Monthly newsletter for paralegals and other legal professionals.

1. Paralegal Rainmakers Digest
September 2012 Volume 1 Issue 1
Back to School Issue
As students start school there are a number
of pressures and responsibilities that the new
school year brings. From prioritizing study
time to ensuring that kids are prepared for
school every day. This issue will provide tools,
tips, and resources on how to effectively
navigate through this back to school season
and help with being more effective at work.
In this issue you will find billing tips,
information on time management and a
quick and easy dinner recipe.
Paralegal Education vs. Experience Improving Billing Efficiency
Unlike attorneys who typically go to law school before If a survey were conducted to determine the job functions that
entering the profession a lot of paralegals enter the paralegals disliked the most billing would likely rank on the top
profession based off of their experience. Although, experience of the list. Billing can be a nuisance but there are certain
provides the practical and hands on experience that many approaches that can make the process less painful and prevent
employers are looking for when hiring a paralegal, education billing mistakes and client complaints.
is a key factor in paralegals solidifying their roles in the legal
profession. Education demonstrates an individuals
knowledge and provides a structured and disciplined approach 10 Billing Tips
to understanding legal concepts and theories that are most
likely not going to be learned on the job. Experience teaches a 1) Bill as you do the work
paralegal the methods and appoaches used by a particular 2) Create detailed billing entries
employer. Education teaches a paralegal about industry-wide 3) Send periodic billing reports
theories, principles, and concepts. Anyone looking to enter 4) Use mobile billing functions
the paralegal profession or advance in their career may want 5) Avoid time wasters
to consider a paralegal certificate or degree. 6) Don't bill for clerical tasks
7) When in doubt don't bill for it
8) Accurately account for time
9) Use timers as you work
10) Avoid double-billing
Paralegal Rainmakers
9175 Judicial
San Diego, CA 92122
888-734-5554
info@prainmakers.com
www.prainmakers.com

2. Back to School Savings
Use discount code BtoS20 and save $20 on the
on-demand or live version of the Work Life Balance
eSession. Click here or visit www.prainmakers.com to
register.
Easy Lasagna from Allrecipes.com
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (16 ounce) package cottage cheese
1 pint part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Balancing Work & Family Directions (Click here to watch the video)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees
C).
How to create a stress-less home environment 2. In a large skillet, cook and stir ground
When the work at the office ends the work day is just half way beef until brown. Add mushrooms and
onions; saute until onions are transparent.
over for those who have families. The routine in some
Stir in pasta sauce, and heat through.
households is pretty straightforward. Help the kids with 3. In a medium size bowl, combine cottage
homework, prepare dinner, get the kids ready for bed, and spend cheese, ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan
the rest of the evening with a spouse or talking with friends. cheese, and eggs.
Now for others the routine is a chaotic frenzy that would out 4. Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce in
the
rank any reality TV show's ratings if it were ever televised. bottom of a 13x9 inch pan. Layer with
uncooked lasagna noodles, cheese mixture,
So what is the secret to creating and maintaining a stress-less mozzarella cheese, and meat sauce. Continue
home environment? It begins with parents setting the tone for layering until all ingredients are used,
the household. Kids will follow suit and maintain the reserving 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover pan
with aluminum foil.
atmosphere that is set by the parents. If parents are rushing
5. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
around the house in a frenzied state to accomplish the myriad Uncover, and top with remaining half cup of
chores on their to-do list it creates an atmosphere of stress in the mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 15
home. This is not only unhealthy for the parent who's blood minutes. Remove from oven, and let stand
pressure is probably higher than it was at work when dealing 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
with the attorney who believes that you're super human and
Healthy Alternative:
can do the work of three paralegals it is usually unproductive. Substitute ground turkey for ground beef
Similar to a stess-less work environment a stress-less home and use low-fat cheese and low-sodium
environment can be created by creating order. Every family has spaghetti sauce.
different circumstances and dynamics so creating order can be
accomplished in a variety of ways, but once it is created
a stress-less environment is sure to follow. Rainmaker Spotlight
Interested in being in the
Rainmaker spotlight? Write a
Time Management Success Guarantee 75 word or less post about
Time. There is so much to say about time that it deserves a discipline of its what makes you a Paralegal
own. Especially for legal professionals. With filing deadlines, meetings, Rainmaker. Email
hearings, and billing it becomes something that we either wish we could make submissions to
stand still or speed up. There are a number of systems and methods to manage info@prainmakers.com.
time but these systems and methods are usually only as effective as the users,
but there is a method that guarantees a 100% success rate regardless of the user.
What is this miraculous method you ask? It is organization. If organization is Subscribe
kept at the focal point of any time management system or method then success is
guaranteed.
What this looks like in action is the ability to organize time effectively in order
to accomplish what needs to be done and not get caught up with distractions.