November Meeting

Thanks to everyone who made it to the meeting yesterday - we had a great turn out. Above is a link to the past meetings of ALSP for those who are interested.

Look for information coming soon about a Holiday Gathering in December.

Have a great weekend!!

November meeting

Come join us to hear from David Richards, a founding member of the West Michigan Chapter of the Association of Litigation Support Professionals - a "sister" organization for Paralegals.
http://www.alsponline.org/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx

David will talk to us about the organization, its purpose and how it can help us out in our navigation of new technology in the legal profession.

Lunch will be provided.
Feel free to join us at 11:30 am for some networking/social interaction. David will begin his presentation at 12:15 pm.

Where: Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge
250 Monroe Avenue, NW
Suite 200
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616/774-8000
When: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 11:30 am

See you then!!

Paralegal Position Open

I received this job opening information from Gary Stec of Harvey Kruse here in Grand Rapids. If you are interested, please contact Mr. Stec directly.


My office is in need of a part time paralegal. We have some flexibility with respect to the days and hours for the position. The position will involve litigation support for a variety of personal injury and property damage lawsuits. Excellent database skills are required. The position’s responsibilities will include compiling evidence and supporting information by reviewing discovery documents and transcripts, analyzing and drafting various legal documents, ordering and summarizing medical and employment records, and otherwise providing assistance with managing Court docket calendars, maintaining schedules and deadlines, and processing settlement papers and payments. The position requires a paralegal certificate with computer skills. Compensation is negotiable and based on years of experience. Individuals interested in the position should forward me their resume or contact me directly.

Harvey Kruse, PC
Gary L. Stec, Esq.
60 Monroe Center St. NW Suite 500B
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503-2926Phone
(616) 771-0050
Fax (616) 776-3646

Upcoming Events

Happy Friday!

I was informed of two upcoming events that may be of interest....

NALS of West Michigan is sponsoring a workshop on Friday, September 25 at Davenport University entitled "You want me to do WHAT? Ethics in the Workplace", with speaker Nan DeMars, CPS. There are two sessions, one from 8:30 am - 12pm and one from 1pm to 4:30pm.
For more information, check out www.nalsofwmi.org

GVSU is having their 2nd annual Field Fair on Thursday, October 8, 2009 from 2pm-4pm. The topic is "Careers in Law and Justice" Students and graduates are invited to bring their resumes demonstrating related projects, internships and experiences that will bring value to an organization, firm or industry. You can reserve a spot, or request more information from Breean Gorham at gorhamb@gvus.edu

Have a great weekend!

Meeting on Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Please join us for a webinar with Relativity, Inc, an online document storage and management company.

Learn more about about their secure services for the management of your documents from searching to reviewing to production.
http://www.relativityinc.com/

When: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
11:30 am - 1:00 pm (join us for some professional and social networking at 11:30 am, if you can - the webinar will begin at about noon)

Where: Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge
250 Monroe Avenue, NW
Suite 200
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616/774-8000

Lunch will be provided!

Board Position Opening

Renee May has let us know that she is going to have to step down as our Chair Elect. Her career has taken a different path, and unfortunately, that path leads away from us.

I want to first of all say how much I appreciate all Renee has done for this Section. Her hard work and dedication over the past few years has made this Section a success. When I took over the Chairperson position in February, Renee was there for me every step of the way. It was a breeze to step into the position, due both to her assistance and the fact it was a smooth running operation already. Please join me in thanking Renee and wishing her the best in her new career.

So, now we need to fill this position. The responsibilities are not complicated and would require very little of your time.

I took the position of Chairperson because I felt a need to give back to our profession and keep the Section alive. In these tough economic times, I have noticed a decline in continuing education opportunities for Paralegals and feel it is important - more now than ever - to make sure we keep this going and serve the needs and interests of our fellow professionals.

Please give this opportunity some consideration.

If you are interested, please contact either Erin O'Rourke or me as soon as possible and we can give you more details.

Job opening

Document Production Specialist - Compliance Department

This person will be responsible for managing, coordinating, editing, and formatting company documents for all global locations. In addition, this person will work closely with the Law and Regulation team to make changes varying from punctuation errors all the way up to complete content overhauls, which requires the ability to organize and implement changes over multiple batches of documents. Responsibilities also include working directly with our translation company to convert necessary documents into various languages, coordinating with the web development group, and auditing documents once "live" on the intranet/internet.

