THE POWER OF THE PARALEGAL
Dressed in black, like a thief in the night, California paralegal Carolyn
Yellis strapped a camera around her neck and drove to the lumberyard
where she crouched, waiting for her subject to appear.
Her mission: obtain photographic evidence of men working in the yard....(more)
Back to Top
SUCCESS BY THE HOUR
Though some doubt it, a law firm can be built on the model of a
1,600-hour billing requirement -- and thrive
....(more)
Back to Top
CHARITABLE FUNDS INC.,
CFI's Barristers' Ball
The First Annual Barristers’ Ball "Starry Starry Night
" is scheduled for April 30, 2005 in Omaha. Dance the night
away under the stars with the band Galaxy as they wheel through the
heavens. Swirl with the galaxies, flash with meteors and soar with
comets.
The evening promises to be an event to remember, so mark your calendar
and be prepared for a festive night of fun and entertainment.
Proceeds to benefit the Volunteer Lawyers Project
which is the NSBA's statewide volunteer legal services project and
referral network founded on the belief that all citizens should have
access to the legal system, regardless of ability to pay.
Mark your calendars!! The second annual Race
Judicata is scheduled for April 30, 2005 at Chalco Hills
Don't miss out on the second annual Greater
Nebraska Golf Scramble on June 17, 2005 at Wild Horse Golf Course
in Gotenburg!
Back to Top
STAFF ATTORNEY POSITION
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
#SAO2004-02
STAFF ATTORNEY
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is looking
for smart, hardworking lawyers or recent law school graduates to serve
in two-year clerkships as staff attorneys in St. Louis, Missouri, beginning
in August 2005. Staff attorneys work under the direction of the Senior
Staff Attorney for the court as a whole, primarily preparing legal memoranda
and proposed per curiam opinions for cases in which a party is proceeding
without an attorney, and for counseled cases that are decided by the
court on the briefs. Candidates should excel in legal research and analysis,
and should be superior writers who wish to become better writers. Candidates
must be willing and able to work with an editor. A demonstrated commitment
to justice is desirable. Minimum qualifications for a CL 27, Step 25
level (currently $49,110) are graduation with a J.D. or LL.B. degree
from an accredited law school, and one year of specialized experience,
which may be satisfied by superior academic performance in law school.
Candidates are being sought on a nationwide basis; must be U.S. citizens
or eligible to work in the United States; must agree to be paid by direct
deposit. The court is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants should
submit cover letter (referencing announcement number above), resume,
copy of law school transcript, indication of class rank, unedited writing
sample, and a list of three references, to Senior Staff Attorney, U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 111 South 10th Street, Suite
23.336, St. Louis, Missouri 63102. Only resumes received by November
1, 2004, are assured consideration.
Back to Top
2004-05 BAR DIRECTORY UPDATES AND CORRECTIONS
On page 37 of the new Directory, the local numbers for the Nebraska
State Bar Foundation and the Nebraska Lawyers Trust Account Foundation
were incorrect. The correct number for both is 402-475-1042. A corrected
page 37 is available for download. We apologize for the error.
Back to Top
ANNUAL MEETING IS NOT ALL ABOUT CLE
Mix business with pleasure. You don't want to miss the Judges' Reception
on Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. honoring the Nebraska judges in Ballroom
D/E. On Thursday, join fellow bar members to honor the 25 and 50-year
members of the NSBA from noon-1:30 p.m. in Ballroom D/E. At 5:00 p.m.
join outgoing President Grant and his wife, Shari, and incoming President
John O. Sennett and his wife Dorsett in Ballroom A/B to listen to the
sounds of Luigi Waites. If you still have enough left in the gas tank,
you do not want to miss the Young Lawyers late nite reception in the
St. Nicholas room. Come have a drink on the young lawyers and dance
the night away to the band Highway 42.
Don't be left out. Register
Online.
Back to Top
YOUNG LAWYERS BEST PRACTICES SEMINAR SERIES
You are invited by the Nebraska State Bar Association's Mentoring
Committee and Young Lawyers Section to attend, free of charge, the Best
Practices seminar series. The eight session series will focus on a wide
range of substantive topics and will offer practical training for new
lawyers and identify available resources to aid in your practice. The
sessions will be led by experienced Nebraska attorneys who will offer
insight, from a practical prospective, on how to successfully practice
law. Additionally, at the conclusion of each seminar, the Nebraska State
Bar Association will sponsor a free Reception for the participants to
get to know each other and other members of the Nebraska Bar. Here is
your opportunity to obtain high quality training at no cost and meet
many fellow Bar Members.
The second session is scheduled for October 5, 2004 at the UNO Alumni
Center. John Steele with the counsel for discipline's office will give
tips on how you can avoid a hearing with their office. A reception will
follow. Click
here for the registration form.
Back to Top
CFI AWARDED GRANTTHROUGH WOODS CHARITABLE FUND
In September, The Minority and Justice Implementation Committee,
in collaboration with the Administrative Office of the Courts, was awarded
$12,090 to: 1) develop standards for the representation of juveniles
including law and status violation cases as well as the abuse and custody
cases handled by guardians ad litem; 2) develop training protocol and
curricula for guardians ad litem and lawyers representing juveniles;
and 3) develop an implementation plan to enforce the standards. By accomplishing
these objectives Nebraska will have the potential to increase the quality
of legal representation for juveniles by ensuring that those who provide
legal representation for children and youth will receive adequate training,
have caseload standards, meet with clients in a timely manner, and receive
cases for which they are qualified.
Back to Top
NCLE SECTION CALENDAR
Click here for a calendar
of CLE programs to be offered in upcoming months.
Back to Top
MEDIATION SKILLS TRAINING SEMINAR
Mediation Skills Training Nebraska Continuing Legal Education And The
Nebraska State Office of Dispute Resolution Training Institute Nov.
10-13, 2004 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m...(flyer)
Back to Top
WORKERS' COMPENSATION SEMINAR
The Workers' Compensation Seminar will be held on November 5 from 8:50
a.m.-4:45 p.m. at the Omaha Marriott..(flyer)
Back to Top
CALCULATING CLE CREDITS
Calculating CLE credits. Why should you be concerned?...(article)
Back to Top
PRACTICE TIP: SAMPLE FILE CLOSING LETTER
In today's practice it is advisable to document each step of the
service
process with your clients. This includes letting them know when services
are concluded. The attached
letter is a sample of what you can use to
confirm with your clients that your work is done. The letter references
an
evaluation form.
We suggest you develop an evaluation form that asks three simple questions.
You can provide room for clients to make comments and some firms include
a
self-addressed stamped envelope back to the firm to encourage a response.
Knowing what your clients think is an important marketing tool and
documenting the end of your representation is an equally important risk
management tool.
1. Were you adequately informed about the services we provided and
the cost
for those services?
2. Was our service satisfactory?
3. Would you use our firm for future legal services?
Marsh's Affinity Group Services, a service of Seabury & Smith.
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission
is strictly prohibited.
July 2004
Back to Top
PRACTICE TIP: BILLS
Make your bills clear and informative, with a format and layout
that is easy to read. Ask several clients, your spouse or other non-lawyer
to review several samples of your bills-with names and addresses redacted,
of course!
Is the wording free of jargon? Do they understand what work was performed?
Can they understand how the amount of the bill was calculated? If so,
you probably have a winning format that your clients will respect and
pay.
Back to Top
