Heather Prado
Wolcott,CT
Summary
Dedicated and driven Legal Support Manager with extensive experience in legal office administration, case management, and team leadership. Highly skilled in streamlining operations and implementing efficient procedures to maximize productivity. Demonstrated ability to handle complex matters and ensure legal documentation accuracy and compliance. Known for implementing strategies that significantly improved operational efficiency in previous roles.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Legal Support Manager
Crumbie Law Group, LLC
Hartford, CT
01.2021 - Current
- Serving as a valuable resource to the managing member and four senior attorneys by providing assistance in document preparation, case management, paralegal oversight, and trial support.
- Prepare for and attend hearings, depositions, and mediations as needed.
- Interpret statutes and case law to assist attorneys with legal research projects and draft legal memos as requested.
- Manage incoming calls, mail and email communications relating to litigation matters.
- Assist with negotiations between parties involved in disputes.
- Obtained, reviewed and summarized medical records at direction of attorneys, consulting outside experts and arranging for medical examinations when relevant to cases.
- Used state and federal electronic filing systems.
- Prepare agendas and lead bi-weekly/monthly meetings with diverse corporate clients to provide status updates.
- Oversee all stages of real estate closing procedures, ensuring smooth execution and resolving post-closing discrepancies in a timely manner.
- Successfully optimize billable hours by utilizing adept knowledge of corporate billing guidelines and consistently surpassing monthly billing goals.
- Assist in managing various financial activities, such as payroll and A/P, A/R responsibilities, and oversight of case expenses.
- Manage the Summary Process division for commercial evictions clients, City of New Haven Housing Authority (1,000+ units), and The Glendower Group (2,500+ units).
- Diligently handling all elements of the nonpayment and nuisance summary process including KAPA Notices, Notices to Quit, Complaints, Summonses, as well as pre/post judgement motions.
- Proficient in preparing leasing agreements for both commercial and residential properties, integrating necessary addendums.
Senior Paralegal
Weisman & Tirozzi Law Offices
Waterbury, CT
03.2020 - 12.2020
- Managed due diligence for various commercial and residential real estate transactions such as purchases, sales, refinances, short sales, and cash deals.
- Demonstrated proficiency in drafting essential documents like HUDs, CDs, Alta Statements, Deeds and Closing Statements.
- Prepared all documentation essential for the nonpayment and nuisance summary process. Efficiently handled pretermination documents, notices to quit, complaints, summons, along with post-judgment motions.
- Collaborated with attorney to provide detailed explanations of files and associated agreements or disputes.
- Handle litigation tasks such as preparing letters, subpoenas, interrogatories, medical chronologies, e-filing, judicial inbox, short calendar, billing spreadsheets, and all other discovery.
- Utilized QuickBooks online and QuickBooks software to manage client invoicing, credit payments, and generate monthly reports.
- Assisted with contract administration activities such as tracking renewal dates; verifying compliance with terms; initiating amendments when necessary.
Senior Paralegal
VAP Services, LLC
05.2007 - 01.2020
- Developed a virtual paralegal and legal assistant small business to assist attorneys on a contract basis for 12.5 years.
- Contracted with paralegals looking to work remotely or hybrid.
- Ranked #1 in Paralegal Service category, globally on Elance for 15 months straight by acquiring new clients from the legal industry.
- Specialized in bankruptcy, litigation, criminal, family, probate, estate, municipal and summary process across CT, FL, MA, NY and CA.
- Real estate litigation and closing services for sales, purchases, short sales, and refinances in CT only.
- Prepared court documents and analyzed medical records, creating medical chronologies, billing spreadsheets, depo summaries, mediation statements and reports.
- Produced a range of legal documentation such as construction contracts, commercial and residential leases, independent contractor agreements, sales agreements,
e-commerce documents , employment contracts ,web policies,user
agreements,and license agreement. - Managed firm's administrative tasks such as IOLTA management, invoicing, checks processing, payroll handling, and real estate disbursements.
- Liaison between clients, opposing counsel, witnesses, lenders, clerks, title insurance companies, brokers, agents, and homeowners insurance companies.
- Assist with witness or deposition testimony preparation.
- Coordinate subpoena services, recording services, court reporter services, translator services, and other support.
- Managed online legal marketing campaigns and strategies including: website administration, legal articles, blogs, social media postings, and professional directory profiles.
- Created several e-books as a ghostwriter on real estate investment opportunities, title insurance agent guidelines in all states, 'Will and Healthcare Directives' for all states, and legal manuals for family, housing, and employment law.
Education
Bachelor's Degree - Legal Studies
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN05.2011
Paralegal Certification - Paralegal Studies
Branford Hall Career Institute-Southington Campus
Southington, CT05.2008
Skills
- CLIO Manage/Grow/Accounting
- LawPay
- QuickBooks Software & Online
- Sage
- Needles
- Yardi/Smartsheet/Elite
- Lexis/WestLaw
- Notary
- Adobe Pro
- Outlook
- Microsoft Office
Timeline
Legal Support Manager
Crumbie Law Group, LLC
01.2021 - Current
Senior Paralegal
Weisman & Tirozzi Law Offices
03.2020 - 12.2020
Senior Paralegal
VAP Services, LLC
05.2007 - 01.2020
Bachelor's Degree - Legal Studies
Purdue University
Paralegal Certification - Paralegal Studies
Branford Hall Career Institute-Southington Campus
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