Carolina Bonnet
Oklahoma City
Summary
Accomplished litigation paralegal with 11 years of expertise in bankruptcy, eminent domain, insurance defense, and civil rights matters. Recognized for exceptional communication and organizational skills, with a deep understanding of state, federal, and appellate court procedures. Bilingual with strong proficiency in trial preparation and office administration. Eager to contribute to a dynamic legal team, and support public service in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, with the goal of building a long-term career.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Litigation Paralegal
Smolen Law
09.2024 - 05.2025
- Managed high-volume caseloads effectively by creating organized systems for tracking deadlines and prioritizing daily tasks.
- Conducted client intake interviews, collected required documents and authorizations and ensured clients were consistently informed of case updates and developments.
- Aided in propounding and answering formal discovery requests specific to the complex legal issues included in constitutional violations such as police misconduct, medical neglect to incarcerated inmates, employee discrimination, and school sexual misconduct.
- Played a pivotal role in supporting attorneys through trial preparations and courtroom assistance to ensure smooth flow of pre and post-trial matters in State, Federal and Appellate proceedings.
- Enhanced case efficiency by detailed organization and cataloging of substantial volumes of evidentiary materials, including witness statements, photographs, police reports, employment, school, and medical records, surveillance footage, designation excerpts and expert witness reports.
- Assisted in obtaining key evidence through open records requests and subpoenaing records from various sources such as correctional institutions, public schools, police departments, and medical providers.
- Drafted clear and concise correspondence and pleadings on behalf of attorneys to clients, opposing counsel, and court personnel.
- Completed electronic court filings through PACER (CM/ECF)and conducted legal research via WestLaw.
- Utilized all Microsoft Office applications and the OSCN system to manage case documentation and perform necessary tasks.
- Developed comprehensive database of legal resources, reducing research time for future cases involving civil rights matters such as 1983 and Title IX claims.
- Lead bi-weekly internal meetings with attorneys to review case progress and potential next steps.
Paralegal Manager (Part-time)
Tobin & Schreiber, PLLC
08.2022 - 09.2024
- Reduced attorney workload by drafting routine legal documents such as pleadings, motions, and discovery.
- Managed scheduling of court calendars and tight deadlines to maintain case efficiency and smooth flow of firm operations.
- Assisted counsel in preparing answers, gathering documentation, and information for discovery requests.
- Fostered strong firm-client relationships with clients during meetings and phone calls, demonstrating empathy while upholding confidentiality.
- Ensured accurate and timely billing of all billable hours and ongoing firm expenses.
- Assisted attorneys with trial preparation via document and binder organization, evidence/exhibit indexing, and expert witness coordination.
- Examined, revised, and ensured the accuracy of pleadings and correspondence.
Child Welfare Specialist III
Oklahoma Department of Health and Human Services
04.2023 - 12.2023
- Advocated for the best interests of children during court proceedings, presenting clear recommendations based on thorough evaluations.
- Provided crisis intervention services as needed for clients experiencing urgent challenges related to child protection concerns or family dynamics issues.
- Facilitated successful adoption placements by completing detailed assessments and matching children with appropriate adoptive families.
- Maintained accurate records of client interactions, service referrals, case plan progressions in adherence to agency standards for quality assurance purposes.
- Reduced risk factors for child abuse and neglect by providing timely interventions and supportive services to at-risk families.
- Continuously updated professional knowledge and skills by attending trainings, conferences, and workshops related to child welfare best practices.
- Ensured child safety through regular home visits, careful documentation, and ongoing communication with involved parties.
- Built solid and trusting rapport with children and families, fostering trust and communication to meet case needs.
- Assisted families in navigating the social services system, including applying for benefits, accessing resources and connecting with other family support services.
- Facilitated family meetings to ensure communication and collaboration between family members.
- Arranged medical and psychiatric tests to identify difficulties and indicate potential remedial approaches.
- Coordinated closely with schools, medical providers, therapists, and other relevant professionals to ensure comprehensive support for children in care and developing tailored case plans.
Paralegal
Wallen Kelley Law Firm
09.2020 - 06.2021
- Developed polished motions and briefs to support litigation processes and court proceedings.
- Aided attorneys with reviewing and organizing expert witness reports and testimony.
- Researched and analyzed legal issues and cases to provide accurate updates to clients.
- Reviewed, edited and proofread litigation for proper grammar, spelling and accuracy.
- Assisted in drafting legal documents, ensuring compliance with court requirements and deadlines.
- Promoted a positive work environment by providing training and guidance to junior paralegals as needed.
- Lead complex cases efficiently using various software programs designed for tracking information related to multiple parties over long periods of time.
- Facilitated timely and accurate billing by recording billable hours and expenses in CaseFox.
- Assisted counsel in preparing answers, providing documentation, and information for discovery requests.
- Managed calendaring and scheduling of multiple attorneys and court calendars throughout different counties.
Paralegal Specialist
Florida Department of Transportation
02.2017 - 08.2020
- Assisted counsel in preparing condemnation suits for filing.
- Prepared comprehensive trial materials, ensuring cases were well-prepared for court proceedings.
- Supported attorneys during trials by organizing exhibits, taking notes on witness testimony, and coordinating logistics in the courtroom.
- Supported Eminent Domain proceedings by managing documents such as appraisals, surveys, deeds, construction plans, right-of-way maps, and other export reports and valuation evidence.
- Reduced errors in document production through meticulous proofreading of legal drafts before submission.
- Expedited resolution of disputes by assisting attorneys in preparing effective settlement proposals for negotiation purposes.
- Enhanced case efficiency through early case assessment and preparation, clear and quick communication with opposing counsels, and frequent internal case review meetings.
- Maintained the law and administrative library, along with department files and large variety of records.
- Conducted thorough legal research of common and statutory laws to support attorneys in developing strong case strategies.
- Facilitated efficient trial preparation by creating detailed witness lists, exhibit lists, and deposition summaries for attorneys' review.
- Collaborated with attorneys to successfully prepare experts for depositions, mediation sessions, and court appearances.
Legal Assistant
Association Law Group
10.2014 - 06.2016
- Provided ongoing support to case management department with all tasks related to scheduling, calendaring, electronic filing, drafting notices, orders, and affidavits.
- Assisted counsel by serving as main point of contact for property managers and homeowner's association.
- Responsibilities included updating the customer relationship management system and the client database on SugarCRM.
- Ensured seamless transition of cases between attorneys by maintaining comprehensive case files with all necessary documentation readily available.
- Liaised with court personnel to schedule hearings, depositions, or mediations while avoiding conflicts or delays in proceedings.
Education
Master of Juris Prudence - Healthcare Juris Master
Florida International University
Miami, FL12.2022
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Florida International University
Miami, FL04.2019
Skills
- Legal Research and Writing
- Proficient in MS Office
- Case Management
- Excellent Communication
- Office Administration
- Highly Organized with Attention to Detail
- Familiar with Legal and Court Processes
- Trial Preparation Assistance
- Problem-Solving
- Calendar management
- Notary Public
- Bilingual
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
English
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Litigation Paralegal
Smolen Law
09.2024 - 05.2025
Child Welfare Specialist III
Oklahoma Department of Health and Human Services
04.2023 - 12.2023
Paralegal Manager (Part-time)
Tobin & Schreiber, PLLC
08.2022 - 09.2024
Paralegal
Wallen Kelley Law Firm
09.2020 - 06.2021
Paralegal Specialist
Florida Department of Transportation
02.2017 - 08.2020
Legal Assistant
Association Law Group
10.2014 - 06.2016
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Florida International University
Master of Juris Prudence - Healthcare Juris Master
Florida International University
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