Dori Gragg

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

Davie, FL *****

Cell: 305-***-****

Career Summary Home: (305) 677-9138________________________________________

Highly motivated and innovative administrator/supervisor/paralegal with a solid background of 5 years in a supervisory role and over 20 years of legal experience as a paralegal and litigation assistant spanning many areas of the legal field, including, but not limited to: personal injury, medical malpractice, insurance defense, domestic relations, litigation, estate planning, real estate, corporate, labor and employment law, bankruptcy, fire sprinkler, security alarm, tobacco defense, non-profit associations as well as plaintiff experience. Member of employer’s Staff Diversity Committee, promoting diversification in the workplace; Member of the Firm’s Internal Webpage Review Committee; and the Miami City Office Reporter for the Firm’s Online Internal Newspaper.

Qualifications

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• Communication.

• As a supervisor/manager, created a “workflow” instruction manual for case management of cases for utilization by paralegals, LAAs, support staff, and records personnel. Coordinates assignments between attorneys and paralegals. Created manuals instructing new users to office databases. Drafted evaluations and Corrective Action Plans for employees. Performed terminations, promotions, and the orientation, training and hiring of new personnel. Introduced new case management databases for utilization by the Miami office and conducted training.

• As an analyst/legal assistant, experience includes preparation and formulation of discovery requests, objections and responses; preparation of pleadings, including, but not limited to, Complaints, Answers, Motions to Strike/Quash; Motions to Dismiss; and Motions for Summary Judgment; de minimis research; timeline preparation; extensive medical and legal research; formulation of deposition outlines, deposition designations, plaintiff profiles, case summaries, deficiency letters, deposition and trial exhibits; expert identification and development; client and witness interviews; mock jury exercise preparation and participation; extensive deposition and trial preparation; considerable active trial participation; and large litigation cases with multi-plaintiff and defendants, involving large document management and e-discovery.

• Presentation.

• Recognized as a dynamic, creative individual whom employees, peers, attorneys and clients like to work with; takes a lead role in the involvement of her cases; and works independently with minimal supervision or instructions. Served as a guest speaker and instructor at paralegal training sessions/seminars. Self-motivated and positive role leader.

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Professional Experience

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• E-discovery and Litigation Support Experience.

• Excels in Plaintiff and Defense oriented Powerpoints for Jury Exercises.

• Effective at large document review, management and productions.

• Utilizes Summation extensively for document management in all of her cases.

• Loads and codes documents in Summation and Concordance and transcripts in Summation

• Creates notes, thoughts and ideas in deposition transcripts

• Bates-numbers documents and makes all discovery production through Summation and Concordance

• Sends documents via email through Summation to experts for review

• Utilizes CaseConect, CaseMap and TimeMap extensively for document management.

• Links documents from DM and Summation to CaseConect CaseMap.

• Sets the key issues of the case in CaseMap and links documents, testimony, individuals, etc. to the issues, including organizes objects, facts, issues and documents in CaseMap.

• Utilizes the Questions and Answer management portion of CaseMap.

• Creates case chronologies and links to TimeMap.

• Links facts and documents to create a base draft of Summary Judgments through CaseMap that is case specific.

• Runs various case reports through CaseMap.

• Solid record of achievement in investigations and legal, medical and internet research.

• Effective at statement taking and witness preparation and fact/expert witness identification.

Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP Paralegal & Paralegal Supervisor 7/2005 to Present

201 S. Biscayne Blvd

Miami, FL 33131

Phone: 816-***-****

• Duties include:

o Coordinating assignments between attorneys and paralegals to increase the Firm’s efficiency and increase the utilization of the paralegals;

o Monitoring billable and non-billable hours;

o Orientation, training, interviewing and hiring of new paralegals;

o Conducting evaluations and disciplinary sessions, including Corrective Action Plans and terminations;

o Assisting in setting salary rates and recommended staffing levels for paralegals;

o Preparing the department budget and policy directives.

o In the first 6 months as the paralegal supervisor/manager, worked with each of the paralegals to raise their monthly billable hours. For the first time since their date of hire, each of the Miami paralegals met their annual billable hour quotas.

o Working with attorneys in the proper utilization of paralegals and was instrumental in training and mentoring new associates.

