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Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP
IU School of Journalism, 1991-1997
Why did you decide to become a paralegal/legal support staffer?
I sort of fell face-first into it. While I stood in line at my high school graduation, I received a tap on the shoulder from my favorite teacher, Carol Gromer. Carol knew my college plans were to go to Indiana Business College to study accounting and work full-time. A friend of hers was a young sole practitioner in Indianapolis and needed an assistant, so she had recommended me as an interview candidate. I was hired by Carol’s friend David Byers and started working for an attorney at 17.
If you weren’t working in legal support, what would you be doing?
Since I was a very young girl, I had secretly wanted to become a writer. After taking a few evening paralegal classes at IUPUI, I decided to pursue my BA in Journalism with a minor in Environmental Studies. I figured that would certainly benefit me in my role as a legal assistant/paralegal/office manager.
What makes a good paralegal/legal support staffer?
Attention to detail, to be sure. A broad knowledge of many subjects is helpful. Adaptability and patience. Lots and lots of patience.
What makes a good lawyer?
A good lawyer will willingly act as a mentor to support staff, communicate their end goal for their projects clearly and not revise documents a gazillion times. Attorneys should have the ability to laugh at themselves and admit when they are wrong. Legal offices run a lot smoother if everyone treats each other as colleagues and respects the contributions everyone has to offer.
What’s something people might not know about the legal support profession?
It can be rewarding. It can be fun. It is the best career for left-brained people! You learn a lot of important things that are useful knowledge in problem-solving, and you gain the tools and resources to think through and resolve a lot of intimidating challenges that occur throughout life.
What would you say to someone who is considering a career in legal support?
It is an educational and interesting career. There are so many different areas of law to choose from and so many fields in which you can utilize the skills you learn. The legal field generally pays better than other administrative careers and that has been a constant reality for the entire 40 years I have been in the field.
Tell us about a “lesson learned” moment in your career.
Honesty is always the best policy. If you make a mistake, the quicker you take steps to put damage control in place the better the outcome. I have gone to my superiors in tears because I thought I made a fatal error, only to be smiled upon and told a life lesson about the time when they did something similar. If you mess up, fess up!
Tell us something surprising about yourself.
I rescue fledgling falcons that flutter to the ground. I am a bird nut and DNR volunteer.
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