Mario Garza

***** ******* ****

Houston, Texas **034

Cell Phone: 832-***-****

E-mail: acxwm4@r.postjobfree.com

SUMMARY of QUALIFICATIONS

** ***** ** ***** ********** which presently includes licensed owner of a bail bonding company in Harris County. Related positions also include Paralegal, Commercial Litigation Paralegal, Asbestos Paralegal, Litigation Researcher, Intervention Clerk, Judgment Clerk, legal Assistant and General Office Clerk.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Owner/Operator Harris County Bail Bonding Company June 2006-Present

1ST ADVANTAGE BAIL BONDS, Houston, Texas LIC#74485

Receive prospective client telephone calls and retrieve criminal defendant information. Evaluate and risk assess all criminal bonds. Evaluation process involves consideration of the type of criminal charge, range of punishment, prior criminal history, prior bond forfeitures, and collateral to be used to secure release of defendant. Have co-signer and defendant complete and signature all internal office file documents (release of information, promissory note, application for bond, and indemnity agreement). Prepare and edit surety bond and see that bond is properly filed with related county Jail. Follow up with criminal defendants to ensure that they must report with office and are completely aware of court date and court location. Duties include appearance in Harris County courts executing numerous filings and requests for Bench Warrants, Affidavit of Surrenders, and Affidavit of Incarceration. There is daily use of Harris County district clerk website and e-filing procedure. As owner of 1st Advantage Bail Bonds I have personally handled pro se litigation or possible litigation both plaintiff and defense. Litigation includes DTPA, Breach of Contract, and Collections.

Litigation Paralegal November 2004- August 2005

FOWLER, RODRIGUEZ & CHALOS –Houston, Texas

Law firm area of practice in maritime law and jones act litigation. Involved in various other cases involving breach of contract, personal injury, and fraud. Perform background research regarding various plaintiffs, witnesses, and other parties related to pending litigation. Review deposition transcripts and prepare related deposition summary. Prepare clients request or answers to request for discovery. Coordinate with various document retrieval services to see that subpoenas for records were completed and served timely and properly on parties. Create charts and organize records received on assigned cases. Conduct courthouse research regarding retrieval of archived documents related to active cases files. Communicate with opposing counsel and co-defendant counsel involved in active litigation. Maintain and enter billing for any case related work. Harris County Justice Information Management (JIMS – Civil & Criminal) and PACER System use.

Litigation Paralegal December 2003- October 2004

FOREMAN, PERRY, WATKINS, KRUTZ, & TARDY, L.L.P. –Houston, Texas

Responsibilities involve the defense of silica, asbestos, and railroad clients involved in litigation regarding wrongful death disputes, railroad accidents, and chemical exposure claims. Read and summarize the deposition transcripts and medical records of various plaintiffs. Prepare clients request or answers to request for production, request for admissions, and requests for interrogatories. Prepare and update numerous plaintiff charts regarding work history, smoking history, exposure and medical history. Assist with trial preparation regarding all case documents, records, and notebooks for scheduled trial date. Perform background research regarding various plaintiffs, witnesses, and other parties related to active litigation. Maintain and enter billing for any case related work. Harris County Justice Information Management System (JIMS) and PACER system use.

Litigation Paralegal February 2003- November 2003

BREWER & PRITCHARD, P.C. –Houston, Texas

Involved in various stages of commercial litigation disputes both as a plaintiff and defendant.

Cases include defamation, breach of contract, and wrongful death. Review deposition transcripts and prepare related deposition summary. Prepare client answers to request for production, request for admissions, and requests for interrogatories. Familiar with various procedures regarding motions and court setting in the following courts: District court, County court, and Federal court. Prepare and confirm of all scheduled deposition and deposition notices. Review time sensitive documents (docket control orders, requests for discovery, and trial settings) for calendaring. Conduct background checks and prepare written reports related to any findings. Conduct courthouse research regarding retrieval of archived documents and documents related to active case files. Communicate with opposing counsel and co-defendants involved in active litigation. Maintain and enter billing for any case related work. Harris County Justice Information Management System (JIMS-Civil & Criminal) and PACER system use.

