Executive Assistant Litigation Paralegal

Norma A. Lopez-Helzer

**** ****** *******, #*****, *** Antonio, Texas 78259 * 956-***-**** * *******@*******.*** PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

April 15, 2025 – present:

Law Office of Maloney and Campolo (Personal Injury) 922 S. Alamo Street, San Antonio, Texas 78205

• Title: Litigation Paralegal

• Provide paralegal support to the attorneys.

• Draft various legal documents such as Plaintiff’s Original Petition, Requests for Discovery, Responses to Defense Requests for Discovery, Motions and Orders, Fiats, Docket Control Orders, Request for Medical Records and Billing, various correspondence letters.

• Prepare Citations of Service, and Affidavits.

• Manage and update calendars for attorneys with court hearings, deadlines, meetings with clients, expert witnesses, and depositions.

• Call clients as needed to follow up on their case status, medical treatment and to schedule meetings.

• Communicate with medical providers, insurance adjustors, opposing counsel, District Clerk’s Offices, and other parties related to the case matters as needed.

• Conduct legal research.

• Assist with travel coordination for attorneys.

• Assist with answering telephone calls.

January 20, 2009 – May 2, 2025: Department of Justice – U.S. Attorney’s Office U.S. Attorney’s Office (Sept. 24, 2023 – May 2, 2025) Northern District of Texas, 1100 Commerce Street., 3rd Floor, Dallas, Texas 214-***-****

• Title-Position-Duties: Executive Assistant and Legal Administrative Specialist

(Paralegal) since September 24, 2023, to the present.

• Exercised exclusive control over the Acting U.S. Attorney’s calendar and previously did the same for the U.S. Attorney, First Assistant USA and the Criminal Chief, for all appointments, meetings, speaking engagements, and conferences with complete authority for commitments of time. These meetings are with various local federal, state and city agency heads as well as with department heads in D.C. and federal judges. I was also able to establish the priorities of the U.S. Attorney and Senior Management members, arranged, shifted or canceled appointments as needed.

• Ensured that attendees were briefed on the matters to be considered. Arranged for space, time, and notification of participants.

• Managed and arranged scheduling of all interviews with the USA, Executive Team and Supervisors. These departments are the: civil, criminal, appellate, support staff, human resource, and administration services.

• Assisted the Senior Management Executive Team as needed and attended weekly meetings by taking notes and updating members with any relevant information.

• Reviewed of all outgoing correspondence prepared for the Acting U.S. Attorney or Executive Management team for signature, e.g., action documents, case files, legal documents, and reports.

• Compiled a variety of written material, memorandums, compose letters and reports. Such material varies in subject and format, that typically requires drafting appropriate correspondence that reflects the USA's policies and special interests. Developed, assembled material, prepared agenda memorandum, and distribute accordingly.

• Screened telephone calls and visitors for the Executive Office. Exercised independent judgment and discretion to determine the nature, purpose, and urgency of the calls.

• Dealt independently with matters addressed to the Acting USA that didnot require their personal attention.

• Assisted with case management and tracking status of cases for the Acting USA.

• Managed travel arrangements for the Acting USA and assure details of travel were within compliance with applicable travel regulations. Securing accommodations, the logistics of senior management travel, and maintaining in contact while the USA and the FAUSA were on travel status and informing him/her of important developments.

• Managed executed and tracked deadlines for projects assigned by the Acting U.S. Attorney or the Executive Team and the agency is complying.

• Organized recognition award ceremonies, office events within and outside the office

-- February 12, 2022, to September 23, 2023:

U.S. Attorney and First Assistant

Southern District of Indiana

10 W. Market Street, Ste 2100

Indianapolis, IN 46204

Office: 317-***-****

• Title-Position-Duties: Executive Assistant to the U.S. Attorney and the First Assistant U.S. Attorney

• Reviewed and managed incoming and outgoing correspondence.

• Dealt independently with matters addressed to the USA and FAUSA that do not require their personal attention. Screened telephone calls and visitors for the Executive Office. Exercised independent judgment and discretion to determine the nature, purpose, and urgency of the calls.

• Managed the USA’s and FAUSA’s calendars. In consultation with the USA and FAUSA, established priorities and coordinated, arranged, shifted, or canceled appointments and meetings. Ensured that attendees are briefed on the matters to be considered. Arranged for space, time, and notification of participants.

• Developed, assembled material, prepared agenda memorandums, and distributed new policy guidelines and reports. Assisted in Senior Management meetings. Prepared and distributed agenda to senior staff members, provided briefings and agenda materials as needed.

• Assured case certifications and Bar certifications from all AUSAs were completed, submitted, and signed by supervisors and the USA. Submitted final report to EOUSA in DC by deadlines.

• Managed and arranged scheduling of all interviews with the USA, FAUSA, Executive Team and Supervisors. Interviews arranged were for AUSAs or support staff for the different district’s departments. These departments were for the civil, criminal, appellate, support staff, human resource, and administration services.

• Maintained USA’s contact list.

• Managed travel arrangements: Hotel and airline reservations, itineraries, and vouchers.

• Managed and executed additional projects as assigned by the USA and FAUSA.

• Assisted the USA and Public Information Officer with the coordination with different federal and local agency heads for press conference.

• Title-Position-Duties: Legal Assistant from December 5, 2022, to February 11, 2023, with this same agency and office in Indianapolis, IN.

• I directly supported the Criminal Line Assistant U.S. Attorney’s (AUSAs).

