Direction?

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: Just keep trying, Mariann, if law is what you want. That NW job would have been impossible; I also thought at the time eleven years in law were worth something.

I will but with more of the "eyes on the prize" kind of thinking (i.e., getting my Associates Degree). :)

Mets in Providence, Rhode Island said: Hey Deborah:

I had checked with the Unemployment Agency first (as I meet with them every week) and they approved me. In fact, she printed up the letter I need to get me going, so no worries there. I always ask before I do something like that to CYA.

All I have to do now is go and print out my W-2s and the other tax information they want so I can do this. :)

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Good. Last time I talked to a person at EDD, they told me to just sign up in an approved program. I was pretty sure there was more to it than that as I participated in a training program about 12 years ago while collecting UI and had to be approved.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll send them an email asking about the procedure. For now, I'll be signing up for weekend and evening classes (the 2 community colleges near me offer these) so that I can still take temp assignments if they come up. I'm really looking to get out of legal. I've had all the insanity I can deal with in one lifetime. One of the community colleges has a lab assistant program. I worked as a lab tech years ago, am math and science inclined and would have no problems completing such a program. That's in the health field; where there's always a lot of work.

Good luck to you.

So I'm not the only one who left law in a cloud of dust. I know what you mean about insanity. In my state lawyers hire freaks with pierced noses fresh out of rehab. My last job made me realize what a waste of life working in the legal field is.

Boston said: So I'm not the only one who left law in a cloud of dust. I know what you mean about insanity. In my state lawyers hire freaks with pierced noses fresh out of rehab. My last job made me realize what a waste of life working in the legal field is.

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I and a few other people are in definite agreement with that statement. I have been working temp for a guy who seems to be pretty decent; he just hasn't made up his mind.

I mentioned that I was formerly a lab tech. Some of these people really strike me like they are on something. It's impossible to be that clueless without some type of chemical input. I've had people get upset when I point out the rules to them, ignore it like it will go away, then run around like headless chickens to get things done when whatever it was had been pointed out to them weeks beforehand.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: This job would have involved a lot of physical work, rotating shifts and a long drive. Also, no health benies for a year. I could have cared less about the travel benies. To me, it wasn't worth it.

DLP - I would have taken a pass also, with the job description and driving. Yu made the right choice.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: ".... we had a major blizzard that Christmas that shut down the airport for a couple of days. .."

Nonetheless, I got the offer without really preparing for the interview or doing much of anything - and - no thank-you letter. For the latter, go figure.

DLP- x-mas in the Airport. ho, ho, ho.

YOu just never know. I bet you do prepare for a job you really want- I do.

Mets in Providence, Rhode Island said: That's true, but since the only alternative for me is not working permanently, getting training seems the way to go (and they can't take the knowledge away from you). I've been working in the Data Entry field for so long I've forgotten what it's like to do anything else, and I have the carpal tunnel to prove it.

That's not to say in a few years, when I've been doing it long enough, that I won't want to do something else. Right now I'm looking for the short term fix (say, a window of five years) so that I can pay off my long overdue student loans, and see what happens.

Try to get into the medical field (nursing etc.) Forget Paralegal work, the field is difficult to break into, the pay is low even with a degree and they are now outsourcing paralegal work to India.

Displaced, thinking of living in India? lol....

Scribe in Miami, Florida said: Try to get into the medical field (nursing etc.) Forget Paralegal work, the field is difficult to break into, the pay is low even with a degree and they are now outsourcing paralegal work to India.

I would, but I can't stand vomit. lol (I know I know, how do I cope with being a Mom?)

Boston said: So I'm not the only one who left law in a cloud of dust. I know what you mean about insanity. In my state lawyers hire freaks with pierced noses fresh out of rehab. My last job made me realize what a waste of life working in the legal field is.

In Boston? Could you hook me up? lol

Still no job....and I'm back in school. Sheesh...if I had the money, I'd just go for Pharmacy Technician and try my luck later with Legal stuff if I could. Right now I'm just surviving. :(

You are not missing $$$ in law. You can make more $$$ at McDonalds. In today's job boards is a McLaw firm seeking energetic, bilingual, organized paralegal for $10/hr.

It's on craigslist (Boston) today. "Receptionist" with potential to be paralegal. Free public transportation and free lunch provided. I think they should scope out social service agencies.

In my last firm, a rehabilitated drug addict was upgraded to paralegal. I personally have higher standards.

Even if they habitually come to work late, as in everyday, use the "F" word in every sentence? I do have high standards.

I couldn't stomach the neanderthal paralegal. I have zero tolerance for characters displaying the social grace and charm of goats. Her miserable face still haunts me to this day.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said:
The "F" word and worse language are common in law firms. Unless the words are directed at you personally for how you are or something you did, it means nothing. You should be inured to it if after spending time in firms. You are entitled to your standards, but don't expect others to live up to them.

Hey DLP and Truth Hurts - The 'F-word" gets used in all business, when allowed. As long it is not directed at me personally, I am a female, and I could care less. That is the least of my problems working in the law firm. My first boss could not seak 3 sentences without using the F-term- You get use to it- Sometimes he is not even mad- he was very intelligent. Just liked the word. Itdid get to you when he went on a rampage in his offce- so I would run inot the hallway and wait it out. ha.

