1. 800. 973.1177
PROFILE
Tita A. Brewster: 2006 President Elect, National Association of Legal Assistants [By Charisse Dengler] A year ago, LawCrossing spoke with Tita A. Brewster about her career as a freelance paralegal. Since then, Brewster has been elected to become the next President of the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). Serving out her term as the organization’s first Vice President, Brewster is looking forward to becoming President.
“I must say that being installed as the
run a toy store. I also have the opportunity to
I could assist in additional work that could
President of the National Association of Legal
do work for charitable organizations in my
be charged to the client at a lower rate. This
Assistants will be the penultimate emotional
community when I am home.”
concept became quite popular; and with the experience of clients in this day and age,
highlight,” she said. When Brewster is hired by a firm, it is her
paralegal support is oftentimes a prerequisite
As a freelance senior litigation paralegal,
responsibility to organize and lead a team of
of hiring an attorney or law firm.”
Tita A. Brewster travels around the country
paralegals as they prepare large document-
assisting firms with intellectual property
intensive cases for trial. She said sometimes
Over the years, Brewster has seen major
litigation. Specializing in misappropriation of
this can be difficult; nevertheless, she enjoys
changes in the paralegal profession, with
trade secrets and patent infringement, she
her job very much.
paralegals being given more and more responsibility and becoming an integral part of
works directly with the case’s senior trial partner to ensure he or she is getting the
“Having to put together trial teams and set up
optimum level of paralegal support.
war rooms out of hotels can be a challenge but one I also enjoy,” she said. “Working with
“I have over 5,000 actual trial hours and have
different people under stressful circumstances
made somewhat of a niche for myself in that
can be difficult, but I wouldn’t be doing this
my trial experience is unusual,” Brewster
type of work if I didn’t like or weren’t drawn to
said. “In that most of the cases I assist with
the challenges presented.”
are venued in different parts of the United States and some require document collection
“The firms I work for have a great respect for
throughout the world, I have the flexibility of
their paralegal support and run their cases on
traveling anywhere, anytime with 24-hour
the ‘team concept,’ where the ‘organizational
notice and am prepared to spend the necessary
chart’ is lateral as opposed to hierarchical,”
amount of time to complete the assignment
she said.
wherever it may be.” Brewster has been a paralegal for more Brewster—who lives in Las Cruces, NM, and
than 28 years and has spent most of her
works for various firms located in Palo Alto,
career in litigation. However, she has also
CA—splits her time between the two areas. She
had experience in insurance defense and bad
also travels to the different states where trials
faith, construction defect, medical and legal
are being held and telecommutes, as well. She
malpractice defense, antitrust, family law,
said the traveling is one of her favorite perks
contract litigation, workers’ compensation, and
of the job.
product liability.
“I most enjoy the flexibility and the travel
“When I first started my career in the legal
opportunities,” she said. “I can work for several
profession, there was no clear-cut title
months non-stop and then be able to spend
‘paralegal,’” she said. “I began as a legal
time at home in New Mexico. In my other life
secretary, and my job evolved into what it is
(in New Mexico), my husband and I own and
now. It became clear to the attorneys that
PAGE
the legal field. “We now do many of the tasks only attorneys were doing in the past,” she said. “We are often asked to help with the training of young attorneys and passing down our experiences to help them become more proficient at their jobs. Specialization has also become an integral part of the legal industry, much as it has become in the medical field. More available continuing education—especially for paralegals through NALA—enables us to continually sharpen our skills and become a more valuable part of the legal team.” In addition to her daily work as a paralegal, Brewster is also a trained Court Appointed Child Advocate (CASA); a member of both the El Paso, TX, and San Jose, CA, paralegal associations; and an associate member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association and the American Bar Association, among other things. “My involvement with my local and state paralegal associations have brought me much pride,” she said. “I must say that being installed as the President of the National Association of Legal Assistants will be the penultimate emotional highlight.”
continued on back
PROFILE
In the past, Brewster spent two terms as National Ethics Chair for the organization, served as Chair of its Professional Development Committee, and co-authored several chapters of the NALA Manual for Legal
Assistants. Her advice to paralegal students is to take the NALA CLA exam upon graduation. “This credential will be a valuable tool for you in your job search and your professional standing,� she said.
ON THE NET National Association of Legal Assistants www.nala.org Santa Clara County Bar Association www.sccba.com NALA CLA Exam www.nala.org/cert.htm
PAGE
1.800. 973. 1177