Brianna Galeano Smith
Summary
Legal professional focused on thorough investigations and effective conflict resolution in civil, personal injury, and human rights law. Maintains quality and accuracy in case management while efficiently managing diverse populations. Demonstrates adaptability and reliability in high-pressure environments.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Human Rights Investigator
Division of Human Rights, NYS
Hempstead
11.2025 - Current
- Conducted thorough investigations of discrimination complaints and civil rights violations, ensuring accountability and adherence to civil rights standards.
- Maintain accurate records of investigations and case progress in database systems.
- Facilitate mediation sessions between parties to promote conflict resolution.
- Attend training sessions to stay current on new investigative trends and technologies.
- Interviewed complainants, respondents, witnesses, and other involved parties to gather detailed statements, facilitating informed case resolutions.
- Prepared comprehensive reports detailing findings and final determinations, contributing to transparency and informed decision-making in civil rights cases.
- Attend training sessions to stay current on new investigative trends and technologies.
Legal Assistant (temp/contract)
Division Of Human Rights, NYS
Hempstead
02.2024 - 11.2025
- Determine whether an individual has the jurisdictional basis to file a complaint.
- Performed in-person and telephone intake of new complaints, entering mail-in complaints into Case Management System (CMS) to streamline documentation.
- Utilize CMS to document and track investigative progress of complaints, schedule interviews, and generate forms.
- Assisted Human Rights Investigators in gathering and preparing evidence for cases, contributing to thorough and effective investigations.
- Process and distribute case-related mail/document gathering.
- Determine whether an individual has the jurisdictional basis to file a complaint.
Paralegal I (temp/contract)
The Legal Aid Society
08.2023 - 01.2024
- Conducted detailed client intakes, entering information into Law Manager to ensure accurate case documentation.
- Assisted counsel in preparing answers and gathering necessary documentation for discovery requests, contributing to effective case management.
- Prepared legal briefs, motions, and pleadings.
- Summarized depositions, legal documents and other material to provide attorney with relevant material for cases.
- Edited and proofread legal documents to verify accuracy.
- Managed scheduling of court calendars and deadlines, ensuring timely legal proceedings and operational efficiency.
- Communicated pertinent information to clients via phone, email, and mail.
- Contacted clients to schedule appointments and discuss progress of cases.
Legal Intake Specialist | Paralegal
Law Offices Of Michael S. Lamonsoff, PLLC
11.2021 - 07.2023
- Drafted legal documents such as complaints, motions, subpoenas, discovery requests/responses, etc., for attorneys' review and signature.
- Managed lead database, delivering daily/weekly reports to enable monitoring of client and campaign data.
- Provided general counseling on personal injury, sexual assault, workers compensation, sepulcher cases, and landlord/tenant disputes, assisting clients in understanding their legal options.
- Conducted thorough research to support case development, contributing to successful outcomes for clients.
- Assisted counsel in preparing answers, providing documentation, and information for discovery request.
- Assisted counsel with review of claim files during legal auditing.
- Collaborated with counsel to review legal invoices from defense counsel, ensuring accuracy and compliance with billing practices.
- Provided guidance to potential clients during the retainer process to ensure understanding and compliance.
- Frequented use of New York State Unified Court System - E-filing and case tracking.
Orientation Team Leader
The New School
01.2021 - 05.2022
- Supported new students' transition to college life through personalized one-on-one guidance.
- Coordinated and led group campus tours of up to 40 students and parents
- Led tours and community discussion groups for incoming students and parents.
- Led scheduled tours for groups of 20, sharing insights and addressing questions to enhance visitor experience.
- Responded to diverse visitor inquiries, providing tailored resources and references for in-depth information.
- Answered questions, pointed out important features and offered further details about special exhibits to educate visitors.
- Developed strong partnerships with faculty, staff, and administration to foster a collaborative environment.
- Participated in team-building activities to enhance working relationships.
Campaign Canvasser
Grassroots Campaigns
12.2019 - 03.2020
- Presented petitions and engaged in discussions to gather signatures for key social justice initiatives.
- Educated and engaged citizens on pressing issues, building membership and raising funds for environmental and social change groups.
- Conducted interviews with participants to assess eligibility.
- Obtained updated contact information from all subjects and verified data for accuracy.
- Transcribed participant interview data for analysis
- Collaborated with directors weekly to evaluate progress and contribute to goal-setting and prioritization.
Legal Intern
Law Offices Of Roderick C. White
06.2017 - 11.2019
- Attended depositions and court proceedings, summarizing case details for team review.
