Dunia Mekonnen Tegegn
Alexandria,VA
Summary
Astute Legal Consultant that provides legal counsel and support to clients. Skilled in researching and interpreting legal documents. Handles multiple tasks, prioritizes efficiently and meets tight deadlines. Formulates legal arguments and provides sound advice on a wide range of topics. Adept at navigating legal systems, leveraging resources and communicating with clients. Thorough understanding of precedents and regulations. Organized and dependable candidate successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Legal Consultant/Subject Matter Expert
Karim & associates
11.2023 - 01.2024
- Reviewed more than 10 legal and country condition reports on Egypt and outlined an expert report on female genital mutilation.
- Interviewed clients to obtain information relevant to case.
- Reviewed, edited and proofread report for proper grammar, spelling and punctuation.
- Collaborated with attorney to develop strategies for the case.
- Researched related literature regarding female genital mutilation.
Family Law, Immigration, and Personal Injury Legal Assistant
Law Offices of Fitsum Alemu
04.2020 - 07.2023
- Accurately supported more than 50 Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Visa petitions, Naturalization and various forms of humanitarian relief.
- Handled office scheduling and made notes for deadlines, motions, and other important dates.
- Improved communication between attorneys and clients by scheduling meetings, providing status updates, and relaying critical information promptly.
- Maintained strict confidentiality, protecting sensitive client information as required by legal ethics and regulations.
- Increased client satisfaction by efficiently managing case files and promptly addressing inquiries.
- By working with clients, a collaborative divorce was made possible. An agreed settlement on custody, support, and visitation was achieved.
Legal Consultant/Subject Matter Expert
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
09.2021 - 11.2021
- Produced legal document such as expert opinion on a child marriage issue in Sudan.
- Collaborated with attorneys to develop strategies for the case.
- Assisted attorneys with reviewing and organizing 3 witness reports.
- Communicated pertinent information to clients via phone and email
- Contacted client to schedule appointments and discuss progress of cases.
- Researched statutes, decisions, legal articles, and codes.
- Interviewed client to obtain information relevant to cases.
Legal Consultant/Subject Matter Expert
Human Rights Initiative of North Texas
05.2021 - 07.2021
- Conducted legal research and developed an expert letter on female genital mutilation for a client.
- Managed more than 5 incoming emails and phone calls with the client resulting in a 90 % client and colleagues satisfaction.
- Researched related literature regarding issues at hand.
- Conducted thorough legal research to inform strategy development and decision-making.
- Built lasting relationships with clients through effective communication, attentive listening, and proactive problem solving.
- Enhanced client satisfaction by providing expert legal advice and guidance on female genital mutilation.
- Reviewed and analyzed pertinent state and federal laws and legal precedents.
- Optimized subject matter content by conducting extensive research and incorporating industry trends.
Legal Rights Consultant
American Bar Association, Center for Human Rights
01.2021 - 07.2021
- Conducted Legal research and analysis of more than 30 individual criminal cases and corresponding criminal charges to ascertain if there existed prima facie criminal case. Violations of international and regional standards relevant for criminal justice system was identified.
- Provided general translations for more than 30 criminal charge sheets and relevant provisions of national laws.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to successfully deliver comprehensive solutions for clients.
- Enhanced communication among team members to foster collaborative and supportive work environment.
- Managed client relationships through regular check-ins and updates on project progress.
- Delivered high-quality presentations to stakeholders, effectively communicating project objectives and results.
- Delivered comprehensive reports and presentations to stakeholders, providing insights and actionable recommendations for business improvement.
- Developed and maintained strong client relationships, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and repeat business.
- Established best practices for project management within client organizations, leading to more predictable and successful outcomes.
- Led cross-functional teams in execution of strategic projects, fostering collaboration and ensuring alignment with corporate goals.
- Generated reports detailing findings and recommendations.
- Created and managed project plans, and timelines
Legal Rights Researcher
Collaboration for International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA)
06.2020 - 07.2021
- Produced literature reviews, analyzed more than 20 local laws, and conducted desk research on human rights issues.
- Conducted more than 20 interviews with stakeholders in the United Stated and in countries covered by the research and developed comprehensive reports.
Immigration Legal Assistant
International Legal and Business Services Group
01.2019 - 06.2019
- Provided client support, conducted legal research, and provided interpretation services.
- Worked on more than 10 immigrant asylum petitions
- Family Law Practice : - Assisted in more than 30 family law cases particularly contested divorces, custody, support, and civil protection orders, developed discovery requests and responses.
- Streamlined immigration case processing by efficiently organizing and maintaining client files.
- Conducted client intake interviews to determine client service need and eligibility.
- Contributed to client case file preparation and verified inclusion of required documentation.
- Analyzed client documentation and history to determine eligibility for immigration-related benefits.
- Maintained immigration attorneys' schedules to enable timely client service delivery and promote firm's income growth.
- Interacted with telephone callers and answered questions about immigration attorneys' services.
- Corresponded with current and prospective clients to obtain information and enable effective case development.
- Assisted clients in obtaining work permits, green cards, and citizenship through diligent case management.
- Developed expertise in various types of immigration matters particularly asylum cases.
