What Should I Take Next Fall?

I know it's early, but Ivy Tech is making me submit my proposed fall schedule today, so I wanted to let you all in on my recommendations.

1. If you have taken Civ Pro (PARA 103), then plan to take Litigation (PARA 202--now LEGS 202) in the fall. There will be a day section and (by popular demand) a night section. Litigation really is a fun class--regardless of what you may have heard from your predecessors. In Litigation, you spend the semester preparing for trial--you prepare the complaint, the answer, discovery, motions, letters to your client, etc. For the grand finale, we hold a mock trial. There is no book. There is no final.

2. If you have taken Intro (PARA 101), then plan to take the new Legal Writing I (PARA 204) in the fall (unless you and I agree that you should just take the new Legal Writing II (PARA 224)). Legal Writing I will cover the basics of writing--grammar, spelling, punctuation--with the degree of exactitude that I and your future employers will demand. The Paralegal Studies program chairs statewide unanimously agreed that the old Legal Writing class frustrated students and instructors alike. Many students were still struggling with the precision punctuation and grammar that lawyers demand, and classes were unable to move into the complex legal documents that we had originally envisioned. SO ... Legal Writing I: a good time to polish up all those dusty rules of grammar without having to worry so much about making complex arguments as well. We'll also spend some time on legal terminology. Not to worry. It'll be fun. I promise. And the extra time spent on grammar and legal terms should make the rest of your classes easier. I am absurdly excited about teaching this class. Two morning sections, one evening section. Take it this fall. No excuses.

(In case you're curious, Legal Writing II will be the same as the current Legal Writing class. The current Legal Writing class will be offered for the last time this summer. Legal Writing II will make its appearance next spring.)

This fall, you'll notice that some paralegal classes will have the new Legal Studies prefix (LEGS). LEGS is our new transfer degree program. LEGS and PARA students will be taking many of the same classes, so some have been designated as LEGS and some retain their PARA designation. If you have questions about any of your classes, please ask!

Bubba the Love Sponge--the Last Word?

Several of us have been following Bubba the Love Sponge's defamation case, which was less interesting for whatever may have gone on in trial (I have no earthly idea) than for what was going on behind the scenes. If you've forgotten, the defense attorneys in the defamation case got their paralegal to flirt with opposing counsel (Bubba's attorney) and persuade him to buy her several drinks. When he went out to move her car for her, she alerted a waiting police officer, who arrested Bubba's attorney for OWI. It's hard to believe, but this stellar plan backfired. The attorneys and paralegal have all lost their jobs, and now it appears that the attorneys will also be losing their licenses.

From Friday's ABA Journal:

Florida lawyer is permanently disbarred for DUI setup

Posted Jan 29, 2016 09:28 am CST

By Debra Cassens Weiss

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inShare4

Florida lawyer Stephen Diaco has been permanently disbarred for his role in setting up an opposing lawyer for a drunken driving arrest during a 2013 trial.
The Florida Supreme Court permanently disbarred (PDF) Diaco on Thursday after he dropped appeals in the ethics case, report the Tampa Tribune and the Tampa Bay Times.
The Florida Bar had accused Diaco and two other lawyers of sending a paralegal to a Tampa steakhouse where the opposing lawyer was having drinks. The flirtatious paralegal seated herself next to the opposing lawyer and later tricked him into moving her car, resulting in his arrest by a waiting police officer, according to the ethics complaint.
The court previously suspended Diaco and two other lawyers accused in the setup in sua sponte orders on Jan. 15. An ethics referee recommended permanent disbarment for the trio in August.

Black History Month Film Series

In the documentary film series Eyes on the Prize, contemporary interviews and historical footage are used to cover all of the major events of the civil rights movement from 1954 to 1985.
Individuals and classes are welcome to attend one or all of the film showings. Contact Rosemary Cheek-Walthour at rcheek4@ivytech.edu for additional information.

Alumni Reminder

Lunch at Chumley's at 11:45 (or whenever you can make it) if you're available!

Appeals on Wheels

Remember, the Indiana Court of Appeals will be holding court in the Ivy Hall auditorium at 1:00 on Tuesday, February 16. The court will be hearing the case of IHSAA v. Cade:

During a February 2015 boys varsity basketball game between Griffith High School and Hammond High School, an on-court fight broke out involving players, students, coaches, and parents. The Commissioner of the Indiana High School Athletic Association ("IHSAA") sanctioned both schools as a result. The sanctions included canceling the remainder of the schools' seasons, suspending them from participation in the state tournament, and imposing probation for the 2015-16 school year, as well as educational requirements for each coach and athlete. Both schools appealed the Commissioner's decisions to the IHSAA's Review Committee, which upheld the decisions. The schools then sought a preliminary injunction in court. Following a hearing, the trial court preliminarily enjoined the IHSAA from enforcing its suspension of the schools from participating in the state tournament. The IHSAA brings this interlocutory appeal, contending the trial court erred in granting injunctive relief.

