Sunday, September 1, 2013
New book - Why Lawyers Suck and What You Can Do About It
If you like this blog, you will also like the book authored by NAFLP co-founder, and FreelanceLaw founder, Melody A. Kramer. Get your copy now on Amazon.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
NAFLP enters the New Year with new energy and a new leader
As we wrap up the year 2010 and look into a new year, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all of your support and interest in the National Association of Freelance Legal Professionals.
Amanda Mineer and I began a bold adventure to create a community of legal freelancers across the country and to begin the process of creating comprehensive resources for that community.
The first steps towards our goal for NAFLP have been taken, and we realized that it is now time to turn over the leadership reins of NAFLP to someone more experienced in developing the resources and organizational structure that Amanda and I had envisioned.
After searching for just the right person, we have selected Chere Estrin, founder of The Organization of Legal Professionals (OLP), Estrin Education, Inc. (an online training organization for legal professionals), KNOW magazine for paralegals, and SUE magazine for women litigators, to take NAFLP into a bright, continuing future.
Chere has taken over the responsibility of running NAFLP as of January 1, 2011.
Your NAFLP membership benefits will continue and new benefits will shortly be added under this new leadership so look forward to notices of these exciting new developments early in the year.
I will continue on with NAFLP as an advisor and look forward to seeing your further successes as freelance legal professionals.
Sincerely,
Melody A. Kramer, Co-Founder
National Association of Freelance Legal Professionals
Amanda Mineer and I began a bold adventure to create a community of legal freelancers across the country and to begin the process of creating comprehensive resources for that community.
The first steps towards our goal for NAFLP have been taken, and we realized that it is now time to turn over the leadership reins of NAFLP to someone more experienced in developing the resources and organizational structure that Amanda and I had envisioned.
After searching for just the right person, we have selected Chere Estrin, founder of The Organization of Legal Professionals (OLP), Estrin Education, Inc. (an online training organization for legal professionals), KNOW magazine for paralegals, and SUE magazine for women litigators, to take NAFLP into a bright, continuing future.
Chere has taken over the responsibility of running NAFLP as of January 1, 2011.
Your NAFLP membership benefits will continue and new benefits will shortly be added under this new leadership so look forward to notices of these exciting new developments early in the year.
I will continue on with NAFLP as an advisor and look forward to seeing your further successes as freelance legal professionals.
Sincerely,
Melody A. Kramer, Co-Founder
National Association of Freelance Legal Professionals
Monday, October 4, 2010
Business opportunity - recruiting for NAFLP
We have an important recruitment announcement for NAFLP.
Amanda Mineer and I had a vision of providing an organization to support, educate, and benefit freelance legal professionals around the country, and to educate the legal profession about the benefits of the freelance legal market. To bring that dream to reality, we founded the National Association of Freelance Legal Professionals (NAFLP) and launched a blog and website in early 2008. Our vision and work have taken this project from mere vision to reality. Thank you for your participation in that process.
Much has been accomplished thus far, but there is also much more to be done. However, it is time for someone else to take over the mantle of leadership and build on what has already been created.
To that end, we are actively recruiting for someone to take over NAFLP starting January 1, 2011. We are looking for someone who is passionate about helping legal freelancers build and run successful businesses, and interested in taking NAFLP to the next level of development and member services. Active members of NAFLP will be given first consideration, but anyone interested is invited to respond.
NAFLP already has a website, downloadable educational materials, member and mailing lists of over 3,000, social media exposure, affiliate agreements, written materials regarding legal freelancing, and more. The right candidate will be willing and able to take this foundation and build for the future.
The proposal deadline is October 25, 2010 5:00p.m. Pacific. Requirements are posted below.
Again, thank you for being a part of NAFLP's development thus far, and we look forward to a smooth transition to its next stage of development. Feel free to pass on this recruitment notice to anyone you think may be interested in this opportunity.
Proposal deadline: October 25, 2010 5:00p.m. Pacific
Submit email proposals to: melody@naflp.org
Submit hard-copy proposals to:
Melody A. Kramer
National Association of Freelance Legal Professionals
9930 Mesa Rim Road, Suite 1600
San Diego, CA 92121
Requirements:
The successful proposal will include at least the following: name and contact information, brief statement of what your vision would be for NAFLP in 2011 and beyond, what connection you already have (if any) with the legal freelancing market, education, experience or expertise that would you make you particularly suited to taking over NAFLP, and your proposed terms for taking over NAFLP.
Amanda Mineer and I had a vision of providing an organization to support, educate, and benefit freelance legal professionals around the country, and to educate the legal profession about the benefits of the freelance legal market. To bring that dream to reality, we founded the National Association of Freelance Legal Professionals (NAFLP) and launched a blog and website in early 2008. Our vision and work have taken this project from mere vision to reality. Thank you for your participation in that process.
Much has been accomplished thus far, but there is also much more to be done. However, it is time for someone else to take over the mantle of leadership and build on what has already been created.
To that end, we are actively recruiting for someone to take over NAFLP starting January 1, 2011. We are looking for someone who is passionate about helping legal freelancers build and run successful businesses, and interested in taking NAFLP to the next level of development and member services. Active members of NAFLP will be given first consideration, but anyone interested is invited to respond.
NAFLP already has a website, downloadable educational materials, member and mailing lists of over 3,000, social media exposure, affiliate agreements, written materials regarding legal freelancing, and more. The right candidate will be willing and able to take this foundation and build for the future.
