Joyce Russell
Email: *********@********.***
Address: **** ****** **** *****
City: Waldorf
State: MD
Zip: 20602
Country: USA
Phone: 202-***-****
Skill Level: Experienced
Salary Range: $60,000
Willing to Relocate
Primary Skills/Experience:
See Resume
Educational Background:
See Resume
Job History / Details:
JOYCE YVETTE RUSSELL
Email: *********@********.***
Objective
To obtain a career position that further enhances my current legal and administrative skills.
Education
Strayer University
Paralegal Studies, Business Administration (2008-2009)
Work Experience
November 2011 to August 2012: Ward Damon Posner Pheterson & Bleau, P.L. West Palm Beach, FL
Litigation Paralegal Practice: Corporate Litigation, Foreclosure, Family, Employment
Provided litigation support for all attorneys within various departments to ensure all cases were prepared for trial in state, federal and appellate courts
Drafted correspondence and settlement agreements for clients' review and attorneys approval/signature
Drafted notices, motions, pre-trial stipulations, and witness/exhibits lists
Prepared cases for trial, mediation and coordinated experts/clients' attendance
Reviewed and prepared responses to in-coming discovery
Prepared out-going discovery and supplemented, as needed
Reviewed and prepared responses to A558 Notices
Monitored trial deadlines and supported legal staff to achieve compliance with court orders
December 2010 to September 2011: Fann & Petruccelli, P.A. Fort Lauderdale, FL
Litigation Paralegal/Legal Assistant Practice: Medical Malpractice/Insurance Defense
Promoted to Litigation Paralegal in February 2011
Prepared attorneys for hearings, depositions, mediations and trials
Provided paralegal support to the litigation team of attorneys and nurses
Reviewed hospital charts and administrative policies
Prepared treater lists, chronology and non-party subpoenas
Prepared deposition summaries and status reports
Researched and investigated personal/criminal background of plaintiffs
Assisted with daily e-filing of pleadings and electronic document maintenance of all new and on-going cases
April 2010 to October 2010: Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. West Palm Beach, FL
Legal Assistant Practice: Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury-Plaintiff
Assisted with initial preparations for pre-suit and complex litigation cases which involved multiple parties
Prepared attorneys for upcoming trials, mediations, depositions, hearings an settlement conferences
Drafted correspondence, deposition summaries, motions, notices, and agreed orders
Prepared and/or responded to A558 Notices on behalf of homeowners association
Reviewed discovery and monitored deadlines periodically for status of documents due from opposing counsel
Conducted conflict checks, initiated new matters, updated case lists, closed files and prepared cases for retention
Assisted HOA in foreclosures actions, collections and landlord-tenant compliance
Coordinated tenant evictions with courts and county sheriffs office on behalf of HOAs Board of Directors
Coordinated meetings between attorneys and board members
Interfaced with clients, experts, judges, judicial assistants, doctors, vendors, insurers, adjustors, board members, homeowners and opposing counsel
December 2009 to April 2010: Mase Lara Eversole, P.A. Miami, FL
Litigation Legal Assistant Practice: Medical Malpractice/Personal Injury-Plaintiff
Prepared cases for litigation and monitored statute of limitations deadlines
Drafted correspondences, motions, and agreed orders
Reviewed files periodically for status update
Attended to the needs of all clients, coordinated meetings with medical staff, doctors, key witnesses
Prepared closing statements and confidential settlement agreements
Scheduled meetings, set up pre-mediation conferences, coordinated travel and confirmed all events
October 2008 to March 2009: Kutak Rock, LLP Washington, D.C.
Litigation Legal Assistant Practice: Commercial Litigation-Defense
Assisted several senior partners in Litigation Department
Provided litigation support with regard to federal and appellate cases
Prepared legal documents and e-filed pleadings for bankruptcy, federal, circuit and government agencies
Organized exhibits and prepared voluminous filings for attorneys review and approval
Drafted and finalized correspondence and pleadings
Initiated new client matters, entered attorneys' time and reconciled monthly expense reports
Updated litigation calendar and monitored all time sensitive deadlines
Organized complex litigation files and coding documents for retention
November 2006 to October 2007: McDermott, Will & Emery, LLP Washington, D.C.
