Assistant Office

Diana J. Olazabal *****

Maidenhair Drive, Gainesville, VA 20155

U.S. Citizen

Cell: 703-***-**** - Email: *****.********@*****.***

_______________________________________CAREER

SUMMARY______________________________________________

Bilingual (English/Spanish), Bachelor of Arts in Government and

International Politics (2009) - level professional and Associate in Applied

Science Degree major in Paralegal Studies (2006), with 10+ years of

professional office experience, including 6 years in a legal office

environment. I have reached the ceiling in my particular job and ready for

more responsibility and new challenges as a paralegal for an established

legal group with advancement opportunities.

__________________________________PROFESSIONAL

Experience_________________________________________

Freelance Interpreter/ Olazabal Travel

Multiservice - Manassas, VA

TRANSLATOR

(08/1999-Present)

Family-owned small business established in June 1995 with 3 offices serving

the Hispanic Community in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area. Services

rendered: International and Domestic Airline Reservations, Travel

Arraignments, Preparation of Income Taxes, Accounting, Translations,

Interpretations, Insurance Services, Assistance with Immigration Forms, and

Notary Public Services.

* Interpreter for the Hispanic community in immigration matters handled by

the offices of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services

(U.S. Department of Homeland Security) in Arlington and Fairfax,

Virginia. I have earned a reputable reputation within the Hispanic

Community. Positive contributions given to the community for many years

are focused on resolving immigration problems, re-uniting families,

seeking political asylum status, and helping immigrates earn their U.S.

Citizenship. Have interpreted for hundreds of immigration interviews

with favorable dispositions. Interpret with or without an attorney

present at immigration interviews. Serve as a translator in assisting

clients with immigration applications and petitions with approving

results. Most of my clients are referrals due to my excellent job

performance, professionalism, and positive satisfaction. Accomplishments

performed but not limited to:

> Successfully re-uniting families from Latin American countries

with other family members living in the U.S. through the

immigration process of family sponsorship petitions with the

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of

State, and U.S. Embassies.

> Achieved U.S. Permanent Residency and U.S. Naturalization status

for hundreds of clients.

> Succeeded in obtaining hundreds of temporary protected status

(TPS) for out of status El Salvadorians to legally stay in the

U.S. since 2001, when the law took effect, including positive

results on renewals of TPS and work permits for El Salvadorians,

Hondurans, and Nicaraguans.

> Obtained numerous advance paroles for clients on TPS to travel

overseas and return to the U.S. under humanitarian grounds.

Paralegal Legal Services of

Northern Virginia (LSNV) - Manassas and Fairfax, VA

(Volunteer Service: 2003-2005 & 06/2010-Present)

LSNV is a non-profit public interest law firm that provides free legal

assistance to low-income residents of Northern Virginia.

( The only Spanish pro bono paralegal interpreter for LSNV's Manassas

office. Provide free interpreting assistance between client and attorney

at meetings and by telephone for their Fairfax office. In addition,

perform intake interviews with potential clients at least once a month

from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (sometime after 1pm) at LSNV's Uncontested

Divorce Clinic in Fairfax, Virginia. Accomplishments performed but not

limited to:

> Provide free assistance in divorce proceedings by interviewing

victims of domestic violence or individuals who fall under the

poverty guidelines, and gathering case information and court

documents.

> Decide whether or not there's a case for the attorneys to proceed

with divorce and inform potential clients what else is needed

from them.

> LSNV gained Hispanic cliental because of my professional

intertpreting assistance.

> Received an award for "Outstanding Service as a Volunteer

Bilingual Paralegal" -December 3, 2010.

Legal Assistant/ Law

Offices of Brian J. Moran - Alexandria, VA OFFICE MANAGER

(08/2003-02/2007)

Small, but quite busy, general practice law firm specialized in: criminal

law, family law, divorce, traffic, civil, wills, trust and estate planning.

Firm's owner was a practicing attorney as well as a ranking member of the

Virginia House of Delegates.

