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Post by hod on Feb 23, 2009 10:59:00 GMT -5
Valkyrie- you sure know your hearing offices. I, too have been in many hearing offices and found the problems to be a varied as the geographical locations. Could be management, could be ALJ's, Region, writers, support staff or any combination. But, I can tell you, if you find yourself in a office with generally pleasant people, who tend to get along. Glue yourself to the chair and stay. It is worth more than money or a "better location."
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Post by decadealj on Feb 23, 2009 12:43:12 GMT -5
HOD and Valkrie- I am not saying there aren't some real lousy HOCALJs and ALJs; but when looking at the threads in this venue it is obvious that the most common friction is where non-attorney management officials dictate work practices that conflict with attorney writers and ALJ concerns about due process. Those situations create severe ethical considerations which non-attorney management officials just don't understand,
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Post by valkyrie on Feb 23, 2009 14:53:48 GMT -5
"HOD and Valkrie- I am not saying there aren't some real lousy HOCALJs and ALJs; but when looking at the threads in this venue it is obvious that the most common friction is where non-attorney management officials dictate work practices that conflict with attorney writers and ALJ concerns about due process. Those situations create severe ethical considerations which non-attorney management officials just don't understand"
Decadealj:
I have never run into the situation that you have described in my experience, but as I noted above, we all probably have a more narrow range of ODAR experience than we perceive. I have seen an issue where a non-attorney local manager caused problems, but it was more due to an overall failure to understand the hearing system, instead of a failure to respect/understand due process. The individual came from a regional office and never had any experience in a hearing office. The former paralegal managers that I have worked with have been entirely competent, but their many years of working as clerks and decision writers would lead me to expect as much.
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Post by decadealj on Feb 23, 2009 15:59:11 GMT -5
Valkyrie- consider yourself very fortunate. Since HPI, we have had a HOD and 4 Group Supervisors. Every one came out of the DO- not a single one had any ODAR experience. We have lost four of our best attorney advisors the past two years to other federal agencies or OHA offices because of just that problem. When Group Supervisors can tell the staff to ignore docketing instructions, decision instructions (i.e citing caselaw and writing in the alternative best come to mind), there is a hostile environment for the attorney writers who want to do it right but keep getting hit over the head with "performance objectives" and "customer service goals". We are not alone- maybe someone else can weigh in with broader experience than my 15 years hearing cases at about 20 OHA offices.
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Post by valkyrie on Feb 23, 2009 16:20:30 GMT -5
"Valkyrie- consider yourself very fortunate. Since HPI, we have had a HOD and 4 Group Supervisors. Every one came out of the DO- not a single one had any ODAR experience."
Decadealj:
My condolences and apologies. I admit I was suspicious that you were the snooty type that feels threatened by paralegals or looks down your nose at anyone that hasn't been to college. But an office completely managed by DO robots? You should get a medal for not going postal. If you ARE the snooty type, you have apparently been sent to hell for it.
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Post by decadealj on Feb 23, 2009 17:51:02 GMT -5
I had been blessed working with five of the best paralegals in OHA before HPI. Three are now darn good writers but are frustrated with the same production pressure as the attorneys. A fourth was my first legal clerk and the fifth supervisory hearing assistant, both of whom are now lead case technicians that go out of their way to be helpful. We also have had some outstanding paralegal staff acquisitions- the one thing that unites us all is resisting each management initiative that impedes us from doing our job.. By the way, our 6 ALJs were one of the few OHA offices where we all produced the "goal" last year in spite of management! It could be so much better with a little leadership- you don't whip a good horse!
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