Question about Paralegal work?

I also am really hard working, love to research, and I like to work really hard to prove a point. So I do also understand it is way beyond the secretary type of job.

Intelligence wise it helps if you can take "A" and "B" and then from that on your own figure out "C" - ya know, analytical.

To get to "C" you have to have some general knowledge, know what's going on with the case or matter and you have to *care enough* to notice and mention it to the attorney. Attorneys call this taking ownership of your work.

The big hurdle with being a paralegal is getting that first job.

Angela in Prior Lake, Minnesota said: I was thinking about going to school to be a Paralegal. I enjoy the secretary type of job...Thanks so much for your help!

Paralegal work, and more especially legal secretary work, is a dead-end job. You can't get promoted anywhere; therefore, income is limited. What's worse than the medicore pay is the hostile and oppressive environment. An overwhelming majority of attys are nasty and extremely difficult to work for. They are impossible to please; they complain incessantly about you and your work regardless of how well you do your job.

These jobs require all of the hard work and dedication that it takes to move up the ladder of success in a typical corporate job, only there is no ladder of success to climb. You spend your entire career at the bottom of the totem pole, and believe me, it's nothin' but b!tch work.

It is often impossible to hang on to a job regardless of your great work ethic and ability to do your job. Any legal sec or paralegal who stays in this industry long enough will get fired at least once. I wish someone would do a study on what the average lifespan of the career of a legal sec or paralegal is. I read that the average career length of a stripper is 5 years. I think it's a little longer for legal secs/paralegals.

Keep in mind I use the term "job." J.O.B. - just over broke. A career has options for advancement - upward mobility. A job, which is what being a paralegal or legal sec is, is dead end. If you are an ambitious, career minded, goal oriented person, this job is not for you. If you value professionalism, honesty, and integrity, avoid this industry like the plague.

Angela in Prior Lake, Minnesota said: I was thinking about going to school to be a Paralegal...

Here are some comments from other paralegals/legal secs that I cut and pasted from elsewhere on this forum:

Paralegal in Carrolton, Texas:
I have been a paralegal for 10 years and I totally hate it. Salaries are actually going down! Non-lawyers at firms are nobodies. Meaningless. Just a warm body. Sometimes I want to just scream, "I have a college degree! Why don't you treat me better?" But the only thing that matters in the field of law are the attorneys. All others are Staff and totally dispensable.

KMM in Wilmington, DE:
I was a Paralegal for 10 years. At the end, I hated it all- because of the stress, which was destroying my life, and the attornyes who eventually did destroy my life.
Shelf life of para is about 10 years.
I FELT EXACTLY, EXACTLY, EXACTLY AS YOU HAVE WRITTEN.
I lived the tortured stressfull days..when I just didn't know how much more I could take.
I eventually went down in flames in 2006, a toiled thankless life that ended very badly.

Happy RN in Alhambra:
RUN LIKE HELL AWAY FROM THE PARALEGAL PROFESSION. YOU ARE TREATED LIKE DIRT BY LAWYERS AND YOU WILL NEVER GET $50,000.00. IF YOU START GETTING OLDER AND LOSE YOUR LOOKS, BYE, BYE

VH in Dayton, OH:
Don't do it. It can be rewarding and working with clients most of the time is great, however, you will never, never get the appreciation you deserve from the majority of the lawyers you work with. They have too many problems with lack of ethics, laziness, arrogance, egotism, lack of caring for their clients, abuse problems, greed, et cetera. I spent 35 years in the legal field and am still doing some part-time work now that I'm retired, and when I look back on it I should have become a physical therapist. The pay is horrible with plaintiff attorneys. The stress is horrendous, and the office politics can be brutal. If you do everything your attorney bosses tell you to do without question, you can be in danger of losing your license but the jerk keeps on going. It will always be your fault when something goes wrong. I'm sorry I ever wasted my life trying to be David up against Goliath. I had to leave three law firms because of their lack of ethic.

