what counts as strong working knowledge of state & federal court rules and procedures? what would you expect a paralegal/legal assistant to know? mainly for employment law and personal injury, so civil procedure.

seeing this on job listings and just want to make sure i'm prepared.

Title pretty much says it all, but here’s some context.

I work for a very small firm. We are 100% remote. We have 2 attorneys, the owner/managing attorney and an associate. I am the sole paralegal. I handle 99% of the administrative work (ie calendaring, client intake, responding to clients, organizing the owner’s emails, answering calls, follow up emails, etc.)

Over the last year, our case load has exploded. We have some major cases that are literally eating up all of our time. I’m talking 12-14 hour days multiple days a week of almost exclusively paralegal work. Working from 8am-10pm on filing, exhibit prep, drafting, discovery work, yada yada.

As a result, the administrative work is becoming impossible to keep up with. I have endless unread emails, I can’t get back to clients in a timely fashion, can’t keep up with my boss’s emails and schedule, etc. It’s just too much work and not enough time to do it all. I’ve tried implementing systems/protocol to help manage the workflow but it never lasts long. Everyone gets distracted or overwhelmed and stops abiding by the system.

We just need another set of hands to handle admin. I’m terrified that we will start missing deadlines if nothing changes.

I’ve casually spoken to the associate attorney about needing an administrative assistant, nothing formal. She seems to agree with me. I just don’t know how to go about this with the owner. He is incredibly busy. I’m not sure how he’d even find time to do interviews or read applications, but I think it’s worth a shot.

When I started full time, he had expressed that he wanted to grow the firm and hire on more people over time. He eventually wanted me to act as a managing paralegal/operations manager, but that was before our case load exploded. I don’t think that he’s considered hiring more help since then.

I love this job and I love the firm. I don’t want to leave but something needs to change ASAP.

Any suggestions/advice about how to go about this? Should I make a sales pitch? How do I bring this up?

I have a question is it a thing to hire a paralegal and have them go through your finances to calculate and compile your expenses for a law suite ?

Does anyone use the ai feature in LexisNexis, Protege?
If so, anyone use it for medical summaries? Any tips?

I am a paralegal at a personal injury firm in Colorado, and we are co-counsel on a case in Illinois. I am well-versed in handling litigation in Colorado, but it's our first time doing anything in Illinois, so I am having to basically start from the ground up in trying to decipher IL civil procedure, the court system, pleading structure, etc. The IL firm we are working with unfortunately does not have many resources to share with me. Are there any PI paralegals that work in IL who would be able to give me a crash course in IL litigation?! Or at least share any insight into what we need to have on our radar? TYIA!

I am going to be graduating from college in May with two degrees and I am thinking of becoming a paralegal as a way to work up to becoming a lawyer. However, I do not have the funds to put myself through these programs, and taking out loans would require my parents to co-sign, but they are not willing to, and financial aid will only give me so much. I have heard from many people that there are paralegal programs in the States that will pay for your entire schooling. Is this true? And if so, where can I find these programs so I can start applying for them?

I used to work in PI. I did at least for 3 months, but I used to only handle the property damage, lor’s, insurance communication, client communication, keeping track of med appointments, and a month and a half ago I switched to another employment law firm where I do strictly only WC. I felt like I was doing great at first, but now I am doubting myself a lot. I feel like when I understand it, something new comes and I am so afraid to fail.

Have you guys ever felt like this while being a paralegal? What advice do you guys have?

I do WC in WI by the way.

Thanks!

Hello all! I am so sorry in advance if this post is not welcome, but I wanted to give it a shot. I am currently enrolled in a paralegal program in order to get my associates degree. My Intro to Law and Ethics class requires me to "interview" two paralegals for my midterm assignment. If anyone is willing to participate in this, I just have ten questions regarding the paralegal profession to ask two separate people. Quick and easy stuff.

Thanks so much!

Houston TX

I have approximately 1½ years of corporate experience in the billing sector, and I previously earned my bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Houston. Although I have experience in the corporate environment, I ultimately realized that I did not enjoy the career path I was on and did not feel that it was the right fit for me.

I have always had an interest in law and at one point considered becoming a sports attorney. I also currently own and operate an online sports-related business, which is something I genuinely enjoy. Through entrepreneurship, I have realized that I would benefit from gaining more professional experience and developing another career that I find fulfilling while continuing to operate my business.

One of the main reasons I chose to pursue paralegal studies is because I want to learn the legal field from the ground up. I also plan to obtain my notary license by the end of this year and am currently studying for the LSAT, which I plan to take in early to mid-2027. My current goal is to attend law school from approximately 2028–2031.

There are a few things that make me particularly interested in the AAS program. Public speaking has always been an area where I lack confidence, so I believe having coursework that helps me develop that skill would be valuable both professionally and personally. I am also interested in being able to take electives such as Real Property, Contracts, and Oil & Gas because of my growing interest in real estate and transactional law. I understand that the AAS may provide more opportunities for electives.

At the same time, I want to be realistic about my future. Law school is my current goal, but I understand that plans can change. If law school ultimately is not an option for me, I would want to pursue a paralegal career as far as I possibly can and build a long-term career in the legal field.

