Profile: Nancy B. Heller, Litigation Paralegal, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP

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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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