Carolina Paralegal News

Lindsay Valek is a litigation paralegal at Sowell Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC, a defense firm in Columbia, S.C.

She has a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Winthrop University and the ABA paralegal certification from Midlands Technical College.

Valek is a freelance writer who describes herself as “a lover of litigation, technology, history and spicy food.”

CPN: How long have you been a paralegal?

Valek: A little over six years.

CPN: What drew you into the career?

Valek: I had the privilege of working as a staffing coordinator for Marsha Silver and Terry Kelley at Carolina Legal Associates, placing attorneys, paralegals and legal support staff in temporary and permanent positions. I got the bug to become a paralegal myself, thinking I would one day go to law school. While the law school ambition has sufficiently been nixed, I’m excited every day about the potential cases that walk in the door.

CPN: What paralegal organizations – national, state or local- are you member of and what positions do you hold in them?

Valek: None.

CPN: When you talk with other paralegals, what are the main concerns or issues they face on a daily basis?

Valek: That’s a simple one: communication and efficiency.

CPN: If you could name one thing that would most benefit the paralegal profession, what would it be?

Valek: Honest communication. Enormous amounts of red tape and frustration could be cut out if paralegals and attorneys sat down and started a very real and very open dialogue with one another. The majority of paralegals I encounter earnestly want to do a good job for their employers but have a hard time coupling those things that would allow them to perform at their very best with the needs and wants of multiple attorneys. Navigating those needs can be difficult. Oftentimes a paralegal’s strongest attributes and talents can be stifled beneath procedures that may look good on paper but just don’t work in real world application. Starting an open dialogue between paralegals, attorneys, administration and even the IT departments opens the window for limitless
possibilities. Understanding one another’s roles and also recognizing that we work toward a common goal should be something we seek, not something we’re afraid to talk about.

CPN: If you could snap your fingers and create the perfect CLE, what would it be and why?

Valek: I did it on Friday, May 13th. I was asked to develop a CLE for the N.C. Bar Association’s annual paralegal conference, and it’s entitled “Paralegals on Trial: Practical Case Management and Trial Technologies That Anyone Can Use.” I’m a firm believer that some of the best ideas come from other paralegals who have been there, done that. Paralegals work in a wide variety of practice areas, and what may work for one, may not work for another. Sharing the tips and tricks that streamline our job makes us more efficient and gives us the confidence that a document can be found despite a computer meltdown. Personally, I’m artistic. One of the best aspects of my jobs is being asked to design a PowerPoint presentation for an opening argument, mediation or client conference.

CPN: Should registration or certification through the S.C. Bar be approved?

Valek: Without a doubt. Let’s put aside the fact that certification would promote the profession and foster continued growth within the field.

Let’s talk brass tacks. The decision to implement a paralegal division within the state level bar can bring three magical words: Cold. Hard. Cash. It’s no secret that the South Carolina judicial system is struggling financially, which, in turn, leaves our bar association in quite the predicament. CLE’s are filling up at $200 a pop, vendors from litigation technology firms are virtually throwing money at anyone who will listen, and the sponsorship opportunities alone could translate into invaluable support and continued education not only for paralegals, but for the entire legal community within the S.C. Bar’s reach.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Department of Labor have continually ranked the paralegal profession among the fastest growing of all professions in the United States. Couple that with the emerging technology trend within the legal profession, and you have a bucket full of opportunities for education and expansion that could benefit us all.

CPN: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Valek: I’m a kid at heart, so these are still current aspirations in case NASA is reading this: astronaut, writer, history professor.

CPN: Knowing what you know now, if you weren’t a paralegal, what else would you want to do?

Valek: Writer.

CPN: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were getting started in the profession?

Valek: That the profession of being a paralegal can be a thankless, pride-swallowing adventure through insanity land. Being a paralegal is not for the weak of heart or mind. You will inevitably be yelled at for overlooking a spell-check error, and for new paralegals coming onto the scene, I suggest you reserve yourself a quiet corner in the file room, as I have shed countless tears in the basement hollows. Develop a thick skin because you will need it. When you see talent, pay attention. Some of the best attorneys I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with were on opposing sides of the courtroom. Value yourself and the level of care and commitment that you have to your job. Anyone can put stickers on pieces of paper, but finding a paralegal who genuinely cares about her work product is irreplaceable. Take the extra time to do the little things that show the level of pride you take in your work. It may not reflect on you, but it will certainly reflect upon your attorney when he or she leaves the office for a hearing well-prepared.

CPN: What is the best thing about your job?

Valek: Learning something new every day. One day I find myself talking to an arborist in Washington state about the value of an oak tree. The next I’m digging through 50-year-old stock certificates with a magnifying glass. The day after that I’m reading internal emails about loan approval procedures. Litigation allows me to explore areas that I never dreamed I would tackle.

CPN: And what part of your job could you do without?

Valek: Copiers, envelopes and staples. I have come to the conclusion that if your mail doesn’t have blood on it, then it shouldn’t be considered litigation. I’ve literally bled over nearly everything from proposed orders to original settlement agreements. I’m trying to develop a patented glove as well as a utility belt that looks semi-cute with black pencil skirts. Pen? Check. Binder clip? Check. The boss’s favorite mints? Check. If I had those things, I think I could rule the world.

CPN: What one thing, either personally or professionally, are you most proud of?

Valek: Speaking at career day at my mother’s school before 500 11-year-olds. My competition consisted of a surgeon, a SWAT team member and an Alaskan sled dog. I didn’t think I stood a chance, but when I finished speaking and had students come up and ask me if they could be paralegal one day, I felt enormously proud. That and reading 37 volumes of notebooks, hunting for one witness’ name. I finished in a little over 19 hours, and my boss had all the ammunition she needed for the next day’s deposition.

CPN: Where would we find you on the weekends?

Valek: I’m a creature of habit so I wouldn’t be too hard to find. Saturday mornings I have coffee with my mother and then get lost for several hours in the used book departments at my favorite haunts including Olde Town Antique Mall & Habitat for Humanity Re-Store. Liberty Tap Room for spicy Bloody Marys with girlfriends, drives to nowhere to find someplace unexpected, several hours spent writing, and I typically drop by the office each Sunday to make sure I know which fires will be burning the brightest on Monday morning. I hate surprises but that should come as no surprise considering I’m a paralegal.

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