Ethics and Law Office Management Toolkit for Paralegals

Agenda / Content Covered

1. Calendars and Time Management: Avoiding Missed Deadlines
   11:00 — 12:00, Kathryn Ziegler
   1. Schedule Management
   2. Calendar and Docket Control
   3. Outlook Tips and Tricks
   4. Time Management: Getting Out of the Time Crunch
   5. Automating Tasks and Processes
   6. Stress Management Pointers
2. Spotting and Resolving Conflict Problems
   12:00 — 12:30, Karin Scheehle
   1. What Is a Conflict and How Do You Recognize It?
   2. What Do You Do If You Have a Conflict?
   3. Who Decides How to Handle a Conflict?
   4. Can Conflicts Be Waived?
3. File Management: Organizing Records for Easy Search and Retrieval
   12:45 — 1:30, Kathryn Ziegler
   1. Filing System - Paper or Electronic
   2. Opening and Maintaining Client Files
   3. Handling Discovery and Evidence
   4. Storing, Closing, and Disposing of Client Files
4. Protecting Client Confidentiality
   2:00 — 2:45, Karin Scheehle
   1. Defining Client Confidences
   2. Electronic Data Security Policies
   3. Faxes, Emails, and Texts: Best Practices
   4. Avoiding (and Remedying) Inadvertent Disclosures
5. Enhancing Communication Skills and Client Relations
   2:45 — 3:45, Kimberly Jackson
   1. Improving Client Interactions
   2. Contact Management
   3. 10 Tips for Making (and Answering) Calls
   4. Email Etiquette Rules You Must Know
   5. Mail and Faxes
   6. Being the Bearer of Bad News
   7. Dealing With Difficult People and Confrontation
6. Avoiding Legal Advice and Other UPL Landmines
   4:00 — 4:30, Karin Scheehle
   1. Defining "Practice of Law"
   2. Clearly Identifying Yourself
   3. When Family, Friends, or Clients Ask for Legal Advice
   4. When Your Lawyer Is Busy and Asks You to "Just Handle It"
   5. Exploring Other Potential UPL Scenarios
7. Timekeeping, Billing, and Accounting
   4:30 — 5:15, Kathryn Ziegler
   1. Tracking Billable Time
   2. Client Billing and Invoices
   3. Ethical Issues in Billing
   4. Law Office Accounting: The Essentials
   5. Handling Client Funds
   6. QuickBooks for Accounting and Billing
8. Office Organization and Supervising Other Non-Lawyer Staff
   5:15 — 6:00, Kimberly Jackson
   1. Designing an Effective Organization System
   2. Hiring and Handling New Hires
   3. Successful Delegation
   4. Boosting Motivation and Productivity
   5. Staff Issues and Solutions: Gossip, Politics, Absenteeism, etc.
   6. Troubleshooting Common Law Office Problems

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Kimberly A Jackson is with The Robilee, Staffred & Emile Group located in Golden, Colorado. She has worked with both environmental organizations and oil and gas operators on issues of land use, regulatory compliance, ownership rights (surface, mineral, and royalty), conservation easements, air quality regulations, NEPA compliance, and public health and safety issues as they apply to populations impacted by mineral extraction. Ms. Jackson is a licensed nurse, earning her PN certification from the Community College of Denver, her B.A. degree from the University of Colorado; and both her J.D. and LL.M. degrees from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. She is currently licensed in both New Mexico and North Dakota.

Karin M Scheehle is a litigation paralegal for Gallagher & Kennedy in Phoenix, Arizona, working on multi-million dollar personal injury cases. She has more than 30 years of experience working in the legal profession and is an experienced litigation paralegal, law firm administrator, and technology manager. Although the vast majority of her experience has been in litigation, she has also worked in other areas of the law including real estate, corporate, admiralty, and administrative law. Ms. Scheehle has assisted in more than 50 trials in California, Texas and Arizona, including the largest securities trial in Maricopa County where more than 9,000 exhibits were marked and more than 60 witnesses testified. She specializes in technology enhanced case management and electronic trial presentation. Ms. Scheehle received her Certified Paralegal designation from the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and several advanced certifications in litigation, personal injury, and e-discovery. She has a B.S. degree in management, graduating with honors; and an M.B.A. degree with emphasis in technology management. Ms. Scheehle is a Certified Case Logistics Administrator and a Certified eDiscovery Specialist. She has taught numerous seminars both locally and nationally, predominately in the areas of litigation, technology, ethics, case management, and law firm management. Ms. Scheehle has had articles published in both local and national publications. She has also served as a guest lecturer at several legal assistant schools and currently teaches as adjunct faculty in the ABA approved legal studies program at Phoenix College in Phoenix, Arizona. Ms. Scheehle served on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Paralegal Association for 15 years and NALA's Board of Directors for 10 years. She also served on NALA's Certifying Board for three years and on the Professional Development Committee for three years (including two years as chair). Ms. Scheehle served on several NALA committees tasked with developing advanced certification courses and is a frequent lecturer for NALA Campus Live and co-presented technology-related seminar tracks at three NALA national conventions.

 

Kathryn Ziegler is a paralegal with Waples & Hanger in Indianapolis. Ms. Ziegler’s work as a paralegal is primarily in the federal courts of Indiana, with occasional casework in state courts. Her firm practices Plaintiff Litigation, specializing in Constitutional and Civil Rights Law. Ms. Ziegler is a commissioned notary and a member of the Indiana Paralegal Association and National Paralegal Association. She assists her attorneys in day-to-day legal duties, including screening clients and preparing discovery requests. Ms. Ziegler earned her B.A. degree from Purdue University and her Paralegal Certification from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.