Overwhelmed in Hudson, FL:
I must add my two cents. Do NOT do it!! I spent two years of my life in school and actually did get my AS in Paralegal Studies and was employed for about one year as a paralegal. I quit and am now preparing myself to invest one more year in an LPN program.
The stress of the legal field was overwhelming and unsettling. The stories of attorneys throwing chairs at their paralegals and tyrannical behavior was not a secret once I entered the field. If I had known about it prior, I may not have completed my paralegal education.
Working as a paralegal is FULL of stress, deadlines, "post-it" notes, and serious disillusionment. I was completely disappointed with the legal field and am very excited (and nervous) to be starting on a new path in nursing in just one week!

Pinkfusion in Irvine:
*I appreciate all that have shared their experiences. My sister was warning me (she works at a university) that many of the students that completed the paralegal studies program were VERY u

Pinkfusion in Irvine:
I appreciate all that have shared their experiences. My sister was warning me (she works at a university) that many of the students that completed the paralegal studies program were VERY unhappy when they began working as paralegals. At first I dismissed her. Now I believe it.

Vinitas in Los Angeles:
So true, so true the work is overburdensome. I worked as a paralegal, before the phrase paralegal was invented, for over 30 years. This is not a job for the faint of heart or anyone a little bit on the lazy. Be prepared to miss dinner. I have left the office only to learn I forgot something and then got sandbagged and had to work until after midnight. This left me enough time to get home, showered, and about 6 hours of sleep (I stopped long enough to get something to eat). You will miss your children's events because the client can only come in at that time, etc., etc., etc. Plus you get blamed for all of the attorney's mistakes.

Fired in Minnesota:
Yes, H.R. in big law firms are snakes. They only listen to the attorney. An attorney can be known to be impossible to please, or a rotten dictator, and you are expected to perform miracles. They will never say the attorney is wrong. They are too chicken. I was let go after 28 years...I don't think I've comprehended it yet....after six months. It makes me crazy if I start thinking about what they did to me, and I believe they believe they did the right thing. I wish it would happen to their mother or sister. You have no one to protect you as a floater in a large firm. It's like land mines all over the place, and your own ego hangs in the balance. It pays well unfortunately. I am so glad I am out

Emily in Denver:
I just came across this board while searching for employment - I've been a legal secretary/legal admin asst for over 25 years … I have been chewed up, spit out and stomped upon so much, I can’t describe.

I have been in therapy all of this time, convinced that they were right, I was a stupid bimbo, and they were in good heartedness 'trying to keep me off the streets.' Damn if you do and damn if you don’t. Some (women and that glass ceiling) claw their way to the top, not caring who they step on. More common among litigators, but no area is immune. Bankruptcy is depressing, litigation makes me hostile, family law is heartwrenching, malpractice is job security, but I feel like a calf being lead to slaughter (again). Most currently I worked for a woman firm. They gave me more breaks than they needed to, and their generosity was beyond compare, with regular salary increases and great perks. Commands had been humanly impossible, but, hey, that's our job, to make the attorney look good, and they were grateful. Suggestions may not be welcome, and some considered downright insubordination, but due to downsizing (and age?) I'm in a quandry.
All jobs have pressure – look at a dog kennel owner! But when working with lawyers, you’ve got to be a whole different critter, and somehow learn how to not bite back if you want a living.

Paralegal from Irvine, CA:
I would rather burn myself alive than choose this profession all over again.

Former Paralegal from Denver, CO:
I didn't witness the incident, but I was told reliably a partner in my last firm heaved his phone at his paralegal-office manager. He was upset that the phone didn't work. The gal, who had worked at the firm for five years and had been paralegal to the partner I worked for, properly walked out, immediately.

San Francisco Legal Secretary with 27 years' experience:
I once interviewed at an agency where I laid out all my conditions and things that I would not tolerate:

Micromanagement, yelling, assigning blame, not listening when someone tells you about a deadline and then missing it and getting upset with the staff, etc. The lady at the agency said "You've just described 85% of the lawyers and the 15% that don't behave like that have staff that isn't going anywhere." I had to laugh. That's the way both of the Estate Planning firms I recently temped in were as well as Littler.

