CYNTHIA MEJIAS

**** **** ****** *, *********, FL 941/565-2837 adto89@r.postjobfree.com

EXPERIENCED BILINGUAL LEGAL ASSISTANT

Highly organized candidate with extensive experience in office administration and college education in paralegal studies. Reputation for maintaining and processing client records, files and legal documents in a highly organized, efficient and precise manner. Thorough and detail-oriented with a demonstrated commitment to excellence. Ethics oriented working style; known for exercising discretion and maintaining confidentiality. Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment through advanced multi-tasking skills.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Typing (95 wpm); Speedwriting (80 wpm); Bilingual (Spanish/English); Notary Public; Statistical and Technical Typing Skills; Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, Access); Word Perfect; Adobe Acrobat Pro; Appointment Plus software; Quick Books 2018; Birth One Call software (Sunshine 811); PrimeGroup Insurance Software; Manatee County Online Permit software; JACS and JAWS eScheduling; U.S. District Court’s PACER (electronic court records); FL courts eFiling; NADN (FL mediators calendar); Tabs3 software; Chromeriver Expense; Litify (Document Management Portal); Esquire Depo Solutions Scheduling; FedEx Software; Sharefile (access docs/share data); Carina software; Smokeball (Document Management Portal).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Quintairos, Prieto, Wood &Boyer, PA (Tampa, FL) 09/21- 05/22

Legal Assistant

Assisted attorney in the timely drafting and e-filing of legal documents including standardized letters, drafting of discovery requests (RFP, interrogatories, RFA), preparing, drafting, and formatting motions, subpoenas and applicable filings;

Assisted attorney in preparing and e-filing Civil Remedy Notice with FLDFS. Provided insurance adjuster with updates of CRN response prior to e-filing final response with FLDFS and opposing counsel;

Maintained calendar for filing deadlines, conference calls, meetings, mediations, depositions, hearings, court deadlines, and trial orders;

Established and maintained list of adjusters for insurance company;

Organized trial preparation and support including witness lists, exhibits and trial binders

Coordinated meetings with insurance adjusters, experts, and other attorneys;

Communicated heavily with clients via email and Carina software to prepare pleadings for filing, coordinating depositions dates and schedule property inspections, and obtain approval on payment of invoices;

Interacted daily with court, counsel, and others;

Prepared closing documents for settled claims;

Billing incoming/outgoing pleadings and correspondence;

Processed all invoices using Chromeriver software;

Monitored files and escalated issues requiring attorney involvement. Performed timely handling of highly sensitive issues and materials related to case;

Law Office of William C. Price, III (Bradenton, FL) 09/20 – 09/21

Supervisor: William C. Price, III

Legal Assistant

Assisted attorney in the timely drafting and efiling of legal documents and correspondence; supporting case preparation for court appearances, hearings, depositions, trials, and meetings; maintained attorney’s manual and electronic calendar;

Setup and efficiently maintained files, timelines, medical records, scheduled depositions, mediations;

Screened calls, scheduled appointments, maintained paper/electronic files and prepared written correspondence, mechanic’s lien, settlement agreements, releases, contracts, declarations, quitclaim deeds; maintained a comprehensive and current case list for attorneys; ensured attorney and clients were informed of case status, as well as, calendared and important dates;

Served as bilingual translator for attorney; prepared and translated documents and letters from English to Spanish;

Knowledge of family law rules of civil procedure, preparation of pleadings, court calendaring, correspondence, and e-filing;

Interacted daily with clients, court personnel, judicial assistants, probation officers, mediators, and attorneys; worked closely with clients to gather and organize supporting documentation; responded and resolved promptly to customer’s inquiries and complaints by phone, emails, or in person;

Processed all customer payments, scanned payment receipt and sent to customer via e-mail;

In charge of registering with various courts in different counties, including: Brevard, Hillsborough, Lee, Charlotte, DeSoto, CJIS (state attorney’s document review), DOAH, Divisions of Corporations, U.S. District Court (PACER), Highland, CIP Portal, Manatee Sheriff’s Records Request, Citrus, Hendry, Collier and Pinellas.

Worked in the following legal areas: family law (dissolution of marriage, child support, domestic violence, dependency, paternity, and adoption), civil law, code enforcement, commercial tenancy, construction contracts, criminal/traffic, ejectments, driver license issues, evictions, licensing issues, professional liability, real estate, record expungement and sealing, corporate, litigation, small claims, zoning and planning code enforcement.

Law Office of Dana J. Watts (Sarasota, FL) 05/8/20 – 09/21

Supervisor: Dana J. Watts

Legal Assistant

Updated and maintained internal database; prepared, organized, and filed documents and correspondence; prepared and filed all court documents via FL courts e-filing; corresponded with and obtained information from clients; fulfilled service requirements, issuing subpoenas, and filling out court forms;

Drafted discovery responses, prepared witness and exhibit lists, and motions;

Drafted mediation forms, opened file, assigned mediation number, and interacted with attorneys and legal assistant to schedule mediations;

Maintained NADN mediation calendar up-to-date;

Prepared estate planning documents such as wills, power of attorney documents and documents associated with guardianships and conservatorships.