Page 2

> Managed 6 attorneys and legal staff composed of 1 paralegal, 1

law clerk, and receptionist.

> Assisted with document production, trial preparation, prepared

court documents, and filed pleadings to courthouse.

> Successfully met time sensitive deadlines and implemented a new

billing system that increased the office's revenue.

> Managed and organized productive weekly meetings regarding

clients' billing, attorneys' hours, and case statuses.

> Coordinated multiple office functions, managed court calendar,

retained court reports, prepared legal memoranda, legal drafting,

fee agreements, court forms, client letters/emails, and

collection letters regarding billing.

Legal Secretary Law Office of

Parastoo Zahedi, Vienna, VA (2001-2003)

An immigration law firm established by a successful sole proprietor

attorney. I was mostly alone to manage the office.

> Typed letters requested by attorney, scheduled and made

appointments and received and placed telephone calls. Greeted

visitors and provided case information to attorney.

> Provided intensive word processing, photocopying, facsimile, filing

and mailing.

> Prepared immigration forms.

> Performed other clerical duties assigned by attorney.

_____________________________ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL

EXPERIENCE_________________________

Church Secretary Arlington United Methodist

Church - Arlington, VA (2000- 2001)

ReceptionisT Greater

Falls Church Chiropractic & Acupuncture Wellness Center -

Falls Church, VA

(1999-2000)

_________________________________________Education__________________________

__________________

Bachelor of Arts, Government and

George Mason University, Fairfax, VA (08/2009)

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS. GPA - 3.0

Concentration: International Comparative Politics

> Courses in Law: Public Law and Judicial Process, and

International Law and Organization.

> Personal assistant to Dr. Mariely Lopez-Santana, (Professor at

GMU for Politics and Institutions of the European Union) for

internet research in Employment Law and Politics from Spain,

Belgium, and Sweden - Fall of 2008.

ASSOCIATE in APPLIED SCIENCE, Northern Virginia

Community College, Annandale, VA (08/2006)

PARALEGAL STUDIES, American Bar Association Approved Paralegal Program.

GPA - 3.1 Paralegal

Courses Completed: Introduction to Law and Legal Assistant, Real Estate

Law, Family Law, Divorce Law, Public Speaking, Legal Research; performed

legal research using LexisNexis, Westlaw and in the law library. Used the

Bluebook method for legal citation. Paralegal courses taken at Marymount

University transferred to major.

BACHELOR of ARTS, PARALEGAL STUDIES Marymount

University, Arlington, VA (2004)

Incomplete Major - 47 Credits Completed, American Bar Association Approved

Paralegal Program.

Paralegal Courses Completed: Business Law I, Business Law II, Civil

Litigation, Criminal Litigation, Computerized Legal Research (performed

intensive legal research using LexisNexis and Westlaw), Legal Research and

Writing (performed intensive legal research in the law library and used

BlueBook and ALWD for legal citation), General Practice I and II - Torts,

Trial Practice and Law of Evidence, Estate Planning and Probate, Legal

Transactions, and Legal Aspects of Business Organizations.

_________________________________ADDITIONAL

INFORMATION___________________________________

Knowledge in General Accounting, Accounts Payable and Receivable, Billing

and Collections. Computer software proficiency in Microsoft Office 2007 and

2003; Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Publisher. Lexis/Nexis, Westlaw,

Internet Legal Research, Shepardizing, KeyCite and Blue Booking. Data

Entry, Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Works, and Timeslips Software.

Typing skills are 65 WPM. Able to quickly adapt to new work processes.

Volunteered at National Community Church, Arlington, Virginia from 2003-

2005 as a Teacher Assistant for their children's ministry. Moving to

McLean, Virginia in the summer of 2011 and presently in the part-time

admissions process to attend law school within 2 years, in the Washington

DC Metropolitan Area. Active Notary Public for the Commonwealth of

Virginia since 2003. Knowledge in Immigration Law, Family Law, and

Criminal Law. Experience in court procedures for the following

cities/counties in Virginia: Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, and Prince

William.

Contact this candidate