The proposal deadline is October 25, 2010 5:00p.m. Pacific. Requirements are posted below.
Again, thank you for being a part of NAFLP's development thus far, and we look forward to a smooth transition to its next stage of development. Feel free to pass on this recruitment notice to anyone you think may be interested in this opportunity.
Proposal deadline: October 25, 2010 5:00p.m. Pacific
Submit email proposals to: melody@naflp.org
Submit hard-copy proposals to:
Melody A. Kramer
National Association of Freelance Legal Professionals
9930 Mesa Rim Road, Suite 1600
San Diego, CA 92121
Requirements:
The successful proposal will include at least the following: name and contact information, brief statement of what your vision would be for NAFLP in 2011 and beyond, what connection you already have (if any) with the legal freelancing market, education, experience or expertise that would you make you particularly suited to taking over NAFLP, and your proposed terms for taking over NAFLP.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
What freelancers need to understand about Legos
When I was a child, my brother and I spent countless hours building with Lego blocks. For the uninitiated (if there are any left in the world), Lego blocks are plastic building blocks about 1” x ½” or smaller that can be connected together to build things. We had a simple collection of Lego blocks with which we built whatever we dreamed up on any given day. Castles, forts, houses, cars, airplanes, robots, and more. If we could dream it, we could create it. We were limited only by our imagination, and, eventually, the number of blocks we had at our disposal.
When I moved to San Diego, I experienced a new level of the creative power of Legos on a visit to Legoland, a theme park with rides and attractions, all featuring the ageless Lego blocks. The sculptures and landscapes constructed out of hundreds of thousands of Lego blocks boggle the mind! Here is a picture of a massive dragon dwarfing the child standing next to it. Here is a picture of a replica of the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas, complete with cars, fountains, and tourists. These and hundreds more are all made out of those same individual Lego blocks I played with as a child.
So what do Legos have to do with freelancers? A lot, actually. Individual Lego blocks are colorful, useful, hardy, and practically indestructible. However, they have little use or longevity by themselves. By themselves, they are little different from any other piece of plastic and will, sooner or later, get sucked up by a vacuum cleaner and end up in a landfill. Together with other blocks, however, they can build the most amazing things, then be disconnected and be built into other amazing things. The possibilities are endless.
Freelancers are like Lego blocks. Individually they sit around the country, periodically used in projects (by law firms), but far too much of the time collecting dust on a shelf. It is hard to see that freelancers are even there. By themselves, they are small and don’t attract much attention. If a law firm is looking, even if they want to use a freelancer, they may not be able to find one.
Freelancers, it’s time to do some building. Unite together in a force that will be seen and cannot be ignored by the legal profession. NAFLP needs your participation to thrive and grow. Only you can make it happen.
When I moved to San Diego, I experienced a new level of the creative power of Legos on a visit to Legoland, a theme park with rides and attractions, all featuring the ageless Lego blocks. The sculptures and landscapes constructed out of hundreds of thousands of Lego blocks boggle the mind! Here is a picture of a massive dragon dwarfing the child standing next to it. Here is a picture of a replica of the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas, complete with cars, fountains, and tourists. These and hundreds more are all made out of those same individual Lego blocks I played with as a child.
So what do Legos have to do with freelancers? A lot, actually. Individual Lego blocks are colorful, useful, hardy, and practically indestructible. However, they have little use or longevity by themselves. By themselves, they are little different from any other piece of plastic and will, sooner or later, get sucked up by a vacuum cleaner and end up in a landfill. Together with other blocks, however, they can build the most amazing things, then be disconnected and be built into other amazing things. The possibilities are endless.
Freelancers are like Lego blocks. Individually they sit around the country, periodically used in projects (by law firms), but far too much of the time collecting dust on a shelf. It is hard to see that freelancers are even there. By themselves, they are small and don’t attract much attention. If a law firm is looking, even if they want to use a freelancer, they may not be able to find one.
Freelancers, it’s time to do some building. Unite together in a force that will be seen and cannot be ignored by the legal profession. NAFLP needs your participation to thrive and grow. Only you can make it happen.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Flying High - a military spouse and freelance paralegal shares her story
Guest blog post by NAFLP member Kris L. Canaday
As I stare out the airplane window, my mind runs through all the things to be done. It’s a quick trip. Find a house and head back across the country to finish packing. I have so many things still to do – I haven’t even touched the kitchen and I still need to schedule the utilities. Oh yeah, I also need to finish that paternity action when we land.
I am a military spouse. I am also a freelance paralegal. Why? So I don’t have to give up my career every time we transfer. Lately, that seems to be regularly. We’re leaving Washington after less than two years and just learned that we may only be in Louisiana for one year instead of three. I don’t think I’m going to unpack much more than my kitchen and office this time around. . . .
READ MORE at the new NAFLP blog
As I stare out the airplane window, my mind runs through all the things to be done. It’s a quick trip. Find a house and head back across the country to finish packing. I have so many things still to do – I haven’t even touched the kitchen and I still need to schedule the utilities. Oh yeah, I also need to finish that paternity action when we land.
I am a military spouse. I am also a freelance paralegal. Why? So I don’t have to give up my career every time we transfer. Lately, that seems to be regularly. We’re leaving Washington after less than two years and just learned that we may only be in Louisiana for one year instead of three. I don’t think I’m going to unpack much more than my kitchen and office this time around. . . .
READ MORE at the new NAFLP blog
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