Litigation Legal Assistant Practice: Corporate Tax - Defense
Provided assistance to three new partners in Tax Litigation Department
Prepared electronic filing system for all new clients
Prepared and implemented electronic billing procedures for all new clients to facilitate timesaving measures
Drafted and finalized pleadings, memorandum, opinion letters, audit response letters and document indexes
Arranged meetings with clients, coordinated travel (nationally and internationally)
Prepared expense reports and check requests
Initiated new client information in order to set up billable numbers and provided electronic billing assistance
Entered attorneys time entries and reviewed pre-bills for attorneys clients on a monthly basis
August 2006 to November 2006: Odin Feldman Pittleman, P.C. Fairfax, VA
Litigation Legal Assistant Practice: Corporate Law, Trust & Estate Planning
Assisted corporate partner and his paralegal with corporate business and estate planning department
Organized corporate records, filed articles of incorporation for companies and non-profit organizations
Coordinated board meetings and maintained minutes from Board of Directors meetings
Scheduled conference calls and confirmed client meetings
Entered attorneys time and prepared monthly bills
ADDITIONAL FLORIDA EXPERIENCE:
Litigation Assistant/Paralegal (2004-2006) Deverrere & Hawkes, West Palm Beach, FL
Litigation Legal Assistant (2003-2004) Akerman Senterfitt, West Palm Beach, FL
Litigation Legal Secretary (2001-2002) Broad and Cassel, West Palm Beach, FL
Litigation Legal Secretary (1999-2000) Proskauer Rose, LLP, Boca Raton, FL
Litigation Legal Secretary (1997-1999) Jones, Foster, Johnston & Stubbs, West Palm Beach, FL
Word Processor part-time (1997-1998) Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, West Palm Beach, FL
March 1994 to June 1996: Jackson & Campbell, P.C., Washington, D.C.
Litigation Legal Assistant Practice: Medical Malpractice/Insurance Defense
Prepared cases for litigation and/or mediation and monitored deadlines
Drafted correspondence, memoranda, and retainer agreements
Reviewed client files and indexed pleadings
Attended to the needs of all clients, coordinated meetings with medical staff, doctors, and key witnesses
Prepared attorneys' time entry and expense reports
Drafted confidential settlement agreements and releases
Scheduled meetings, set up hearings, pre-mediation conferences, coordinated travel and confirmed all events
January 1993 to April 1994: Shapiro, Lifschitz & Schram, Washington, D.C. (client)
freelance Legal Assistant Practice: Contracts, Corporate Acquisitions & Mergers
Prepared documents for corporate client meetings and attended to the needs of all clients
Updated calendars, files and monitored deadlines
Drafted correspondence, press releases and contracts
Prepared meeting agenda and finalized relevant notes and presentation slides
Prepared attorneys' time entries, monthly bills and cover letters
Coordinated travel and reconciled monthly expense reports
Managed firm's 2nd shift from 6 pm to 2 am
January 1991 to April 1994: Executive Secretarial Partnership (ESP), Washington, D.C.
Owner/Freelance secretary Practice: Energy, IP, Contracts, Corporate Litigation
Provided secretarial assistance to clients
Determined staffing needs for all upcoming litigation cases
Drafted contracts, offer letters and employment agreements
Reviewed resumes and periodically interviewed candidates
Attended to the needs of all clients, coordinated meetings with attorneys and potential staff
Prepared invoices and projected contractual needs based on hourly rates
Prepared letters of intent and confidentiality agreements
Scheduled meetings, set up employee testing, coordinated travel and confirmed all contractual needs
August 1988 to December 1990: Kilpatrick & Cody, Washington, D.C.
Litigation Legal Assistant Practice: Employment, Contracts, Corporate Litigation
Prepared corporate contracts, revised union proposals and employment settlement contracts
Drafted correspondence, memoranda and releases
Attended to the needs of all clients, coordinated meetings with medical staff and key witnesses
Prepared closing statements and confidential settlement agreements
February 1983 to February 1989: United States Army, Fort Ord, CA
Administrative specialist Practice: Military, Department of Defense
Prepared training schedules and after action reports ; attended military maneuvers
Drafted correspondences, memoranda, and command orders
Reviewed confidential files for security status and update
Skills/Training
Software: Worshare Deltaview, MacPac, PCDocs, Interwoven Desksite, E-Copy Desktop, Lotus Notes, GroupWise, I-Manage, Microsoft Office, Open Office, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe XPro
Accounting Software: PC Law, DTE, Elite, Time matters, Javelan, Rainmaker, Timeslips, Juris
Records Software: Summation iBlaze, Case Aware, Amicus, Client Profiles, Citrix, LegalTrax, Legal Files
Research Software: Westlaw, Lexis, Accuriant
Electronic Research Software: RealTrans, AltiSource, PACER/ECF
Honors/Milestones
Florida Notary (2014)
Deans List, Strayer University (2009)
U.S. Army Honorable Discharge (1989)
references available upon request
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