New Career Track
Highly organized professional with strong educational foundation and over 15 years of combined legal and administrative experience. Strong leadership skills with an emphasis on team building, conflict resolution and delivery of comprehensive case management and administrative support. Detail oriented in fact checking, document production, and quality control while balancing competing priorities under strict deadlines.
EXPERIENCE
MAY 2019 – NOV 2019
PRACTICE ASSISTANT/PARALEGAL, SAUL EWING ARNSTEIN & LEHR, MINNEAPOLOS, MN
Delivery of expert legal administrative support to litigation attorneys specializing in complex litigation, employment law, and products liability cases.
• Maintain up-to-date practical knowledge of firm/group policies and procedures; establish standards and practices for litigation department within newly opened branch of regional law firm
• Identify support needs and collaborate with lawyers and staff in development solutions to improve efficiencies and processes; upgrade file review protocols for better use of pre-trial preparation time
• Delivery of court required responses, documentation, and trial deadlines on time; incorporated organizational structure into calendar/schedule management to ensure timely delivery of work product to court and client
• Streamlined expense reporting and reimbursement process in collaboration with Accounts Payable and accelerated turnaround times
FEB 2011 – FEB 2018
RECORDS DEPARTMENT MANAGER, SHUMAKER, LOOP & KENDRICK, TAMPA, FL
Promoted to manager following five years as a legal administrative assistant. Led a team of record clerks through positive leadership and collaborative communication
• Updated and maintained filing system throughout the firm, providing more streamlined and efficient maintenance of both on-site and off-site records
• Negotiated vendor rates and reduced off-site storage fees by reducing the overall inventory of files in storage
• Reduced project turnaround times with strategic utilization of available support staff, implemented staffing protocols to assess workflow needs of attorneys and provided appropriate support
• Expanded records department staffing by interviewing, vetting and on-boarding all new records clerks; supervision of new staff development and training of new technology and process improvements
• Delivery of legal and clerical support to staff of 60+ attorneys with practices ranging from corporate to commercial real estate in general practice law firm
JAN 2010 – JAN 2011
PARALEGAL, RAMEY & KAMPF, TAMPA, FL
Providing paralegal services to litigation attorneys and clients in the area of personal injury and liability
• Enhanced attorney workflow and increased client satisfaction with the performance of highly specialized legal tasks such as crafting discovery responses; communications with all interested parties and maintenance of calendar deadlines as necessary to move case to resolution in a cost-effective manner
• Established document review protocols to enable attorney better utilization of preparation time for mediation, trial and depositions
• Created process for initiation of case including preparation of complaint packages for filing in appropriate jurisdiction and service on all parties
• Review, organization, creation and redaction as necessary of exhibits for trial and deposition
JUN 2011 – JAN 2010
PARALEGAL, BANKER LOPEZ GASSLER, ST. PETERSBURG, FL
Providing paralegal services to attorneys in the area of workers’ compensation defense
• Reduced client costs through active background investigations into fraudulent claims
• Creation of templates and protocols to streamline the process of settlement for quicker and easier resolution of cases
• Enhanced attorney workflow by providing specialized legal services unique to the position of a paralegal such as preparation of affidavits, motions, settlement documents, deposition summaries, discovery requests, and other tasks
• Preparation of mediation summaries, trial exhibits, organization of files for attorney review
EDUCATION
DECEMBER 2018
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PUBLIC POLICY & ADMINISTRATION, ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE, ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA
Graduated with Cum Laude Honors, course study included government management and administration, public policy, with electives in legal courses such as civil litigation, business law, corporations and negotiation
APRIL 2020 (ANTICIPATED GRADUATION DATE)
MASTER IN DISPUTE RESOLUTION, PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY, MALIBU, CALIFORNIA (ONLINE PROGRAM)
3.77 GPA in program studies with emphasis on mediation, arbitration, negotiation and conflict communication and resolution
SKILLS
• Administrative oversight
• Case management
• Staff training and Leadership
• Electronic Data Entry & Filing • Investigative research
• Relationship management
• Strategic planning and analysis
• Cost Tracking & Reporting
ACTIVITIES
Volunteer Guardian ad Litem for Pinellas County District 6 2014-2018 – working with children in foster care to ensure their best interests were met in education, medical and home environment
Member of ICMA Student Chapter at St. Petersburg College – served as Secretary 2017-2018 academic year
* Employment gap from February 2018 – May 2019 while I completed Bachelor’s degree and began Master’s program
Highly organized professional with strong educational foundation and over 15 years of combined legal and administrative experience. Strong leadership skills with an emphasis on team building, conflict resolution and delivery of comprehensive case management and administrative support. Detail oriented in fact checking, document production, and quality control while balancing competing priorities under strict deadlines.