- Organized legal filing system, enhancing accessibility of case files.
- Reviewed legal information and proofed documentation for errors.
- Conducted legal and general research, drafting memoranda and correspondence to support case strategy.
- Conducted initial client interviews, gathering facts and preparing case summaries.
- Assessed case dockets to prepare and provide appropriate legal advice.
- Revised and finalized letters, briefs, and memos.
Administrative Assistant
Christopher House
06.2019 - 10.2019
- Greeted families at front desk and engaged in pleasant conversations while managing check-in process.
- Handled phone calls and scheduled appointments, ensuring efficient communication and organization.
- Addressed student and family issues promptly and informed program supervisor of escalations to facilitate timely resolutions.
- Supported parents and students by managing paperwork and addressing housekeeping needs, enhancing overall client experience.
- Maintained files and records of families by implementing effective filing systems that boosted efficiency and organization.
Administrative Assistant
Sarah's Circle
11.2018 - 10.2019
- Answered and managed incoming and outgoing calls while recording accurate messages for distribution to office staff.
- Answered multi-line phone system, routing calls, delivering messages to staff and greeting visitors.
- Facilitated clear communication with program staff and participants through written and digital correspondence, enhancing collaboration.
- Developed and updated spreadsheets and databases to effectively track and report performance and sales data.
- Welcomed volunteers to the program; shared information about services; requested that they sign in/out; communicated with the Volunteer Coordinator about volunteer activities.
- Established safe, trauma-informed environment through active engagement and support, fostering trust among participants.
- Provided a program orientation; provided copies of client rights and responsibilities and the grievance procedure; assessed for language barriers.
Student Law Office Assistant
Loyola University Chicago School Of Law, Admission
05.2017 - 04.2019
- Welcomed office visitors and alerted staff to arrivals of scheduled appointments.
- Provided clerical support, addressing routine and special requirements.
- Assisted visitors with general and specific questions regarding the law program.
- Created visitor folders with documents, information packets, and recruitment materials
- Documented data entries.
- Published social media campaigns and web edits.
Paralegal Assistant
The Longe Law Firm
12.2016 - 12.2018
- Managed accounts and client records of clients, observing confidentiality, and extreme discretion.
- Maintained organized office and case-specific paper and digital files for easy tracking and retrieval.
- Prepared drafts of forms, letters and agreements for legal staff use.
- Helped with intake of new clients and materials by setting up files and documenting important information.
- Prepared and managed attorney travel itineraries to optimize scheduling.
- Assisted attorneys in preparing legal documents and case files.
- Conducted legal research to support ongoing cases and client inquiries.
- Drafted correspondence and maintained communication with clients and courts.
Education
J.D. - Law
New York University
New York, NY05-2027
Master of Arts - Legal Studies, International Affairs
The New School
New York, NY05-2022
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science And Foreign Policy
Loyola University of Chicago
Chicago, IL04-2019
Skills
- Investigation Coordination
- Human Rights Advocacy
- Field Research
- Case management
- Case Documentation
- Interview Techniques
- Data Analysis
- Data Management
- Critical thinking and analysis
- Problem Solving
- Organization
- Adaptability
- Conflict resolution
- Legal correspondence
Languages
- English (Professional)
- Spanish (Native & Professional)
Software
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel)
Timeline
Human Rights Investigator
Division of Human Rights, NYS
11.2025 - Current
Legal Assistant (temp/contract)
Division Of Human Rights, NYS
02.2024 - 11.2025
Paralegal I (temp/contract)
The Legal Aid Society
08.2023 - 01.2024
Legal Intake Specialist | Paralegal
Law Offices Of Michael S. Lamonsoff, PLLC
11.2021 - 07.2023
Orientation Team Leader
The New School
01.2021 - 05.2022
Campaign Canvasser
Grassroots Campaigns
12.2019 - 03.2020
Administrative Assistant
Christopher House
06.2019 - 10.2019
Administrative Assistant
Sarah's Circle
11.2018 - 10.2019
Legal Intern
Law Offices Of Roderick C. White
06.2017 - 11.2019
Student Law Office Assistant
Loyola University Chicago School Of Law, Admission
05.2017 - 04.2019
Paralegal Assistant
The Longe Law Firm
12.2016 - 12.2018
J.D. - Law
New York University
Master of Arts - Legal Studies, International Affairs
The New School
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science And Foreign Policy
Loyola University of Chicago