Obtained and prepared corporate documents, including authorization of the applicable parties to purchase/sell; filed annual reports on behalf of corporate clients

Entered attorney’s time and processed all billing statements using Tabs3 software;

Interacted with attorneys and judge’s judicial assistant re: scheduling hearings via Zoom.

Arrow Fence Systems, Inc. (Bradenton, FL) 09/16 – 10/19

Supervisor: Raul Bizarro 941-***-****

Office Assistant

Prepared, maintained, and processed building permits with proper municipality; prepared locates to locate utilities; scheduled appointments for all salesmen; maintained company insurance with all municipality up-to-date; requested certificate of insurance for customers;

Kept company municipality applications up-to-date;

Processed all payments for customers and walk-in customers, vendors, etc.; assisted all walk-in customers with material orders;

Assisted new customers with completing contracts, obtaining down payments, and processed all payments;

Opened all new files, prepared invoices, and sales orders; prepared, gathered and scanned documents to apply for Manatee county building permits;

Prepared and finalized contractor’s final payment affidavit; processed all customer payments, scanned payment receipt and sent to customer via e-mail;

Assisted general manager with new proposals, letters, and other miscellaneous request.

Unidad Progresso (Bradenton, FL) 12/08 – 09/2016

Self-Employed

Paralegal Contractor

Drafted and translated legal documents, interpreting services, assisted in drafting simplified divorce documentation and income tax preparation.

Performed consumer advocacy services such as drafting letters, phone calls, offering referrals, bilingual translator at medical appointments, court, job training, etc.

Preparing resumes, assisting with job searches and online employment applications.

Igler & Dougherty, P.A. (Tampa, FL) 07/03 – 11/08

Supervisor: James Quinlan, Esquire 813-***-****

Corporate Legal Assistant/Office Manager

Managed the everyday functions of the Tampa office’s Corporate and Bank divisions.

Drafted administrative assistant’s job requirements, advertised open positions with local universities, local headhunters and newspapers.

Maintained Tampa office daily calendar for the corporate attorney and all bank consultants.

Responsible for all traveling arrangements and telephone interaction with clients.

Spector, Foyle & Singer (Tampa, FL) 04/01 – 06/03

Supervisor: Gilbert Singer, Esquire 813-***-****

Collection Specialist/Legal Assistant

Collaborated with collections to obtain documentation pertaining to the status of more than 50 weekly referred collection cases forwarded to the legal department.

Prepared complaints, summons, final judgments, stipulations of payments, stipulation of dismissal, wage and bank garnishments, arrest orders, depositions, contempt orders and bankruptcy proof of claims.

Interacted with court clerks, judicial assistants, attorneys, clients, and debtors.

Attended depositions for Spanish speaking clients, attended monthly meetings and assisted in computer training classes for all secretaries.

CARLTON FIELDS (Tampa, FL) 06/00 – 04/01

Supervisor: Keith Stephens, Esquire 813-***-****

Intellectual Property Secretary

Worked for one IP Patent Attorney and one IP Litigation Attorney, preparing patent and trademark applications for filing with USPTO.

Prepared formal papers to clients including power of attorneys, certificates of mailing, verifying statements, declarations, patent application transmittal sheets and original assignments.

Entered attorney time; prepared letters to clients mailing; filing receipts and notices of recordation.

Assisted attorneys in applying for USPTO online electronic filing software by obtaining all necessary security codes and software from USPTO.

DECHERT, LLP (New York, NY) 12/97 – 06/00

Supervisor: Human Resources 212-***-****

Legal Secretarial Floater/Word Processor

Daily secretarial responsibilities, including word-processing, special projects and assisting with computer software problems.

Worked in the following legal areas: real estate, corporate, patent/trademark, personal injury, worker’s compensation, bankruptcy and litigation.

LAW OFFICES OF LAZAR LOWINGER, J.D. (Newton, MA) 06/94 – 12/97

Supervisor: Lazar Lowinger, Esquire 617-***-****

Legal Assistant/Office Manager

Assisted attorney in the timely drafting and filing of legal documents, correspondence, and supporting case preparation for court appearance, hearings, depositions, trials, and meetings;

Provided litigation support in a variety of cases;

Knowledge of family law rules of civil procedure, preparation of pleadings, court calendaring, correspondence, and e-filing

Assisted in preparing and filing non-immigrant visa petitions, drafted letters and responses to RFE; monitored deadlines, updated and reporting case;

Maintained and monitored immigration court rules, procedures and filing fees;

Assisted in daily client interactions and case management, worked closely with clients to gather and organize supporting documentation;

Prepared motions, contracts, and agreements;

Served as Spanish/English translator and interpreter.

Attorney Lowinger’s practice areas included: criminal law, family law, immigration law, litigation, personal injury, and worker’s compensation.

EDUCATION

A.S. Criminal Justice Program, Everest University

(S. Orlando, FL), January 2014

Certificate of Completion Paralegal Studies, Northeastern University,

(Boston, MA), 1992

A.S. Legal Secretarial Program, Baystate Jr. College

(Boston, MA), 1986

ACTIVITIES/VOLUNTEER WORK

Manatee County Supervisor of Elections (Clerk – Precinct 417)

(Bradenton, FL), 2015 – Present

CASA Volunteer (CASA Program)

(Tampa, FL), 2003

Guardian Ad Litem (CASA Program)

(Boston, MA), 1992

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