Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Skills & Interests
Timeline
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Kayla Derks

League City,TX

Summary

Polished Paralegal well-versed in drafting briefs, legal memorandums, motions and correspondence. Collaborative team player and leader comfortable working independently and accepting high degree of unsupervised responsibility. Recognized for quickly mastering new challenges and working well under pressure.

Overview

9
9
years of professional experience

Work History

Mass Tort Paralegal

Hilliard Law
Corpus Christi, TX
08.2020 - Current
  • Supervising paralegal over all case workup, litigation, and settlement aspects of CoolSculpt, CPAP, Hernia Mesh, Allergan, CP4, Depo Provera, and Gilead dockets.
  • Daily support, high involvement, supervision, and management of the firm's largest and most intricate mass tort dockets, totaling over 5,000 clients.
  • Maintain high levels of confidentiality, acting as a liaison to clients, firm staff, co-counsel, opposing counsel, experts, courts, and vendors.
  • Project management and coordination among staff and attorneys for case management.
  • Draft, proof, and file pleadings in federal and state courts (complaints, civil cover sheets, motions to dismiss, motions to withdraw, pro hac vice, etc.).
  • Complete Plaintiff Fact Sheet discovery follow-up with clients.
  • Order and review medical records in order to prove up a case.
  • Schedule depositions and assist with deposition preparation by preparing binders for attorneys.
  • Draft discovery, including Requests for Disclosure, Interrogatories, and Requests for Production.
  • Conduct thorough legal research to support case preparation.
  • Manage deadlines, and ensure compliance with court procedures.
  • Communicate pertinent information to clients via telephone, email, and mail.
  • Train new employees in all aspects of preparing documents, filings, and managing case management software.
  • Research applicable statutes, codes, regulations, ordinances, and precedent cases.
  • Book and coordinate travel arrangements for the firm's attorneys and support staff.

Mass Tort Paralegal

Johnson Law Group
Houston, TX
03.2019 - 08.2020
  • Assisted in the Xarelto docket's settlement program by contacting clients, reviewing medical and pharmacy records, ensuring all documents are completed, and submitting all necessary materials to the MDL Centrality portal.
  • Planned and prepared summons packages for defendants in filed cases.
  • Reviewed and organized legal documents, such as pleadings, motions, and briefs.
  • Drafted, finalized, and served Plaintiff Fact Sheets.
  • Communicated with clients to obtain information, review records, and upload the case file to the MDL portal.
  • Drafted correspondence, motions, pleadings, and discovery.
  • Reviewed and analyzed medical records for the Roundup, Xarelto, and Pradaxa dockets.
  • Followed documented processes and procedures to assist attorneys with pre-trial case management.
  • Assisted with court filings through federal and state electronic filing systems.
  • Conducted detailed client intakes, ordered necessary medical and pharmacy records, and tracked all case information and updates in Needles software.

Mass Tort Paralegal/Litigation Manager

Trammell P.C.
Houston, TX
05.2018 - 03.2020
  • Assisted in the opening and initial development of Trammell, P.C.
  • Created and implemented the client intake system by establishing and developing procedures, organization, and research.
  • Conducted intake of clients by analyzing case information, establishing contact, and ensuring contracts, HIPAA, and HITECH are signed.
  • Lead paralegal on multiple mass tort litigations, specifically Pradaxa, Xarelto, Roundup, and Talc claims.
  • Assisted attorneys in all product liability and personal injury litigation processes. Prepared discovery, expert disclosure reports, communicated with experts, calendared deadlines, and prepared pleadings.
  • File various pleadings in state and federal ECF systems.
  • Created, organized, and managed high-volume dockets for each mass tort.
  • Ordered medical records and oversaw various issues encountered, with emphasis on HIPAA compliance.
  • Planned and prepared all summons packages for defendants in filed cases. Researched court orders and CMOs to ensure all requirements were met.
  • Analyzed medical records and summarized relevant evidence for attorneys.
  • Organized deposition notebooks and medical records, coordinated deposition deadlines, and assisted in travel arrangements for attorneys.
  • Researched applicable statutes, codes, regulations, ordinances, and precedent cases, and communicated findings with attorneys.

Paralegal

Hagan Noll & Boyle, L.L.C.
Houston, TX
03.2017 - 05.2018
  • Maintained the master firm calendar and attorney dockets.
  • Acted as a liaison between court administration and attorneys.
  • Supported attorneys by providing case support, research, drafting documents and communications, and proofreading and filing pleadings.
  • Completed case research via LexisNexis and Westlaw databases.
  • Oversaw the organization of files for trial preparation.
  • Prepared hearing, trial, and deposition notebooks for attorneys in piracy and employment cases.
  • Researched and analyzed various legal sources to prepare discovery, motions, and pleadings.
  • Created and oversaw potential client databases, and conducted initial client interviews.
  • Planned and prepared pleadings for e-filing in state and federal courts.

Regional Legal Marketing Assistant Intern

Sidley Austin LLP
Houston, TX
06.2016 - 03.2017
  • Worked with the marketing team to help plan, coordinate, and execute firm events for clients and prospects.
  • Drafted, reviewed, and edited lawyers' biographies.
  • Created event invitations and attendee profiles.
  • Entered contacts into the database, maintained marketing mailing lists, generated mailing lists for events and client updates, and built and analyzed reports.
  • Maintained weekly agendas to keep the team organized, and ensure deadline compliance.
  • Submitted invoices and processed check requests for new and ongoing sponsorships.
  • Skilled in InterAction, BioGenerator, and iManage software.

Paralegal Intern

The Herrington Law Firm
Houston, TX
05.2016 - 06.2016
  • Attended depositions and created summaries for attorneys before hearings.
  • I attended modification and execution hearings at the Harris County Civil Courthouse.
  • Skilled in ProDoc and Westlaw processes.
  • Compared and contrasted deposition summaries for accuracy for attorneys.
  • Assisted attorneys in drafting pleadings, filings, and interviewing clients.
  • Aided attorneys in the discovery process for probating wills.

Education

Paralegal Certification Program -

University of Houston
Houston, TX
01.2016

BA - Political Science

Louisiana State University - College of Humanities & Social Sciences
Baton Rouge, LA
01.2014

Skills

  • Microsoft Office
  • WestLaw
  • PACER
  • SmartAdvocate
  • SalesForce
  • LexisNexis
  • 99 WPM
  • Electronic filing in various state and federal courts

Skills & Interests

  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Leadership
  • Organization
  • Legal Research
  • Legal Writing
  • Legal Marketing Strategies
  • Public & Media Relations

Timeline

Mass Tort Paralegal

Hilliard Law
08.2020 - Current

Mass Tort Paralegal

Johnson Law Group
03.2019 - 08.2020

Mass Tort Paralegal/Litigation Manager

Trammell P.C.
05.2018 - 03.2020

Paralegal

Hagan Noll & Boyle, L.L.C.
03.2017 - 05.2018

Regional Legal Marketing Assistant Intern

Sidley Austin LLP
06.2016 - 03.2017

Paralegal Intern

The Herrington Law Firm
05.2016 - 06.2016

Paralegal Certification Program -

University of Houston

BA - Political Science

Louisiana State University - College of Humanities & Social Sciences