Comments for The Paralegal

Comment on I have not forgotten by Pita

Pita — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:55:29 +0000

Do you have a list of entries or wording on how to bill? I review a lot of records for govt. agencies but don’t want to be too specific about what I reviewed. However, a lot of time is spent on reviewing. How do I word what I’m reviewing? Help with the wording please.

Comment on Corporation or Private Law Firm?????? by The Paralegal

The Paralegal — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:41:42 +0000

When I first started working I did not have any idea what it was that I wanted to do. I worked for a firm that had various departments and somehow landed in the personal injury department. I’m not sure how I wound up there. I enjoyed it and in my opinion it is probably the easier way to learn the procedures. My suggestion to you, is to pick somewhere where there will be choices. Once you are at the firm and you are comfortable with your work try to get work from other departments. Most firms welcome this type of initiative from their paralegals. In this way you can better figure out what you want to do without the stress of having to learn everything at once.

I also think it’s important to find a mentor. Does not have to be another paralegal. But someone who you can go to with questions and who can point you in the right directions when you need that.

As far as my criteria to move from a law firm to a corporation. I’m really not sure I planned it. It is not something was looking for. At the time I felt that I needed to learn a new area of the law and began looking into finance, securities, mergers and acquisitions… anything that was completely different from what I had done. This opportunity presented itself and I went on an interview.

I really do not think one is better than the other. Each has their good points and their bad points. At times I miss the law firm and at times I’m glad I’m not at a law firm. I have to say that in the past year I have learned a lot and that was the main reason for wanting to move.

Keep in mind that it is important to always learn something new.

Thank you for your question and I hope I answered your question.

Comment on Corporation or Private Law Firm?????? by Elizabeth Forsyth

Elizabeth Forsyth — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 05:54:19 +0000

I sm presently a student in the Paralegal Studies program at Kaplan University Online. In the next year or so I will have to declare a specialty, (family law, ADR, etc.) I wondered, you mentioned that when you worked at a law firm, you worked in several different areas. When you graduated, did you have one area of law that you considered your specialty? Also, what criteria did you use to decide to switch from a law firm to a corporate setting?

Thank you in advance for your input

Comment on Blueprint for Regulatory Reform by Paul Maingault

Paul Maingault — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:42:12 +0000

Ana,

You are quite an accomplished writer with great insight into the market. I look forward to reading more from you in the future.

Paul Maingault

Comment on Blueprint for Regulatory Reform by Tim Ramsey

Tim Ramsey — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:13:02 +0000

I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog.

Tim Ramsey

Comment on Paralegal Billing by the paralegal

the paralegal — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:28:16 +0000

Each firm is different. In your case I suggest you talk to the attorney and explain your situation. I have qorked in firms that pay for the entire day (40 hours) no matter what it is I’m doing. They even reimburse for meals if I’m away from home. However, there are firms that only pay for hours worked. The only thing I can suggest is to not assume anything and before you enter your time make sure it is something you can bill for. Some firms have non-billable numbers you can use. Also is there other work you can do during the “down time”? Don’t double bill but you can work on other files and bill for that time. Be really careful when doing that though, double billing is unethical and will get you in trouble.

I completely understand your point thought and that is why you need to find all that out prior to entering your time.

Great job though. Going out to trial with the attorney is a great accomplishment and I shows that your firm is very pro-paralegal. Keep us posted on what happens. We would love to hear.

Comment on Paralegal Billing by T

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 23:20:01 +0000

I am struggling with how to bill time on the weekend while out of town for a trial. I am not free to travek home. I fully expect that an atttorney could email me at any moment with a request. During the down time, I worked out, grabbed lunch etc. How do I bill my time? On one hand I feel I am on call and should bill for the hours I have made myself available (8 – 6). Especially, since I felt I could not make any advance plans because I was waiting for possible intruction from the attorneys I am working with. On the other hand I feel like I did not literally work that entire time. What do you think?

Comment on Paralegal Billing by the paralegal

the paralegal — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:10:53 +0000

It is true that paralegals as well as attorneys are expected to bill for a full day. However, it is also expected that you are honest in your billing. As I stated in my post it is important to be as accurate as possible when billing your time.

Jenny commented that she “… heard of people adding bits of time here and there…” this sounds like “bill padding” and it is unethical.

I am sure your office has a “non-billable” number where you can bill the time cannot bill to a client file. You may want to contact your supervisor, or the attorney you report to, and let him/her know that you do not feel you have enough billable work. Keep billing your non-billable time to non-billable numbers so that you can at least have something showing that you are working and not just “surfing the net.”

We all perform non-billable tasks. For example, making copies, delivering the mail to the mail room, walking over to the file room to pick up a file, trying to locate a lost file (this doesn’t really happen in law firms does it?), and we are all guilty of taking one too many coffee breaks. There are also times when a new paralegal does not know what can actually be billed to a client.

Here are some examples:

1. If you are putting exhibits together for a big production, that work is billable…. Talk to a supervisor at your firm but normally you can bill as “…. review, analyze and organize ……” or “review and analysis of….”
2. If you are sending out medical authorizations, you first have to review the answers to discovery (interrogatories or document productions) so you can bill for the review of the documents and the analysis of the documents.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you need further help.

Please note that my advice is only that. Before you take any action, I strongly suggest you speak with your attorney and/or your supervisor regarding these or any issues in this blog. Each law office is different as is each retainer agreement.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Comment on Paralegal Billing by Jenny

Jenny — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:57:37 +0000

I have run into the same problem in my office where it is expected that I am billing all day long, but I don’t have the work to take up all that time. I have heard of other people adding bits of time here and there to their entries. I am not sure how to handle this.

Comment on Paralegal Billing by A~

A~ — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:42:48 +0000

Interesting blog!

My question, as a legal assistant in training, is knowing how to bill. Some tasks take only small amounts of time and yet I’m still expecting to bill for my entire day? The seasoned paralegal in my office had tips like “if a client is difficult, i bill more.” How is that possible? Our billing increments are .2 hrs, etc.

I don’t know if I’m being clear, but I wouldn’t mind billing if I just knew that I was being fair and not “padding”, so to speak.