- Managed high-volume caseloads, ensuring timely completion of tasks and positive outcomes for clients
- Maintained strict confidentiality concerning sensitive client information while demonstrating professionalism at all times.
- Coordinated appointments and meetings with clients, optimizing attorney schedules for maximum productivity.
- Facilitated communication between clients and attorneys, leading to clearer understanding of case details.
- Expedited client interviews for visa applications by thoroughly preparing necessary documentation.
- Handled office scheduling and made notes for deadlines, motions, and other important dates.
- Managed accounts and client records of clients, observing confidentiality, and extreme discretion.
- Responded to client inquiries, providing accurate legal advice and offering assistance.
- Prepared various exhibits for attorneys
- Researched statutes, decisions, legal articles, and codes.
- Produced legal documents such as briefs, pleadings and appeals.
- Collaborated with attorneys to develop strategies for each case.
- Assisted attorneys with reviewing and organizing witness reports.
- Contacted witnesses to testify under oath at court hearings.
Family Law, Immigration, and Personal Injury Legal Assistant
Tesfaye Amare PLLC
01.2019 - 06.2019
- Provided client support, conducted legal research, and provided interpretation services.
- Worked on more than 20 Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Visa petitions, Naturalization applications; and various forms of humanitarian relief such as filing asylum petitions, Family based petitions, VAWA petitions, U visas and helping victims of human trafficking.
- Assisted in more than 30 family law cases particularly contested divorces, custody, support, and civil protection orders, developed discovery requests and responses.
- Took more than 30 intakes on family law cases, summarized intakes for complaint , drafted complaints.
- Assisted in estate planning and probate matters by also closely working with the community and raising awareness about the issue.
- Conducted legal research in complicated divorce and custody cases.
• Streamlined immigration case processing by efficiently organizing and maintaining client files.
• Conducted client intake interviews to determine client service need and eligibility.
• Contributed to client case file preparation and verified inclusion of required documentation.
• Analyzed client documentation and history to determine eligibility for immigration-related benefits.
• Maintained immigration attorneys' schedules to enable timely client service delivery and promote firm's income growth.
• Interacted with telephone callers and answered questions about immigration attorneys' services.
• Identified potential issues and concerns and proactively escalated to manager to reduce barriers.
• Corresponded with current and prospective clients to obtain information and enable effective case development.
• Collaborated with attorneys to draft legal documents, resulting in accurate and timely submissions.
• Assisted clients in obtaining work permits, green cards, and citizenship through diligent case management.
• Developed expertise in various types of immigration matters including family-based petitions, asylum cases, and employment visas through hands-on experience.
• Managed high-volume caseloads, ensuring timely completion of tasks and positive outcomes for clients.
• Supported the firm''s marketing efforts by drafting informative content related to immigration law topics.
• Strengthened relationships with government agencies, fostering collaboration to expedite case resolutions.
• Reduced errors in immigration applications by reviewing forms for accuracy and completeness.
• Improved office efficiency by developing a system for tracking important deadlines and filing dates.
• Supported attorneys during court appearances by compiling relevant materials and conducting background research on specific issues.
• Increased success rates in immigration cases by assisting with the collection of supporting evidence.
• Conducted thorough research on immigration laws to support attorneys'' preparation for court hearings.
• Maintained strict confidentiality concerning sensitive client information while demonstrating professionalism at all times.
• Coordinated appointments and meetings with clients, optimizing attorney schedules for maximum productivity.
• Facilitated communication between clients and attorneys, leading to clearer understanding of case details.
• Expedited client interviews for visa applications by thoroughly preparing necessary documentation.
• Handled office scheduling and made notes for deadlines, motions, and other important dates.
• Managed accounts and client records of clients, observing confidentiality, and extreme discretion.
• Responded to client inquiries, providing accurate legal advice and offering assistance.
• Researched and analyzed legal issues and cases to provide accurate advice to clients.
• Prepared various exhibits for attorneys for public meetings, zoning commission meetings, and legal resolutions.
• Attended court hearings and depositions to take notes and document proceedings.
• Communicated pertinent information to clients via phone, email, and mail.
• Contacted clients to schedule appointments and discuss progress of cases.
• Researched statutes, decisions, legal articles, and codes.
• Interviewed clients to obtain information relevant to cases.
• Produced legal documents such as briefs, pleadings and appeals.
• Reviewed, edited and proofread litigation for proper grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Collaborated with attorneys to develop strategies for each case.
• Assisted attorneys with reviewing and organizing witness reports.
• Developed polished motions and briefs to support litigation processes and court proceedings.
• Created weekly, monthly, and quarterly expense reports.
• Conducted background investigations on defendant.
• Contacted witnesses to testify under oath at court hearings.
• Generated leads to meet and exceed revenue goals by identifying new clients.
Employment Cases Legal Intake
Washington Lawyers Committee for civil rights and urban affairs
08.2017 - 08.2018
- Provided intake services for more than 50 employees with work-related employment issues.
- Developed summary of intake notes
- Advocated on employees behalf
Pro Bono Legal Assistant, Sub-Sahara Africa Section
American Bar Association, Justice Defenders Program
07.2016 - 12.2016
- Build the capacity of the center and enhanced knowledge on African human rights system.
