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Church Church Hittle + Antrim
IUPUI Paralegal Program, 2007
If you weren’t working in legal support, what would you be doing?
After roughly 17 years of experience as a litigation paralegal and having had the opportunity to work with some of the best and brightest attorneys practicing law, I cannot imagine going to work every day and not doing what I do.
Why did you decide to become a paralegal/legal support staffer?
I previously worked in commercial real estate, but the market went into a downward spiral, and while commercial real estate firms were having massive layoffs, the litigation field was hiring. I had about a year left to complete my paralegal certification through IUPUI and decided to give litigation a try.
What makes a good paralegal/legal support staffer?
A paralegal must be highly organized, able to multitask, have good communication skills, be extremely proficient on the computer, have excellent research and writing skills, pay close attention to detail, and work well independently while being able to infer the needs of the attorneys he/she supports.
What makes a good lawyer?
A good lawyer must have effective communication skills. Good attorneys must also have time-management and organization skills to be effective. I also think they have to have empathy. Generally, when a client comes to you or you are representing someone in a lawsuit, it is likely one of the worst incidents that they have been involved with, or a low point of their life. While setting clear client/attorney boundaries is of the utmost importance, advocating for your client, truly caring about them and what they are going through is equally as important in my book than just “knowing the law” and how to apply it.
What would you say to someone who is considering a career in legal support?
Buckle up! Each day presents its own set of challenges, but with that, its own set of rewards. Paralegals maintain knowledge of the law, including new regulations and detailed elements of specialty areas of the law. Individuals who appreciate interesting work that challenges them to engage intellectually should consider a career in legal support.
Tell us about a “lesson learned” moment in your career.
A “lesson learned” actually has come from watching my 13-year-old daughter, Hailey. Hailey decided about three years ago that she wanted to be a cheerleader. She spends countless hours in the gym perfecting her craft. Watching her has reminded me that, even after 17 years as a working paralegal, I have to show up committed every single day and never settle for mediocrity.
Tell us something surprising about yourself.
I am a firm believer in God first, family second and career third and truly believe if this is the foundation in which one lives their life, they will undoubtedly achieve success.
What’s something people might not know about the legal support profession?
Working as a paralegal allows you to use analytical and problem-solving skills. I quickly learned that paralegals can make a difference in their communities and the lives of their clients.
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