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LOS ANGELES DAILY JOURNAL
AI reshapes legal support work, but paralegals see opportunity
By Malcolm Maclachlan Daily Journal Staff Writer L egal support professionals will meet in Sacramento through the weekend — and they will have a lot to talk about. Artificial intelligence and other technological breakthroughs have transformed the day-to-day lives of legal secretaries and paralegals while blurring the lines between traditional roles within a law firm. But leaders in these fields say the job market is healthy. “A lot of people were afraid of AI when it first came,” said Donna Day, a practice assistant at Nixon Peabody LLP in San Francisco. “They're like, ‘Oh my gosh, we're gonna lose our jobs.’ Well, we have really found that that is not the case.” Day is president of Legal Profes- sionals Inc., which represents legal secretaries, paralegals, and other le- gal support staff. The group is hold- ing its 92nd annual conference from Thursday through Sunday, hosted by the Sacramento Legal Professionals
actly what to expect. Griffin now also monitors employ- ment trends as the chair of the Law Practice Management and Technol- ogy Section Executive Committee at the California Lawyers Association. He said he does not think AI is put- ting legal support professionals out of work. No matter how good the tools get, he said, they are far more effective in the hands of someone who understands courts and law firm workflow. “I don't think it's actually replac- ing them,” Griffin said. “It's assisting them, because a lot of them are al- ready overworked.” Figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show a muddled em- ployment future for the field, with a decline for legal secretaries and a rise for paralegals. But Hunter said expe- rience is always in demand. “The firms that still value legal sec- retaries, it's interesting because legal secretaries make a lot more money now because there's so few of them,” she said. Griffin said that he is seeing growth in hybrid roles, with a premi-
paralegals from taking on some “sub- stantive” legal tasks under the super- vision of an attorney, or from getting more involved in the operations and business side of firms. She added that she regularly re- posts paralegal jobs on her LinkedIn page as a service to her students. Suero said demand is high for people who can combine analytical and com- munication skills with a knowledge of new tools. Hunter, who teaches aspiring paralegals as an adjunct instructor at several schools, said the role is now often a starting point. She often writes recommendations for her for- mer paralegal students who decided after working for a few years that they wanted to apply to law schools — and take on the debt that often comes with them. She could have been describing the career of Hanson Bridgett LLP Asso- ciate Mark G. Griffin. He worked in a support role at the firm while attend- ing law school at night. After gradua- tion, he said, some of his classmates were “shocked” at what it was like to work as an attorney, but he knew ex-
ing to be non-existent in a few years” because of AI. “There's this big misconception that AI will put us out of work,” Hunt- er said. “I haven't seen that.” Rather, Hunter added, junior asso- ciates are often taking the brunt of any dislocation brought on by recent technology. Instead, many firms are taking up the slack with a combina- tion of AI and experienced support staff. “When an attorney comes out of law school, they know the theory of law, but don’t know the practice of law,” Hunter said. “That's an issue. Do you know who gets to train a lot of the new attorneys that come to firms? Legal secretaries and paralegals.” “The utilization of paralegals has been changing,” said Kristine Cus- todio Suero, an educator, consultant, and podcaster. “This has probably been in the last decade. We have seen paralegals being used more in a ca- pacity of advanced legal work.” California is stricter than many states at defining the work paralegals can and cannot do, Suero added. But that has not stopped experienced
um on people who can do the legal filing and other work often associated with legal secretaries but also bill cli- ents as certified paralegals. “I think a lot of times the hybrid role is actually driven by law firm eco- nomics,” he said. “They want some- one that they can build into paralegal capacity, but they can actually do the work of the legal secretary when it comes to filing and understanding the court system.” While much has been written about how AI is going to destroy job pros- pects for educated young people, Day said she is seeing something else. With many attorneys and other staff working hybrid schedules, she said, there is a need for someone in the of- fice who is scanning documents, ac- cepting packages, and sending mail. This allows them to learn the tools and workflow and later move into more senior roles. “What we're finding is that we are able to encourage the younger gen- eration,” Day said. “It's a really good starting point.”