Paralegal Society members will have the opportunity to assist our visitors in feeling at home and then to have lunch with the judges prior to the oral argument. Everyone is welcome at the oral argument.

Alumni Lunch!

Okay, alums--

Enough talk. The time has come for action. I will be at Chumley's downtown at 11:45 on Wednesday, January 27. If you can make time in your calendars (or convince your slave-driving bosses to give you a break), please come join me. I'd love to hear what you're all up to!

Linda

p.s.--Please pass this on to your colleagues who are less diligent about following the blog.

Paralegal Society News (Updated)

An announcement from the society's intrepid leader, Alex DeLong:

The first meeting for the paralegal society will be on Thursday, January 28, at 6pm. As discussed before, there will be no dues this semester to be a member. The room, as far as I know, is the conference room on the first floor in the first hallway off the main entryway.

Thanks,

Alex

For those of you who are into numbers, the room number of that conference room is Ivy 1132. See you there! Please contact Alex or myself (Linda Kampe) if you have questions.

Bystander Intervention Training

On Friday, January 22, Ivy Tech will be presenting a program on Bystander Intervention Training. Learn what to do if you're present during an incident involving bullying or domestic violence. The program is in Ivy 1120 at 10:30 a.m. It's free.

Ivy Tech Day at the Statehouse

Registration is now open for Ivy Tech Day at the Indiana Statehouse. Buses leave from Ivy Tech at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 10, and return to campus by 5 p.m. In between, you get breakfast and lunch on Ivy Tech and a chance to meet your state legislators and explore the statehouse--all for free! If you'd like to go, stop by the Student Life Office in Ivy Hall to register.

Let me know if you have questions. I hope to see a lot of you there!

Learn to Spell or the Terrorists Win

This from today's ABA Journal:

Spelling error sparks police terrorism investigation of schoolboy, 10

Posted Jan 20, 2016 12:00 pm CST

By Martha Neil

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inShare1

A 10-year-old British schoolboy meant to say in an English class exercise that he lived in a “terraced” house.
But he misspelled the word as “terrorist,” and teachers, not realizing that it was a simple spelling mistake, notified authorities under the 2015 Counter-Terrorism and Security Act. It requires educators to report suspected terrorist activity, according to BBC News and the Guardian.
An interview of the boy by Lancashire police, who also examined a family laptop during a visit to his home in December, apparently cleared the family, which is Muslim. However, they say the incident traumatised the boy and are seeking an apology from both police and school officials.
“They shouldn’t be putting a child through this,” an unidentified cousin told the Guardian. “He’s now scared of writing, using his imagination.”

Tippecanoe County in the News

According to the front page of the Journal & Courier this morning, the Tippecanoe County Council voted last night to fund 2 more attorney positions in the prosecutor's office, and one more investigator position in the Tippecanoe County prosecutor's office. The prosecutor is already looking for at least one investigator, and will soon be seeking more.

Just thought I'd let you know.

News You Can Use. Yes, You. Facebook Etiquette for the Legal Professional!

This guy says everything I want to tell you about your Facebook page. Sure, the article is geared towards attorneys, but the same goes for anyone who works in a law office (or wants to). The fact is, no matter what Facebook tells you about your privacy controls, getting a look at someone's Facebook page is not exactly like breaking into Fort Knox. With that in mind, you may want to take a look at your own personal Facebook page and see if it meets these standards:

Lawyers' Guide to Facebook Etiquette

Job-Hunting Tips

A number of you have asked me to keep an eye out for job opportunities for you, and I am happy to do so. But you should also be keeping an eye out for yourself. As I have said, networking is crucial in this field, and--assuming you have built a network of friends and colleagues--be sure that they know you're looking. But also check out these sites:

• www.lawcrossing.com
• www.tippecanoe.in.gov 
• www.in.gov--Make sure you've registered on both the State Jobs link and Indiana Career Connect
• www.simplyhired.com
• www.indeed.com 

Remember to include the websites of any professional organizations of which you are a member--NALA; Indiana Paralegal Association; etc.

Paralegals are hired to do research, so feel free to do a little research of your own. If you find a good site, please pass it along!

Paralegal Society News

What are you doing Thursday, January 28, at 6:00 p.m.?

Wrong!

You're going to the first meeting of the Paralegal Society.

Why?

