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PROFILE
Profile: Michele Boerder, Paralegal, Hughes Luce, LLP [by Regan Morris] A paralegal for 25 years, Michele Boerder was recently named one of the top paralegals in the country by legal author Carole Bruno. Law Crossing speaks to Ms. Boerder about her career and how she discovered the nascent paralegal profession.
lawyers,” she said. “This includes marshal-
As a high school student in Texas, Michele
paralegal with expertise in large-case and
Boerder wasn’t sure what she wanted to do
specialty litigation. She handles general busi-
ling the facts, maintaining the evidence, and
when she graduated. She was curious about
ness cases, civil tax controversy work and
bringing information to their attention that
the law and asked her church pastor for
tax litigation, white-collar criminal defense,
can assist them on a case.”
advice.
and domestic-relations matters, among other areas.
“I was interested in the law, but did not think I
Considering Boerder has moved with her attorneys through various firms over the last 19
wanted to be a lawyer,” she said. “While I was
She supports about 10 attorneys and credits
years, it’s clearly been a productive relation-
in high school, my church pastor referred me
much of her success to her many colleagues
ship.
to an attorney; and I went to talk with him.
and mentors. Law is a team practice, she
This lawyer had coincidentally, or by fate, just
stresses, and you have to both give and take.
received a bar magazine about this new thing called a paralegal.”
When working on a case, Boerder said it’s important to get the full story and to be pro-
“I give a lot of credit for my success to the
active while investigating a case. She urges
team I work with: lawyers who have mentored
young paralegals to be proactive within their
That was in Dallas in 1976. Boerder points
me, other attorneys and paralegals from
firms and within local and national profes-
out that the National Association of Legal As-
whom I continually learn, and the near-20-
sional associations.
sistants, or NALA, began operations in 1975;
year working relationships I have enjoyed,”
and the National Federation of Paralegal
she said.
Associations, or NFPA, started in 1974. So the
“I have always wanted to know the whole story,” she said, “not just be fed piece parts
“Additionally, I believe I have also given to the
to perform a selected task. I think I have
team my loyalty; professionalism; and contin-
demonstrated to my lawyers how necessary
Boerder was intrigued. She liked what the at-
ually looking for ways to assist my attorneys,
and productive this can be for them.”
torney told her about paralegals and the legal
not just in the specific work assignments, but
profession in general.
in providing them with information they may
In 1984, Boerder was asked to join a com-
not have even asked for.”
mittee on the local paralegal association in
career really was just “beginning.”
Dallas. She was later asked to fill a board
“I was very interested, so I began to investigate paralegal educational programs,” she
She sees her job as helping attorneys become
said. “El Centro College in Dallas had started
more effective, to often anticipate what a
an associate degree program only a couple of
case needs without being told. Ultimately, the
“I guess I fell on fertile ground, because this
years earlier. So I enrolled in 1977.”
client and the firm win in the end, she said.
involvement helped me blossom, learn tactics
Meanwhile, that same attorney who told her
With Hughes Luce since 1998, Boerder
about the profession hired her to work in his
started out in a small firm, but has worked at
firm. By the time she graduated from the
various larger firms throughout her career,
Over a period of seven years, she has served
program in 1979, she already had two years
including Davis, Loegering & Daniel, Jenkens
as president of the local association and then
of law firm experience under her belt.
& Gilchrist, and Johnson & Gibbs.
as president of the state association, now
She later returned to school and earned her
She said the paralegal/attorney relationship
Bachelor’s degree at the University of North
is “much like a nurse to a doctor.”
position.
that served well both in the organization and for on-the-job application,” she said.
known as the Paralegal Division, State Bar of
Texas. At Hughes Luce, Boerder is a senior litigation PAGE 1
Texas. “I learned skills and strategies in the parale-
“But my tools are information—gathering,
gal-organization environments that I continue
packaging, presenting of information for my
to use,” she said.