Required skills include:
· High proficiency in MS Word (Vista), Excel and Adobe 8
· Ability to draft content with little or no supervision
· Patience with software/technical issues
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills
· Enjoys working independently to find solutions to problems
· Attention to detail/quality oriented
· Manage multiple change requests
· Must be able to endure changing priorities

Contact information if anyone is interested in applying:
Trish Wangler
Account Manager
Arrow Strategies
2851 Charlevoix Dr.
Suite 301
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Direct: 616-885-1148
Main: 616-885-1126

June 24, 2009 Meeting

An e-mail invitation will go out to the Section shortly, but here is information regarding our next meeting.


Please join us for a meeting on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. Lunch is provided.

Note that we are starting 30 minutes earlier this time. This extra time has been set aside so that we may socialize/network a little bit before the speaker begins at approximately 12:15 pm. Feel free to come at noon if your schedule doesn't allow you to come earlier.

This month, we will be joined by Kevin Pursley of iVize. Kevin will walk us through the services that iVize offers, from simply copying to creating demonstrative exhibits to the processing of e-Discovery.

Information concerning e-Discovery is a very important to have in both the litigation and corporate worlds. As Paralegals, we need this information to stay on top of this ever changing process.

Kevin will show us the latest tools for gathering data, electronically converting it into searchable format, forensically analyzing the information, storing it either on your own system or using web-based storage and preparing it for attorney review, production and use in the defense or prosecution of your case.

Please join us!

Good morning!

At the State Bar Day of Education last Friday, there was a seminar led by the Eastern Michigan Chapter of the Association of Litigation Support Professionals. It was fantastic! There is interest in creating a Western Michigan Chapter, and if you are interested, check out this link

http://www.alsponline.org/Chapters/MichiganWesternChapter/tabid/511/Default.aspx

Look for more information that I gathered from the Day of Education in the coming days.

Have a great day!!

Nancy

Lessons Learned from Susan Boyle

Lessons Learned From Susan Boyle

Thousands of people have watched Susan Boyle's incredible performance during her recent appearance on the television show Britain's Got Talent. If you haven't seen it , the You Tube video is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luRmM1J1sfg ....and if you haven't, what rock have you been living under?Susan is my hero and there are many lessons to be learned from her experience...I want to share a few with you:

1. Never give up on your dreams.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue and the dreams you dare to dream really do come true. ~ Lyman Frank BaumNo matter how long you've had your dream, keep it close to your heart and never let go. Never think that your dreams can't come true. Susan Boyle was born with her beautiful voice and she dreamed of being like Elaine Paige. At age 47, she marched on stage and all the world watched her dream become a reality.

2. Have courage
Courage is simply the willingness to be afraid and act anyway. ~ Dr. Robert Anthony

Courage gives you confidence for every step you take. Courage recognizes challenges. Courage understands risk. Courage acknowledges fear. Courage is aware of the possibility of failure. Then courage gives you the confidence to move forward, to do what you believe is right and true. Courage urges you to reach your full potential. At age 47, Susan Boyle stood before the audience and had the courage to reach her full potential. Was she nervous? You bet!

3. Take risks.
Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. ~ T.S. Eliot

Susan Boyle took a huge risk when she stepped on stage and looked Simon Cowle in the eye. Would he like her? Would she be embarrassed? Would she fail? Susan knew, though, that if you live your entire life playing it safe, you will never know what you can achieve. Sure, never taking a risk is playing it safe, but playing it safe is the greatest risk of all.

3. Never underestimate another person.
Don't judge a book by its cover. It's what's inside that matters. ~ Michael Green

Susan Boyle is not tall, she is not thin, she doesn't have great hair, and she would not win a beauty contest....but Susan Boyle is beautiful on the inside. Never be fooled by what you see. A person may look great, they may drive a snazzy car and they may wear the latest fashions. Those do not make them beautiful. Always look deeper for a person's inner beauty. If you did not look inside Susan Boyle, you you would miss her beautiful voice, her charm and her unassuming personality that make her a truly beautiful person.

4. Don't be afraid to leave your village (ie your comfort zone)
A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for. ~William Shedd

Only by venturing outside her tiny village did Susan Boyle make her dreams come true. Her voice would have been heard at weddings and at funerals and at church on Sunday morning but the world would have been deprived of knowing her and Susan would not have accomplished her life goal. Yes, she would have been safe. Yes, she would not have risked failure. By stepping outside her comfort zone, though, Susan Boyle taught us all that we should never stay in our safe harbor but sail toward our dreams, no matter how frightening that may be.