I actually temped in a few places like that covering vacations and sick leave. It's too bad my husband isn't still around, I had actually planned to make a career covering absences and helping out with overflow. It was really a fun period in my life. I ran into some nutcases during that time, but I would just call the agency and let them know that they needed to replace me as I do not have a license to deal with mental cases.

Legal Secretary from the UK:
Thank goodness someone else out there feels the same way I do!!!! I'm 34, from the UK, and have been a legal sec for 12 years. I've just been made redundant and feel i've been set free from prison! In other industries being a sec/PA means you can use iniative and take on further responsibility, however, in a law firm they do not trust you to make your own decisions and we're constantly dictated to by arrogant, public school boys/girls! I'm also about to embark on getting myself into debt to study full time and eventually have a fulfilling career :) I only wish I'd done this years ago and maybe like you I wouldn't be in debt for the rest of my life! Money isn't everything and unfortunately it took me a long time to realise that. The good pay is a trap and I know so many legal secretaries who want to change their careers but can't because they need the income from their job.

Paralegal who is trying to get out in Hillsdale, NJ:
Some people become paralegals because they enjoy the law but don't want their job to be their life. Law is an all-consuming profession that demands too much personal sacrifice, especially for women already blessed with the greatest vocation....mother.
High intellect can be a curse. When I went to college, the "dumb" ones majored in hotel-restaurant management, communications or early childhood education. The top ranking students pursued poli-sci as a precursor to law school or pre-med.
Fast forward and most paralegals end up dealing with attorneys with a grossly inflated sense of self-importance. Abusive, condescending and even over the line to the point of being out of line.
Does hanging the JD sheepskin on the wall make one person better than another or smarter than another? Nonsense, plain and simple. In fact, it's the smarter women who choose not to put their careers ahead of their children.
No matter the profession, there should be a zero tolerance policy for abusive treatment in the workplace, but this type of crap goes on unchecked every day in every city.
If I had it to do all over again, I would have tried to break the stereotype of hotel-restaurant management majors. I've traveled all over and become a bit of an expert at high-end hotels. I regret choosing the wrong career path and am now working to transition to a career that doesn't involve having to put up with abrasive treatment by egotistical attorneys. Nobody should have to take that and those who are subjected to it need to find the strength to say "enough" and find a more rewarding career. Paralegals do most of the work while the attorneys take all of the credit and they get all of the blame. I don't advise this career path. It is DEAD END!

Paralegal in Dallas, TX:
For many paralegals, they end up in a relationship with their attorney that is very similar to a battered woman syndrome. So, look up the definition and pattern of this and you will see what being a paralegal is like.
You will have the same stages: The tension-building phase, followed by the explosion, followed by a honeymoon phase. Over and over and over.
Attorneys are socialized in their education and training to be the aggressor, the manipulator, always trying to control the situation. Really, this should all be targeted to opposing counsel, for those of us in litigation, but they are equal opportunity aggressors and will treat their own staff like they are on the other side of a case.
And since the battered woman syndrome is a type of post-traumatic stress disorder, you will also come away from your emotionally abusive paralegal job(s) with some lingering issues related to it.
It's best to avoid the experience altogether.

Former Legal Secretary from Costa Mesa, CA:
Think of the time you put into a profession as an investment because that's what it is, really. You have options where you invest your money. You can put it in a savings account and earn measley (sp?) interest or you can put in a mutual fund and earn higher interest. Which is the wiser choice? Well, my opinion is that being a paralegal is not a wise investment of time. It's as bad as stuffing all your money in a mattress. Your return isn't that great, especially not when you consider what the attys expect out of you. It's also dead end because you can't get promoted. I hope you consider instead a career that has advancement opportunities and room for growth because paralegal and legal secretary don't have that.

