Marcy is a Senior Claims Analyst - LawyerCare for ProAssurance Companies. She has been a tireless promoter of the paralegal profession from the day she received her diploma from Southeastern Paralegal Institute. Actually, knowing Marcy, she probably started promoting the profession before her graduation. She is always a force to be reckoned with when there's a project to be done.
Marcy offers excellent advice for keeping your paralegal career interesting and her answer to 'What prompted you to choose a paralegal career?" is a hoot.
1. Where do you work and what is your job title? I work for ProAssurance Companies as a Senior Claims Specialist, LawyerCare.
2. What prompted you to choose a paralegal career? Rehabilitative alimony and a desire to know how I could have done better in the settlement!
3. What is your favorite part of your job? Fact investigation, monitoring trials, and giving assignments to attorneys.
4. What professional associations do you belong to? NALA and the Paralegal/Legal Assistant Section of the State Bar of Michigan
5. How has your membership benefited you? Primarily networking. I learned that my company was hiring for this position through an employee who was a fellow NALA and State Bar Section member.
6. Do you have any professional certifications? Yes...the CLA/ACP
7. What has been the highlight of your career? Sitting in the United States Supreme Court in Washington, DC in the front row (behind attorneys) directly across from Chief Justice Roberts in the Special Guest section watching MY case argued. (We lost).
8. What do you see as hot trends in the paralegal industry? Intellectual Property, anything to do with credit or debt ... particularly litigation pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and foreclosure.
9. Have you dipped your toes in the social media waters? I do not blog. I do Face Book and sometimes I remember My Space. I even have trouble keeping up with personal email! (time constraints)
10. If someone contemplating a paralegal career asked you for career advice, what would your answer be? Seize any educational opportunity that comes your way, even if it might be outside the focus of your employment. Become expert at something you love ... find your niche ... translate it to law ... and grow it.
11. Is there a quote that inspires you? "The best way to help poor people is don't be one" ~Marilyn J. Desmond, on taking office as County Commissioner in 1972. (my mom)
12. You've enjoyed a successful paralegal career. To what single event or person do you attribute that success? My ex-husband. Our divorce prompted me to seek answers in the law and rehabilitative alimony took me to ABA approved Southeastern Paralegal Institute.
13. What is the most important step a paralegal can take to keep his or her career interesting? Look for projects outside the norm to take on and then 'just do it' even if you are not going to get paid for the immediate project. Keep up your continuing legal education.
Bonus...just for fun question: From American history, who is your hero? John Jay, first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court and a founding father...though not a signer of the Constitution which was in conflict with his duties as a New York Congressman. I named my son after him.
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