As you’ve been striving to keep up with the pulse of the complex and shifting legal field while working toward success as a paralegal, you’ve undoubtedly realized that there is an abundance of information to keep up with in the industry.
From researching different Paralegal programs to discovering leads for potential jobs—not to mention the host of other obligations you face outside of your career—your plate probably feels pretty full right now. So how can you be sure you’re tapping into all of the coveted industry info that’s available to you?
With thousands of blogs, websites, apps, podcasts, magazines and social media feeds at your fingertips, it can be difficult to know where to start. To save you some time, we’ve narrowed it down to a must-see list. From news sites and insider editorials to podcasts and web-based research tools, take a look at 19 of the top paralegal blogs and other resources out there today.
19 Paralegal resources industry professionals can’t miss
The internet is home to an endless supply of information. We narrowed it down to a few paralegal resources we believe are worthy of your time. Take a look at what we found.
Paralegal resources for industry news
A paramount aspect of succeeding as a paralegal is keeping up-to-date with the ever-evolving world of legal news. The following four sites all offer different approaches to providing relevant news to those interested in the legal system.
Above the Law: This Breaking Media site is committed to providing news and insights relating to the world of law, offering a behind-the-scenes look at some of “the profession’s most colorful personalities and powerful institutions.” When visitors stop by the website, they can expect to find original commentary on developing legal news.
A Contrario: Run by a team of law professionals who boast a litany of law degrees and other relevant accolades, A Contrario is a site dedicated to international criminal law. Proclaimed to be a “think tank devoted to research and writing on global justice issues,” readers can expect content on everything from environmental justice in Taiwan to the relationship between artificial intelligence and international humanitarian law.
Legal Tech News: Powered by Law.com, Legal Tech News keeps readers in the loop on all stories in which technology and the law intersect. Developing stories might include editorials on the latest in the long-running smartphone wars, the details of the many legal entanglements of ride-sharing services or even a list of corporate legal department strategies for implementing artificial intelligence.
The View from LL2: Susan Simpson, an associate with the Volkov Law Group, runs this site as a hub for her extremely detailed insights on the law and economics as they relate to many of the developing stories dominating today’s news cycle. At The View From LL2, she digs into topics like the legalities surrounding some of the latest political scandals, international law and high profile court cases like that of Serial’s Adnan Syed.
Paralegal resources for case law and research
A huge task paralegals face in their day-to-day work is investigating and gathering the facts of a case and conducting research on any relevant laws, regulations or legal articles. With that in mind, resources that can help paralegals explore case law or dive into relevant research will always be of use. Check out the following four.
The FastCase app: Both Android and iOS users can use FastCase™ to reap the benefits of extensive legal research without the need of using a laptop or library. This app essentially puts the entire American law library in the pocket of legal professionals. They can search a multitude of cases from all 50 states, narrowing the results down by statute collections, citations or keywords.
The Researching Paralegal: Registered paralegal Celia runs The Researching Paralegal blog as a space to gather top blog references, website links and tools that have helped her broaden her knowledge of the law throughout her successful career thus far. Having co-authored a paralegal textbook on legal research, she speaks with an earned wisdom as her articles explore topics like historical Supreme Court cases, a paralegal’s ideal checklist to prepare for trial and even a tool to help locate specific bills and amendments a member of Congress has sponsored or cosponsored.
The Evidence Prof: Edited primarily by associate professor of Law at the University of South Carolina School of Law Colin Miller, the Evidence Prof blog is a thriving member of the Law Professor Blogs Network. Visitors to the site can expect articles that dig into matters relating closely to case law, mostly including detailed updates of contemporary cases as they unfold.
Nolo: This website represents the entity that came to life when some of the internet’s first legal sites—including Nolo.com, Divorcenet.com and AllLaw.com—joined forces and integrated their resources. The “Legal Articles” section of the site offers scholarly works on a diverse range of topics, from bankruptcy and criminal law to LGBT law and immigration.
Podcasts for paralegals
Whether you’re already working as a paralegal, or your days are filled with various tasks that keep your family’s way of life afloat, you may find that you’re too busy to dedicate much time to the websites and text-based resources on our list. That’s where podcasts can make a huge difference. Next time you’re commuting to work or out doing yard work, pop in a headphone to tune into one of these three law-related podcasts.
The Lawyerist Podcast: The overarching Lawyerist site was built upon the notion that a tribe of small-firm lawyers can build the sustainable law practices of tomorrow. The Lawyerist Podcast is a show that homes in on the future of lawyering and law practice. There are currently dozens of episodes that feature conversations with successful lawyers and creatives who are leaders in the field. Subscribe to the show to hear episodes on ethically problematic marketing strategies, how to rehearse a successful oral argument and even a run-down of the things millennials are looking for in a law firm.
