The paralegal problem

So I have learned a few things while working at a law firm for the summer. First, lawyers take a lot of days off. Second, clerks write most of the stuff that the courts actually see, but get no credit for. Third, lawyers are not good at technology (not trial lawyers anyway) and most recently: paralegals fit into two categories.

  1. Those who are grateful for you because you can help them out when the lawyer is MIA (which as I noted, is a lot) and who tell you all the good lawyer gossip (and there is plenty.)
  2. Those who find you as a threat, as a future lawyer that will piss them off and also think you are a complete dumbass.

Case in point on group 2:

I am currently at one of our "branch offices" which is a lot smaller, but where one of the lawyers has a big case he needs help on. One of the paralegals just came over and informed me where I should store all the pleadings for the lawyers. She actually wrote out directions to the network folders. "Just in case no one told you." I hate to break it to you hunny, but I'm probably twice as computer savvy as you, and also I work at the (main branch) office, we're not slow, we're the ones who set up the folders for you guys to find. (Which you constantly call our IT people and say, "how do I find such and such.") I told her I knew where the folders were (it's not hard, network drive, lawyer name). Then, I think because she was a little pissed that I knew where they were, and she needed directions, she acted as if I was putting them in the wrong place "you have to tell me where they are then." So then what is the point of you telling me where to put them? Shouldn't you just know then since you took all this effort to write it out on 4 post its taped together? Follow your own directions, and there it will be. And, I have only written one pleading for one of the lawyers you've worked for, and it's not done, and it IS in the right folder, as a matter of fact the anti-computer lawyer was able to find it all on his own. This is the same paralegal who once told me, "Don't forget to put the client's name at the top of the motion." Really? I was just gonna let the judge guess what case it was, kinda make it more interesting for him, like a game.

2 comments:

M said...

I actually haven't used any paralegals yet. Think I can make them do my research?

LisaLawLou said...

I nearly spit out my tea...I love sarcasm...you just cannot fix ignorant people