- Developed memoranda and legal opinion on detained individuals cases.
- Maintained strict confidentiality concerning sensitive client information while demonstrating professionalism at all times
- Researched statutes, decisions, legal articles, and codes.
- Worked on more than 10 cases of detained individuals to identify prima facie violation of criminal laws pre and post charge.
- Managed accounts and client records of clients, observing confidentiality, and extreme discretion.
- Conducted comprehensive legal research using various resources such as online databases, law libraries, or government agencies to support case strategies effectively.
- Supported case strategy development with detailed research on legal precedents and relevant laws.
- Produced legal documents such as briefs, pleadings and appeals.
- Revised and finalized letters, briefs, and memos.
- Collaborated with attorneys to develop strategies for each case.
Education
LLM - LLM
Georgetown University Law Center
Washington, DC05.2016
Master's degree in Human Rights -
Addis Ababa University
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia01.2011
Bachelor's degree in law -
Bahirdar University
Bahir Dar, Ethiopia 07.2007
Skills
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Legal writing
- E-immigration
- Cognito Immigration Soft ware
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Personal injury law
- Medical records
- Calendar management
- Documentation review
- Paralegal experience
- Legal Analysis
- Legal Research
- Family law
- Legal Advisory
Accomplishments
- Used Microsoft Excel to develop inventory tracking spreadsheets and expense reports.
- Achieved 95% satisfaction rate from clients and colleagues through responding to emails and answering phones in a timely and professional manner.
- Drafted and filed court documents in a timely and accurate manner, resulting in zero missed deadlines and a 100% success rate for court filings.
- Assisted attorneys in trial preparation, including organizing exhibits and evidence, resulting in a smooth trial process and positive feedback from clients.
- Assisted with document production and discovery, resulting in a 50 % increase in efficiency and accuracy of document retrieval.
- Maintained and organized legal files and databases for multiple cases, resulting in a 45% increase in efficiency and accuracy of document retrieval.
- Conducted legal research and prepared memoranda on findings, leading to successful outcomes in 60% of cases and recognition from attorneys.
- Managed and organized a high-volume caseload of 100+ cases, resulting in a 20% increase in successful case resolutions and a 15% decrease in case processing time.
- Scheduled appointments, depositions, and other meetings, optimizing attorney schedules and increasing productivity by 30%.
- Analyzed facts of individual cases of detained persons and corresponding criminal charges to ascertain a prima facie case.
- Compiled and analyzed privacy laws of Africa and developed a comprehensive report on gaps and success stories.
- Litigated cases of internationally detained individuals before congressional offices that resulted in charges being dropped and a resolution being adopted.
Certification
- NY bar candidate
- Driver's License
Assessments
- Attention to detail, Proficient, 10/01/23, Identifying differences in materials, following instructions, and detecting details among distracting information
- Work motivation, Proficient, 10/01/23, Level of motivation and discipline applied toward work
- Management & leadership skills: Planning & execution, Proficient, 10/01/23, Planning and managing resources to accomplish organizational goals
- Written communication, Proficient, 10/01/23, Best practices for writing, including grammar, style, clarity, and brevity
- Work style: Reliability, Proficient, 10/01/23, Tendency to be reliable, dependable, and act with integrity at work
- Legal skills, Proficient, 07/01/21, Supporting legal procedures, preparing documents, doing research, and collecting client information in a legal setting
- Administrative support professional fit, Proficient, 10/01/23, Measures the traits that are important for successful administrative support professionals
Personal Information
Work Permit: Authorized to work in the US for any employer
Affiliations
- Ethiopian Bar Association
- Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association
- National Security Law at Georgetown Law
- Pan African Lawyers Union
- Penn Kemble Forum Almuni
- Women's Law and Public Policy Forum Almuni
Timeline
Legal Consultant/Subject Matter Expert
Karim & associates
11.2023 - 01.2024
Legal Consultant/Subject Matter Expert
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
09.2021 - 11.2021
Legal Consultant/Subject Matter Expert
Human Rights Initiative of North Texas
05.2021 - 07.2021
Legal Rights Consultant
American Bar Association, Center for Human Rights
01.2021 - 07.2021
Legal Rights Researcher
Collaboration for International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA)
06.2020 - 07.2021
Family Law, Immigration, and Personal Injury Legal Assistant
Law Offices of Fitsum Alemu
04.2020 - 07.2023
Immigration Legal Assistant
International Legal and Business Services Group
01.2019 - 06.2019
Family Law, Immigration, and Personal Injury Legal Assistant
Tesfaye Amare PLLC
01.2019 - 06.2019
Employment Cases Legal Intake
Washington Lawyers Committee for civil rights and urban affairs
08.2017 - 08.2018
Pro Bono Legal Assistant, Sub-Sahara Africa Section
American Bar Association, Justice Defenders Program
07.2016 - 12.2016
LLM - LLM
Georgetown University Law Center
Master's degree in Human Rights -
Addis Ababa University
Bachelor's degree in law -
Bahirdar University