New Position
I’m going to have to change the name of the blog again. 🙂
Today I officially accepted a new position. Still at the same firm, but I won’t be working at the helpdesk much longer. My new title will be Practice Support Specialist, which in most law firms is probably better known as Litigation Support. We currently have one person doing this, for the entire firm. Now we’ll have two.
For those of you unfamiliar with the world of law firm IT, that means I’m going to be learning all the ins and outs of programs that are part of putting on a trial, specifically Summation and TrialDirector, among others. I’ll be dealing with Electronic Discovery, creating documentation for opposing counsel, digitizing audio/video evidence, doing set-ups on-site at trials, and maybe even doing a little computer forensics. I’m excited by the opportunity. I’ll be involved in a lot of really exciting stuff, learning a bunch of new skills and also learning a lot about the law itself.
Of course, it also means leaving a job I’m good at, and comfortable with, to start over not really knowing how to do anything again. But, I’ll have an office with a door again, so that’s nice. 🙂
Ironically, years and years ago, I started back to school with the idea of becoming a paralegal, because I was really interested in the law. Shortly thereafter I started working for a bank, who would only offer tuition reimbursement if I studied Business or Finance, so I set aside the idea of working in law. Eventually, I got interested in computers, was in the right place at the right time and turned that into an IT job. So now it’s coming full circle, and my IT work is going to push me back into working in law. That’s pretty cool.
Follow these topics: LitigationSupport
This is interesting as I just watched several people doing this job when I was on jury duty downtown.
First thing I can recommend is that you remove Powerpoint from all machines. (SMILE) I actually gave some PP tips to the lawyers after the trial. Also, they need to make sure they know how to use the projectors and such. Watching them fiddle with them for 10 minutes sort of lowers their reputation.
Sounds like a more interesting position than the help desk and a chance to really increase your knowledge and application of that knowledge.
Douglasvtqjztf
Douglas, Yes I do kind of see this job being a lot about making sure no one has to fiddle too much or look bad in the court room. Basically, have everything ready, and easy to use so no one has to!
Sounds great Mike – congratulations (and happy anniversary for a few days back).
Fantastic…Bravo on the moving from something comfortable to something new.
Congrats! It sounds like great news! – Steve
Congratulations on the new position.
Good for you for taking the risk on something new and pat yourself on the back for being so trusted and appreciated by your firm.
Way to go!
Best of luck, Mike!! Sounds like a great opportunity for those of us who continually like to push ourselves to learn new stuff.
Congratulations Mike! No doubt you are going to do GREAT at your new role. Don’t change the name of your blog, unless you want to call it the Chronicles of Mike McBride.
Best wishes as you make another thing great!
Congrats!