So many reasons--fun, networking, a chance to vote on both upcoming activities and possibly doing away with dues--and of course, the ever-valuable engagement points. (There may have already been a vote to do away with dues, but I am not sure.)

The location of the meeting will be announced as soon as we have a room confirmation.

This entry was edited at 11:08 to change the date of the meeting and make minor corrections.

Welcom to Spring Semester 2016!!!

Welcome back! It's great to see everyone back in classes.

Our usual reminders--please make sure you can log into your Lexis Advance accounts this week. Do not wait until you have an assignment due. Let me know if you have any issues. (101 students--your Lexis accounts will be on their way next week.)

If you believe this is your last semester, remember that here at Ivy Tech you need to apply to graduate. Please do that early in the semester, so we have time to iron out any confusion that arises.

There are lots of ways to get involved on campus and in the community. If you're in one of my classes, you might be doing it for the engagement points, but anyone can enjoy the good feelings and camaraderie of being involved. Some highlights:

• On Monday, January 18 (MLK Day), the local attorneys will be participating in Talk to a Lawyer Day, and they would love to have paralegal students volunteer to assist people in filling out paperwork. The event will take place at the Legal Services office, 8 N. 3rd St, 1st Floor, Lafayette. Attorneys will be meeting with people from 9-5, and they will welcome volunteers any time during that period. If possible, email me so I can pass your name along and they can expect you. However, you are welcome to volunteer "by surprise" that day as well. 
• February 10 (Wednesday) is Ivy Tech Day at the Statehouse. If you've ever done it, you know how much fun it is. Ivy Tech provides transportation between the campus and the statehouse in Indy. While you're there, you get a chance to meet your state legislators, explore the statehouse, and enjoy breakfast and lunch on Ivy Tech. Traditionally, the Lafayette paralegal and crim students sneak off for a private audience with the Supreme Court, courtesy of Justice Rush, and I don't see why this year should be any different.
• If you can't make it to Ivy Tech Day at the Statehouse, consider dropping by the Lafayette YWCA for lunch. Judge Persin of Tippecanoe Superior Court 5 will be talking about Legal Aid 101, an program in which local attorneys give free presentations about basic rights. Lunch is $15.
• February 16 (Tuesday) is Appeals on Wheels day here at Ivy Tech. The Indiana Court of Appeals will be holding court in the Ivy Hall auditorium beginning at 1:00. Paralegal Society members will also be invited to have lunch with the judges beforehand--reason enough to join the Paralegal Society. (Look for an announcement about that later.)
• March 9 (Wednesday) is another YWCA lunch. This time, Officer Tenecia Waddell will discuss the importance of police-community partnerships. Look for more announcements about this later. If I can get at least 6 people to commit to going, I'll hit the Student Life office up for grant money to cover your lunch tickets ($15 each).
•  
• Why can't I make the bullets stop???? Oh well, not much else to say. Enjoy your semester. As always, contact me with any questions or concerns.

December Grads--Are You Still There?

You had better be!

I'm hoping to start some sort of informal regular get-together so we can all keep tabs on each other. I'm thinking that I'll announce that I'll plan to be in downtown Lafayette for lunch every [Wednesday or Friday] and whoever is available is welcome to join me. (If I find I'm eating alone week after week, I'll take the hint. ;-)  )

What do you think? Interested? Email me with your day of the week preference and a restaurant suggestion, and we'll see where it goes from there.

The Red (and Green) Pens of Death

Continuing, apparently, my inter-semester theme of holiday fun, lawyer-style, today we have a Christmas carol, as edited by an attorney. This entry is not only fun and a good introduction to Legal Writing, but it does serve as proof that--like so many of my idiosyncrasies--it's not just me. This is something lawyers just do.

While Shepherds Watched Their Legal Flocks by Night

Christmas Cheer, Law Firm Style

If you're looking for a way to while away all those empty hours during your break, you could always vote in the Above The Law Holiday Card Contest. Law firms from around the country submit their online cards in the hopes of winning. You can check out the entries in this year's contest here.

Utah Approves "Limited Practice Paralegals"

Utah became the second state--as far as I know--to approve what they are calling "Limited Practice Paralegals." (Washington was the first.) A paralegal in Utah with an associate's degree and some form of certification will be able to apply for an LPP license. LPPs will be able to help clients fill out legal forms, prepare settlements and represent them in mediated negotiations. The task force in charge of the new license anticipates that they will be employed primarily in family law, evictions, and debt collection.

You can read more about the new Utah LPP license here.

Great skiing AND great job opportunities. What more could you ask for?

A Scott Hoy Ad--Really! (Morning Only)