Paralegal/Legal Assistant

VERNESIA C. JOHNSON

404-***-**** ~ *********@*****.***

SUMMARY

A highly organized team player who is eager to progress in the legal field, able to deliver excellent customer service to clients and exceed their expectations by having an acute eye for detail and a proactive attitude towards every project, possessing strong business judgment and the ability to bring tasks to completion in a timely manner.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Smith Moore Leatherwood, LLP 04/2016 - Present

Legal Assistant

Handle heavy case load and support six attorneys and one paralegal

Draft Requests for Production, Interrogatories, Requests for Admission, Subpoenas, Notice of Deposition, etc.

Perform legal research

Arrange service of process including Long Arm service

Organize exhibits and prepare binders for trial and hearings

Summarize and draft transcript of 911 calls

Prepare chronologies and timelines

Receive, review, and bates label documents produced

Draft notices to file with legal organ

Prepare subpoenas for non-party requests

Prepare privilege logs

Perform skip tracing for the purpose of serving

Perform entity search

Smith Moore Leatherwood, LLP 10/2015 - Present

Legal Administrative Assistant

Draft routine correspondence, forms, etc.

Create, format, edit, proofread and manage Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations

Process and close time for lawyers adhering to weekly and monthly deadlines

Open new clients and matters following Records Department procedures; prepare conflict of interest forms

Track, organize and process reimbursements and check requests

Manage and maintain lawyers’ schedules and calendars

Electronically file with various state and federal courts

Manage documents in the firm’s document management system

Draft various pleadings to be filed with the courts

Georgia-Pacific LLC – Atlanta, GA 06/2015- 8/2015

Paralegal Intern

Reviewed and modified a variety of agreements to ensure total compliance, increase revenue and decrease excess spending for the supported business groups

Managed special projects as assigned by attorneys and paralegals

Collaborated with internal Georgia-Pacific clients to gather and provide information, and communicated with outside contractors

Assisted attorneys and senior paralegals with the creation, amendment and/or negotiation of complex commercial transactions, including sourcing agreements

Worked closely with members of the supported business groups to ensure contract agreements were compliant and met the needs of the company

Applied in-depth research techniques to determine the best approach to contract negotiations

Fulton County Clerk of Superior Court – Atlanta, GA 04/2001 – 08/2014

Court Docket Coordinator / Criminal Docket Supervisor

Provided complex legal support to judicial staff, prosecutors, and defense attorneys

Prepared files for court proceedings

Drafted criminal and civil complaints

Helped to develop and implement a new operating system and training program for Deputy Clerks and Assistant District Attorneys

Supervised and delegated work assignments to a team of twelve employees

Project Manager for the Juror Show Cause Project

Simultaneously managed three divisions within a department including: Criminal Docket, Training and Quality Control, and Juror Show Cause Project

Deemed a Subject Matter Expert (SME) by my superiors

Ran specialized reports regarding open and closed cases, probation, sentencing, etc. using automated software

Conducted bi-weekly team meetings with junior staff

Presented monthly progress reports to department heads

Acted as a liaison between judicial staff and the Clerk’s office

Served as team leader for three years before becoming a supervisor

Reviewed legal documents such as complaints, motions, orders, answers, pleadings, subpoenas, and libels for completeness of information for hearing and/or trial use

OTHER EMPLOYMENT

Network Courier Services – Hapeville, GA Customer Service Rep 11/1999 – 02/2001

Bank of America – College Park, GA Customer Service Rep 03/1998 – 05/1999

EDUCATION

Clayton State University – Morrow, GA

Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies

Graduated Cum Laude Fall 2017

ABA approved school

Georgia Piedmont Technical College – Clarkston, GA

Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies

4.0 GPA Spring Semester 2015, Fall Semester 2014

Graduated Summa cum laude

Member Lambda Epsilon Chi/Honor Society

ABA approved school

RELATED COURSEWORK

Real Estate Law, Wills and Trusts, Civil Litigation, Criminal Procedure, Bankruptcy Law, Contracts, Constitutional Law and Law Office Management

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