Here's the promotional flyer for my new legal research/paralegal business!

[liberalhistorian]

As most of you know, I was laid off from my paralegal job last month because my boss, a solo attorney, simply couldn't afford me anymore. We are attempting to launch a legal research/paralegal services business. Actually, I am; even though his name is also on it, he's leaving it all up to me, the marketing, the work, the billing. So far, my only client is him.

I've put ads in the June issues of local bar association magazines and I just put copies of the flyers in the bar association law libraries and courts of the three counties in my area, so hopefully I'll be able to get some business that way.

I sure as hell hope so, because I'm getting really desperate financially here and I'm getting incredibly frustrated. I've had several interviews, but the Northeast Ohio area is horrible economically right now, with people, even in the legal field, being laid off left and right. I can't even get any jobs through the staffing agencies; they're also overwhelmed with overqualified people and not enough openings for them.

As a single parent, I simply cannot afford to be unemployed or even to be on unemployment that long (I'm grateful for it, but it's less than half my regular salary and I'm in a real tight pinch right now). I've started to look in other cities (particularly Columbus and Cincinnati) and even other states that have better economic situations. The good thing about this kind of business is that I can do it from virtually anywhere, and for anyone, no matter where they're located.

I designed and wrote the promotional flyer myself. I've removed the names of my boss and I as the proprietors, for obvious reasons; and I've removed the contact information, also for obvious reasons. If you're interested in this service, or you know someone who is or any other possible leads, PM me and I'll give you the info that way. And if anyone with more knowledge and ability in the area of marketing has any marketing tips, including online marketing tips, PLEASE feel free to share them!

PREMIER PARALEGAL RESEARCH

Proprietors

Phone:
Fax:
Email:

Quality, attorney-reviewed legal research and analytical memorandums in all areas of law. Provided by competent, experienced college-degreed paralegal and legal researcher/writer and a seasoned attorney

*Fast, accurate, dependable *Reasonable rates
*Monthly rate packages available *Rush jobs welcome

Services include, but are not limited to, the following:

Federal and state case law and statutes
Administrative statutes
Analytical Legal Memorandums
Court records
Public Records Searches
Litigation Support
OH Attorney General Opinions
Legislative Research
Drafting of Briefs and Pleadings
Deposition Digesting
Supreme Court Opinions
Business and Non-Profit Agency Research
Federal Legislation such as the ADA, IDEA, HIPAA, etc.
Law Review Articles
International Law
Preparation of Bankruptcy Petitions


THE PREMIER CHOICE FOR ALL YOUR LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING NEEDS!

OH DAMMNIT! I couldn't get the graphics and the formatting to work right when I posted it; I had color and graphics in the flyer and the formatting was much different and looked a lot better (everything was centered). DAMNIT! Guess I'm still too much of a techno-dummy, lol! Oh well, that's progress, since a few weeks ago I didn't even know how to copy and paste.

The monthly rates are a certain amount for a certain number of hours of service. For instance, the normal rate is $35 an hour; if you're on a monthly plan, though, it's $150 for ten hours of service, which is half the price of the standard hourly rate.

This could be for non-profit agencies, goverment agencies, and businesses, as well; it's not just for law firms and lawyers. Let me know what you think, although, since I couldn't get the color and graphics to work right, it doesn't represent what the flyer really looks like. For those who are interested, I can email it to you and you can see the "real deal" that way!

[liberalhistorian]

1. Wow, it's

THAT bad, huh? :evilgrin: :bounce:

[teryang]

2. Good luck to you!

I wish you the best. I was laid off last December. I'm looking in another career field. Legal goes through these contractions, especially with repuke rule. They tend to last quite some time. Military, insurance, and health care all undergoing expansion.

There is a deliberate effort to put independent lawyers and practices out of business. If you look at federal pay scales, you can see that the value of lawyers to this society now is considered less than an "intelligence collector" or "security coordinator."

[liberalhistorian]

3. While there is definitely

an insidious motive to downgrading lawyers, some of it, quite frankly, also has to do with the huge glut of lawyers. There are simply too many of them anymore. Many lawyers, including most of the ones I know and work with, readily acknowledge this. Unfortunately, that doesn't translate to more legal services for those unable to afford them.

Most lawyers do their best to help people but, in all honesty, the overheads of law firms and offices are very expensive and even the simplest legal matters require a lot of work and are very labor-intensive. A lot of legal costs (court costs, filing fees, witness fees, copy fees, etc.) are expensive and lawyers often have to advance them and will often borrow the money to do so. Consequently, many lawyers really do want to help those who can't afford needed legal services but they often can't afford, themselves, to do so.

That's why I'm hoping this business will fill a need; lawyers and businesses need these services but they often can't afford to hire full-time help for them. It's cheaper to do it this way.