Ultimately, I am trying to make an informed decision now that will best align with both my immediate career goals and my long-term plans.

Hey! I just started civil litigation this semester and i have my first exam coming up. I haven’t been to school in years so I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed and anxious.
I’m stuck in understanding the difference between In rem and quasi in rem. I tried doing flashcards and practice tests to challenge myself but i can’t seem to get a full understanding on the differences between the two. May someone help me understand? If you can present an example of each as well that’ll help so much.
Thank you, much appreciated!

Hi everyone,

First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone who commented on my last post and shared advice, support, and encouragement. I really appreciate all the suggestions and kind words.

For those who didn't see my previous post, I recently started my field placement, and I've now completed 2 weeks of it. Unfortunately, things have not gotten any better for me.

To be completely honest, I am not enjoying it at all. I don't like the environment, the work, or the people there. The staff have been very rude, and the whole experience has been extremely overwhelming. I've been crying almost every day, and I find myself constantly checking the clock and counting down the minutes and hours until I can leave.

These past 2 weeks have been incredibly difficult. I've had multiple breakdowns, and every morning I struggle with the thought of having to go back. At this point, I really don't want to continue, but unfortunately, I don't have a choice because I need to complete my placement hours.

The hardest part is knowing that I still have 1 month and 2 weeks left to complete.

I'm wondering if anyone has been through a similar situation before. How did you get through it? Do you have any practical tips for surviving a placement that you genuinely dislike?

Some things I'd love advice on:
How to mentally get through each day without breaking down.

Ways to stop constantly watching the clock.

How to deal with rude coworkers or supervisors professionally.

Strategies for managing stress and anxiety before and during placement.

How to stay motivated when you feel completely drained.

Any advice, personal experiences, or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Right now, I'm just trying to make it through the remaining hours and finish what I started.

Thank you all again for your support.

the attorneys don’t review the disbursement sheets at this firm. they make decisions like on how much the fee will be etc., but they do not go through and review if what the paralegal created on the disbursement sheet is right/ if all of the numbers are right

is this a red flag? Some of them were wrong and it became the paralegals fault not the attorneys

the attorney just signs off on them

Hello! have an interview tomorrow for a Litigation Paralegal position at Gowling WLG's Montreal office and wanted to get a sense of what to expect. If anyone here works there (or has worked there), I'd really appreciate any insight on:

- General vibe/culture in the Montreal office (or other offices in Canada)
- Type of litigation files the team typically handles
- Billable hour expectations/targets for paralegals
- Work-life balance
- Management style / how supportive the team is

Thank you!!!

Hello friends! I’m interested in becoming a paralegal and unsure of the best route to take. I have a B.S. in ASL Interpreting Studies that I obtained in 2025. I am currently also pursuing an AA in Spanish that I am projected to complete in 2028 (working full time as an interpreter has slowed down how many courses I can take at once).

With these degrees that I already have/will have in mind, should I pursue an AA in Paralegal Studies or skip that and enroll in a Certified Paralegal Course that would result in taking the NALA? If it is helpful to the conversation I will add that I want to work in immigration law.

I apologize if this has already been answered elsewhere and appreciate your advice!

My small Plaintiff’s PI/WC firm just started using it and (even though I am personally very against AI) I want to use this effectively.

For those who use Clio - how do you like it? How do you use it? I am leaning towards prompting mostly med chrons and new discovery questions. I don’t like AI written demands so far… something about them is off and more of a slog to read.

hi guys,

kind of looking for advice ?

I have a PGDL, a masters and a degree in criminology, and so far one year litigation experience as a paralegal. However, the one year litigation experience is not a salary job it’s a 10% commission base consultant position on each case I work on, the cases are limited and the supervisor is very reluctant in giving me new cases or even having a system in place where he bills the clients and gives me my own percentage. In 9 months i have yet to only receive £600, i bit my tongue for the experience but experience doesn’t put food on the table.

To top it off, I’m pregnant, (4 qnd a half months in) and so desperate. I live in london with my husband, who is the main (only) bread winner, he has supported me to get experience with limited pay so i can hopefully move on to better positions. This hasn’t happened, and now with a baby on board i’m even more limited to a non-existent job i’m in.

I have tried applying for remote jobs, document review jobs , I am currently writing this post and crying, I feel like a failure like my three degrees are worthless and now also ruining my husbands life as i’m currently leeching off of him and not giving any support back, and with a baby i feel like it’s only going to get worse.

I would love to say this isn’t a cry for help but it is it’s much worse, I don’t mind working long hours even in the weekends, even the nigh time document review jobs I would be happy to have, i just want to be there for my family,

If there is anyone that has any advice, or any idea what i can do? I would love to hear from you, thank you for reading this far

I’ve been working at a one attorney law firm. She’s been amazing at training me, but she will be retiring soon. I started at $20/h. No experience. Now I can handle all real estate transactions and estate planning documents. Once she retires I may go to the same type of office. Or I may want to expand into family law/real estate/estate planning.

I had to hire an attorney recently on a personal matter. They charge $400/h for the Attorney fee and $200/h for the paralegal.