DAY
Association. Along with seminars on legal branding and dealing with insurance companies, AI will be on the agenda. On Friday afternoon, June Hunter will lead a session called “AI in Legal Practice.” The technical enablement lead at DISCO, an AI-powered legal technology platform, said that her husband once said “paralegals are go-
malcolm_maclachlan@dailyjournal.com
State Farm accused of minimizing Eaton Fire smoke damage
San Diego State to pay $300k to settle Title IX athletics suit
Daily Journal Staff Report A ing the insurer engaged in a bad-faith campaign to deny or minimize cov- erage for toxic smoke contamination caused by the 2025 Eaton Fire. The 65-page federal complaint, filed Sunday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, claims State Farm systemati- cally delayed the homeowners’ claim, repeatedly reassigned adjusters, and relied on allegedly flawed environmen- tal testing to avoid paying for full reme- diation of the family’s home. Los Angeles couple has sued State Farm and its environmental consulting vendor, EFI Global, alleg- In an email response Wednesday, State Farm said that on every claim it “is committed to providing our pol- icyholder with all benefits available under their policy. We look forward to sharing the facts and bringing clarity and context to this matter in court.” EFI Global’s media department did not respond to an emailed request for comment by press time. Plaintiffs Shawn Johnson and his spouse allege their property was heavily contaminated by smoke, soot, ash and toxic chemicals following the wildfire. According to the complaint,
By Douglas Saunders Daily Journal Staff Writer S
an independent industrial hygiene firm, Kaizen Safety Solutions, found combustion byproducts and hazard- ous substances including lead, chro- mium and lithium throughout the res- idence, including inside walls, HVAC systems and personal belongings. The lawsuit contends State Farm dismissed those findings and re- tained EFI Global to conduct a nar- rower inspection designed to reduce the insurer’s financial exposure. EFI Global allegedly failed to perform roof, attic, crawlspace or electrical testing despite representing that such testing was necessary. The complaint further alleges EFI Glob- al employees asked the homeowner where they should conduct sampling, undermining the scientific validity of the inspection. The plaintiffs also accuse State Farm of delaying production of claim documents, forcing the family to re- main displaced from their home for months while facing mounting emo- tional and financial stress. The plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages for breach of contract, bad faith, negligence and related claims. Beyond the individual dispute, the complaint points to broader regulato-
Plaintiffs contended female ath- letes received less financial aid and support than male athletes within the school’s athletics program. Scholarship allocation can affect whether student-athletes attend and remain enrolled in college and influ- ences access to opportunities tied to collegiate sports programs. Such claims often involve analysis of ath- letic participation rates, financial aid
include an admission of liability. Fisk et al v. Board of Trustees of the Cal- ifornia State University et al., 3:22-cv- 00173-TWR-MSB, (S.D. Cal., filed Feb. 7, 2022) The lawsuit alleged the universi- ty violated Title IX, the federal law barring sex-based discrimination in educational programs receiving fed- eral financial assistance, through dis- parities in scholarship allocation and other athletics resources.
ry scrutiny of State Farm’s wildfire claims practices. The suit references a California Department of Insur- ance market conduct examination launched in 2025 into the insurer’s handling of Eaton and Palisades fire claims, including allegations of de- layed communications, inconsistent adjuster assignments and inadequate investigations. Responding to the Department of Insurance allegations, State Farm’s website states, “We are proud of our response and of the people behind it. Claims professionals, agents, and support teams have worked long hours -- often away from their own families -- to inspect losses, answer questions, issue payments, support temporary living arrangements, and help customers navigate one of the most severe wildfire events in Cali- fornia history. We recognize that in an event of this scale, a perfect pro- cess is nearly impossible and some customers understandably and un- fortunately experienced some frus- tration. Real progress has been made toward helping people recover and we remain committed to addressing remaining customer concerns.”
an Diego State University agreed to pay $300,000 to settle a Title IX class action alleging female student-ath-
letes received fewer athletic opportu- nities and benefits than male athletes, particularly in scholarship funding. The agreement resolves claims of unequal treatment in the universi- ty’s athletics program but does not
See Page 5 — SAN DIEGO
Mentorship and wilderness leadership helped redirect a struggling student to UCLA law school
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crisis. During his freshman year at UC Santa Barbara, he suddenly collapsed in his dorm room. He woke up in a hos- pital unable to speak properly and suf- fering from memory loss and mobility issues. Doctors never determined ex- actly what caused the brain injury. “For a while, nothing would stick,” he said. “I’d study and it would go in one ear and out the other.” The experience forced him to re- consider his identity and future. “The things I relied on to get me there — my brain, my body, my work ethic — suddenly felt taken away,” he said. But when he regained conscious- ness, familiar faces from Pyles Camp were there beside him: former coun- selors, mentors and camp staff mem- bers. “That support system mattered,” he said. “It reminded me that even if everything else changes, if you keep going, you can still build a life.” This summer, Trigueros Ramirez will begin building the next chapter of that life at Clyde & Co, where he was selected for a competitive summer associate position after interviewing through UCLA’s on-campus recruit- ment process. Hoffman encouraged him to apply and coached him through the pro- cess, but she said his accomplish- ments earned the opportunity. “He walked in and impressed peo- ple on his own,” she said. Trigueros Ramirez hopes eventu- ally to practice litigation, though he says he is still exploring different ar- eas of law. He also hopes his story highlights the broader impact of Pyles Camp — not just for him, but for many others. In a follow-up message after the in- terview, he pointed to another former camper, Julio Chavez, known at camp as “Matrix,” who once worked in the underground garment industry as a child and is now preparing to apply to law school after graduating from UCLA and completing elite pre-law fellowships. “Our Pyles stories are not unique,
and they’re not accidents,” Trigue- ros Ramirez wrote. “Whether a Pyles brother chooses to become a plumb- er, a landscaper or a lawyer, there is someone willing to guide them.” For Hoffman, those transforma- tions are why she has remained in- volved with the camp for nearly 30 years. “My hope,” she said, “is that more people in the legal community see what programs like this can do.”