[teryang]

6. I'm not trying to discourage you

...there is nothing better than succeeding in your own business. The steamroller strategy of the big corporations is putting many firms on the ropes. They will spend 2 million defending a case rather than spend $150,000 to settle. The defense firms who specialize in this service are undercutting themselves by wiping out the plaintiff's bar. The number of plaintiff's firms with the wherewithal to actually try a products liability or medical malpractice case competently, for example, is decreasing in relative terms. An experienced trial attorney informed me that he doesn't believe he can stay in business unless he does class actions. State bars, and local government are paying wages that are pathetic. This isn't because there are too many lawyers, it is because of budget constraints. Older more experienced lawyers are put out to pasture because they cost too much.

I don't think there are "too many" lawyers. There are actually not enough practicing attorneys. But republican controlled governments aren't going to hire them because they regulate industry, enforce the law, prosecute the guilty and protect the innocent. Justice is becoming perfunctory, a baby being drowned in the bathtub. A indigent person accused of a first degree felony can expect 30 minutes of legal research and strategy from his public defender. The prosecutor on the other side is bugeted for one hour against the public defender. This allocation is pitiful on both sides. Lord knows what innocent children who are being abused can expect from the system. I was recently asked if I would mind getting publicly rebuked by a judge on a regular basis as a part of the job for neglect by the human services department. I was told that the staff wouldn't take timely instructions and that there wasn't enough resources to train personnel or do the job right every time. It was another 30 minutes or less situation to decide the fate of children.

[liberalhistorian]

7. I'm afraid most of what you say

is too true, but I really do think, and many lawyers have agreed, that, in many areas, there are too many lawyers. The problem is that those who need their services the most aren't getting them because the majority of lawyers, while they really do want to help people, simply can't afford to do so. Most people still don't have a prepaid legal insurance plan, and frankly, unlike medical insurance, those don't cover much to begin with.

And the legal clinics and legal aid societies in existence to try to fill the gap in assisting those who can't afford desperately needed legal services are themselves being squeezed left and right, and having their funding severely cut, by the fucking repukes who can afford all the legal services they could ever want and need and who don't give a shit if the poor don't have access to legal services, indeed they have a vested interest in the denial of legal services to the poor.

That's one niche I'm hoping to fill, helping attorneys and agencies to assist even more people who need it by providing quality services at really reasonable cost. I don't really know if it will fly or not; like I said, I currently don't have any other clients besides my former boss and business partner. I'm really hoping that will change. Even so, I still need a full-time job, though, even if I do get other clients.

[teryang]

9. I don't want to sound cynical

I've been through this cycle a couple of times, in and out of legal. I don't know the correct response. Yours is as good as any, and sounds promising.

I recently heard of a relatively new (commercial) use for court reporters in which they are paid 60K a year to start. My point is that the talent follows the money. If society (government) is spending hundreds of billions on defense and security, that means it isn't going somewhere else. That is economic reality. Capital directs opportunity, not supply of labor.

However, one thing that I have found out to be an error in my ways, is that I have followed the money (leaving the field and coming back) rather than "toughing it out" during the dry spells. For this reason, in today's market, I am not considered dedicated enough. But this also appears to be an excuse to discriminate against older workers, who cost more to hire. Those who stuck it out did profit or benefit greatly during the nineties. If you are a younger worker, taking risks by borrowing money for advertising may be worth it.

I suggest only as an option looking in the government sector particularly defense and security where legal expertise from paralegals is in demand. I use www.fedjobs.com which is a paid service. There are other web sites some government, some private where I have registered without a fee. While working on one opportunity, I'm still looking at another.

I have little doubt that the recent federal hiring surge will be followed by a purge and hiring freeze after the government manages to remove itself from the overseas quaqmires it is creating. It is a cycle.

[liberalhistorian]

11. Good idea, thanks

for the link!

[NightTrain]

4. I may be wrong about this...

...but I think the plural form of "memorandum" is "memoranda." :shrug:

[liberalhistorian]

5. In this particular case,

memorandums fits better and is correct, Dean.

[liberalhistorian]

17. Actually, Dean, I did some

further checking this morning and you're right, it should be "memoranda" instead of "memorandums." Thanks for catching that!

[AspenRose]

8. Good luck

The family law attorney I was working for decided to close up shop and do GAL work only (not for the faint of heart), so she's moved her office home.

I'm now a contract administrator. Perhaps when I get my MSW I can do some work for her again (she wanted a paralegal with an MSW to properly interview the children), but....

lots of paralegals are improvising these days. Good luck.

[liberalhistorian]

10. Thanks!

The great thing about it is that I have a lawyer for a business partner, so he'll be able to review my work for professional legal accuracy and he can render a professional legal opinion as well. That will hopefully give me an edge right there, since most free-lance paralegals don't have the advantage of such a business relationship with an attorney.

Your former boss is, indeed, a very brave soul to exclusively tackle GAL work. A law/paralegal degree and an MSW is a very good combination. I live near Case Western Reserve University; it's law school has joint programs with many of the other graduate schools, including a joint law/MBA and law/MSW. There's no way in hell, though, both financially and time-wise, that I could ever go through such a program, at least not now. I don't even have a job right now, hopefully (PLEASE GOD!) that will change soon.