Asbestos Paralegal July 2002-February 2003

GALLOWAY, JOHNSON, TOMPKINS, BURR, & SMITH, P.C. –Houston, Texas

Review all plaintiff original and amended petitions for new defendants or new plaintiffs’. Prepare defendant’s original answer and amended answers accordingly. Review files for no evidence motion for summary judgment/Statue of limitation issues. Prepare pre-trial filings and requests for discovery. Communicate and confirm all hearings, depositions, and trial times and dates with both plaintiff and co-defense counsel. Edit and File any pre-trial/trial motions (motions for continuance, motions to sever, motion for summary judgment and related non-suits). Review all incoming discovery for work history, smoking history, medical records, etc. and updating of case database.

Asbestos Paralegal August 2001-July 2002

POWERS & FROST, L.L.P. –Houston, Texas

Prepare asbestos trial work-up (i.e. trial notebooks, obtain witness affidavits, medical and employee records). Review case file for completion of plaintiffs’ deposition. Confirm that defendants’ were properly served with original and amended petitions, and distinguish premise defendants from product defendants. Responsibilities included entering plaintiff master discovery information into access database. Prepare defendants’ supplemental responses for request for interrogatories, and notices for depositions and /or oral hearings. Responsibilities also include retrieval of plaintiff master discovery and supplemental discovery for scheduled depositions. Maintain that all deposition transcripts and medical records have been properly summarized. Maintain and enter billing for any case related work. Communicate and confirm all hearings, depositions, and trial times and dates with both plaintiff and co-defense counsel. Edit and File any pre-trial/trial motions (motions for continuance, motions to sever, motion for summary judgment and related non-suits).

Asbestos Legal Assistant, September 2000-July 2001

BROWN MCCARROLL, L.L.P. –Houston, Texas

Assist deposition coordinator with scheduling of weekly depositions. Primary responsibilities include retrieval of plaintiff interrogatories, work history, social security printouts, and other materials related to particular deposition. Organize and forward all discovery and notices for weekly depositions to attending attorney. Maintain and enter all billing for any preparation related to weekly depositions schedule. Serve as communications liaison between a number of other plaintiffs and defendant’s counsel.

Legal Assistant, June 1999-September 2000

CRAIN, CATON, & JAMES, P.C. –Houston, Texas

Cases primarily involved Probate Matters (Wills & Estates). Responsibilities include editing and proofing application for attorney’s fees, and order. Following through with court filing of application and order. Manage and organize client pleading and correspondence files. Prepare trial notebooks, exhibit boards, and miscellaneous firm errands.

Judgment Clerk & Litigation Researcher; February 1996 -June 1999

LINEBARGER, HEARD, GOGGAN, BLAIR, GRAHAM, PENA, L.L.P. –Houston, Texas

Judgment clerk position included responsibility for retrieving and producing court dockets. Verify the correct taxing jurisdictions have intervened in plaintiff lawsuits. Prepare an outline that reflects all lawsuits ready for final judgment. Obtain and certify tax statement for any accounts that are set for upcoming court docket. Edit and proofread each judgement before having attorney sign any final or default judgments.

Litigation Researcher required research to locate current address information on defendants involved in property tax lawsuits. Handle any citation service issues, in which a defendant is avoiding service (Rule 106 Affidavits/ Rule 103 Affidavits) or citations that were never returned from constable’s office and need to have citation reissued. Code in answers and disclaimers filed by defendants. Assist taxpayers with delinquent property tax issues that are involved in pending litigation Resources for research: Texas driver license, Texas Motor Vehicle, Voter Registration, Corporate Searches, Phone Disc, Marriage license, and JIMS (Justice Information Management System)

General Office Clerk/ Public Finance Section; May 1993-August 1996

VINSON & ELKINS, L.L.P. – Houston, Texas

Assist with bond closing projects and facilitated their completion through follow-up with partners, associates, and others involved. Analyze, critique, and edit client billing data and other correspondence. Retrieve and copy legal cases for attorney use.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE 1993-1996; 2000

COMPUTER SKILLS

Corel WP6.0, 7.0 and 8.0 (Windows), MS Word 7.0, MS Outlook 2000, Macintosh 3.0 (Windows), Juris (Timekeeping), Carpe Diem (Timekeeping), Abacus (Calendar), Enterprise Timekeeing), Imange ‘95/ Windows ’98, Microsoft Word, facsimile, copy machine, and document scan.

References available upon request

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