PROFILE
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Blanche Berkowitz: Paralegal, Schell Bray Aycock Abel & Livingston, PLLC, Greensboro, NC [By Judith Earley] Corporate paralegal Blanche Berkowitz practices her profession at Schell Bray Aycock Abel & Livingston, PLLC, in Greensboro, NC—a law firm that specializes in business/corporate law, including real estate and trusts and estates. There, she handles all aspects of business law support to the attorneys and clients in her firm. Berkowitz has been a corporate paralegal for 23 years.
She decided to become a paralegal after
dollars,” said Berkowitz. “There has also
success. “Specific classes in my area of
teaching elementary school in New York for
been a boom in technology. We are a 24-hour
expertise also helped,” said Berkowitz. “And
four years. “I was a teacher and decided
service everywhere now, no longer just in
in my case, being a teacher gave me the
to get my certification as a paralegal so
the big cities. Clients place more demand
required communication skills.”
that I could enter the business world,” said
on immediacy.” She added that she believes
Berkowitz.
the most important issue facing the legal community is the question of ethics and
Berkowitz relocated to North Carolina in
remaining steadfastly above the law.
1997 when her husband received a job transfer. A proactive move on her part
According to Berkowitz, for the individual
assured that she too had a position waiting
paralegal, professional associations provide
for her. “I faxed my resume [to Schell Bray
opportunities for continuing education and
Aycock Abel & Livingston], was granted an
networking and a venue to air opinions
interview, and was hired prior to our actual
and find solutions to common problems.
move,” said Berkowitz.
And for the paralegal community as a whole, associations are a way to give back
For Berkowitz, one of the more difficult
to the community through activities and
challenges she faces is the time crunch.
a cooperative spirit. “They are a vehicle
“[It’s a challenge to handle] last-minute
to promote the professional standard of
emergency assignments on top of an
paralegals, give credence to the profession,
already-full workload,” said Berkowitz.
and to keep the legal community informed,” said Berkowitz.
Along with her legal duties, Berkowitz said that she enjoys both her work environment
Berkowitz has been a North Carolina Bar
and her co-workers. “Since I deal with
Association-Legal Assistants Division
[business] entities, I have to be emotionally
Council member for the last three years;
driven by the people I work with and for,”
she’s a past survey chairperson and current
said Berkowitz. “Over the years, some of the
treasurer. She is also the North Carolina
high points of working there have been going
Paralegal Association mid-year seminar
through the hardships and joys in life with my
co-chairperson and has been a past ethics
co-workers.”
who are preparing to become paralegals? “Complete an internship—either paid or unpaid—in the area of law you would like to work. Meet other paralegals who are doing what you want to do, and research what you desire to do,” said Berkowitz. If Berkowitz could do things all over again, she said that she would go to law school and become an attorney. “I still can,” added Berkowitz, “but the desire has left the building!” Berkowitz lives in the nearby community of McLeansville, where she keeps active by hiking, playing tennis, and walking Beethoven, her 75-pound Airedale terrier/ wolf hound mix. She practices tai chi chuan and yoga as well. Berkowitz is the proud mother of two young men, one a doctor and the other in his last year of pharmacy school. She is also passionately interested in working towards peace on earth and stopping global warming. ON THE NET
chairperson; a Guilford Paralegal Association
North Carolina State Bar
Executive Board member since 1999; and a
www.ncbar.com
Over the course of her career as a paralegal,
North Carolina Certified Paralegal, certified
Berkowitz said she has seen the legal
by the North Carolina State Bar.
Guilford Paralegal Association www.guilfordparalegalassociation.org
industry become more cost-efficient and more cautious when it comes to billing.
Berkowitz credits her organizational skills
“I believe we are more mindful of client
and analytical thinking for her career
PAGE
Does Berkowitz have any advice for students
Schell Bray Aycock Abel & Livingston, PLLC www.sbaal.com