EXPERIENCE
MAY 2019 – NOV 2019
PRACTICE ASSISTANT/PARALEGAL, SAUL EWING ARNSTEIN & LEHR, MINNEAPOLOS, MN
Delivery of expert legal administrative support to litigation attorneys specializing in complex litigation, employment law, and products liability cases.
• Maintain up-to-date practical knowledge of firm/group policies and procedures; establish standards and practices for litigation department within newly opened branch of regional law firm
• Identify support needs and collaborate with lawyers and staff in development solutions to improve efficiencies and processes; upgrade file review protocols for better use of pre-trial preparation time
• Delivery of court required responses, documentation, and trial deadlines on time; incorporated organizational structure into calendar/schedule management to ensure timely delivery of work product to court and client
• Streamlined expense reporting and reimbursement process in collaboration with Accounts Payable and accelerated turnaround times
FEB 2011 – FEB 2018
RECORDS DEPARTMENT MANAGER, SHUMAKER, LOOP & KENDRICK, TAMPA, FL
Promoted to manager following five years as a legal administrative assistant. Led a team of record clerks through positive leadership and collaborative communication
• Updated and maintained filing system throughout the firm, providing more streamlined and efficient maintenance of both on-site and off-site records
• Negotiated vendor rates and reduced off-site storage fees by reducing the overall inventory of files in storage
• Reduced project turnaround times with strategic utilization of available support staff, implemented staffing protocols to assess workflow needs of attorneys and provided appropriate support
• Expanded records department staffing by interviewing, vetting and on-boarding all new records clerks; supervision of new staff development and training of new technology and process improvements
• Delivery of legal and clerical support to staff of 60+ attorneys with practices ranging from corporate to commercial real estate in general practice law firm
JAN 2010 – JAN 2011
PARALEGAL, RAMEY & KAMPF, TAMPA, FL
Providing paralegal services to litigation attorneys and clients in the area of personal injury and liability
• Enhanced attorney workflow and increased client satisfaction with the performance of highly specialized legal tasks such as crafting discovery responses; communications with all interested parties and maintenance of calendar deadlines as necessary to move case to resolution in a cost-effective manner
• Established document review protocols to enable attorney better utilization of preparation time for mediation, trial and depositions
• Created process for initiation of case including preparation of complaint packages for filing in appropriate jurisdiction and service on all parties
• Review, organization, creation and redaction as necessary of exhibits for trial and deposition
JUN 2011 – JAN 2010
PARALEGAL, BANKER LOPEZ GASSLER, ST. PETERSBURG, FL
Providing paralegal services to attorneys in the area of workers’ compensation defense
• Reduced client costs through active background investigations into fraudulent claims
• Creation of templates and protocols to streamline the process of settlement for quicker and easier resolution of cases
• Enhanced attorney workflow by providing specialized legal services unique to the position of a paralegal such as preparation of affidavits, motions, settlement documents, deposition summaries, discovery requests, and other tasks
• Preparation of mediation summaries, trial exhibits, organization of files for attorney review
EDUCATION
DECEMBER 2018
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PUBLIC POLICY & ADMINISTRATION, ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE, ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA
Graduated with Cum Laude Honors, course study included government management and administration, public policy, with electives in legal courses such as civil litigation, business law, corporations and negotiation
APRIL 2020 (ANTICIPATED GRADUATION DATE)
MASTER IN DISPUTE RESOLUTION, PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY, MALIBU, CALIFORNIA (ONLINE PROGRAM)
3.77 GPA in program studies with emphasis on mediation, arbitration, negotiation and conflict communication and resolution
SKILLS
• Administrative oversight
• Case management
• Staff training and Leadership
• Electronic Data Entry & Filing • Investigative research
• Relationship management
• Strategic planning and analysis
• Cost Tracking & Reporting
ACTIVITIES
Volunteer Guardian ad Litem for Pinellas County District 6 2014-2018 – working with children in foster care to ensure their best interests were met in education, medical and home environment
Member of ICMA Student Chapter at St. Petersburg College – served as Secretary 2017-2018 academic year
* Employment gap from February 2018 – May 2019 while I completed Bachelor’s degree and began Master’s program