By Zachary Westmoreland In my experience working with estate planning, estate administration, and real estate attorneys, I have found that the discussion and use of Lady Bird Deeds, also known as Enhanced Life Estate Deeds, often divides practitioners in North Carolina. Some attorneys use them regularly and view them as effective tools for estate or […]
By Sarah L. White The holidays are about more than finding the perfect gift or recipe, hanging decorations, or counting down the days until time off. They are about connection, gratitude, and community — and for that, we celebrate each of you. As a Division family, we are here to support one another, to celebrate […]
By Johana Sanchez Every paralegal learns about confidentiality, avoiding conflicts of interest, and never giving legal advice. These are the non-negotiables that keep our legal system fair and our clients protected. But beyond these, each of us brings something extra to the table—our own sense of right and wrong, the values we learned growing up, […]
A Career Rooted in Growth: From Law Firms to Fortune 500s and Everything in Between By Lakisha Chichester Yolanda Smith is a paralegal extraordinaire. Her paralegal career spans more than 25 years across law firms, state government, a university and Fortune 500 corporate legal departments. In 1997, she began her paralegal career by working for […]
By Bonnie Keen Work-life balance was the number one reason I began to think about the concept of being a freelance paralegal. At the time, I wasn’t even sure if it was a thing. After doing some research, I found a few people who had already started their businesses, and I was glad to know […]
By Lakisha Chichester The Calm at the Center of a Global Legal Team A Career with Depth and Heart Sarah Maha began her career path at Meredith College in the Legal Assistant Program in Raleigh. After completing the program, she gained invaluable experience at a small law firm in Sarasota, Florida, where she wore many […]
By Sarah L. White Greetings, my fellow Paralegal Division members, and welcome to the 2025-2026 bar year! I have the privilege of serving as your Paralegal Division Chair and am excited for the year to come. I would like to take some time to discuss our theme for the year and highlight some of the […]
By Lakisha Chichester From the Courthouse to the Client’s Corner: A Seamless Shift After more than three decades of service in the Clerk of Court’s Office, Bernice Kendall was poised for retirement. But just one hour into her newfound freedom, a phone call changed everything. A local attorney reached out with an offer: join his […]
By Melissa Burhenne As paralegals, we do not get to choose whether we are OK with change or not. We have to adapt, roll with the punches, and somehow keep things moving, regardless of what is going on around us. 2020 changed many things in our legal world, but we learned from that time. For […]
By Lakisha Chichester Brett Cosgrove is a litigation paralegal with almost 30 years of experience in personal injury, medical malpractice and complex civil litigation. She has two children and six grandchildren who live in different parts of the country. Outside of work, Brett enjoys hiking, reading, cooking and baking, traveling in their RV, and spending […]