Paralegal/Administrator/Compliance/Financial Services

DEBRA McGILL

***** *. **** ***** / ********, AZ *5304

602-***-**** / **************@***.***

EXPERIENCE / Legal

June 2019 to present: CSAA Insurance Group/NELSON & SULLIVAN / Phoenix, AZ

Paralegal – Personal Injury Litigation: Short-term contract position working with in-house counsel for CSAA Insurance. Various tasks include working with all parties to schedule meetings, depositions, hearings, along with preparing appropriate notices plus preparation for same. Review and respond to incoming correspondence. Analyze discovery responses received and calendar litigation and incoming and outgoing discovery deadlines. Prepare discovery responses and organize exhibits for responses, depositions, hearings, arbitrations, and trials. Prepare and e-file court documents. Work with TeamConnect to manage case files and assure accurate calendaring.

November 2018 to March 2019: AMERICAN EXPRESS / Phoenix, AZ

Compliance Analyst – Financial Intelligence Unit: Short-term contract position. Assigned to AMEX Financial Intelligence Unit, providing support and oversight of global financial crimes investigations. Utilize internal and external research resources and regular screening to investigate potentially suspicious financial activity and manage risk associated with politically exposed persons and persons and entities on core sanctions and risk lists. The FIU records and maintains critical data ensuring that client complies with all applicable laws and regulations, and provides law enforcement with key information for the investigation and prosecution of money laundering and terrorist financing, credit card fraud, identity theft, and other criminal activity.

March 2018 to October 2018: HOUSE CALL MEDICAL GROUP / Scottsdale, AZ

Director of Administration/Legal Consultant: Short-term contract position with a start-up medical group to launch a mobile primary care practice. Drafted all non-disclosure, partnership, and employment agreements, plus all leasing and vendor contracts, and all documents legally required to facilitate the opening of this company. Acted as the company’s Compliance Officer and handled credentialing for medical staff.; drafted the company's policies and manual and employee handbook. Participated in personnel recruiting and consulted with benefits and payroll vendors, then provided all information necessary to establish benefits for the company's employees. Engaged in research for selection of company's electronic medical records (EMR) and billing system. After completing required courses, was responsible for training staff on the EMR system and serve as point person for all inquiries. Various day-to-day responsibilities included procurement, inventory control for required medical and office supplies, and acting as chief contact for all personnel and outside contacts/vendors with company-related questions or issues.

June 2012 to February 2018: ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE / Phoenix, AZ

Senior Legal Assistant: Assigned to Consumer Protection and Advocacy / Civil Litigation Unit. Assist consumers claiming violations in mortgage process or requesting help with checking or credit account issues at banking institutions. Maintain contact with consumers, attorneys and banks during process wherein consumer complaints are reviewed and, if necessary, escalated to appropriate area within bank requesting review of and response to complaint issues. Perform extensive research into possible violations claimed by consumers. Attained extensive working knowledge of mortgage and banking law, and guidelines implemented by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Review and interpret contracts/agreements/loan documents to determine if parties are appropriately performing, or in the case of loss mitigation, if there are areas which can be renegotiated to allow for retention of properties by consumers. Attend various educational and community outreach events to bring knowledge and assistance to consumers in difficult mortgage-related situations. Also work with various litigation teams to investigate complaints of consumers who are victims of violations of the Consumer Fraud Act. Investigation process includes complainant and violator interviews plus examination of consumer’s documentation as well as discovery of violator’s documentation. Research is done to verify complaint and establish if there are other occurrences of this or similar complaints both within the state and nationally. Potential violators are contacted and their responses reviewed. We work toward resolution of consumer issues, restitution, if possible, ending fraudulent business schemes and scams perpetrated on our citizens, and halting unauthorized and deceptive business practices. In cases where resolution cannot be reached, our office pursues legal action within the court system through the typical civil litigation process. Much of our work is done in conjunction with other Attorney General’s offices throughout the country, in sometimes massive multi-state litigations, where issues are of national interest. I have recently finalized a three-year project (National Mortgage Settlement) discovering and eliminating fraud in the servicing of mortgage loans in banking institutions countrywide.

March 2014 to November 2016: LAW OFFICE OF BRENT PEUGNET / Peoria, AZ

Paralegal – Personal Injury Litigation: Part-time/contract position assisting sole practitioner with personal injury law practice. Drafted demand letters, requests for production, requests for admissions, and interrogatories, and prepared responses to same upon receipt. Organized and maintained case files and reviewed all case documents including police reports, witness statements, expert reports and medical records received from multiple sources. Reviewed and analyzed all medical records to prepare case assessment.

February 2012 to June 2012: CAVANAGH LAW FIRM / Phoenix, AZ

Senior Paralegal: Short-term assignment assisting in the Family Law section. Position responsibilities included file review for drafting of disclosure statements, requests/responses to requests for production and interrogatories. Worked with clients to obtain documents and information regarding disclosure and discovery. Analyzed documents, pleadings/discovery, depositions, etc. to designate and prepare hearing and trial exhibits. Organized same for submission to court and opposing counsel. Reviewed all incoming correspondence, emails, and filings to monitor and track current case activity and calendar upcoming case-related meetings, court appearances, filing deadlines, etc. Prepared for and attended all case-related hearings and trials.

