Revitalize Your Paralegal Career

Although being a paralegal is a rewarding job, sometimes paralegals experience burnout in their careers and consider changing positions or leaving the profession altogether. There are many ways to revitalize your paralegal career in order to avoid such drastic decisions. Joining a local, state, or national paralegal association can be energizing and spark fresh interest in the field. To really reap the long-term rewards, it is best to become an active member of one of these associations. Engaging with other paralegals can help you recognize that others often have similar problems, there isn’t necessarily a better situation in a different firm, and there are many people who are willing to provide you with support. There are many other ways to add depth and success to a career that may seem stagnant or discouraging. Every paralegal simply needs to find a solution that fits.

In this episode of The Paralegal Voice, Vicki Voisin interviews managing editor of Paralegal Today Magazine Patty Infanti about how paralegals can revitalize their careers. Together they discuss the many different professional directions a paralegal can take in order to build confidence, increase experience, and simply enjoy his/her job more. In addition to joining an association, taking a continuing legal education course and passing an exam leads to credibility and a boost in confidence. Infanti encourages diversity in the topics of classes and maintains that it is just as helpful to get a certification in a new field. Voisin and Infanti both encourage all paralegals to give a lecture, write an essay, or even teach a course on the subject he or she knows best. This could be an area of law, a specific technology, or professional development. Helping other paralegals in any of these ways, they explain, can be the best way to reignite the fire of excitement for your job and field. Voisin also advises paralegals to take all of their vacation days and relax while they’re not at work. Infanti adds that breaks from deskwork throughout the day, even just to grab a lunch sandwich, can really change the attitude of, refresh, and revitalize an exhausted employee.

Patricia E. Infanti, PP, PLS is a member of The Association for Legal Professionals (NALS) and served as President from 2010 to 2011. A past president of both her local chapter and state association, she is currently serving as Parliamentarian of NALS of Pennsylvania and is the Website Chair of NALS of Philadelphia. She is also a member of NALS Leadership Identification Committee and the NALS Genius Bar. Infanti has been employed in the Corporate Real Estate department of Ballard Spahr LLP in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1990.

Special thanks to our sponsors, NALA and Serve Now.