Mets in Providence, Rhode Island said: In Boston? Could you hook me up? lol

Still no job....and I'm back in school. Sheesh...if I had the money, I'd just go for Pharmacy Technician and try my luck later with Legal stuff if I could. Right now I'm just surviving. :(

The great thing about being a Pharmacy Technician is that you can always find a job. Brother-in law is a Pharmacist- work is everywhere.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: Few people care for ill-mannered people. Unfortunately, unless one is the boss, no one has the luxury of choosing one's coworkers. No one said you had to love that person, nor deal with that person outside of work.

Here again, concern yourself with doing your job. It's a horse of a different color if a coworker directly affects your ability to do your job. I suspect in your case your standards impinged on your ability to work with that individual.

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While I agree with your post, I also believe that there are people (attorneys and support staff) who seriously impede the work flow by their obnoxiousness. If they know what they're doing, it's one thing. My experience has been that it's usually the pains in the rear who don't know what they are doing. That's why they have time to devote to acting like cartoon characters.

This place seems really cool so far. Here, we have nutcase opposing counsels. We have one who waits to submit his suggested changes/revisoins to proposed orders by fax after hours on the day the order is due. His last admonitions/changes to our proposed order came in via fax at 6:45 p.m.

We'd sent him the proposed order 4 days ago. We also faxed over a copy of our letter to the judge indicating that we had not heard from the opposing counsel. This was done around 9:30 a.m. The order was messengered to the court at 3:00 p.m. By the time we got his fax, the order had been sent to the court. It's very amusing to hear the attorneys here talk about this person. Apparently this is a habit that he has and the orders are always signed as our attorney writes them.

The attorney I work with likes to rush around and get things ready 1 to 2 days before the deadline. I can live with that.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said:

I attached the deadline sticky on my draft with the day and date written prominently in black Sharpie. I thought he would see it and get to it right away. But, no. This anal attorney let his precious deadline slide. He didn't get to this disclosure until later in the week. In the meantime I had busted my ass to get the work to him on time. <sigh> Go figure.

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I'm sure the support staff for the other attorney got the information to him and he just likes to procrastinate. I've been in firms like that. I'm just glad that at this one, the attorney himself likes to have things done before they're due. It's really a refreshing change.

You may remember my posts about that women's rights group. Constant waiting until the last minute, wanting to argue about the court rules, and just general ineptitude and incompetence.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: Few people care for ill-mannered people. Unfortunately, unless one is the boss, no one has the luxury of choosing one's coworkers. No one said you had to love that person, nor deal with that person outside of work.

Here again, concern yourself with doing your job. It's a horse of a different color if a coworker directly affects your ability to do your job. I suspect in your case your standards impinged on your ability to work with that individual.

I concur - well said.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: Sure.

A paralegal in my last firm started off okay. ......This same individual was very nosy and spent a great deal of time chit-chatting and gossiping with the receptionist. One time she asked me if I do my own handyman-home repair work? Why?? What was the point? It was none of her business and was totally irritating.""...

DLP- Oh I get that one. When I worked for in-house counsel at a very succesfuf corporation, I realized that the reason I was getting "standoffish" with several coworkers was that they kept asking me personal questions - as in none of your business. Put me on the spot and I hve to handle the "none of your busines" response with diplomacy. Geezzzzzzz...

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: "..... It also got on my nerves.This same individual was very nosy and spent a great deal of time chit-chatting and gossiping with the receptionist. One time she asked me if I do my own handyman-home repair work? Why?? What was the point? It was none of her business and was totally irritating.[QUOTE who="Deborah]The attorney I work with likes to rush around and get things ready 1 to 2 days before the deadline. I can live with that....[Continued, below....

two things that really bother me at work- (1) co-workers trying to get me in the gossip loop and (2) co-workes asking personal questions that are none of their business, putting me on the spot and uncomfortable. Forgot (3) the troublemakers - the ones who come out of the blue and directly try to make trouble for you. I get very standoffish with no. 3. And I stay that way. Never know what they are up to. Ha- I had all (2) and (3) in the same place.
And the boss told me in the end , "We have 'persceptions' on you.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: What kills **me** is I come in and do my job. I shun gossip and nosy people. I'm too busy. But the gossips and nosy people keep their jobs and I lose mine.

Go figure.

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You noticed. I've always wondered about that one myself. The attorney I posted about (opposing counsel) who sends faxes about his proposed changes to the orders after hours sent a letter to the judge and copied us. The letter is dated September 10, yet he talks about what was in our September 15 letter. Our attorney just wrote a response saying that he presumed the opposing counsel meant to date the letter September 16, since he was responding to points in our September 15 letter, and we received it by fax on September 16.

I still think that a lot of these people are on drugs. Wonder if a support staff person tried to point this out to him and got chewed out.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: What kills **me** is I come in and do my job. I shun gossip and nosy people. I'm too busy. But the gossips and nosy people keep their jobs and I lose mine.

