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Paralegal
Dentons Bingham Greenbaum LLP
Sandra Kays has covered a lot of ground, literally and metaphorically, during her more than 40 years of legal support work. From Huntingburg, she supports clients in the firm’s Cincinnati, Evansville, Indianapolis, Lexington, Louisville, Jasper and Portland offices. The subject matter she deals with is just as far flung. “We have four attorneys in our office and each attorney specializes in different areas,” Kays said. “My work spans handling corporate and real estate closings, document preparation, communicating with clients, and scheduling meetings and court dates.” Behind the scenes, she mentors young attorneys, paralegals and support staff. With retirement looming, Kays hasn’t stopped learning. She recently completed a 10-hour course to obtain a title insurance producer’s license. “The license will allow me to assist the firm in conducting insured real estate closings, and to provide additional support on an as-needed basis following my retirement.”
Givebacks: lector, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Huntingburg; founding board member and secretary, Destination Huntingburg Inc. member, city of Huntingburg planning commission
First job: babysitting
Important traits: “Being able to work together as a team and being willing to ask questions. You need to have the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, where priorities shift quickly. You must be able to pay attention to details and work under tight deadlines.”
Just the facts: “Clients often confide in the legal support staff, since we are more accessible than attorneys. This means we sometimes have to handle stressed and emotional clients. This emotional intelligence is a part of the job that outsiders rarely see.”
Advice: “This is a career and not just a job. It’s a profession where you will continue to learn and can achieve long-term growth.”
Favorite de-stressors: “Prayer is my go-to way to destress and unwind. I used to tell my children when they were young that they should ‘Kiss it up to God’ any worry or concern they had.”•
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