The Bloomberg Law Podcast: The hosts of the Bloomberg Law podcast use each episode to speak with prominent attorneys and legal scholars as they analyze major contemporary legal issues and prominent cases featured in the news. Subscribers can expect to be kept in the know with new episodes appearing, in some cases, multiple times in a single day.
The Court Junkie Podcast: Boasting 55 episodes and counting, the Court Junkie Podcast dedicates each episode to a different contemporary court case—at times splitting cases into multi-part episodes. Host Jillian outlines the narrative of each case through presentation of her own research in addition to one-on-one interviews with key players or storied experts in many of the court cases. Prepare to hear gripping tale after gripping tale while learning more about the ins and outs of our legal system.
Paralegal resources to curb the stress
Working in the legal field can be overwhelming at times. Whether you’re seeking an extra helping of career-specific motivation or an outlet that can release your stress by appealing to your sense of humor, you’d be well-served to head over to the following four sites.
Lowering the Bar: A site dedicated to legal humor, Lowering the Bar is the forum through which law partner Kevin Underhill uses his analytical and writing abilities to cover everything from civil law, criminal law, the legal profession at large, active lawsuits, the government and more. If you’re well-versed in sarcasm and you’re looking to take a load off after a long day’s work, Lowering the Bar may be the site you’ve been looking for.
Legally Weird: An extension of the website FindLaw, which has been dubbed its “Legal Curiosities Blog,” Leally Weird uses its articles to delve into a largely untapped wealth of content surrounding “strange legal happenings, odd laws and legal curiosities of all types.” Its writers wrestle with topics like whether or not you can get arrested over a GIF, if a chimpanzee is entitled to the same legal rights as a human and what happens when an 11-year-old gets summoned for jury duty.
The Paralegal Mentor: Nationally recognized author and speaker Vicki Voisin is The Paralegal Mentor. She authored a book called Paralegal Strategies, and she is widely known for her public speaking and her paralegal training seminars. Through her website, Voisin offers a number of tele-classes, as well as her insights on topics like overlooked keys to career success, tips for updating your resume and practices of proactive paralegals. If you’re stressing about the next step in your career, you might find some peace by exploring some of the resources available through The Paralegal Mentor.
The Paralegal blog: A career paralegal who works within a large financial company, Ana Pierro is also a recognized speaker and advocate for the paralegal profession. She uses her blog, The Paralegal, to address important issues within the legal field such as education, training and career development. Working paralegals who are desperate for a greater sense of work–life balance, are looking for organizational tips or are even looking to add to their reading list can find what they’re looking for here.
Multi-functional paralegal resources
While some paralegal resources specialize in blogging, research or industry-specific news, other sites act as hubs for those in the legal profession, offering a host of different resources all in one place. Take a look at the following four.
Law Street Media: In an effort to “turn down the noise and amp up the facts,” Law Street Media offers a collection of industry-relevant videos, in-depth articles, up-to-date news stories and even lists and descriptions of various schools readers might be interested in. If you’re looking to stay on one site for a while as you explore the various ways you can propel your career forward, check out Law Street Media.
Paralegal Bootcamp: The Paralegal Bootcamp site offers an array of courses designed for paralegals who are eager for more than just another job and are ready to progress toward a rewarding career that will both challenge and stimulate them. In addition to the courses and other training resources, Paralegal Bootcamp also hosts a blog that covers the must-have soft skills of successful paralegals, can’t-miss tips for the paralegal job search and even a 21-day paralegal fitness challenge.
Legal Talk Network: Rather than a single podcast geared toward legal professionals, Legal Talk Network is an entire podcast network riddled with hosts from well-known organizations including the American Bar Association, Thomson Reuters and Robert Half Legal. The network supports more than 20 active podcasts that cover important legal news and developments. If you’re looking for a one-stop shop when it comes to the entire legal industry, then it’s worth checking out Legal Talk Network.
The American Bar Association (ABA) Journal: The ABA Journal is a site many visit to stay current with the latest legal news, sign up for regular industry-specific newsletters and even explore the cyber-security dangers of such a digitally saturated world. Visitors can expect to find resources on topics like diversity and advocacy, as well as publishing and insurance.
Which paralegal resources will you bookmark?
As you strive to stay informed on all things related to life as a paralegal, you’ll save yourself some time by bookmarking this list to revisit in the future. These 19 paralegal resources offer prized insight into the history of the field, its current state and the hopeful predictions for its future.
For more go-to resources and legal career information, follow Rasmussen College’s School of Justice Studies Blog.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published in 2010. It has since been updated with more relevant information.
