litigation Support Skills, eDiscovery, And Advancing Your Career

    Litigation Support Skills, eDiscovery, And Advancing Your Career

    Guest Cheryl Garner, CEDS, walks through not only becoming a better paralegal, but pursuing higher career goals, earning credentials, and specializing in eDiscovery and litigation support. She’s a litigation manager overseeing her firm’s eDiscovery program, educating attorneys and colleagues on best practices, and staying abreast of the latest trends. Litigation paralegal professionals play a key role in law firm operations. 
    Successful paralegals are comfortable with technology and embrace every opportunity to learn. Today’s top litigation paralegals are eDiscovery pros. 
    Negotiating with vendors, establishing rates, managing operations, and freeing up attorneys to focus on legal strategy with the assurance that the foundations are strong are all part of a paralegal’s role in litigated cases. 
    The skills and demands are always changing and evolving. Preservation, data collecting, and presenting evidence at trial have changed as the legal world shifts from boxes of paper records to electronic documents, emails, and eDiscovery. Tech skills and expertise with digital review platforms are table stakes in this new environment. Learn to uncover opportunities to advance your skills and career.
    Mentioned in this Episode:
    Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM)
    Relativity
    CSDisco
    Reveal
    Everlaw
    What is a "Load File,"
    NALA ACP Certification
    ACEDS Certification
    Electronic Discovery Institute
    Rutter Group guides
    Matthew Bender Practice Guides
    Los Angeles Paralegal Association (LAPA)
    NALA, The Paralegal Association

    • 34 min
    Paralegals Rise Up! The New Opportunities In Practice Management

    Paralegals Rise Up! The New Opportunities In Practice Management

    The role of experienced paralegal professionals continues to evolve in exciting new directions. Hear how driven paralegals are finding opportunities in organizational leadership as technology and artificial intelligence (AI) continue to disrupt the legal profession. The sky is the limit for today’s paralegals.   
    Guest Tara Kim Eberhart shares how the International Practice Management Association (IPMA) is leading the way with its four pillars: people, process, profits, and progress. Paralegal professionals more than ever are driving the operation of successful firms and organizations creating management opportunities for paralegals.
     What are the best practices and standards of care in management, and how do organizations incorporate these into their own operations and prioritize goals? Practice management and practice support may be two different fields, but they share the goal of driving an organization in orderly, focused manner.   
    Moving from daily paralegal duties to practice management and oversight can be an exciting career development opportunity for experienced paralegals seeking new challenges. 
    And don’t forget IMPA’s 2023 conference, Building Today For A Successful Tomorrow, Oct. 11-13 (pre and post conference events begin Oct. 9 and wrap up Oct. 15). 
    Mentioned in this Episode:
    IMPA 2023 Conference, Building Today For A Successful Tomorrow
    NALA, The Paralegal Association
    Organizations Affiliated With IPMA
    California Alliance of Paralegal Associations (CAPA)
    National Capital Paralegal Association

    • 29 min
    Courtroom Tech: Increase Your Value By Perfecting Presentations

    Courtroom Tech: Increase Your Value By Perfecting Presentations

    Guest Shannon Lex Bales is the author of “The Trial Presentation Companion” and an experienced educator and consultant who helps attorneys and firms follow standards and models for presenting cases using today’s legal tech. When firms go to trial, a lot of them are just “winging it” with the software and equipment, workflow, and skills they need to present a case. Paralegal professionals will find opportunities through education and certifications to professionally prepare and present data, video, and evidence using today’s technology. 
    We’ve all seen professionally staged “trials” on television shows. So have the jurors. There’s an expectation firms will present a compelling story digitally in the courtroom. What story is your firm telling and how? 
    As Bales says, “Basic legal technology skills are foundational for today’s legal market.” Understanding the use of legal technology in the courtroom is no longer an option. Keep up or fall behind. The skills you learned 10 years ago aren’t today’s skills.
    Hear how to actively pursue the tech skills you need to add to your resume as a modern paralegal professional. 
    Mentioned in this Episode:
    "The Trial Presentation Companion," by Shannon Lex Bales
    Cambodia Tribunal Monitor
    "White House Executive Office team engages ACEDS to deliver onsite electronic discovery training"
    Career Essentials in Generative AI by Microsoft and LinkedIn
    Reveal AI eDiscovery and Investigations

    • 29 min

Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5
56 Ratings

56 Ratings

Marra32 ,

Interview

I am interviewing for a commercial real estate paralegal position. I have some skills they are looking for but not all. Can you please an episode on this field of law? Thanks!

Juliap0517 ,

Paralegal must

If you are in the legal field as a paralegal or legal assistant this podcast is a wealth of information from people who are passionate about the field. They provide many resources to help anyone in any stage of their career.

ChrisPowers ,

Replace Jill Francisco

I’m sorry, but this lady makes the podcast unbearable to listen to now. She sounds like she’s reading off a prompter or something. Nothing personal, as she seems nice and knowledgeable, but the tone and delivery of the podcast is TERRIBLE. She almost sounds like the people presenting their business idea on Shark Tank. Just bring the guy back or find someone else.

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