Go figure.

Yes - Its true- I have seen it too many times.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: What kills **me** is I come in and do my job. I shun gossip and nosy people. I'm too busy. But the gossips and nosy people keep their jobs and I lose mine.

Go figure.

hey DLP- It actually did "kll" us- Like you I shun gossip and nosy people. We should- else they will keep trying to get us into the BS. Famous rule of work- keep your personal life out of it. (as much as possible) Unfortunately,I can only stabbilngly surmise that the "persceptions" developed because I got "standoffish" with the above-described. (The job I am decribing is the succesfull mortgage trading company. My position: Paralegal for in-house counsel.)

AND then there was the big problem in that it soon became "awkward" and "ucomfortable" taking to Big boss counsel- I could only do my best - not make waves, of course, try to deal best I could.

It was plain and simply the most "psychologically "messed up" group I ever dealt with. (that is excluding the owners of co, they were brilliant) My big boss, the trouble maker girl in I never knew what department or could remember her name- Why was she always coming in my office making trouble? Her "psychological" problems. And when you work for a corporation, legal is a small group and we have work relationships with all the others- That was the company that told me in a lecture "this company is about relatuionships" By the time that lecture happened- All of the above had happened. gossip, personal questions, trouble maker attacks. Shoot- I did not stand a chance there. AND- I knew what I was doing , as usual.

Oh, it "killed" us. the death warrants. Yeah -

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: People would come by my office and volunteer gossip. I always listened - intel is always valuable - but never responded.

I believe in keeping a low profile. Unfortunately, one gets a reputation for being aloof if one doesn't play these games.

DLP- Oh yeah, I will listen, just not get caught up, intel is always valuable .

There lies a problem. I keep a low-profile when I am new. Got to feel the place out first. then it depends on the office.

I have temped in medium size firms in Phiadelphia for 4weeks and the woman took me in, invited me to sit with them for lunch, no personal uncomfortable questions, just was comfortable and easy. My boss was very decent to me.-----Another place, pretty much same deal.

THen I worked for a corporation (the one referenced in above comment- and was a direct hire- and was treated like I had the plague at times or looked like a freak. Felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb. Never had experienced anthing like that before. Yeah- I got get standoffish- aloof. I did not know what the games were.

What, being drilled at to where you specifically lived, being drilled on 1st day by employee re: resume and did i draft, have a Paralegal certificate...I have already been interview by legal and this is why I am here. I excused myself to ladies room, after answereing a few questions.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said:

"The investigator in my second firm knew all. He shared some amazing information. I think his wife, who was the receptionist, fed him much of it. People were always by her desk chitchatting. One person in particular spent so much time chitchatting that I wonder how she found time to do her work - while I put in so much extra time trying to finish mine on deadline. Once more, go figure.

Who is the Investtgator? the person who handles locating people for service?

I was always so buzy with work that I did not have time for idle chitchat, but more than a few minutes telling a joke or something entertaining. Gossip - or truth from co-workers letting ou know why the last employee who had my job is gone, and more info on the corporate culture. That was good stuff, shared outside at smoke time.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said:

" Once more, go figure.

That sums it up.

If other people want to gossip, get away with talking all the time. great. But I know I have a lot of work to do- and there is no way I am going to be caught talking away on any regular basis- Once again, go figure. Others screw up , othere get away with a lot, and others go out the door for trying to do the job they were paid for - the one that gives you the paycheck - the reaaon you are there. go figure. Indeed.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: Yes. And he also took pictures, prepared A/V PowerPoint presentations for court and ran errands, along with disseminating gossip.

Ha, he ws the walking "water cooler"

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said:

" It's a horse of a different color if a coworker directly affects your ability to do your job.

Then it is time to stare into the computer like you are in heavy concentration and stick tongue out at side of mouth, like you are in deep thought. ha.

kmm in Wilmington, Delaware said: Hey DLP and Truth Hurts - The 'F-word" gets used in all business, when allowed. As long it is not directed at me personally, I am a female, and I could care less. That is the least of my problems working in the law firm. My first boss could not seak 3 sentences without using the F-term- You get use to it- Sometimes he is not even mad- he was very intelligent. Just liked the word. Itdid get to you when he went on a rampage in his offce- so I would run inot the hallway and wait it out. ha.

HOW GOOD PARALEGAL PROGRAM @ BMCC???

Does any one have completed paralegal program @BMCC in NYC?
How good program? How many got job after getting certificate?

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: Not everyone knows every school. Try posting the school's full name and location. At that point, perhaps, someone can help you.

In the meantime, as a good rule of thumb one can't go wrong attending an American Bar Association-approved paralegal school.

Hi Displaced,

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

As I logged on for the first time in a very, very, very long time-I noticed the word "Moderator" in your postings. Did Indeed do the smart thing and hire you?

deansuraci in Cornwall, New York said: Hi Displaced,

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

As I logged on for the first time in a very, very, very long time-I noticed the word "Moderator" in your postings. Did Indeed do the smart thing and hire you?

ANd he is doing a great job - as always. Go DLP. lol