Category Archives: Paralegals

Kelly LaGrave, ACP, Honored by NALA

LaGraveKelly A. LaGrave, ACP,  Receives NALA Presidential Honorary Lifetime Membership at the completion of her term. In appreciation for distinguished service to the NALA…the Association for Paralegals, the NALA Board of Directors conferred honorary lifetime membership upon Kelly A. LaGrave, ACP, who served as the association’s 2014-2016 president.

An accomplished paralegal, Kelly has earned the Certified Paralegal designation, as well as Advanced Paralegal Certifications in the areas of Intellectual Property, Real Estate, and Contracts Administration/Contracts Management.

In addition, she has helped with the review and establishment of NALA’s advanced certification programs in Business Organizations: Incorporated Entities and Business Continue Reading

Paralegal Profile: Linda Carrette, CP

Linda Carrette, CP, is a Litigation Paralegal with Strasburger & Price in Houston, Texas, Linda has a BBA-Business from Ole Miss, a MBA from Our Lady of the Lake, San Antonio;  and a Paralegal Certificate from Southwestern Paralegal Institute. She is also Board Certified-Civil Trial Law (Texas Board of Legal Specialization) and has earned her… Continue Reading

Paralegal Profile: Kelli M. Smith, CRP

Kelli M. Smith, CRP, is Assistant Vice President and Senior Paralegal at Plains Capital Corporation – Legal where she focuses on Litigation, Corporate, Bankruptcy, Employment, Mergers & Acquisitions. She has earned an AAS – Management and is a Core Registered Paralegal (CRP) through NFPA. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. What prompted you to choose a paralegal career?  In 1997, I returned to Dallas… Continue Reading

How Paralegals Relax: What They Do in Their Free Time

This was one of my recent posts on Facebook: The Paralegal Mentor is curious: What do you do for “play” when you’re not working? Just as I thought, paralegals know the value of taking time to unplug from work.  They responded with many hobbies and past times: Quilting, sewing Reading Fly fishing Knitting, crocheting, doing cross-stitchGardening, yard… Continue Reading

Technology Competence for Paralegals and Lawyers

As paralegals (or any legal professional really), it is difficult to keep up with technology trends, firm software, or even client data security. Listeners of The Paralegal Voice are likely ahead of the curve in terms of legal tech education, even though technology evolves so quickly. But what about the lawyers in our firms? Attorneys… Continue Reading

Paralegal Profile: Ronell Badua

Ronell Badua is a paralegal employed by the Department of the Corporation Counsel, City and County of Honolulu where he specializes in Civil Litigation – Environmental, Transportation.  He is active in the Hawaii Paralegal Association and recently received the HPA’s 2015 Career Achievement Award Ron has an Associates Degree – Paralegal Studies from Kapi`olani Community… Continue Reading

Paralegal Profile: Lisa Lynch, CRP

Lisa Lynch, CRP, is a litigation paralegal employed City of Dallas and is the immediate Past President of the Dallas Area Paralegal Association. She received her Paralegal Certificate from the Professional Development Institute at the University of North Texas Lisa was certified by NFPA as a Core Registered Paralegal in 2011, becoming one of the… Continue Reading

Paralegal Could Read French: $4.25m Judgment Reversed

Plaintiff’s never dreamed the defense-team’s paralegal could read French! Now, thanks to the language skills of the paralegal, plaintiff’s judgment in a truck-crash case has been reversed and they can kiss $4.25 million goodbye. The complex legal drama began at 11:10 a.m. on May 30, 2007. Hawa Sissoko was standing behind her car in an eastbound… Continue Reading

How Do You Define “Office”?

How Do You Define “Office”?

What does the word “office mean to you? Is it just space you’re occupying while you wait for something better to come along … or until it’s time to retire? Is it just a place to go each day, put in the required hours, do the necessary work, head out at quitting time, and pick… Continue Reading

Five Law Firms Named to Fortune Magazine Top 100 List

Five Law Firms Named to Fortune Magazine Top 100 List

Fortune magazine has released its latest list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.  Fortune based its rankings on a survey sent to a random sample of employees, as well as a “culture audit” that gathers information about pay, benefits and workplace programs. The five law firms that made this list (and why) are:… Continue Reading