SPEAK SPANISH? LAST CALL
The deadline is March 22 to be included in the Spanish Language Legal Network's 2002 directory.
Attorneys provide a self-assessment of their language ability on a scale of 1-10. The listings are alphabetical, by specialty and by geographic area. The directories will be provided free to non-profit agencies serving the Hispanic community; other businesses and individuals can purchase it for $10.

To be listed in the next edition of the directory (or to reserve your copy), contact attorney Kirsten E. Thompson, 249 N.E. Lincoln, Hillsboro, Ore. 97124; 503-648-3020; fax: 503-693-6694; e-mail: LawDawgs1@aol.com.

NATIONAL MINORITY JUDGE DIRECTORY
The third edition of the ABA Judicial Division's Directory of Minority Judges of the United States is now available.

This edition includes a total of 4,045 minority judges from five different classifications: 1,798 entries for African-American judges, 1,524 entries for Hispanic judges, 322 entries for Asian-Pacific Islander judges, 56 entries for Native American judges and 345 entries for Tribal Court judges.

The total represents a 12 percent increase from the previous edition published in 1997, with the Hispanic classification showing the largest increase. The increase in entries is likely due to modest increased in the numbers of minority judges as well as better reporting of data.

It is available through the ABA Service Center for $49.95 by calling (800) 285-2221. Judicial Division members receive a $10 discount.

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW REPORTS ONLINE
For more than 30 years, Environmental Law Reports have been a key resource for environmental, health and safety, toxic tort, natural resource and land use law. Its publishers have just launched an online service in a subscriber-only website at www.eli.info.

ELR will continue to publish the print 'News and Analysis' monthly journal summarizing developments in the field. For a free trial of the website, call (800) 433-5120 or visit the website at www.eli.org.

PARALEGAL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The National Federation of Paralegal Associations' 2001 survey results are now available for purchase in a 37-page pamphlet. NFPS conducts this survey in alternate years and has long been recognized as a reliable source of information on paralegal compensation, benefits, billing rates and job satisfaction. Courts use the survey to confirm market rates when awarding paralegal fees, and employers use it to gauge entry-level and advanced salaries.

In 2001 the average paralegal salary was $41,742, with 65 percent earning an additional bonus of $2,468. Ninety-one percent of the survey respondents are women with an average age of 39. Forty-one percent of the billing rates are $81-90 per hour.

Compared with the five previous survey results in alternate years beginning in 1991, the trend reflects a slow increase in the number of male paralegals and the number of minority paralegals as well.

The executive summary of the survey can be found at www.paralegals.org/development/history/home.htm. A full report can be purchased at www.paralegals.org (click on 'publications') or call (816) 941-4000. The price is $30 for non-members and $20 for members of NFPA.

— return to top
— return to Table of Contents

E-mail Overload? You're Not Alone

According to a survey of the Affiliates, a national legal placement firm, lawyers receive nearly 50 e-mail messages daily.
According to the nationwide survey, lawyers receive an average of 48 messages (business and personal in nature) a day - tantamount to a new message every 10 minutes throughout the workday.

The Affiliates suggests some ways to cope: Schedule blocks of time for e-mail and don't be interrupted at other times. Consider closing the e-mail application altogether when it's not 'message time' - an automated reply can even state when you will be returning messages. And be diligent about saving non-urgent and personal messages for after the workday.

If you have other suggestions for ways to prevent e-mail from derailing your workday, send them to us at bulletin@osbar.org and we'll publish the helpful tips we receive. Of course this means we'll be getting more e-mail…