The 35th Annual Greater Lafayette Holocaust Remembrance Conference will take place from April 10-13. I have added several of the events to our calendar. (And yes, they are good for engagement points.)
Given the anti-everything tone that one frequently hears in our current news and political cycle, it would be a good idea to sit back and reflect on the wisdom of judging entire groups of people based on their race, religion or country of origin. (Hint: it has never turned out well.)
As far as I can tell, all events are free. And even if you don't need engagement points, you may find that they are well worth your while.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
Most Commented
We actually do get comments on some of the entries here. You have to click on the link that says "Comments" to see them. We don't get a lot of comments--and almost none of them are from my students--but we do get some.
The article on Limited Practice paralegal licenses in Utah has attracted a fair amount of attention, and most of that seems to be coming from people who know what they're talking about--so I'm going to guess that they are paralegals located in Utah. Again, just my guess. Still, it's worth checking to see what they have to say about it.
The article on Limited Practice paralegal licenses in Utah has attracted a fair amount of attention, and most of that seems to be coming from people who know what they're talking about--so I'm going to guess that they are paralegals located in Utah. Again, just my guess. Still, it's worth checking to see what they have to say about it.
Our International Community
This week, it's a 4-way tie between Bangladesh, France, Poland and Romania.
Keep hangin' tight, Bangladesh!
And a big welcome to our European friends!
Keep hangin' tight, Bangladesh!
And a big welcome to our European friends!
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Property Law Field Trip
This semester's Property Law class (PARA 108) studied the case of Corn v. Corn, in which various family members engage in a decades-long fight over ... a driveway. The case was a class favorite, and the students were delighted to realize that the storied driveway was located a mere 75 miles away in Wabash County. And so we decided to take a field trip out to Wabash County to see ... the driveway.
Sure, it was arguably the silliest field trip EVER, but it provided an opportunity for bonding. And I think we would all have to admit that it WAS cool to see for ourselves a piece of property that had sparked a court case.
Here are the 5 students who went on the field trip standing on the Corn driveway (a minor trespass, but no harm done).
In the background is the home of one of the litigants. Care to see the home of one of the other litigants? Here you go:
Those two (brother and sister, we think) were on the same side against the homeowner at the end of the driveway. So here's the famous driveway, all by itself:
Yep, that's the gravel lane that launched a thousand ships, so to speak.
Anyway, on our way from there to lunch, we stopped at a cemetery. I'd rather not go into why. The name alone did make it intriguing: The International Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery of Lagro, Indiana. While this was not a scheduled stop, it turned to have its own charm. It is apparently acceptable, in the IOOF Cemetery, to do a little advertising on one's tombstone.
No, even I can't tie that in to property law, but it was well worth the short detour.
Boring? I don't think so.
We finished the day at the West Lafayette Banana House, which had been the subject of a zoning dispute a few years ago when the owners were charged with having an improper billboard, and they responded that it was art. You can decide for yourself.
Sure, it was arguably the silliest field trip EVER, but it provided an opportunity for bonding. And I think we would all have to admit that it WAS cool to see for ourselves a piece of property that had sparked a court case.
Here are the 5 students who went on the field trip standing on the Corn driveway (a minor trespass, but no harm done).
In the background is the home of one of the litigants. Care to see the home of one of the other litigants? Here you go:
Anyway, on our way from there to lunch, we stopped at a cemetery. I'd rather not go into why. The name alone did make it intriguing: The International Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery of Lagro, Indiana. While this was not a scheduled stop, it turned to have its own charm. It is apparently acceptable, in the IOOF Cemetery, to do a little advertising on one's tombstone.
We finished the day at the West Lafayette Banana House, which had been the subject of a zoning dispute a few years ago when the owners were charged with having an improper billboard, and they responded that it was art. You can decide for yourself.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Voter Registration Drive
Tomorrow (Thursdays, March 24) there will be a voter registration drive in the Grand Hallway of Ivy Hall. If you haven't yet registered to vote, now's the time. The registration table will be open from 9:00 - 3:30. Bring a photo ID.
There will be no engagement points awarded for registering to vote, but I will give points for actually voting. (And I don't even ask you whom you voted for!)
There will be no engagement points awarded for registering to vote, but I will give points for actually voting. (And I don't even ask you whom you voted for!)
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Online Lexis Advance Training
I realize that the first one of these will take place moments after I post this, but there are still plenty of opportunities for the rest of this week. If you're interested in brushing up on your Lexis Advance research skills, consider taking one of these webinars:
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Spring into March with LexisNexis!