5. Believe and you can achieve.
If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it. ~Jesse Jackson

If you are to achieve anything in life, you must first adjust your attitude and believe with all your heart that you can do anything you decide to do. When you do this, half the battle is won. Believing in yourself is even more important than your abilities. Susan Boyle believed in herself even when the entire audience was smirking with disbelief. Other people do not have to believe in you...but you must always believe in yourself.

6. Stay true to yourself.
He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away. ~ Raymond Hull

There has been much discussion about whether Susan Boyle should have a makeover. Should she have her eyebrows waxed? Her hair styled? Her wardrobe updated? Susan herself has admitted she might need to exercise a bit now that she's seen herself on national television. If she wants to change to suit herself, that's great. Goals for personal improvement are good. However, Susan shouldn't change herself to please anyone but herself or she will lose the person that everyone fell in love with. Had she walked on stage looking like Miss USA, no one would have been surprised by the beatiful voice...they would have expected it. Finding the unexpected in Susan Boyle has been the attraction.

7. Do not fear competition.
You learn so much from competition. You gain confidence every time you step up and perform. ~Natalie Gulbis

Just when Susan Boyle was getting accustomed to the limelight, competition surfaced...a twelve year old boy with an incredible voice and darling dimples whose name is Shaheen Jafargholi. Susan will have to march on stage and meet the competition head on. She should do this by remaining true to herself. Susan is not Elaine Paige and she is not Shaheen Jarfargholi. She is a simple, unassuming woman who will grow from this experience and who will know in her heart that the world loves her for who she is.

I hope that Susan's brush with fame will cause you to pause and consider your life, your goals, and your dreams. Know that if you believe, you can achieve. In closing, I will leave you with one last quote:

Only as high as I can reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be. ~Karen Ravn

© 2009 Vicki Voisin, Inc.
Do you want to use this article in your newsletter, ezine or Web site? You can, so long as you include this entire blurb with it: Vicki Voisin, "The Paralegal Mentor", delivers simple strategies for paralegals and other professionals to create success and satisfaction by achieving goals and determining the direction they will take their careers. Vicki spotlights resources, organizational tips, ethics issues, and other areas of continuing education to help paralegals and others reach their full potential. She publishes a bi-weekly ezine titled Strategies for Paralegals Seeking Excellence. More information is available at www.paralegalmentor.com

Seven Strategies for a Successful Job Search by Vicki Voisin

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Seven Strategies for a Successful Job Search
In these times of economic difficulties, budget cuts and job loss, I hear daily from paralegals and others who certainly did not deserve to lose their jobs but who nonetheless find themselves updating their resumes and hoping for a new position before their unemployment benefits end.
When they come to me for advice, the first thing I tell them is that they DO have a job: they’re now self-employed and their job is finding a job. They have to treat this new job as though it is their own business and go to work every day. This is serious hard work!


Here are seven strategies for making your new business of job hunting a success:


1. Know Your Market. Do some research to determine what employers are looking for. You should craft your resume and your job search to be the perfect candidate for those jobs. Also, remember that many jobs are never advertised, but exist in the minds of the partners or Human Resources Director. If they view you as the perfect candidate for that position, they may hire you without ever interviewing any other candidates.


2. Do an inventory. Make a detailed list of your skills, experience, accomplishments, interests, goals and values. What are your strengths and where will they fit? You will need to be able to communicate, both verbally and in writing, how you are the unique and perfect candidate for a job. Your inventory should also serve as a road map to other areas where your skills and experience would transfer. Also, know your salary expectations and be prepared to have that discussion. Communicate this in a such a way that the value you would bring to the position is commensurate with that salary level. Know also that you may have to get real about what your next job will pay. It may be more important to get your foot in the door and have those all-important benefits.


3. Develop a Plan. Begin with a clear, concise resume and a concise cover letter that states how your qualifications match job requirements. Both your resume and cover letter should be designed to catch the potential employer’s attention. Identify potential employers and start sending those resumes, whether they are advertising open positions or not. Consider using an appropriate employment agency but sure you understand what the agency will do for you and if there is a cost. This can be an excellent job lead resource. Also think about doing some temporary or freelance work that may result in (a) additional contacts; (b) new skills and experience; (c) additional income to tide you over while you’re unemployed; and (d) put you in a position to be available when a full-time job is available.


4. Get the word out. Let everyone you can think of know that you are looking for employment. That includes friends, colleagues, neighbors, members of your professional association, former professors and classmates. It does not matter if they are located right in your hometown or living in Timbuktu, let them know. This network is an important piece of your job search plan. There is always someone out there who knows someone who knows someone else who might help you.