Former Paralegal from New York:
That's why I left after 5 years in the field. I wish someone told me all this when I was still in school. I wish someone pulled me aside and said, "what's wrong with you - are you for real?" Nobody did that. The college, magazines and trade publications all just capitalize on someone's ignorance of youth. Sales isn't for everyone. And neither is my message here. But real estate was hot in the 90s in New York City and its boroughs. I know beyond a reasonable doubt that had I gone into real estate in the 90s (as some people tried to persuade me back then)I would have accomplished a lot more by now. I had drive, energy and endless ambition. Legal just killed it there. Real estate would have nurtured it. Now I must wait for real estate to pick up. I feel like I've found my dream. my life's calling - IT'S REAL ESTATE!! Some people might actually find another legal related field that they like better. But they have to come to that on their own, like I did. I had close friends who were doing sales who told me I would regret becoming a paralegal. One did real estate, the other does beds at Sleepys which pays base plus commission. He is now a successful manager with his own storefront. I never listened. Experience is the best teacher. I learned on my own, and so will others.

Former Legal Secretary from Tampa, FLA:
The main reason lawyers are mean and vindictive is because - who ya' gonna' tell? (1) We can't (or won't) sue them or make waves because if we do we will be blacklisted and have a difficult time getting another job. (2) For every one of us who walks out the door for a bad attorney, there are 50 more waiting to get that job.

OK. You get the picture. STAY OUT.

One last thing. I'm pasting a link below. Scroll about half way down and look at a series of posts submitted by "Mezosub in Costa Mesa, California," two months ago. This is the most outstanding analysis that will ever be written on this forum. It's written by an intelligent, experienced paralegal, and it's VERY accurate.

www.indeed.com/forum/job/legal-secretary/Age-discrimination-leagal-secretary/t171173

By the way, I'm a former legal sec. I left the industry in '06 at 39 so that I could return to school full time to finish my degree so that I could change careers. I graduated at 42 w/my BA in Economics. I depleted my entire life savings, haven't contributed anything to retirement in nearly 2 years, and accrued massive school loan debt - all so that I could get out of this awful industry. Now I'm applying for jobs all over the country. I'll move anywhere, I don't care where, as long as I'm not working in law.

STAY OUT.

Oh, you guys that does not sound very encouraging. I appreciate your contribute to my question though. It was very nice of you to help me out. Is there any other careers similar that you would recommend?

I am just a college student with no idea what she wants to do. I am interested in law and I thought it was something I could do. The job I currently have now is working for a greeting card distributor. I do the extra work everyone else doesn't have time for. I am used to doing the stuff for the "important" people. I don't mind it. If I liked the nursing stuff I would do that because thats were all the jobs in the future will be.

thanks. Ill have to look into those more. I appreciate it!

Can you get into sales for your greeting card distributor?

No lol. Sales is not one thing I am interested in. I prefer the behind the scenes office stuff.

Human Resources

angela in Prior Lake, Minnesota said: No lol. Sales is not one thing I am interested in. I prefer the behind the scenes office stuff.

I tell people that, if they have an interest in law, then go to law school and become an attorney but NEVER, EVER work for one. When you say "behind the scenes," I take that to mean you are an introvert. IF you are an introvert, my opinion is that you will HATE law regardless. Not wanting to do sales can be a sign of introvertism (is that a word?), but I know a lot of outgoing people who don't want to do sales.

Office administration or executive assistant is good for experience, but I don't think it's something one would want to do for the rest of his/her life. It's still b!tchwork. You are still a puppet on strings, someone's "go-fer." It's a great way for a college student to get work experience, but I'd set a higher goal as far as a career is concerned. Unlike legal secretarial work, if you get in with a large company as an executive or admin assistant and work your tail off, you may eventually get promoted into a worthwhile position.

I never knew paralegal was that bad.....I think when I'm done with my Bachelors I'm going to take the LSAT and go to law school. My initial plan was to be a paralegal get a specialty and thats it. But with all of these reviews when you think about it you might as well go all the way out and become a lawyer.

I find it quite interesting that you refer to "dumb" ones in hotel-restaurant management, communications, or early childhood education majors. I happen to be both in restaurant management and communications, and I chose these majors because thats where my passion is.