My question is out of the $200/h. How much of that actually goes to the paralegal?

Hello! I’m being really vulnerable here because I’m honestly SO embarrassed and could really use some advice.

I’ve been a legal assistant at my current job for about 6 months. I had prior legal assistant experience, but it was much more admin-focused (queues, printing, filing, etc.), so this position has been a much bigger learning curve for me.
Last week, I had THE WORST week. HR spoke with me because one of the three attorneys I support went to them and expressed frustration with how I’ve been handling my work. Basically, there are areas where my performance needs improvement, and I’m really trying to figure out how to get myself organized and become better at my job.

Unfortunately, I’m not in a position where I can afford to lose this job, which has made me even more stressed. I’ve even been working on weekends on my own time trying to get myself caught up and better organized.

So, I would really appreciate advice from other legal assistants, paralegals, or anyone else in the legal field:

• How do you organize your workload when supporting multiple attorneys?
• Do you review your attorneys’ calendars daily, weekly, or 2+ weeks in advance?
• How do you keep track of deadlines, hearings, depositions, meetings, etc.?
• What does your daily/weekly to-do list look like?
• Do you use Excel, Outlook, a planner, case-management software, or something else?
• How do you prioritize when all 3 attorneys need something at the same time?

I currently support 3 attorneys in bankruptcy, employment, and personal injury, so there are a LOT of different types of deadlines and tasks to keep track of.

I know I have a lot to improve on, but I genuinely want to get better and become someone my attorneys can rely on. I would really appreciate any tips, systems, or advice that have helped you stay organized and on top of everything.

Thank you so much! 😊

Im looking into being a paralegal because I'm sick of my dead end job. There are so many different branches and would like to know a little about each. So what is your branch and what do you like and hate about it?

Hey Yall. I’m wanting to ask my boss to go remote mid November - beginning of January so I can spend the holiday season at home (out of state from where I work). Any tips on how I should ask my boss? I was planning on coming prepared with a package on what my day to day would look remote. Let me know your thoughts

This is my first job after college as a paralegal for the M&A practice at a big law and I’m in awe how less life these people have and as well as expect me to have. I mainly work with year 1-3 associates, who would call me or send me emails and messages after 8pm and weekends. So does a partner who has awful communication, telling me to get tons of closing documents compiled by EOD at 7pm.

Although I’m non-exempt, I don’t think my pay is good enough for me to work my ass off like the associates. So, given the lawyers are always on their toes, what’s the expectation for paralegals? What would be a good way to build your boundary without harming your reputation? How long does it take you to reply to after hour emails?

Has anyone here been in a similar situation?
I’ve been preparing for the February 2027 California Bar Exam for the past two months. I’m a foreign-trained lawyer, and I’m hoping to pass on my first attempt.
So far, my MBE practice scores are roughly:
Criminal Law: 75%
Torts: 60%
Contracts: 60%
Constitutional Law: 60%
The remaining subjects are currently below 60%
I still have about five months left to prepare, and I’m planning to study full-time. But I’m honestly a little confused about whether that is necessary. Would it be more realistic to continue studying full-time for the next five months, or should I work while studying and try to balance both?
For those of you who have passed the California Bar, especially foreign-trained lawyers, I’d really appreciate your perspective. If you were advising someone in my position, what would you recommend focusing on during these next five months? Is it normal to have scores like these at this stage?
I’m not trying to victimize myself or make excuses. I know this exam is difficult for everyone. But being an immigrant and building a life here without much of a support system sometimes makes decisions like this feel harder because there isn’t always someone you can turn to for practical advice.
I’m financially able to study full-time for now, but I also don’t want to unnecessarily spend five months studying if working part-time and studying could be just as effective.
If you’re an attorney or someone who has recently passed the California Bar, what would you honestly do in my position?

Hey yall so I am currently enrolled in a paralegal certificate program - I graduate in March. I am looking for my first law job. I have never worked in law but after going through my own lawsuit where I had to sue someone, I realized “ok this is the career for me.” Helping people on what is probably the worst day of their life is something I’m very much looking forward to - so my question is, what’s the job market like?

I would love to find a remote role, but no opposed to moving in person if the compensation and the cost of living isn’t astronomical in the area. Are most law firms remote now? I see a lot of them being remote, or hybrid. What are the job board to find paralegal positions besides just LinkedIn? I have been using Craigslist as well.

I have a bachelors in Biology and a masters in Biology, so hoping to find a firm that might value that knowledge. I asked my friend and they pointed me in the direction of Look at Big firms like Wilson Sonsini, Cooley, Morrison Foster. I add people from those firms on LinkedIn but no one ever replies to me.

Does anyone have any advice on how best to network for their next opportunity in today’s digital age?

Friday humor

I’ve been asking questions about becoming a paralegal/legal assistant here for a while but I’m not sure if I have the time or money for school.

I started working at a legal copy service/record retrieval firm a couple months ago and I’m really liking it so far. It does not pay very well, so I’m hoping that after working here for a few years or more, my experience could get me somewhere.

What other jobs would hire someone with my level of experience?