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Professional Experience

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o Soliciting and offering feedback to paralegals, improving performance and morale.

o Attend trial and worked with the paralegals to understand the mechanics of a trial and train the paralegals and support staff with all duties involved in trial work.

o Organizing, analyzing and researching very complex litigation cases; e-discovery and litigation support (as described above);

o Working closely with counsel, clients and expert witnesses;

o Medical record review and summarization;

o Collection of records and documents;

o Assisting in the investigation, discovery and maintenance of large document review and organization;

o Drafting of subpoenas and pleadings;

o Composing discovery requests, objections and responses;

o Locating, identifying and working with experts to understand the dynamics of the litigation; and assists in the development of case strategy.

o Member of the Firm’s Diversity Committee, promoting diversification in the workplace.

Shamberg, Johnson & Bergman Legal Assistant 2003 – 7/2005

2600 Grand Boulevard, Suite 550

Kansas City, Missouri 64108

Phone: 816-***-****

• Duties included: organizing, analyzing and researching plaintiff medical malpractice and personal injury cases; working closely with clients, their families and expert witnesses; assisting in investigation and litigation support; presentation of exhibits; trial assistance; taking of witness statements; medical research; medical record summary.

McDowell, Smith & Buchanan Legal Assistant/Legal Secretary 1999 – 2003

605 West 47th Street

Kansas City, Missouri

Phone: 816-***-****

• Duties included: handling of various matters of cases, including plaintiff and defense medical malpractice; domestic relations; employment litigation; bankruptcy; estate planning; and non-profit organizations documents; performed the initial intake of cases; docketing; preparation of discovery; drafted pleadings; provided all aspects of litigation support; assisted in all aspects of trial preparation and witness preparation; active participation during trial, mediation and depositions.

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Professional Experience

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David Lee Wells Law Office Legal Assistant/Office Manager 1995 to 1999

320 Armour Road

North Kansas City, Missouri 64116

Phone: 816-***-****

• Duties included: personal responsibility for the case management and litigation support for over 200 active cases for a general law firm; and management responsibilities over support staff.

Education:

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University of Kansas 1981 – 1984

Lawrence, Kansas

South Slavic Languages and Literature, Psychology

University of Missouri – Kansas City 1980 - 1981

Kansas City, Missouri

Membership/Organizations

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Career Related:

• Member, Staff Diversity Committee, 2010 to Present

• Member, CityLink (internal webpage) Review Committee, 2012

• Reporter, TortReport, Miami Office, 2012

Current/Active Memberships:

• AFS-USA, Inc. (American Field Service)

o Host Parent of Thailand Exchange Student, 2012 - 2013

o Host Parent of Bolivian and Japanese Foreign Exchange Students, 2011

o Host Parent of Bolivian and Mongolian Foreign Exchange Students, 2010 - 2011

o Host Parent of Norwegian and German Foreign Exchange Students, 2009 - 2010

o Host Parent of German and a Japanese Foreign Exchange Students, 2008-2009

o Host Parent of Chinese and Spanish Foreign Exchange Students, 2007-2008

o Host Parent of Azerbaijani and Austrian Foreign Exchange Students, 2006 – 2007

• Alpha Phi Sorority, 1982 to Present [Chapter and Alumni Member]

• Beta Sigma Phi International Sorority, Member 2002 – Present

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Memberships

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Past Memberships:

• Assistance League, 1999 to 2001

• Bacchus Foundation, 2009 to 2011

• CASA Volunteer, 1999-2001 (court advocate for abused and neglected children)

• Claymont North Homeowners Associate (President 2003 – 2005)

• Chamber of Commerce, 1999-2000

• People to People, 2011

• International Visitor’s Council, 2009 to 2011

• International Relations Council, 2011

• Northgate Middle School PTA (President, 2008 – 2009)

• Oakhill Day School PTA, President 1997 – 1999 (during the accreditation years)

• Salvation Army, Bell Ringer, 2000 – 2011

• Sister Cities International, 2011

• Ran for political office – Clay County, Missouri Treasurer, 2000

• Ran for political office – Gladstone, Missouri City Council, 1999

Proficient in the following:

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• Microsoft Office, including Word and Excel, and Word Perfect

• CaseConect

• Filemaker

• Microsoft Access

• PowerPoint

• Summation

• Concordance

• CaseLogic

• CaseMap & TimeMap

• Real Legal Binder

• DB Textworks

• Recommind (SuperSearch)

• and others

References and Writing Samples Submitted Upon Request

Contact this candidate