5. Boost your network. Sign up for job search newsletters and e-mail blasts. Post on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Take the time to actively participate in Internet discussion boards and forums. Done the right way, social networking can be priceless job search tool. Just remember that everything you post is public in some way and that, once on the Internet, it does not go away. These sites are used by people who are hiring to screen potential job candidates. You will want your posts to say positive things about you.


6. Do not wait for opportunity to knock on your door. This most likely will not happen. Instead, make your own opportunities by being persistent, assertive and proactive. As intimidating as it may be, make those cold calls to potential employers. This is important for two reasons: first, you need to beat your competition to the draw; and second, it demonstrates to the potential employers that you are serious.


7. Keep track of your progress. Maintain detailed records of the jobs you have applied for. This would include communications, interviews, referrals, and any follow-up actions you take. You are building a list of valuable contacts for current and future job searches. During this process, be sure to mind your ‘P’s and Q’s’ by writing thank you notes and speaking positively about the people who have interviewed you. Remaining polite and positive is key.
The job of searching for a job is hard work. It may be the most difficult job you have ever had and it is essential that you maintain a positive attitude. If you take steps to stand head and shoulders above the rest of the job-hunting crowd by developing some effective strategies and defining what you want and need, you will be on your way to losing your current job-hunting job (hurray!!!) and landing that full-time position.


© 2009 Vicki Voisin, Inc.


Vicki Voisin, "The Paralegal Mentor", delivers simple strategies for paralegals and other professionals to create success and satisfaction by setting goals and determining the direction they will take their careers. Vicki spotlights resources, organizational tips, ethics issues, and other areas of continuing education to help paralegals and others reach their full potential. She publishes a bi-weekly ezine titled Strategies for Paralegals Seeking Excellence. More information is available at http://www.paralegalmentor.com/

Relay for Life

Renee May sent out the following e-mail about her Relay for Life team. Be sure to check it out!


Hi! I'm writing you to let you know about a fantastic event I'm involved
with this year - Relay For Life - and see if you might be interested in
coming along side me in this fight against cancer.
Lisa Playter, attorney Deno Fotieo's paralegal, and I are putting
together a team of legal professionals for the upcoming Relay for Life
at Ab-Nab-Awen Park downtown. We are looking for anyone and everyone who
wants to join our team. Attorneys, Paralegals, Legal Assistants,
Receptionists, Interns, Clerks, anyone. If interested please shoot me an
email back and I will keep you in the loop on registration and
everything. Any and all participation is welcome. To join our team
click http://main.acsevents.org/goto/strikeout

If you do not wish to participate but would like to donate, please visit
the link above to do so.

Relay For Life is a wonderful community event that raises money to
combat this disease and to spread awareness about how we can protect
ourselves from cancer. It is a fun-filled event that brings together
people of all ages to camp-out and take turns walking around a track for
24 hours to signify that cancer never sleeps. It's a time of celebrating
those who have battled the disease, remembering those who have died and
a chance to fight back against a disease that takes too much from too
many.
Please consider joining me in this fight against cancer!

Please forward this to ALL legal professionals in your contact list.

Thank you.

Together, we can celebrate, remember, and fight back. Please join us.


Have a great weekend, everyone!!

~ Nancy

On March 25, we had guest speaker Dennis Hart of Semaphore Video come join us for our lunch meeting. He was very interesting, not only with stories of his very interesting career - including a Mayor Coleman Young story - but was informative as to the making of Day in the Life videos and their impact on personal injury cases.

I am working on a speaker for our April meeting, and will post that as soon as I have that finalized.

We have one volunteer for our Scholarship Committee (thanks Tiesha!), and we are looking for 2-3 others. We would like to start up a scholarship program for local students, and need some members to get that together. Please e-mail me at nlentner@shrr.com if you can offer a small amount of your time for this worthwhile cause.

Finally, I am very interested in your ideas for speakers. If you have the name of someone you would like to hear from, or just a topic you would like more information on, please let me know.

Thanks, and have a great weekend!

Welcome to the Grand Rapids Bar Association - Legal Assistant's Section. My name is Nancy Lentner, and I am the Chairperson.



I hope to update this blog on a regular basis. We will post information about upcoming meetings and speakers, relavant articles and events, job opportunities that come along and just generally to share information and ideas about our profession.



I would welcome all input and ideas you have for speakers, or anything else you would like to see the Section assist you with in your career. We will do our best to assist you, or connect you with someone who can help you.



Thanks, and keep checking back for information about our first meeting of 2009!



Nancy Lentner

GRBA Legal Assistant Section Chairperson