I find in disheartening that you don't enjoy your job much, and you thought you needed to go into the law field in order to prove your brilliance but I hope you take the time to reconsider before you ever stigmatize, judge or belittle anyone elses profession, choices- it really gets you no where.

dh in Northern CA, California said: I tell people that, if they have an interest in law, then go to law school and become an attorney but NEVER, EVER work for one. When you say "behind the scenes," I take that to mean you are an introvert. IF you are an introvert, my opinion is that you will HATE law regardless. Not wanting to do sales can be a sign of introvertism (is that a word?), but I know a lot of outgoing people who don't want to do sales.

Office administration or executive assistant is good for experience, but I don't think it's something one would want to do for the rest of his/her life. It's still b!tchwork. You are still a puppet on strings, someone's "go-fer." It's a great way for a college student to get work experience, but I'd set a higher goal as far as a career is concerned. Unlike legal secretarial work, if you get in with a large company as an executive or admin assistant and work your tail off, you may eventually get promoted into a worthwhile position.

No secretarial, administrative assistant, executive assistant, or executive secretarial job is worth going into. You are not in a promotoble job and working your tail off just gets your tail feathers worn off. Run from any job that smacks of being an assistant of any kind for anybody. You are a replaceable slave and after you hit 40 or 50 no matter how educated, experienced or good you are they will give the job to a young chickie baby.

"After you pass the bar and have a law license, in time the sky's the limit for your earnings."

Provided you went to a top 14 law school. Otherwise you make peanuts reviewing contracts with no benefits.

Amanda in Kansas City, Missouri said: No secretarial, administrative assistant, executive assistant, or executive secretarial job is worth going into. You are not in a promotoble job and working your tail off just gets your tail feathers worn off. Run from any job that smacks of being an assistant of any kind for anybody. You are a replaceable slave and after you hit 40 or 50 no matter how educated, experienced or good you are they will give the job to a young chickie baby.

That may be true much of the time. At the corporation I work, however, someone who starts as an admin asst who has a good work ethic does move up far within the company, and they don't always need a degree to do it. Most of the women there in their 40's are in management, been w/the company 20+ years, and don't have a degree. Things are different now. I think you would need the degree now in order to advance, but getting your foot in the door w/this company as an admin would be a good choice in the long run. There is very little turn over. The employees with the shortest time are those in our Legal Dept, and even many of those have 10+ years.

A complaint I've heard from many students who do admin work at a company while working on a degree is that their own company won't promote them or give them a raise upon graduation. When a entry level position openedd up for which they were qualified with the degree, they were not considered. They have to get their own promotion - their own raises - by taking another job with a new company.

Don't get too discouraged. Some paralegals do love their job. You should get a good idea of what it is though before you spend thousands of dollars on something you are unsure of. A paralegal degree is pretty much only good for that type of career. If you call around to local law offices (large, small, corporations) you can most likely talk to the paralegal and get a better idea of what the job is like. They might not let you shadow since legal work is confidential and priveleged.

There are many options for a paralegal though, small offices and large offices directly under an attorney or you can go more on the business end and work for a corporation like Target or Best Buy that hires paralegals. The larger the company you work for the better pay usually you will receive. Also when they are a larger company you have a chance for advancement, like management/supervising.

I decided to go to school for law, I want to eventually go to law school but thought I would start at this level and work my way up. Hopefully getting into a company that will help pay for my continued education. Most paralegals will tell you that they do the attorneys job but for a lot less pay, so if that is what interests you and you are outgoing you could continue on.

You could also call some of the schools and get a better idea of what it entails. Rasmussen and MN School of Business both have great programs and lawyers teach your classes. Also you will get better pay with a 4 year degree than a 2 year, but that is typically the case with any job.

Best of luck!!

Did the paralegal school also tell you that you could work at title companies? That's my personal favorite line of bull. Oh, and the line, "All companies could use the expertise of a paralegal, so really you could get a job anywhere!"

hahahahahahaha

I second that.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: Why not, Ms. Gucci? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!!

Lawyers run the industry. After you pass the bar and have a law license, in time the sky's the limit for your earnings.

