Did you know that the ADA was signed into law 32 years ago on July 26, 1990?

By Debra Cassens Weiss

The Oregon Supreme Court has given final approval to a program that allows licensed paralegals to provide limited legal services in family law and landlord-tenant cases.

By:  Sydney Ly

In today’s business world, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are often treated as buzzwords that often amount to little more than a mandatory annual training. But the reality is, when you make DEI a priority, every facet of your organization benefits, including the bottom line. 

By John Burnett

African Americans throughout the nation celebrate Juneteenth, but who knows what actually happened on June 19, 1865? As the nation observes the second federal legal holiday marking the emancipation of enslaved people in Texas, there are a number of misconceptions about the historical event that keep getting repeated.

LegalNews.com

Murder that Sparked Asian American Civil Rights Movement Coincides with National Focus on Anti-Asian Hate Crimes; Virtual Dialogue on Asian Americans and Democracy

By JOSH GERSTEIN and ALEXANDER WARD

The Supreme Court has voted to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, according to an initial draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito circulated inside the court and obtained by POLITICO.

By:  Rosemary Sobol, Chicago Tribune

A former paralegal who worked in bankruptcy at a Chicago law firm is accused of embezzling more than $600,000 from accounts, officials said Thursday.

From: Richmond Times-Dispatch

Most of us have now seen the infamous slap that actor Will Smith gave host Chris Rock during the Oscars. Smith went on stage and slapped Rock after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife’s hair.

Rock claims not to have known that Smith’s wife was bald due to a medical condition, alopecia.

Smith followed the slap by a foul-mouthed declaration to Rock.

Here are six employer lessons from the Oscars incident.

From: ABA Journal

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe wants its staff members and lawyers to take a week off work “to truly unplug.”

Do you stay on the right side of the law? The line between practicing law and doing your job as a paralegal one can be extremely tricky. No paralegal wants to put their attorneys legal license on the line, even though we often know the answers our clients need, and may be more available. For me, once a client becomes comfortable working with me, and know that I have faster access to the attorney, they often will call or email asking all kinds of legal questions. Even when I know the answer, my answer to them is always the same: I will let them know you called with that question and will have them get back to you as soon as they can. For me, staying safely on the right side of that line is a must.

As frustrating as it is, our ethical obligation to ensure we are not acting as attorneys is not only a legal issue, but it's one that helps us build trust with our attorneys. When your attorneys know that they can trust you to make the right choices, they feel like they've struck gold. There will be plenty of times to show off what you've learned and to let your experience shine through!

If you want to learn more about how to stay on the right side of ethics, read more here: Tips for Avoiding the Unauthorized Practice of Law.

Nathan Ciulla