June 2010 to November 2011: AZ REGISTRAR OF CONTRACTORS / Phoenix, AZ

Paralegal: Assigned to ROC Recovery Fund to analyze and evaluate merits of administrative and civil claims. Investigated claims to ascertain if statutory guidelines for Fund awards were met and then determined damage awards. Assignments included responding to claim-related inquiries from contractors, claimants and attorneys, prepared damage calculations, document requests, notices of ineligibility or rejection and good faith offers. Worked with Asst. Director and Recovery Fund Administrator to address and interpret statutes and navigate scenarios which arose during Fund claim reviews. When this assignment was completed, assisted the Compliance and Inspections Unit. This work included evaluation and assignment of newly submitted complaints and assisting ROC inspectors, contractors

and consumers throughout the complaint process. Met regularly with Assistant Chief to determine management of complaints on ROC licensees. Complaints involved various issues including fraud, construction defect, licensing, etc. Reviewed and classified supporting claim documents, court filings and incoming correspondence. Assisted with preparation and service of citations related to Office of Administrative Hearings. This was a temporary/contract position which ended upon completion of assignment.

June 1990 to October 2004: LEWIS AND ROCA / Phoenix, AZ

Paralegal: Practice areas included all areas of Litigation (including Civil, Criminal, Labor and Employment, Environmental, Insurance Defense, Personal Injury and Securities), Post-conviction Relief, Construction, Immigration, Real Estate and Contracts, Bankruptcy, and Family Law. Created and maintained viable control systems for court filings, documents, correspondence, memoranda, etc. Reviewed and verified all case research and investigation. Assignments included obtaining documents from administrative agencies, adversaries and third-parties and researching, interviewing and preparation of expert witnesses. Prepared, responded to and analyzed all case pleadings. Responsible for drafting research memoranda, investigative reports, case correspondence and fee applications. Practiced in state, federal, bankruptcy court systems, and before administrative agencies such as AAA, OAH and NASD. Caseload included breach of contract cases, products liability, insurance defense, large-scale, document intensive civil and commercial litigations, immigration matters, appeals, construction litigations and criminal matters including post-conviction relief proceedings for death penalty sentences. Handled employee discrimination and breach of contract issues. Managed voluminous bankruptcy filings for several clients with extensive business portfolios. Handled personal injury and sick-building syndrome cases which involved a considerable amount of medical record review and claim examination. Worked on family law matters, i.e., assisting with drafting of petitions for divorce and custody modifications. Employed alternative dispute resolutions by assisting firm’s mediator meeting with parties to settle discrepancies re divorce and custody issues. Managed class actions and multi-party environmental litigations. Worked on construction industry court actions, hearings and arbitrations.

EXPERIENCE / Administrative – Financial Services

November 2004 to May 2012: AMERICAN MORTGAGE / Glendale, AZ

Compliance/Office Administrator: Performed all functions of the office manager including staffing, payroll, benefits, HR issues, training and supervision, reviewing and processing incoming correspondence and calendaring. Worked with prospective real estate investors and home buyers seeking financing for houses, land, buildings, etc. Processed loans; performed credit checks, bank, residential and employment verifications, secured and coordinated all documentation/stipulations required for submission to underwriters and title companies. Attended client meetings to track information and documents submitted for preparation of loan packages. Managed compliance matters and document retention/archiving policies. Position also included research at city, state or other agencies when issues were raised in the underwriting process.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

-Member of Parent Advocacy Committee for Joy Christian High School/Community Church of Joy

-Member of Fine Arts Committee for Joy Christian School - establishing programs / structuring guidelines

-Member of Arizona Association of Professional Paralegals (AzAPP)

---Elected to Board of Directors for nine consecutive years

-Member of National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA)

---Acted as a primary in hosting of national convention during tenure on AzAPP Board of Directors

--Owner/Director of The Rainbow Kids, Inc., a musical youth performing group (Jan 2003 to present)

EDUCATION

ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY / New York, N.Y.

DEGREE: Criminal Justice (Minors: Management/Marketing)

PARALEGAL INSTITUTE / New York, N.Y.

CERTIFICATION: Paralegal Studies (specialized coursework in Litigation, Appeals,

Family Law, Real Estate/Construction, Criminal, Corporate/Contracts, Bankruptcy,

Labor & Employment, Trust & Estates, Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Tax,

Health Care Law and Legal Research)

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook

Information, time, and document management tools: Adobe Pro, Team Connect, Workday, Legal Files, Vista,

Share Point, EverLaw, CaseMap, Courtlink, Relativity, Access, TrialDirector, Summation, iManage, On-Base,

PC Docs, Document Director, Thoughtspan, Calyx Point, Athenanet, Bridger, CADENCE, CLEAR, Dow Jones,

MS3, Mainframe, Fieldglass, Hummingbird, Cassandra, Lexis and Westlaw;

E-file, E-Verify, faxing, scanning and various other office management tools;

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