Based on what you've read here and may have heard elsewhere, be kind to your legal assistants. Treat your legal assistants professionally, WITH RESPECT and in consideration of their time, and they'll rescue you from fires every time.

Respect.....after being a paralegal...I would have no idea of what being treated with respect..in the work world would even mean...I do know what being treated like a "machine" is.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: Why not, Ms. Gucci? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!!

Lawyers run the industry. After you pass the bar and have a law license, in time the sky's the limit for your earnings.

Based on what you've read here and may have heard elsewhere, be kind to your legal assistants. Treat your legal assistants professionally, WITH RESPECT and in consideration of their time, and they'll rescue you from fires every time.

True..we do rescue them from fires....and do fire prevention..for that we get treated like a "machine"....we "help" them...and for that ...we get yelled at for nothing...talked to like we are children...barked at ... ..

When I was working...I got the work done..no time dates, deadlines were missed..everthing was getting done that needed to get done.. and it was getting done right..for that I get fired...

another evening spent in tears because my boss is a total prick....I feel like a little kid getting yelled at by my brother

My "Kool Aid intoxication" wore off the day I graduated. I thought I was going to be working for BigLaw making $70k a year and working alongside Harvard and Yale attorneys. Ha ha, boy was I dumb.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: ... Rotsa ruck getting in a corporation at entry-level, especially in this job market...

Yeah, no kidding. When I first started at the job I have now - July, '07 - I was a full time temp until they hired the permanent full timer. Then they kept me as a part timer. The office mgr advertised the opening on Craigslist, and they had between 120 - 130 resumes to go thru. This was BEFORE we had any idea the economy was going to deteriorate the way it did. My point is that competition for corporate legal jobs is very competitive in any market because a majority of the paralegals working in firms are miserable and want out.

I believe that the worst environment for paralegals is where most of the jobs are - law firms. Getting your foot in the door as a paralegal in a corporation is tough for an experienced paralegal with a strong resume.

Paralegal in Minnesota, you have a very Polyanna-ish view of the paralegal profession. You are in for a rude awakening. I wish you the best of luck because you're going to need it.

Paralegal in Dallas, Texas said: Did the paralegal school also tell you that you could work at title companies? That's my personal favorite line of bull. Oh, and the line, "All companies could use the expertise of a paralegal, so really you could get a job anywhere!"

hahahahahahaha

I also like NOT..that I quickly learned that all past job experience is dismissed IF it is not in a law firm or legal department.

I had worked in the mortgage banking industry for several years...a mortgage loan officer. I met with a Paralegal at his place of work, at a big firm, through the membership of Philadelphia Paralegal Association.

He looked at my resume and said...with your background, you might be able to get a para postion in work-outs, real estate. HE worked in the Real Estate Dept. of the firm. FUNNY, how the attorneys cannot see this...and forget HR...where the resume has to go first.

I did get an interview for a real estate para position. Met with 2 attorneys, one male, one female. They were nasty at the interview. The male attorney left, and the female attorney grilled me on terminology. OK..that's fine. I was able to answer most of the questions..then she got INTENSE and kept asking IF I knew about Section B..or somthing like that on a title report. I could not remember that particular section.

I did tell her I had to review Title Reports for every mortgage application. TO check for liens, etc. and if there were any I had to request a Satisfaction Letter. CLEARLY, I was familiar with the Title Reports. BUT no...she kept on asking about Section B..SHE was a real Biach..THen she left the conference room and I was just left sitting there. It was horrible..NO...I did not want to work for them...

THAT is how hard it is to get a job!!!!!

I had another interview for a Bankruptcy positon in a large DE firm.(large for a DE firm) I met with the HR woman first...She INSULTED me through out the whole interview. SHE asked me IF I used just my fingers to peck on the keyboard..and demonstated it with hand gestures..OR do I use all my fingers..

She just wanted to humilate me...Old ..ugly hag....looking at me..still pretty..I had no chance of meeting with attorneys dealing with her.

That's how hard it is to get a job!!!!