“All I saw was, I’m getting all these awards in school and nobody’s show- ing up,” he said. “So, at some point I just decided, ‘What am I doing all this work for anyway?’” His grades collapsed. He began failing classes and acting out. Then came the camp. What began as excitement over horseback riding and archery grad- ually became mentorship, structure and belonging. “The camp actively looks for boys who are at a pivotal point in their lives,” Trigueros Ramirez said. “And it steps in to push them in the right direction.” After attending as a camper, he returned as a counselor while at- tending UC Santa Barbara on a full scholarship. There, during one of his first summers as a counselor, he met Hoffman. Fresh off a grueling backpacking trip, sweaty and exhausted, he told her he hoped to become a lawyer someday. Hoffman did not sugarcoat the pro- fession. “She told me law school is hard and expensive,” he recalled. “But she also said, ‘If you really want to do it, give me a call.’” He did. Over the years, Hoffman became both mentor and guide, helping him navigate a professional world that ini- tially felt foreign. “She was the first lawyer I’d ever met,” Trigueros Ramirez said. “Just learning how to talk to people in that world, how to interview, what’s appro- priate to say — that was huge for me.” Hoffman said his intelligence stood out immediately, but so did his humil- ity. “He’s exceptional,” she said, add- ing that he was accepted to several top law schools and received gener- ous offers. Trigueros Ramirez ultimately chose UCLA law, where he recently completed his second year. His path there, however, was in- terrupted by a devastating medical
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Judge backs defense on deposition sequence in social media dispute
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speaking on behalf of all the compa- nies, countered that the protocol ex- pressly governed all treating provider depositions without exceptions for disputed witnesses or trial-preserva- tion testimony. Nolan said the parties had followed the alternating ques- tioning structure for more than 18 months, and that the plaintiff’s coun- sel themselves previously acknowl- edged the defense was designated to question first in R.K.C.’s case. Nolan disputed Jeffcott’s charac- terization that defendants opposed Monroe’s deposition itself. He said the defendants objected to the thera- pist’s late addition to the witness list but requested a deposition once Kuhl allowed the testimony. The judge ultimately indicated she saw “no reason to depart” from the agreed protocol and said the same order of questioning “makes sense” here. She noted the parties had fol- lowed the same structure in prior treating provider depositions, includ- ing during the earlier Kaley G.M. bell- wether proceedings – which resulted in a landmark $6 million verdict against Meta and YouTube in March. Social Media Cases, JCCP5255 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Oct. 24, 2022). The judge said R.K.C.'s counsel would still be able to structure their examination in a way that could lat- er be presented coherently at trial if Monroe does not testify live.
Regarding whether the companies would stipulate to the admissibility of certain medical records connected to Monroe’s testimony, Kuhl encour- aged the defense counsel to quickly clarify the issue with plaintiffs be- cause it could significantly affect how the deposition proceeds, she said. The coordinated cases involve thousands of lawsuits alleging that Meta, Google, Snap Inc. and TikTok intentionally designed addictive plat- form features that harmed children and teenagers. Plaintiffs claim features such as autoplay, infinite scroll, notifications and algorithmic recommendations encourage compulsive use and con- tribute to mental health problems among minors, including suicide. The companies deny those allega- tions and have argued many of the claims are barred by the First Amend- ment and Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act, a stat- ute that generally shields online plat- forms from liability related to content uploaded by third-party users. R.K.C.’s case is scheduled for a July 27 trial against all four companies. Snap and TikTok settled the first bellwether plaintiff’s claims days be- fore her trial began in late January and have not yet faced a jury in the litigation.
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R.K.C., which is scheduled to become the second bellwether trial in the co- ordinated proceeding. Representing R.K.C. at the hear- ing was Emily Jeffcott of Morgan & Morgan, who argued the existing treater-deposition protocol should not apply in this instance because the defendants had fought Monroe’s deposition “tooth and nail.” She said the deposition was proceeding only after Kuhl overruled defense objec- tions at a prior hearing. Jeffcott said allowing the compa- nies to question Monroe first would unfairly permit them to frame the testimony before plaintiffs could use the witness to authenticate and lay foundation for medical records that defendants allegedly would not stipu- late were admissible. “We don’t think that the deposition protocol for health care providers ap- plies,” Jeffcott told Kuhl, adding that plaintiff’s counsel risked spending much of their allotted deposition time responding to defense questioning rather than presenting their own case. “What the protocol expressly did not contemplate, or even address, was the situation that we had here, where defendants objected extensive- ly to the deposition in its entirety,” Jeffcott said. Kirkland & Ellis LLP partner Jack Nolan, appearing for Snapchat and
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