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PROFILE
Profile: Nancy B. Heller, Litigation Paralegal, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP [by Regan Morris] It was January 1978 in Columbus, OH, and Nancy Heller was a fresh graduate in need of a job. She had moved to Columbus to work in a state youth correctional facility, but her first day on the job was a nightmare.
“They were using physical force to restrain
firm turned into more than six years. She
meets the child; interviews all the parties
and discipline some of the boys,” she told
eventually moved to Vorys, Sater, Seymour
involved; reviews court, police, and medical
LawCrossing. “It really did not set well with
and Pease.
records; and recommends to the court what
me, and I went to see the deputy director and
is best for the child.
said, ‘I cannot accept this offer anymore. I’ve
Although she never had a formal paralegal
seen as much as I want to see. I feel like I
education, Heller teaches two courses—one
“Every time we have a court hearing, I pre-
was misled.’”
in ethics and one called Civil Litigation II—in
pare the court report, attend the hearing, and
the Capital University Law School’s paralegal
most of the CASA staff attorneys that I work
program.
with say, ‘You know the case better than I
At least Heller, who majored in forensics
do, and you’re comfortable speaking, so why
studies and youth corrections, had a place to live—in an Ohio State sorority house, where
Having learned the ropes in a small firm,
don’t you go ahead and present the recom-
she was working as a graduate live-in advisor
Heller was nervous about joining a big firm,
mendations,’” she said. “It’s my moment in
in exchange for free room and board.
and she actually did have difficulty adjusting
court. That is really the way that I really get
to a big firm for a year. But it wasn’t due to
my fix in the social services and social work
She called her dad, an attorney who is still
size. Vorys is a big firm, and Ms. Heller has
area.”
practicing law today at age 81. Her father
happily been there for 20 years. Heller said she was shocked and ecstatic to
suggested she get into a booming new profession and become a paralegal. Her instinct
“I had heard a lot about Vorys. They were one
be named one of the top 15 paralegals, but
said “how boring.” But Heller, who was re-
of the firms throughout the state and even
it is not the first time she has been honored
cently named one of the top 15 paralegals in
nationwide which was known in the early ‘80s
by her peers. She won the William R. Robie
the nation by Carole Bruno, found the career
that they were very progressive in their use
award in 1998. She has no idea who nominat-
anything but boring.
of paralegals,” she said. “There’s just a lot of
ed her for the Top 15 award, but would like to
resources and support available to paralegals
thank him/her.
Heller convinced a small firm to hire her
here. There’s a lot of in-house training, which
for a trial period of six months. It had never
is great because in my opinion, there’s no
She said the secret to her success has been
employed a paralegal and wasn’t sure exactly
better teacher than your peers.”
organization and being “very proactive.” A list maker by nature, Heller said nothing
what role a paralegal should play. Neither was Heller. She joined a local paralegal asso-
But Heller’s early desire to work in youth
pleases her more than crossing items off a
ciation and became a board member almost
corrections never went away. She still felt
list, although in litigation, she says, the day
immediately.
she could make more of a difference and
sometimes changes so fast you can’t cross a
even considered becoming a social worker.
single item off the list.
“I literally learned what a litigation paralegal
She started working on a master’s degree in
should do in about a year,” she said. “I was on
social work part time, but realized it wasn’t
“If I had not taken initiative early in my
the board my first year. They were probably
the right fit. She decided she would be more
career, trust me, there’s no way I would be
very desperate for help, and I was young and
useful as a volunteer. Her two main volunteer
where I am today,” she said. “I tell students
energetic and literally grilled everybody I met:
projects are as a caregiver through the Jew-
when I teach, ‘Don’t be discouraged when
‘What do you do? Depositions? Well, what
ish Community Hospice and as an advocate
you’re looking at a job ad, and they say three
does that mean? What does that look like?’
with Court Appointed Special Advocate
years experience preferred. You go for it. If
And I had some wonderful mentors.”
(CASA), advocating for neglected and abused
they’re telling you ten, okay; but look at your
Heller said she is forever indebted to the
children in court.
whole package, look at what you bring to the
paralegals in Ohio who took the time to show
Building a case for CASA is much the same
table.”
her the ropes. Her six-month trial with the
as building a litigation case, she said. She
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PROFILE
If you speak Spanish, for example, that could be useful experience and should always be mentioned on a resume or during a job interview, she said. And once you’re in a firm, you have to keep selling yourself, she said. “I’ve been a paralegal for 28 years, and I still feel the need to prove my value, to say to an attorney, ‘Look. I think you should use me for this in lieu of this associate, and this is why,’” she said. “My billing rate is higher than some associates’ [rates]. And the attorney will look at that and say, ‘I can’t justify that.’ ‘Well, yeah, you can, because you know why? I can get this done in two hours because I’ve done it before, and it’s going to take that associate five because they haven’t done it before.’” Promoting yourself and volunteering for new projects at work are important to proving your own value, but also to promoting the paralegal profession, she said. “You have a responsibility to prove that you’re valuable, that paralegals are valuable, and to advocate not only for yourself, but for your group here in the firm,” she said. “So I say to young paralegals, ‘Show them what your value is. Show them what you bring to the table.’”
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