Heather Watkins
Portage,IN
Summary
Seasoned Certified Paralegal and Experienced Administrative Professional offering top-notch case management, software abilities with outstanding clientele support skills. Enhances office work-flows by successfully handling high workloads with minimal direction. Superior organization and time management skills. Outstanding grammar, spelling and punctuation. Expert writing abilities. Excellent grasp and functionality of the law, as well as legal and medical terminology. Knowledgeable about various programs including: Office/Office Suites; Word; Expert Time; Excel; Outlook; Adobe; Teams; Zoom; Odyssey; Lexis Nexis; Westlaw; Case; Slack; Aderant/ATO; Pacer; CM/ECF; Timeslips; MyCase; Monday.com and Clio among others. Well versed in: 15 Areas of Law. Fully equipped home office with PC/Laptop, Scanner and facsimile. Experience in: IN, IL, WI, MI, DE, CT, NC, SC, UT, TN, KY, TX, OH, MO, IA, FL, NY, NJ, AZ and CT.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
3
3
Certifications
Work History
Paralegal and Administrative Professional
Various Contracted Office Positions
01.2020 - 04.2024
- Contract temporary assignments at various offices including: Legal, Insurance and Medical (among others)
- Assigned heavy caseloads for expedited preparation
- Draft and E-File appearance and all relevant subsequent pleadings
- Coordinate prudent dates consistent with order
- Draft and serve discovery
- Prepare client for upcoming hearings.
- Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
- Used critical thinking to break down problems, evaluate solutions and make decisions.
- Proven ability to learn quickly and adapt to new situations.
Senior Civil Paralegal (Pre-Litigation and Litigation)
Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, P.C.
01.2016 - 12.2023
- Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, miscellaneous
- Proactively monitored status of pending cases and communicated with attorneys as to case status and suggested actions to move cases forward to conclusion
- Summarize records, court files, and depositions
- Review and summarize third-party and client documents
- Research sources such as statutes, judicial decisions, legal articles, constitutions, and public records
- Draft/author and perform review of legal documents such as briefs, pleadings, discovery materials, appeals, and contracts
- Assist in trial preparation and discovery practices such as gathering and organizing exhibits, trial data, documents, and other materials in response to subpoenas, discovery requests, interrogatories, motions for summary judgments, etc
- Receive and process a variety of requests for information, registrations, actions, forms, orders, notices, and/or other related information
- Coordinate and schedule calendars
- Compile documents responsive to discovery requests and attends document productions
- Serve as a limited liaison between counsel, clients, experts, witnesses, third parties, and other outside contacts
- Keep current with procedures used by local, state, and federal courts
- Create client invoices through billing increments.
- Proven ability to learn quickly and adapt to new situations.
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
Senior Paralegal/Office Manager
Nancy M. Tiller & Associates
, Indians
03.2008 - 03.2016
- Proactively monitored status of pending cases and communicated with attorneys as to case status and suggested actions to move cases forward to conclusion
- Summarize records, court files, and depositions
- Review and summarize third-party and client documents
- Research sources such as statutes, judicial decisions, legal articles, constitutions, and public records
- Draft/author and perform review of legal documents such as briefs, pleadings, discovery materials, appeals, and contracts
- Assist in trial preparation and discovery practices such as gathering and organizing exhibits, trial data, documents, and other materials in response to subpoenas, discovery requests, interrogatories, motions for summary judgments, etc
- Family law
- Attorney'for County Clerk
- Expertly managed Public Defender's office
- Receive and process a variety of requests for information, registrations, actions, forms, orders, notices, and/or other related information
- Coordinate and schedule calendars
- Compile documents responsive to discovery requests and attends document productions
- Serve as a limited liaison between counsel, clients, experts, witnesses, third parties, and other outside contacts
- Keep current with procedures used by local, state, and federal courts
- Create client invoices through billing increments.
- Organized and detail-oriented with a strong work ethic.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
Education
Business College with Completion in Paralegal Studies, Administration and Transcription -
Sawyer Business College
Merrillville, IN05.1991
Skills
- Time management
- Transcription
- Medical terminology
- Google Docs
- Medical records
- Lexis-Nexis
- Communication skills
- Organizational skills
- Microsoft Excel
- Legal Drafting
- Proofreading
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Outlook
- Analysis skills
- Negotiation
- Payroll
- Records management
- DocuSign
- Contracts
- Research
- Filing
- Leadership
- Project management
- Expert Time (Billing)
- Document management
- Social media management
- Customer service
- Bookkeeping
- Order entry
Certification
- Paralegal, 10/1999
- Medical Transcription, 05/1991
- Notary Public, 04/2018
Personal Information
- Title: Certified Paralegal and Administrative Professional
- Work Permit: Authorized to work in the US for any employer
Timeline
Paralegal and Administrative Professional
Various Contracted Office Positions
01.2020 - 04.2024
Senior Civil Paralegal (Pre-Litigation and Litigation)
Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, P.C.
01.2016 - 12.2023
Senior Paralegal/Office Manager
Nancy M. Tiller & Associates
03.2008 - 03.2016
Business College with Completion in Paralegal Studies, Administration and Transcription -
Sawyer Business College
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