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PROFILE
Profile: Jill Hale, Roberts & Carver, PLLC, Prescott, AZ All the world’s a stage for star paralegal [by Regan Morris] Jill Hale, 55, is an accidental paralegal. She dreamed of becoming a professional actress as a teenager, but her father died when she was 16, causing her to rethink her professional plans. Hale’s mother worked at a law firm and got her daughter a part-time job as a file clerk. That file clerk position lead to an illustrious career as a paralegal, and Hale has been a national leader in her field. She also still acts, with at least two performances per year with theater groups in Prescott, AZ. A paralegal with the two-attorney firm Rob-
before, that there would be four national
a Honda Shadow 750 street bike and married
erts & Carver, PLLC, Hale is very active in
presidents from the same state at the same
her “motorcycle buddy” in 1974. She said her
national paralegal associations and follows
time,” she said. “We got to know each other
theatrical background has helped her parale-
trends and changes in the profession. She
and started a collaboration, and that’s when
gal career, especially when she was lecturing
was recently chosen as one of the top-15
NALS became involved in the group called
as part of the now-defunct NALS Educational
paralegals in the country for paralegal author
the conclave during that year I was president,
Institute.
Carole Bruno’s new book, Lessons from the
and that kind of came out of us all being from
Experts: The 15 Most Successful Paralegals
Arizona at the same time.”
in America and What You Can Learn from
“I’ve often incorporated theatrical things to make my presentations a little more inter-
Though all four presidents have moved on,
esting, so I think my background in theater
the conclave of associations exists today,
has helped there too, to make me feel more
Hale believes the secrets to her success are
with leaders getting together to exchange
comfortable doing presentations,” she said.
organization, education, and determination.
information and keep tabs on trends in the
“You always get a little bit nervous, and I do
The variety of working in a small, general
profession.
that at the theater as much as I’ve performed
Them.
practice firm keeps her especially interested
over the years. The day you don’t get nervous,
in the field. Hale has been with the firm since
Hale said the associations are the best way
you better get nervous. You’re going to blow it
1969, when she first worked as the part-time
to stay current in professional changes,
if you don’t keep on your toes.”
file clerk. The firm has changed names and
particularly as many states are regulating
partners, and Hale briefly left to study in
the paralegal profession. Hale expects many
Hale urges people new to the paralegal
Phoenix for her legal secretary certificate in
states will adopt a licensing rule, where
profession to find a mentor within their law
the early 1970s.
paralegals must pass a state exam to call
firms, whether it be a paralegal, attorney, file
themselves paralegals, similar to how attor-
clerk, or secretary. And because law is so
neys are licensed.
deadline driven, she warns new paralegals to
“My mother and I worked here together for 10 years, and then she retired, and I just kept on and moved from legal secretary into the
be prepared for stress. Hale also does about 20-30 hours of continu-
paralegal position and then finally went ahead
ing legal education each year. In 2003, she
“Sometimes, I’ve got pages and pages of proj-
and got my paralegal certificates,” she said.
was runner-up for Legal Assistant Today
ects that I’m trying to prioritize all the time
“I have two of those now, from two different
Paralegal of the Year.
and as new things come in,” she said.
associations nationally.” “I really enjoy it, especially in a general
And getting involved in a national association
Hale is a member of three paralegal as-
practice law firm,” she said of her job. “I don’t
is the best way to keep abreast of changes in
sociations and served as president of NALS
know how well I would function in some of
the law, she said.
in 2001. During her tenure as president, she
the bigger firms, where you do one kind of
realized that the president of the National
work and you do nothing else, because I love
“That’s a really nice thing about national
Federation of Paralegal Associations was
the variety of meeting a lot of different kinds
associations, that support. I have a huge
also from Arizona. So was the president of
of clients and doing a lot of different work for
network of friends,” she said. “That’s a
LAMA and NALA. Hale decided it was a fateful
them. And of course it’s a huge challenge be-
wonderful benefit. Get involved in a national
coincidence and got all the Arizona leaders
cause I have to keep up with a lot of changes
association as soon as possible. It’s a great
together. They all met in Phoenix before an
in a lot of different areas of law.”
benefit.”
Arizona Diamondbacks game. “I can’t imagine that had ever happened
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Hale is a motorcycle enthusiast. She drives