Learn about using
headnotes to expand your research
Have you found the perfect case? Is brand new and the Shepard's report isn't giving you enough references? Let's explore Headnotes! Join the training session at: www.lexisnexisnow.com/hannah Enter your name, school, and the conference code Once you are at the the website, click Dial In at the top of your screen to join the audio portion of the training To use your computers microphone and speaker, select the option to Use Soft Phone. You may have to enable pop-ups or agree to let the system use your microphone and speakers. You do not need to enable your web camera. You can also use your phone to call into the audio portion. Just dial: 866-210-5690 and enter the access code for the training session. Here are the times and access codes for the trainings this week
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Monday, March 21, 2016
Litigation Class (LEGS 202)
As I noted last week, several of you have had problems registering for Litigation (LEGS 202). There is a glitch behind that which should be corrected by the end of the week, I am told. Yes, I do have super powers that will allow me to override the computer and forcibly put you in the class, but I can only do that for one student at a time, and it takes a while (as well the cooperation of my computer). So let's see what next week brings.
Thanks for your patience!!!!
Thanks for your patience!!!!
An Unexpectedly International Community
I started this blog mainly as a way to stay in touch with my students and alumni. It is, of course, open to the public at large, but I hadn't expected the public to take much of an interest in it.
Then I noticed that most of the proposed comments I've received have come from unfamiliar names--unfamiliar both in the sense that I am not acquainted with the person who has that name, but also unfamiliar in the sense that it is a name not generally associated with the English-speaking US.
I also periodically check the stats board for the blog. (You can't see that. Only I can see it because I'm the administrator.) I am always tickled to see how many people are checking in with us from other countries.
So every Monday, I will try to post which country (after the United States) hosted the most visitors to the blog in the past week.
This week, we have a tie between Bangladesh and Mexico.
Welcome!
Then I noticed that most of the proposed comments I've received have come from unfamiliar names--unfamiliar both in the sense that I am not acquainted with the person who has that name, but also unfamiliar in the sense that it is a name not generally associated with the English-speaking US.
I also periodically check the stats board for the blog. (You can't see that. Only I can see it because I'm the administrator.) I am always tickled to see how many people are checking in with us from other countries.
So every Monday, I will try to post which country (after the United States) hosted the most visitors to the blog in the past week.
This week, we have a tie between Bangladesh and Mexico.
Welcome!
Monday, March 14, 2016
Registration Issues: Day 1
Sigh. It appears that for some reason, everyone is blocked from registering for Litigation (LEGS 202). I will look into the problem when we return from Spring Break. If I can't fix it from the outside, I can personally register you for it, one by one. Stay tuned. I hope to have a better answer next week.
Calling All Alumni
Paralegal Studies alumni are invited to join the current students at Pizza with the Alumni Night, March 31, at 6:00. (We're still working on a room reservation.) Now's your chance to dazzle the current students with everything you've learned about being a paralegal in the real world.
Please pass the invitation along to alumni who don't follow the blog! Please RSVP by March 29 so we can be sure we have enough pizza. Contact me to RSVP or to ask questions. We're all looking forward to seeing you!!!
And to our fan base in Bangladesh, স্বাগত!
Please pass the invitation along to alumni who don't follow the blog! Please RSVP by March 29 so we can be sure we have enough pizza. Contact me to RSVP or to ask questions. We're all looking forward to seeing you!!!
And to our fan base in Bangladesh, স্বাগত!
Calendar Update
A bunch of new events have been added to the blog calendar--including an on-campus showing of "Star Wars Episode VII--The Force Awakens." Be sure to check them out.
Friday, March 11, 2016
IHSAA v. Cade
Many of you will recall that IHSAA v. Cade was the subject of this year's Appeals on Wheels oral argument. The Court of Appeals issued its opinion today. You can read the court's opinion here.
Paralegal Society and Other Announcements
I have posted a bunch of announcements today, so be sure to scroll down to catch them all.
The next meeting of the Paralegal Society is Thursday, March 24, at 6:00 p.m. in Ivy Hall 1132. We will be electing new officers at the April meeting (I believe), and your chances of being elected to office (or fending off having an office imposed upon you) are much better if you're around to speak for yourself. Contact me or any officer with questions.
The following Thursday, March 31, at 6:00 p.m. (location to be determined), alumni of the paralegal studies program will be invited to speak about their experiences finding and adjusting to their jobs. Pizza will be provided to all attendees. This is a great way to learn about paralegal jobs from people on the front lines and to get a free meal.
I'll be emailing alumni later today (or next week--let's be realistic) to invite them specifically.
The next meeting of the Paralegal Society is Thursday, March 24, at 6:00 p.m. in Ivy Hall 1132. We will be electing new officers at the April meeting (I believe), and your chances of being elected to office (or fending off having an office imposed upon you) are much better if you're around to speak for yourself. Contact me or any officer with questions.