I was working in DE, while job seeking, on a temp assignment in small law firm.The attorney was nice to me..THEN his wife came in...another..not so attractive woman..SHE took one look at me and swung a INSULT at me...her insecurity problem..Surprisingly...her husband, the attorney, stepped up to the plate and said nicely to his wife....That was not necessary to say!!!

YEAH...I have had lots of problems with the woman...BECASUE I am pretty, and thin, and WAS confident..and wanted a chance..a job!!!

Back to the paralegal I met in his office, from the Paralegal Association. When I walked into the conference room to meet him..business suit..he said...WOW..you really have a presence..IT was a compliment.. not a slight..

THe first attorney who offered me a job as his legal secretry, he was a partner, happily married, just had first child...After offering the job, He complimented me on my looks and dress code..NO...he was not looking for trouble..He had gone through many interviews and dismissed the girls in 15 minutes. I was the one he wanted. The interview started out standard questions..he was pretty cold..

THEN, he asked what are your faults. I answered the question. HE said ...wow, you just turned a negative into a positive...THEn he warmed up to me...told me more about the job, the perks, the hours...etc..BUT, I did not take the job...I was not a good typist, not 70wpm..AND there was the problem of waiting from 5:30pm to 6:30 pm to catch the next train home.

DLP, how were you treated on your Internship???? curious

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: HA! I like that! Good one, Cindy!

But, sometimes, or maybe I should say much of the time, our Smokey the Bear efforts still fail......

Oh...those freaks appreciate nothing..IT should be a good thing, when they get someone trained up, and that para can do the job..they can depend on them..find everthing they need...not miss deadlines...someone they can depend upon to bring something forward that looks funky or problomatic...and yeah..I did the right thing..as the attorney noted. NO...just need more work...machine..

ANd guess what happens when you run a machine a full throtlle all day long...Surprise...it starts to break down. Bas***trds.

Here I was...a single woman living in Miami...had a job for a company working for in-house counsel..Liked the job..THEN...I got notice to move out of my owner-owned codo unti..reason..selling..OK, I move down the street to a hotel suite..so I can still get to work..need a roof o ver my head ASAP. Get approved to move into a condo apartment building on same street..WHERE, if you pay the rent, don't make problems..you can stay, and stay..as long as you want to.

So I have to stay in the hotel for 2 months..then a unit was available..THEN..my company jerks my paycheck on Friday...and I was suppose to sign lease and move in that weekend.. Quickly learned company was having problems meeting payroll on a regular basis...We had lost a lawsuit...because..someone overlooked the most important documents to prevail and get a monetary award..2 times..YEah.

SO...I am out of a job..and have no place to live..Stuck in the hotel, which was costly...getting my documents together to sue the company for my 3 weeks back wages.

WHAT would anyone else do in that situation???

I thank you all for your comments. The way I figure it is that with any type of career and any place you work at, there will always be that boss and those nasty people you have to work with. Eventually and hopefully you will find that place that treats you well and that were you will stay. I think many people on here are venting about their horrible experince and I hope their will be some positive experiences as well. My boyfriend's dad's girlfriend is a lawyer and she is as nice as can be. I have also met people who know people that are paralegals and say that they love their job. I think ]I'm going to tough it out and continue with my education to be a paralegal.

Paralegal in Dallas, Texas said: Did the paralegal school also tell you that you could work at title companies? That's my personal favorite line of bull. Oh, and the line, "All companies could use the expertise of a paralegal, so really you could get a job anywhere!"

hahahahahahaha

Yeah...the joke on us....the only tranferrable skills we have are the basics, orgnized, attention to detail. AS soon as they see PARALEGAL on the resume, they assume we will go back to para as soon as we get a job...

AND, the second problem..say you get a job in a company as an ADMIN ASST....with the hope of moving up the latter to a better job after a year...IF your boss does not wants to hire someone who will stay with him...YOU will never be able to advance. OFTEN...your boss has to ok you to post for anther job in the company.

so bad...If your boss wants to hire someone who will stay with him...you will most likely not be able to advance.

