3 minute read
From Paralegal To Member
Cheryl Jones
Member, PK Law
Prior to becoming an attorney, you were a paralegal and law firm office manager for a number of years. What prompted you to pursue law school and admission to the Bar?
The best part of my job as a paralegal was working with clients to identify and help solve the issues they brought to us. I went to law school because I wanted more involvement in - and control over - solving those legal problems.
How has your prior experience helped you in your current practice?
It gave me a good understanding of the business of law, not just the practice. I was able to hit the ground running the moment I started practicing as a lawyer because I already understood how to structure a client engagement letter, how to bill efficiently, and how to manage expectations. But make no mistake - being a first year associate is hard work no matter how “prepared” you think you are!
What’s your favorite part of being an attorney?
Helping clients through some of the most difficult and challenging times in their lives. In this field, we frequently see clients in crisis because a loved one is sick or entering a nursing home, as well as clients contemplating their own incapacity or mortality and having to put planning in place. My job is to help them think through the financial, emotional, and legal aspects of those situations and craft a plan that achieves their objectives. It’s rewarding and challenging, and sometimes exhausting, all at the same time.
What is your favorite moment from your legal career so far?
I handle second parent and step-parent adoptions as part of my practice, and they are always a joyful occasion. Several years ago, I helped a step-father in his late 70’s adopt his adult stepchildren, whom he’d raised for decades. It was a very moving ceremony for all parties, and very gratifying.
What’s your favorite hobby? What do you do for fun?
I love to travel, and one of my favorite hobbies is planning the next big vacation. I’ve got destinations lined up for years, once the world reopens. I also love jigsaw puzzles, and there’s almost always one in some stage of completion on our dining room table.
What’s an interesting fact about you that no one would guess?
I have a twin sister, Michelle. So if I seem a little “different” one day - she might be filling in for me!
How do you give back to your community?
I believe that basic estate planning is something everyone should understand and have in place. So I make it a point to give free seminars to communities that are typically underserved. I want people to know the importance of things like an advance health care directive, beneficiary designations, and financial powers of attorney, as well as the resources available to them, even if they can’t afford the services of an estate planning attorney.
What’s your favorite restaurant?
Quite recently, it’s become Peerce’s. I have fond memories of the “old” Peerce’s Plantation (my husband took me there for my 21st birthday, so now I’m really dating myself) and the new owners have done an amazing job revitalizing it. Plus their Indian food is amazing.
What’s your favorite vacation spot?
We’ve been to Mexico more than a dozen times, and stayed at everything from big resorts to boutique hotels and private residences all up and down the Riviera Maya. It’s warm, friendly, and easy to decompress there. But my retirement goal is to spend some time in a little farmhouse in the French countryside, eating baguettes and brie, drinking wine and watching the sunset. And reading my MSBA Bar Journal.
