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Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP
IUPUI paralegal studies, 2007
If you weren’t working in legal support, what would you be doing?
At this point in my life, likely working for a non-profit organization that dedicates its time and resources to helping others.
What makes a good paralegal/legal support staffer?
I think it takes someone who will take the time to review and try to understand the importance of a case or matter and what needs to be done, while also considering how a client might feel about their case.
What makes a good lawyer?
It’s very similar to what makes a good paralegal/legal support staff. In fact, these characteristics are much more important for lawyers, taking into consideration their additional education and skillset.
What’s something people might not know about the legal support profession?
There are many different areas of law that an attorney might practice, so their legal assistant or paralegal may also only perform work for those specific areas. But that may not always be the case.
What would you say to someone who is considering a career in legal support?
You may be asked to do different tasks than what you might consider the norm. So being able to make phone calls to places you may have never called, do specific research, adapt to different situations, and figure out new, unexpected things are important skills. There is always an opportunity to learn something new.
Tell us about a “lesson learned” moment in your career.
Not just in my career, but also in life: Never assume anything!
Tell us something surprising about yourself.
I am a single mother of three sons. My oldest is 31 years old, and my twins are 22 years old.
Why did you decide to become a paralegal/legal support staffer?
I have always been interested in law and wanted to become a lawyer, though I was not sure what type of law I wanted to practice. As I got older, I figured out that my shyness outweighed those dreams, and I decided that being involved in law in any way might be a better fit, especially if it meant not being the center of attention and speaking in a public forum.
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