18 | The Summation
The Bottom Line A Paralegal Outside the Box by Jenice C. Jones, CP
T
he American Bar Association (ABA) defines a paralegal as “a
person qualified by education, training, or work experience who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, governmental agency or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.” For many years my paralegal career fell squarely within this traditional definition. Several years ago due to an unexpected downsizing I was at a crossroads in my career. I started thinking outside the traditional paralegal box and looked for a new opportunity in a position not as a traditional paralegal but one where I could still utilize those paralegal skills honed over the years. In 2017 that new opportunity knocked when I began working at Navy Federal Credit Union as an Escrow Administration Specialist. It took some adjustment but I relied heavily on my flexibility and adaptability and within no time I found my groove. This new position still offered me the chance to utilize some of those prior paralegal skills of researching, analyzing and reviewing, so I was not a complete fish out of water. It
was not long thereafter that a new opening was announced for the credit union’s Court Order Operations department, and I was able to transition into that department as a Garnishment Specialist and now a Subpoena Specialist. Working first as a Garnishment Specialist and now as a Subpoena Specialist I feel more like a traditional paralegal even though it is not quite the same as working in a law firm. Our Garnishment Specialists process the liens, levies and other legal attachments served on the credit union. Our team of Subpoena Specialists handle a multitude of records requests and subpoenas that are served on the credit union. We have to review each request for accuracy and will escalate any issue that may arise regarding a particular request. We also coordinate any personal appearance at trial or hearing and any deposition requests of other employees. It is demanding work but overall you feel a sense of accomplishment in successfully completing each records request or appearance.
Further, I am proud to be part of a hard-working, dedicated team providing this essential service. From time to time, I still reminisce about my old paralegal life and working in those law firms directly with the attorneys and other staff. I truly enjoyed helping clients successfully complete the probate of a loved one’s estate, researching a specific contract issue or preparing for an important hearing. However, my new team and position offers me many rewarding moments as well. I checked in with some of my teammates in Court Order Operations, many of whom worked as traditional paralegals as well, and asked what, if anything, they missed about the traditional
paralegal role in the law office. It seems the consensus is there is no replacement for the stressful yet still exciting trial work or even just visiting the court house on a regular errand and seeing staff, other attorneys or local runners you may know. All in all, if you as a paralegal ever find yourself at a crossroads in your career, do not be afraid to think outside the box. A financial institution or corporation can offer you many new and exciting challenges. Your paralegal skills can be utilized in many ways, and you can find many rewarding careers outside of the traditional law office….and that’s the Bottom Line.