HOW many female para or legal sec have had a female boss???What was your experience. ???

ME...I got hired by one female attorney.. SHe was happy person..no BS female tension in the interview and she did not change when I worked for her...However, the other female attorney, whom I met the first day on the job, butch haircut,no boyfriend or husband.....she took one look at me....and I could tell she did not like me...problem...I was a pretty girl....AND she had me out of there in 30 days....the set-up....suddenly I lost a timesheet..SO that is how she got me fired..I never got the timesheet...and I know it.

Ranting again...'because I had so many messed up things happen to me in the legal work world

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: I had two internships. One with an insurance defense firm. I was well treated. ..

The lawyer did write a good LOR for me, which is the real purpose for completing an internship. His LOR helped me twice - immediately, for getting my first job, and years later for getting my second job.

I applied to the firm two times several years later. I reintroduced myself as a former intern in my cover letter. No response.

My other internship involved doing work for a California lawyer ...I primarily did legal research. He, too, wrote a good LOR for me.

I did not ask for an LOR when I volunteered at Legal Aid...the thought escaped me. Yeah..should have asked for one.

I do not think she/attorney gave me a good reference on the telephone with the firm I interviewed with...because I was told by her/attorney that they/attorney I interviewed with, thought I was too intense.

Not right...I did the work..I completed a Chapter 7 and filed it..AND she got real pissed..and was telling me this is not going to work out becasue I got hung up by another employee talking to me....while on route to see the attorney at her request.

IF you volunteer....and do the job they ask..and do your best..and do not try and make waves..YOU should get a good reference.

I was blind to the concept of getting a LOR in writing...

I

kmm in Wilmington, Delaware said: I did not ask for an LOR when I volunteered at Legal Aid...the thought escaped me. Yeah..should have asked for one.

I do not think she/attorney gave me a good reference on the telephone with the firm I interviewed with...because I was told by her/attorney that they/attorney I interviewed with, thought I was too intense.

Not right...I did the work..I completed a Chapter 7 and filed it..AND she got real pissed..and was telling me this is not going to work out becasue I got hung up by another employee talking to me....while on route to see the attorney at her request.

IF you volunteer....and do the job they ask..and do your best..and do not try and make waves..YOU should get a good reference.

I was blind to the concept of getting a LOR in writing...

I

Even if it is verbal to a potential employer...

DLP - did you have to ask for the LOR at the interships.???

I have worked for quite a few female attorneys. Some were okay, others were challenging but manageable and one was what I would consider Of The Devil, but outside of work she was fine.

I have also worked for several men attorneys and all were okay. One treated his secretary really really bad, but he was okay with me. I worked near a couple of male attorneys who were mean and evil, but I wasn't in their group, so I didn't care.

Personally I don't think LOR aren't worth the paper they are written on. In the legal field these attorneys just call each other and ask about you without you ever knowing they are doing it. Never burn bridges in this field!

I mean I don't think LOR are worth the paper they are written on. They are worthless.

When I wanted my LOR when the attorney I was working for was leaving, eliminating my position, I had to write the LOR myself...and he edited. HE would never have taken the time to write one for me...He is packing and getting ready to leave for his next job.

Paralegal in Dallas, Texas said: I have worked for quite a few female attorneys. Some were okay, others were challenging but manageable and one was what I would consider Of The Devil, but outside of work she was fine.

I have also worked for several men attorneys and all were okay. One treated his secretary really really bad, but he was okay with me. I worked near a couple of male attorneys who were mean and evil, but I wasn't in their group, so I didn't care.

Personally I don't think LOR aren't worth the paper they are written on. In the legal field these attorneys just call each other and ask about you without you ever knowing they are doing it. Never burn bridges in this field!

Burn bridges.....IF I did a good job there...and I am out of there...becasue they are laying me off due to a corporate re-structure....or I am out of there because of stress and I did a good job and they have nothing on me...IF they give me a bad reference they are LYING..There is no prevention of getting a bad reference if that is what they intend to do. SO...no bridge burning prevention.