1. 800. 973.1177
PROFILE
Profile: Nicole Kreidler, paralegal Gerlach & Beaumier, Duluth, MN [by Regan Morris] Ever since a high school class in civil and criminal law, Nicole Kreidler wanted to enter the legal profession. LawCrossing speaks with the general practice paralegal about the advantages of a small firm and her volunteering spirit.
Kreidler initially wanted to be a court re-
office, Kreidler said she especially enjoys
Her volunteer work extends to the office.
porter. But a high school guidance counselor
family law cases because no two are the
One of the attorneys is a board member of
warned her that the profession would be-
same.
the March of Dimes, and last year, the whole office participated in the March of Dimes’
come obsolete due to technology and encour-
WalkAmerica.
aged her to consider paralegal studies. After
“With divorce or custody or paternity, some-
graduation, she enrolled in a legal secretary
times you get somebody who fights over
program at Lake Superior College to make
something for years and years and years
“We try to do one volunteer project as a firm
sure the field really interested her.
and never resolves it,” she said. “And then
together,” she said.
sometimes you get something that’s done Kreidler, 30, landed a secretarial job with
within a few months. It’s never the same way
As secretary/treasurer of the Minnesota
Gerlach & Beaumier in Duluth and enjoyed
twice. That’s what I like about it. Probates
Paralegal Association, Duluth chapter,
the work. But she wanted more responsibility
are always the same documents, the same
Kreidler helps organize local events for the
and took paralegal courses at night. When
everything pretty much. There’s only three or
association. Paralegals participate in a local
she earned her paralegal certificate, she was
four different ways to do it. But family law’s
public television show called Lawyers on the
promoted to paralegal and has been with the
always different.”
Line. The show features a panel of attorneys and a judge, and the public can call in for
firm for more than 10 years. Kreidler has been recognized in the Duluth Kreidler said she enjoys the variety of work-
News Tribune for her work with an organiza-
free legal advice.
ing in a smaller firm and recommends the
tion called Circles of Support, which helps
“We answer the phones and write down the
experience to anyone—especially in this era
people to escape poverty through advice and
questions to provide to the attorneys,” she
of specialization. If you’re not sure what area
counseling. The volunteers, called “allies,”
said. The group also buys and donates teddy
interests you, a small firm allows you to be a
help people set goals for budgeting and edu-
bears for the Bears on Patrol program, which
jack-of-all-trades and figure out what areas
cation to improve their lives, she said.
gives children the toys if they are taken away from their parents due to arrest or another
of the law you enjoy most. Kreidler and her mother are both active in
legal issue.
“I like the general practice atmosphere be-
a group called the Neighborhood Family
cause you do get a variety and I like to have
Center in Lincoln Park, helping with the dis-
With her background, Kreidler encourages
different things to do throughout the day,”
tribution of food, clothing, and furniture. They
legal secretaries looking for more respon-
Kreidler told LawCrossing. “You can focus
store additional furniture in their home and
sibility to further their educations. Although
on a family law project maybe in the morn-
help distribute it when there is a family in
she stayed with the same firm, she was
ing and then a probate in the afternoon. You
need. Poverty is a serious problem in Duluth,
promoted to paralegal once she earned her
know, something like that and do a little bit
Kreidler said.
certificate.
“There’s a lot of low-income neighborhoods,”
“It’s a lot more responsibility to be a parale-
of real estate here and there.” Kreidler said one of the biggest challenges
she said. “There’re a lot of single-parent
gal than it is to be a legal secretary. Because
of her job has been “number crunching” for
families as well. My mother was single when
you are basically the assistant to the attor-
probate and bankruptcy cases. As a result,
she had me, and then she got married and
ney, you can do research for them, you can
she has honed her accounting skills over the
then divorced.”
do a lot of the legal drafting on your own, of
years. An active volunteer, in and out of the
PAGE 1
course, and then they approve everything,”
continued on back
PROFILE
she said. “There’s only a few things that you can’t do that the attorneys can; that’s signing your name on a legal document, going to practice before a court, and giving legal advice. The big difference is you can charge for your time, as opposed to a legal secretary, who can’t.” Although her high school guidance counselor was wrong about court reporters’ becoming obsolete, Kreidler said she made the right career choice. She urges paralegals to keep open minds because they may not be able to find jobs in their chosen areas right out of school. While studying for her secretarial credential, Kreidler couldn’t find a part-time job in a firm and worked at Kmart for two weeks. She had interviewed with Gerlach & Beaumier during school, but it wanted someone full time. When she graduated, the firm called her back and offered her a full-time position. “If there’s a certain area that you enjoy, try to find something in that area,” she said. “But don’t limit yourself because sometimes it’s easier to find a job in a general practice area. And especially if you’re just starting out, start out in a general practice area because then you’ll be able to do a little of everything to find out what you really like, and then sometime down the road, if you want to specialize, you’ll know what you want.”
PAGE 2
1.800. 973. 1177