Shows
Paralegals on Fire! with Ann PearsonWhy This State Supreme Court Justice Wanted the Job Might Surprise You Guest host, Linda Odermott, joins us for another great interview in her Paralegal Real Talk contributing series, where she gives us a deep dive into the latest happenings with paralegal licensing, access to justice, and the impact on the paralegal profession. In this episode, Linda interviews Colorado State Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart. Justice Hart speaks frankly about the access to justice problem and the importance of being in the room if you want to get started on making a change in your state. You don't want to miss this motivating and inspiring episode! Key Takeaways: The i...2025-06-1832 min
Paralegals on Fire! with Ann PearsonEpisode 149: Imagine a World Where Everyone Has Access to Justice: An Interview with Michael HoulbergEpisode Summary: Join guest host Linda Odermott as she interviews Michael Houlberg, Director of Special Projects at the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS). IAALS is a national, independent research organization that innovates and advances solutions that make our justice system more just. They believe that justice and access to the justice system can be a reality for everyone. This episode highlights IAALS' forward-thinking approach to addressing the access to justice crisis through innovative projects such as regulatory reform initiatives, community justice worker programs, and alternative licensed professional programs.2025-03-2544 min
Paralegals on Fire! with Ann PearsonEpisode 145: A Lesson From Alaska's Community Justice Workers - An Interview With Nikole NelsonWatch the video Interview Here. About the Guest: Nikole Nelson is the founding CEO of Frontline Justice and former Executive Director of the Alaska Legal Services Corporation. She has dedicated 25 years to enhancing access to justice, especially in rural communities, by developing innovative legal aid solutions that are community-led and people-centered. Nikole was instrumental in launching the Partnering for Native Health initiative, a medical-legal partnership that received the 2019 World Justice Challenge Award. She has also driven significant reforms, including changes to unauthorized practice of law regulations that benefit justice workers in Alaska. Nikole is actively...2025-02-0423 min
Paralegals on Fire! with Ann PearsonEpisode 140: Utah's LLP ProgramIn this episode, Linda Odermott delves into the evolving landscape of the legal profession, focusing on regulatory reforms aimed at mitigating the access to justice (A2J) crisis. Linda brings to light essential discussions surrounding the profession's impact on justice accessibility, noting that in 75% of cases, one side is self-represented. She references research from Nora Freeman Angstrom and James Stone on how historical events like the legal crackdown on early 20th-century auto clubs contributed to today's crisis. Key Takeaways: Regulatory sandboxes in states like Utah and Arizona are proving to be successful models for legal...2024-11-1920 min
Paralegals on Fire! with Ann PearsonEpisode 137: Real Talk About Arizona's Paralegal Licensing ProgramIn this episode, guest host Linda Odermott delve into regulatory reforms in the legal profession. Linda discusses significant changes, including the introduction of regulatory sandboxes in states like Arizona, which allow for innovative legal services to be tested in a controlled environment. The episode highlights Arizona's initiatives to improve access to justice through alternative business structures and the creation of licensed paraprofessionals. These reforms aim to diversify legal service providers and enhance the availability of legal support, particularly in underserved areas. Key Takeaways: There is a push for legal regulation reform due to h...2024-10-2216 min
Paralegals on Fire! with Ann PearsonEpisode 134: Lessons Learned from Washington State's LLLT ProgramIn this episode of the Paralegals on Fire podcast, guest host Linda Odermott delves into Washington State's Limited License Legal Technicians (LLLT) program. She discusses its inception, aimed at improving access to affordable family law services, and the challenges it faced, including political opposition and complex requirements. Despite initial successes, the program was ultimately sunsetted in 2020. Linda highlights lessons learned, emphasizing stakeholder engagement, incremental growth, and clear success metrics. The episode underscores the evolving role of paralegals in addressing the access to justice crisis. Key Takeaways: Promote buy-in from all corners of the legal...2024-09-1016 min
Paralegals on Fire! with Ann PearsonEpisode 131: Paralegal Licensing by the Numbers - With Linda OdermottIn this episode, Linda Odermott joins as a Guest Host for the podcast. Linda discusses the importance of paralegal licensing and its impact on the legal profession. She shares insights on the evolving landscape of paralegal licensing programs. Linda is an NFPA certified paralegal, an RP, and an Oregon certified paralegal. She has extensive experience working on access to justice initiatives and regulation reforms, particularly in licensed paralegal programs. Linda mentions many articles and publications during this episode! If you want to read those and get other resources, visit the blog page for this episode...2024-08-1317 min