Litigation Paralegal & Employment Law Specialist

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Parris Watts

601-***-**** ********@*******.***

EDUCATION

Texas A&M University School of Law, Fort Worth, TX Master of Legal Studies with an emphasis in Human Resources & Employment Law, Degree Conferred December 14, 2023. The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS (Honors) Bachelor of Arts Degrees in both History and Legal Studies, May 2021 Government Association

Pre-Law Society

Top 10% of History Majors in the Program

Recruitment Chair for Transfer Students Association CSA Fellowship Committee Chair

Served as a member of the Judicial Board; handled student appeals of the university policy and helped interpret the school' s SGA constitution. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Litigation Paralegal

Richard Schwartz & Associates, P.A. Septembe

Responsible for making sure that the cases flow smoothly. ndar up to date and added reminders for upcoming

deadlines, meetings, mediations, depositions, trials, etc. Managed my case load and kept a plethora of cases organized and up to date. Drafted legal documents and letters.

Started and completed discovery.

Filed pleadings with the courts.

Kept detailed notes about all information or correspondence received regarding a case.

Prepared binders for mediation and depositions with the necessary documents and detailed indexes.

Used case management software to work cases. (Ex. GrowPath, Eve Legal 2

Software, & DocuWare)

Corresponded with experts and obtained their reports and invoices. Corresponded with the clients, on a monthly basis, regarding their case status. Corresponded with subrogation companies, insurance companies, legal finance companies, and medical facilities.

Corresponded with other paralegals and legal support staff at other law firms and entities regarding the status of a case or to obtain information. ttlement checks and mailed checks to lien holders. Also explained the breakdown of how their funds were distributed. Provided monthly case status reports with updates to my superior. Reviewed medical records to obtain information for discovery. Verified balances and requested documentation regarding balances. Responsible for receiving and sending mail related to the cases and also responsible for mailing documents overnight to clients or businesses. Claims Assistant

Richard Schwartz & Associates, P.A. March 4, 20

Responsible for assisting the Claims Administrator in processing and settling cases.

Corresponded with insurance companies to send out demands and provide case status updates to the insurance adjusters.

Obtained information from clients and updating clients regarding their case status.

Kept detailed notes in GrowPath regarding case updates and correspondence received.

Indexed mail and notified the adjuster of any important correspondence like settlement offers.

Drafted, created, and edited Demand letters and other correspondence letters that were sent to insurance companies.

Disbursed settlement checks to clients and explained the breakdown of how their funds were distributed.

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Assistant Deputy Clerk of Appellate Courts

Assigned to the Motions team

Responsible for creating, processing, and reviewing motions, pleadings, and documents filed by attorneys, and other legal documents filed with the State Supreme Court.

Granted extensions of time for the attorneys to file their briefs, responses, and motions.

Created new cases that are petitioning to go before the Appellate Courts. Created and processed cases for Interlocutory Appeals Responsible for Granting, processing, reviewing, and submitting court pleadings to the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. Corresponded with judges and legal staff members regarding the status of certain motions or response requests.

Called the lower courts and spoke with their court administrators & the writ of mandamuses we sent to them.

Judicial Intern for Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge Conducted legal research for the Judge and Law Clerks on current cases before the Appellate Court.

Analyzed court opinions, statutes, and many other primary and secondary legal sources to draft legal memorandums addressing certain issues that were brought forth on appeal, to assist the staff with drafting opinions and decisions.

, records, attachments, exhibits, and

other supporting documents contained within case files. Reviewed and edited drafts of legal opinions, and emails drafted by the Judicial Law Clerks.

Helped the Judge prepare for Oral Argument by researching statutes, questions, issues, and reporting my findings to the judge. Attended Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Oral Arguments. Law Clerk

Brown, Bass, & Jeter, PLLC

Conducted Legal Research and drafted legal memoranda. Conducted initial intake of potential clients.

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Traveled to Federal and State Courthouses to obtain or deliver documents to the court clerk on the behalf of the attorneys. Drafted deposition Summaries, research memoranda, and case file summaries. Corresponded with clients regarding their cases and forwarded their information or questions to the proper attorney.

Legal Intern

The Jones Law Firm

Drafted complaints, discoveries, correspondence letters, answers, and interrogatories.

Filed documents on MEC (Mississippi Electronic Courts system) Constructed trial binders for local court cases and State Supreme Court cases.

Prepared files for trial and docket call and organized bankruptcy materials for filing.

Research Assistant

Worked as a research assistant on the Civil War and Reconstruction Governors of Mississippi project. This major project was done in conjunction with the University of Southern Missi

History and Archives.

Created metadata for historical documents.

Transcribed letters to Mississippi Governors in the 1860s. Created enhanced subject tags for information within transcriptions. Legal Intern

Brown, Bass, and Jeter, PLLC Summers of 2018 & 2019 Transported documents to the courthouse for filling. Constructed trial binders for the attorneys, constructed indexes for the client's files.

Attended depositions and Court Proceedings with the Attorneys. PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

Proficient in all Microsoft Office Applications

Proficient in using GrowPath, DocuWare, and Eve Legal Software systems Proficient in using Acadia for Appellate Case and Docket Information Application

MEC (Mississippi Electronic Courts System)

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Clerks and Motions Modules via CITs

Familiar with Filevine software

Familiar with the Banner information system

Risk Management and Conflict Management Training

Trained as a University and Community College Student Recruiter. Trained to assist students with the Admissions, Financial aid, and Orientation process.

65 WPM

LANGUAGES

PAST AWARDS AND ACCOLADES RECEIVED

Presidential Scholarship to USM, 2019

MGCCC Hall of Fame, 2019

Sophomore Class President, 2019

Student Government Association (Judicial Board)

(chosen by instructors and professors at

MGCCC)

CSA President

1st place winner in the National Bar Association's Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Essay and Oratorical Competition for Region V. (Mississippi, Louisiana, & Texas) 2016, 2017

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Rankin and Stone County Food Pantries

Volunteered with Judicial and Legislative Campaign Efforts Highway clean up service event

Highschool Confirmation Retreat Volunteer

Stewpot Ministries

Volunteered to help distribute water to those in need during a water crisis and shortage

Taught Vacation Bible School to the Youth

Youth Sunday School teacher & responsible for the Youth Choir

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