Are You Suffering from
an Identity Crisis?

by Sally Andress, RP

If you have been reading my past President's Perspectives, you know how fond I am of the writings of Lewis Carroll. Carroll's Alice finds herself in a world that gets "curiouser and curiouser." What seems curious to me is the fact that, while Carroll wrote about Alice in the late 1800s, his portrayal of the human character is still applicable in today's society.

In Through the Looking Glass (And What Alice Found There), Alice and the King are traveling down a road. The King is searching for his two messengers. Says the King to Alice:

"Just look along the road, and tell me if you can see either of them."

"I see nobody on the road," said Alice.

"I only wish I had such eyes," the King remarked in a fretful tone. "To be able to see Nobody! And at that distance, too! Why, it's as much as I can do to see real people, by this light!"

This humorous exchange made me think about an interview I did recently for the Daily Record, a legal publication in Rochester, NY. The interviewer asked what obstacles faced the paralegal profession. My response was that lack of recognition still remains an obstacle for members of our profession. I continued, saying that NFPA was tackling that obstacle with its many projects to educate the legal and non-legal communities about the role paralegals play in the delivery of legal services.

In retrospect, I am beginning to wonder if perhaps paralegals are like the King's "Nobody." What will it take for us to materialize into "real people"?

Not long after Carroll died, a writer by the name of Elbert Hubbard quipped common sense philosophy for a monthly magazine called The Philistine. Sadly, Hubbard met an untimely death in 1915 as a passenger on the ill-fated Lusitania. Hubbard penned: "Some men succeed by what they know; some by what they do; and a few by what they are."

What Hubbard was trying to say is that a successful person possesses knowledge, energy, and identity.

As a paralegal you no doubt have gone to great lengths to maintain a high level of professionalism. Through education and continuing education, you certainly possess knowledge. No one can question your endless energy. But what have you done to create a paralegal identity? Is this third element in Hubbard's formula something you have left up to your professional association?

While NFPA is working very hard to educate others about our profession, a small group of volunteers alone is not going to make the impact necessary to achieve the desired goal. NFPA's utilization video, "Paralegals: Enhancing Practice, Professionalism and Profit," is a great start in this educational process. (See related story on page 60.) The new Consumer Education page on NFPA's website is specifically designed to inform the public sector about paralegals and what they should expect and demand from their legal services team.

But, what should you, the individual, be doing to assist in this effort?

The easiest thing you can do is simply talk. How many opportunities do you have each day to speak to a total stranger about what you do? Despite the recent efforts of novelists and movie producers, the average citizen still doesn't know what a paralegal is or what one does. Strike up a conversation on the bus, in the elevator, at the lunch line. Select one person a day to educate. Think of the effect if each NFPA member would educate one person a day about the paralegal profession!

Another way you can make a difference in creating a professional identity is to join in the effort to establish a National Paralegal Day. You can help by contacting your representatives in Congress and asking for their support of House Resolution 430. This is as easy as sending an e-mail to your representative's web site. You can locate your representatives at congress.nw.dc.us/congressorg2/congdir.html.

Congressman Martin Frost, sponsor of the resolution, is certain that this resolution has no opposition, but it needs the support of 17,000 e-mails from NFPA's members.

What efforts have you made towards pro bono projects in your area? Demonstrating your commitment to equal access to justice and the delivery of affordable legal services says volumes about your professionalism and projects a distinctive, positive image.

How involved are you in your local association's activities? Your leaders are making inroads with the legal community. Not only could they use your help, but the "pay check" you receive for your involvement is being recognized as a dedicated professional.

If lack of recognition is plaguing our profession, then we only have ourselves to blame. It is up to each of us, individually, to capture the attention of the public and of attorneys. Create your own "Paralegal Awareness Campaign." Recognition leads to respect, and respect can lead to power. Empower your profession. Don't wait for your ship to come in _ swim out to it!

Sally Andress, RP, is in her second term as President of NFPA. She is owner of Paralegal Outsourcing in Shaftsbury, VT.