The following Thursday, March 31, at 6:00 p.m. (location to be determined), alumni of the paralegal studies program will be invited to speak about their experiences finding and adjusting to their jobs. Pizza will be provided to all attendees. This is a great way to learn about paralegal jobs from people on the front lines and to get a free meal.
I'll be emailing alumni later today (or next week--let's be realistic) to invite them specifically.
Engagement Point Opportunity (not calendared)
At the request of the PARA 101 class, I have approved attendance for a minimum of 30 minutes at Motion Hour in any Tippecanoe County court which holds a Motion Hour for engagement points. If you find a court in another county which holds a motion hour, that would also count. (I am not aware of any, but I can't say that I've asked recently.)
Documenting your attendance at Motion Hour will be tricky. Selfies are out, as you SHOULD NOT EVER have your phone out while you are in court. Yes, that rule even applies to observers. You'll have to be creative.
Documenting your attendance at Motion Hour will be tricky. Selfies are out, as you SHOULD NOT EVER have your phone out while you are in court. Yes, that rule even applies to observers. You'll have to be creative.
Registering for fall ... and beyond!!!
Starting in Fall 2016, the Paralegal Studies program statewide will be offering an Associate of Science in Legal Studies (code name LEGS). This degree is intended as a transfer degree for people who have no desire to work as a paralegal (for shame!) and really just want to transfer to a 4-year college with a background in law. To make our new compatriots feel at home--and also because there is apparently a rule--some of our paralegal classes needed to be re-designated as LEGS classes.
Why am I telling you? Because when you go to register for your PARA classes this fall, you might not find them. There is apparently some confusion over which classes have been re-designated as LEGS classes, but this fall, Legal Ethics (LEGS 170) and Litigation (LEGS 202) are both LEGS classes. Notice that LEGS classes will have the same course numbers they had as PARA classes. Only the 4-letter prefix will change.
As always, if you're confused, please email, call, or drop by.
Why am I telling you? Because when you go to register for your PARA classes this fall, you might not find them. There is apparently some confusion over which classes have been re-designated as LEGS classes, but this fall, Legal Ethics (LEGS 170) and Litigation (LEGS 202) are both LEGS classes. Notice that LEGS classes will have the same course numbers they had as PARA classes. Only the 4-letter prefix will change.
As always, if you're confused, please email, call, or drop by.
Job Posting from Pam
Okay, so this job is in the Milwaukee area, but the firm sounds fun. Also, it says a lot of things I'm always saying, and I like to seize any opportunity to prove that I'm not crazy.
Shannon Law Office is growing and we’re looking for a
paralegal/legal assistant for our litigation department (ok, litigation
attorney–it’s a pretty small department).
To succeed at this job, you’re going to need to be organized because the attorney you’ll be working with is not. He also hates typos and ugly formatting, so you’re in good shape if you are able to catch those types of things in documents before they go out the door. Finally, our clients are EVERYTHING to us and you’ll be dealing directly with ones who are going through a hard time–professionally, personally, or in some cases both. That means you’ll have to be attentive, respectful, compassionate, and discrete at all times when you’re dealing with them.
Experience in the legal profession is helpful, but not required. If you don’t have experience in an office environment using things like Microsoft Word or Outlook, it might be a tough learning curve for you.
The job will be part-time at first, likely 10-15 hours per week and the hours are flexible. But as the litigation practice grows, so will the hours and it may eventually become a full-time position.
To apply, please send a short cover email with a copy of your résumé (less than one page) to Derek Allen with Shannon Law Office. His email address should be pretty easy to track down. If you can’t find it, then this probably isn’t the job for you.
Job Posting — Paralegal/Legal Secretary
Posted by
To succeed at this job, you’re going to need to be organized because the attorney you’ll be working with is not. He also hates typos and ugly formatting, so you’re in good shape if you are able to catch those types of things in documents before they go out the door. Finally, our clients are EVERYTHING to us and you’ll be dealing directly with ones who are going through a hard time–professionally, personally, or in some cases both. That means you’ll have to be attentive, respectful, compassionate, and discrete at all times when you’re dealing with them.
Experience in the legal profession is helpful, but not required. If you don’t have experience in an office environment using things like Microsoft Word or Outlook, it might be a tough learning curve for you.
The job will be part-time at first, likely 10-15 hours per week and the hours are flexible. But as the litigation practice grows, so will the hours and it may eventually become a full-time position.
To apply, please send a short cover email with a copy of your résumé (less than one page) to Derek Allen with Shannon Law Office. His email address should be pretty easy to track down. If you can’t find it, then this probably isn’t the job for you.
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