[thebaghwan]

12. Hang in there and keep up hope! I also am a paralegal and certified

Contract Manager. I looked for 1 1/2 years here in the Seattle area. Then bingo, a company I interviewed with last year but could not get the job funded contacted me and offered a position at $60,000+ annually. Really nice place to work!

[liberalhistorian]

13. Good for you, I'm

glad to hear that! I'm a single parent, though, and I simply cannot afford to be out of work for longer than my unemployment will last, which is through October. Hell, I can't even afford it now, even with unemployment, since it's less than half of what my salary was.

[liberalhistorian]

14. Kick!

:kick:

[flamingyouth]

15. That reads really well

And I'm sure the graphics are fine (I will try to envision them!). Best of luck to you!!:hi:

[liberalhistorian]

16. Thanks!

I was wondering when having two English teachers for parents was going to pay off, lol!

The formatting is much better on the original, as well. I just wish I knew how to post the flyer as it really is instead of just copying and pasting it.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

18. It's hard to START a free-lance career

What did the trick for me (in translation) was joining an Internet mailing list for translators and becoming known to the other members by participating in their discussions. I got my first jobs (getting past the "but you don't have any experience" hurdle) through referrals from people on the list.

Is there such a mailing list for paralegals?

[liberalhistorian]

19. Now, that's an interesting idea.

I don't know if there is such a thing, but I'd really be surprised if there weren't. I could probably check on it, maybe looking first at Findlaw and places like that.

Does anyone here know if such an internet list exists, or how to go about starting one?

[liberalhistorian]

20. Kick.

:kick:

[Nevernose]

21. Will you use a law library or the WestLaw program?

The attorneys I work with use WestLaw, and it's got to be the coolest program I've ever seen; when I went to paralegal school, we had to use the law library and touch actual books.

I mentioned to one of my friends in the office that I was interested in doing some freelance paralegal work, for friends and family and such, and he tells me that WestLaw is extraordinarily expensive to get a personal license for.

IIRC, Will Pitt was a paralegal, too, at one point, as were a few other DUers, and some attorneys as well.

[liberalhistorian]

22. I have access to Westlaw, Lexis/Nexis,

and several law libraries in the area. I trained mostly on Westlaw and actual books in law libraries during my paralegal training, but my former boss and current business partner subscribes to Lexis/Nexis; I'm therefore very familiar with that program as well.

I didn't know Will Pitt was a paralegal, but I can see where he'd be very good at that (I met him at the May 4 commemoration at Kent last month). My bachelor's degree is in history, with a minor in sociology, so I was well-trained in research and writing even before I entered paralegal school.

[Nevernose]

23. While we're gossiping about Pitt --

I seem to remember that he was a history teacher, as well. Most of his first posts here (and articles) were written while he was teaching middle school.

I was a history major as well (the preferred field for law school) until I realized that I'd rather be dead than be a lawyer). I decided to switch gears and teach English -- thirteen years in college, and I'll finally have a degree in education (only student teaching left) and English (have the credits, but I'm waiting to double major this Christmas). Currently, I'm working as a part-time hourly at the local FYS courts, doing client intakes and writing probation recommendations, et ct..

Now, for the completely unsolicited advice part: I know of at least one person who works in my office part-time, doing what I do, and spends the rest of her time working as a paralegal. She even has a "space" at a local paralegal clinic, much like a hairdresser rents a space from the salon's owner (please forgive the rather crass metaphor). If worse comes to worse, most courts/state's attorney's offices are willing to hire part-time, giving one some manner of income while still growing their business.

Oh, and GOOD LUCK with your business!

[liberalhistorian]

24. Thanks!

My parents are both retired teachers, my stepdad english and my mom was english and history. I really, really, really wish I'd gotten my teaching degree while still in college but I was young and dumb and now I'm paying for it because a history degree without a teaching license isn't really that marketable. And paralegals around here are a dime a dozen, unfortunately.

Fortunately for me, though, my former boss and current business partner is very well-known in the area legal community so I'm hoping that'll give me an advantage right there.

I'm curious as to what you mean by a "paralegal clinic." To my knowledge, we don't have anything like that around here but it sounds interesting.

[Nevernose]

25. Quite a few states will okay your teaching credentials

Nevada and Texas, to name just a couple, will give you at least a temp license based on your Bachelor's degree. CA, NY, NJ, GA, and others offer similar programs. Texas universities don't even offer education degrees anymore, and Nevada will le you teach with just one semester of student teaching. If you'e interested in either state, I can give you contact information.

That goes for the rest of you DUers, too. Wanna do something decent with your life? Teach.

[liberalhistorian]

26. Thanks, and I agree that teaching

is critically important (I'm the daughter of teachers, it'd be pretty sad if I didn't recognize that, lol!), but I'm not in the position to leave my state, OH, right now.