Patricia A. Polk
Copperopolis, CA 95228
**************@*****.***
Energetic and innovative professional seeking a challenging & rewarding new career that will utilize a highly versatile skill set combined with an extensive legal education and 2o plus years of professional experience acting in various supervisory and managerial capacities both as a senior paralegal in multiple practice areas and in law firm management and administration.
Professional Experience
Jan 2016 to present
Contract Paralegal, T4 Enterprises- Staffing, Sonora, CA
Contract paralegal work in multiple practice areas.
May 2015 to Dec 2015
Judicial Law Clerk Internship, Honorable Jason E. Ashford, State Court - Warner Robins, GA
Conducted research and drafted judicial decisions on civil law cases.
May 2013 to Aug 2013
Law Clerk Intern, Jennifer Byrom, P.A - Milton, FL, 850-***-****, ******@********.***
Family Law: Drafted pleadings, motions, mediation summaries, discovery and correspondence; legal research and memorandums; Deposition, mediation, and hearing preparation.
May 2011 to April 2013
Intermittent Contract Paralegal,
Contract work in guardianship and estate planning.
May 2008 to April 2011
Paralegal, Lindsay & Andrews - Milton, FL, 850-***-****
Governmental and Regulatory Law: Paralegal assisting Attorney for the City of Milton Florida, Santa Rosa County Florida, Property Appraiser, Santa Rosa County Florida Tax Collector and Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority, drafted city ordinances, regulatory oversight and compliance including sunshine law;
Real Estate: Drafted pleadings, motions, and correspondence and conducted legal research for general civil litigation, foreclosure and quiet title suits; assisted in negotiation with the FDOT and other agencies for eminent domain/condemnation; prepared and filed rezoning applications; represented local outdoor advertising company requiring compliance with local and FDOT regulations; public records land ownership research, reviewed abstracts, title exceptions, prepared transfer documents for residential and commercial closings;
Corporate: Represented various corporate entities including non-profits and tax- exempt community financing agency, drafted articles of incorporation, bylaws, maintained corporate books, prepared/filed annual reports, drafted, reviewed and negotiated contracts;
Probate/Estate Planning: Drafted pleadings and other documents and acts necessary to distributes assets of estate, drafted wills, power of attorney, Medicaid trusts;
May 2005 to May 2008
Paralegal, Shell, Fleming, Davis & Menge - Pensacola, FL 850-***-****
Probate, Guardianship & Estate Planning: Prepared pleadings, final estate accountings, estate tax returns; researched probate issues; prepared complex estate plans including trusts, family limited partnerships, and corporate documents;
Medical Malpractice Defense: prepared medical record and deposition summaries;
Jan 1994 to Apr 2005
Senior Paralegal/Office Administrator, Jennifer Byrom, P.A., Milton, FL, 850-***-****
Probate: Drafted pleadings, motions, prepared inventories, accountings, managed and reconciled guardianship accounts, drafted estate planning documents;
Appellate: Conducted legal research and drafted appellate briefs on family law and real estate cases.
Real Estate/Civil Transactional and Litigation: Public land records research to determine land ownership and prior rights, removed cloud on real estate titles through probate and quiet title suits; used various deed plotting and mapping programs for legal descriptions; reviewed title exceptions and prepared transfer documents, mortgage and promissory notes, leases, easements and other contracts for residential and commercial real estate closings, responded to discovery, prepared for mediations, hearings and trials;
Administrative/Management: Oversaw office management, responsible for in house oversight of network; selected and implemented new technology for billing, accounting, case management, legal research, deed plotting and mapping programs, trained employees on software, hired, trained and supervised all staff, implemented closed files, conflict check system, drafted client contract/retainer agreements, negotiated with new associates and drafted employment agreements, created probate and estate planning brochure, web site design, represented the firm in various expos and distributed firm brochure, scheduled speaking and marketing events;
Education
Jan 2019 to April 2019
Bachelor's studies in Psychology,
University of West Florida - Pensacola, FL
August 2013 to May 2016
Juris Doctor Candidate 52 of 88 hours complete in Mercer Law Advocacy Council
Mercer University, Walter F. George School of Law - Macon, GA
May 2011 to August 2013
Bachelor of Science in Political Science, 3.55 GPA
University of West Florida - Pensacola, FL
January 1992 to December 1993
Associate of Science in Legal Assisting, 3.83 GPA
Pensacola State College - Pensacola,
Skills
*Business minded with a proven ability to implement successful business plans and procedures for process improvement;
*Diplomatic, highly empathetic and personable with excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills;
*Well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills;
*Extensive drafting, writing, editing skills of legal documents, contracts, pleadings, briefs and other memoranda;
*Exceptional legal research skills, proficient in Westlaw, Westlaw/Next, Lexis, Lexis/Advance as well as the old school method of using the law library.
*Extensive public records and land research online and through local deed registrar, archived and current court files and other means;
*Proficient in processing payroll manually and through various programs and filing monthly payroll deposits;
*Familiar with several accounting programs as well as various case management software to include PC LAW, Tabs, Amicus, Abacus, Quickbooks and Peachtree; *Highly proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Wordperfect, Typing 70wpm; Familiar with various document generating programs such as prodoc, family law child support guidelines worksheets;
*Mathematically inclined with a natural aptitude for technology.