Thursday, March 19, 2020

Competence and the communication with clients

Competence and the communication with clients Why is communication with clients included in the definition of competence? What role does a paralegal play in this area?Communication with clients is included in the definition of competence because the importance of communication cannot be taken lightly. Clients in any type of case will not learn the status of their case progress without the good work of a paralegal and attorney communicating with the client. A client will not care how successfully their case is progressing if they are not able to reach or get in contact with anyone to get regular updates on their case.It is good practice for any attorney or paralegal to return client phone calls in a timely fashion and to regularly make phone calls to update the client on the case status. This communication is especially critical for the paralegal(s). Attorneys are usually very busy with trials and court appearances to always promptly return client phone calls or messages.19th Senior Paralegal NCO CourseThe paralegal plays the maj or role in keeping the client informed and up to date on progressions in their case.Some standard practices should be put into place in every office to ensure the client is always informed. Phone calls and e-mails should be returned promptly, usually within a 24-hour time frame. Attorneys and their paralegals should make sure to educate their client about the law and legal process regarding their case. All staff should show and express their concerns to their clients situation. Clients should also be sent copies of all work product and documents relevant to their case.Communication is key to any case for all attorneys and their paralegals. This importance makes it a key component in the definition of competence. If this line of communication is broken, either intentionally or unintentionally, it can be detrimental to...

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Differences Between Centipedes and Millipedes

Differences Between Centipedes and Millipedes Centipedes and millipedes  seem to get lumped together in a miscellaneous group, simply, the critters that are not  insects or arachnids. Most people have difficulties telling the two apart. Both centipedes and millipedes belong to the subgroup of multilegged creatures called myriapods. Centipedes Within the myriapods, the centipedes belong to their own class, called chilopods. There are 8,000 species.  The class name originates from the Greek cheilos, meaning lip, and poda, meaning foot. The word centipede comes from the  Latin  prefix  centi-, meaning hundred, and  pedis, meaning foot. Despite the name, centipedes can have a varying number of legs, ranging from 30 to 354. Centipedes always have an odd number of pairs of legs, which means no species has only 100 legs as the name suggests.   Millipedes Millipedes belong to a separate class of diplopods. There are about 12,000 species of millipedes.  The class name is also from the Greek, diplopoda which means double foot.  Although the word millipede derives from the  Latin  for thousand feet, no known species has 1,000 feet, the record holds at 750 legs.   Differences Between Centipedes and Millipedes Besides the number of legs, there are a number of characteristics that set centipedes and millipedes apart.   Characteristic Centipede Millipede Antennae Long Short Number of legs One pair per body segment Two pairs per body segment, except for the first three segments, which have one pair each Appearance of legs Visibly extend from sides of body; trail backward behind body Do not visibly extend from body; rear leg pairs in line with body Movement Fast runners Slow walkers Bite Can bite Do not bite Feeding habits Mostly predatory Mostly scavengers Defensive mechanism Use their fast moves to escape predators, injects venom to paralyze prey and can squeeze prey with back legs. Curls body into tight spirals to protect their soft undersides, head, and legs. They can burrow easily. Many species discharge a smelly and disgusting-tasting liquid that drives off many predators. Ways That Centipedes and Millipedes Are Alike Although they vary in a lot of ways, there are some similarities between centipedes and millipedes like belonging to the largest phylum in the animal kingdom, Arthropoda. Body Similarities Besides both having antennae and many legs, they also breathe through little holes or spiracles on the sides of their bodies. They both have poor vision. They both grow by shedding their external skeletons, and when they are young, grow new segments to their bodies and new legs each time they molt. Habitat Preferences Both centipedes and millipedes are found throughout the world but are most abundant in the tropics. They require a moist environment and are most active at night. Meet the Species The giant Sonoran centipede,  Scolopendra heros, which is native to Texas in the U.S., can reach 6 inches in length and has sizeable jaws that pack quite a punch. The venom can cause enough pain and swelling to land you in the hospital and can be very dangerous to small children or  individuals that are sensitive to insect toxins. The giant African millipede,  Archispirostreptus  gigas, is one of the largest millipedes, growing up to 15 inches in length. It has approximately 256 legs. It is native to Africa but rarely lives in high altitudes. It prefers forest. It is black in color, is harmless and is often kept as a pet. Generally, giant millipedes have a life expectancy of up to seven years.