• Handled case management such as drafting of complaints, indictments, responses, motions, orders, pleadings, prepared and organized documents for discovery (e-Discovery), and filing documents. Reviewed case reports, A-files, various immigration documents, and discovery documents for accuracy. Filed and managed electronic case filings through ECF.

• Scheduled meetings and maintained calendars for court hearings and deadlines for attorneys.

• Scheduled and managed logistics of debriefs with AUSAs, case agents, defense counsel and court staff.

• Assisted in trial preparation, including trial notebooks, exhibits, subpoenas, courtroom presentations, Grand Jury Coordinator, and victim/witness coordination.

• Assisted in training new AUSAs and legal assistants on office operations and procedures.

• Served as a front office receptionist and performed other job-related duties as needed.

• Assisted in the hiring process of new legal assistants, including application reviews and candidate interviews.

• On February 12, 2023, I was promoted to the position of Executive Assistant to the U.S. Attorney for this District.

• Supervisors: Zach Myers, former U.S. Attorney 650-***-****), Acting USA, John Childress

317-***-****) and Criminal Chief Nick Linders 317-***-****)

-- April 24, 2011, to December 3, 2022

U.S. Attorney and First Assistant

Southern District of Texas

11204 McPherson Road, #100A

Laredo, Texas 78245

956-***-****

• Title-Position-Duties: Legal Assistant

• Directly provided legal supported from 3 to 7 criminal line Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) as well as to OCDETF line AUSAs.

• Handled case management such as drafting of complaints, indictments, responses, motions, orders, pleadings, prepared and organized documents for discovery (e-Discovery), and filing documents. Reviewed case reports, A-files, various immigration documents, and discovery documents for accuracy. Filed and managed electronic case filings through ECF.

• Assisted in trial preparation, including trial notebooks, courtroom presentations, exhibits, subpoenas, and victim/witness coordination.

• Served as Grand Jury Coordinator.

• Scheduled meetings and maintained calendars for court hearings and deadlines for attorneys.

• Scheduled and managed logistics of debriefs with AUSAs, case agents, defense counsel and court staff.

• Assisted in training new AUSAs and legal assistants on office operations and procedures.

• Served as a front office receptionist and performed other job-related duties as needed.

• Assisted in the hiring process of new legal assistants, including application reviews and candidate interviews.

• Assisted as the branch office inventory coordinator.

• Supervisor: Mike Makens 956-***-****) and Sylvia Pena 956-***-****)

• Title-Position-Duties: Office Automation Assistant from January 20, 2009, to April 23, 2011, with this same agency and office in Laredo, Texas.

• Timekeeper, managed time, and attendance system assisted Human Resources with issues, and participated in regular audits of employee records.

• Assisted with front office duties. Answering telephone calls, receiving and registering visitors.

• Mailroom duties. Handled incoming and outgoing mail, and postage meter.

• Made travel arrangements for employees and prepared their travel vouchers.

• Ordered supplies for daily office operations and maintained records.

• Updated records in case management system and implemented case closing procedures.

• Assisted with government vehicles maintenance, inspections, and registrations.

• Reviewed government vehicle travel logs to assure that they were incompliance. July 2002 – Jan. 2006:

Law Office of Ricardo Gonzalez

3018 W. Martin Street

San Antonio, Texas 78207

(this local office has been closed)

• Position: Paralegal and Office Manager (Immigration and Personal Injury)

• Supervisor: Ricardo Gonzalez. 361-***-**** (Main office in Corpus Christi, Texas) Duties:

• One of my titles and duties for this office were that as the Immigration Paralegal. I prepared and filled out immigration forms applicable to the clients’ individual case and met with the clients to go over their cases. Requested FOIAs.

• Translated in writing, any necessary documents such as birth certificates and marriage licenses, from Spanish to English, as per required by the immigration offices.

• I assisted the attorneys in preparing various legal documents, motions, orders and exhibits for the hearings before the Immigration Courts and assisted in preparing the clients and witnesses for court and/or for their immigration interviews before an immigration interview.

• Assisted and attended with attorney at immigration court hearings with clients.

• Updated and prepared clients with their immigration court hearings either in office or through telephone conferences. Tracked the process of clients’ application with immigration offices.

• Attended immigration seminars with attorneys pertaining to changes in rules, laws, policies, and procedures.

• Requested and reviewed medical records for the personal injury clients. Kept track of their medical progress and their accruing medical expenses.

• My duties as the Office Manager were but not limited to hiring and training new hires, maintaining the attorneys’ office and court calendars and filing deadlines, accounts payables/receivables, payroll, as well as, assisted in the hiring process., ordered office supplies, assisted, and supported the office’s other legal assistant and receptionist when needed with their duties.

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Graduated from United High School, Laredo, Texas, May 1986.

• Paralegal Certificate, San Antonio Court Reporting Institute, San Antonio, Texas (1993) OTHER EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, TRAINING and AWARDS

• Proficient with Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Scheduling Assistant, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

• Proficient with Outlook, Managing Calendars, Teams, Webex

• Fluent in Spanish (speaking, writing, and reading).

• Familiar with ECF filing, (Electronic Filing), eDiscovery, NetDocs and Dropbox

• Ability to prioritize workload, multitask, work independently and as a team.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, overtime and travel as needed.

• Ability to handle sensitive matters, case files and maintain confidentiality.

• Office event planning and coordination.

• Criminal Discovery and trial presentation trainings at the DOJ’s National Advocacy Center

• 2022 U.S. Attorney’s Award, Southern District of Texas.

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