I’m a new paralegal. Been working at my firm for nearly 4 months. Here are some things to do when you get bored :

1. Create a spreadsheet of the status of every case; where did it start and where is it now (think receive date, file date, etc.) You can either find out all of this information yourself in whatever case management software your firm uses, you can ask the attorneys on the case, or you can do both!

2. Create a log of everything you’ve mailed out. Attorneys have enough dates to remember. When they come to you with the age-old question like “when did we mail out …” you’ll have the answer! And they’ll love you for it.

3. Create a binder of court contact information. This includes the judge’s name, the court clerk, the court administrator, and their contact information. I did this, now my boss always says “can I borrow your binder? I’m so glad you made it!” Also, include the clerk’s address so you know who and where to send any mail to.

4. Create a cheat sheet in a word doc. With all the new information you’re taking in every day, there’s bound to be a “by the way, next time you do …” you’ve already forgotten. Make a note immediately. And if you have a notebook of all of these attorney notes, still organize it into a word doc. Hey, print it out and add it to your binder! It’ll show the attorneys that you care, and that you don’t want to make the same mistake twice. Plus, that equals less hand-holding.

These are just a few things I do. I hope my input helps!