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 law firm as a paralegal.

“I didn’t have a post-retirement plan, no real hobby, and he caught me before I got too comfortable,” Bernice says. She took the month of May to herself, but by June, she was back at it, this time on the private practice side of estate administration. That was eight years ago.

Tech-Savvy and Task-Oriented

Bernice’s extensive experience at the clerk’s office didn’t just prepare her for the transition; it gave her a distinct advantage. She understood what the court expected from estate filings because she had once been the one reviewing them. Working primarily in estate administration at Trusts and Estates Law Group (formerly Brady Cobin Law Group), Bernice’s knowledge and experience has been key in reducing rejections and streamlining processes.

She manages up to 60 open matters at a time. It may sound daunting, but with tools like Clio and Microsoft Teams, she handles the caseload with remarkable precision. She uses time-blocking techniques, including daily “focus time,” to prioritize tasks, keep filings on track, and ensure no detail is overlooked. I can be remote and still function exactly as I would in the office.”

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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 time with her husband and their Rottweiler, Veruca.

A Purposeful Path to the Law

Brett Cosgrove didn’t begin her career in law, but once she discovered it, she never looked back. While living in Arizona, Brett spent several years working in operations for a cable-locating company, where she traveled extensively across the country setting up offices and working in the field. Though the job was steady, she knew it wasn’t her long-term path.

A conversation with a friend who was an accountant sparked her interest in the legal profession. Inspired and curious, Brett enrolled in night classes to earn her associate’s degree in paralegal studies and took a part-time position with a sole practitioner assisting his paralegal, all while continuing to work her full-time position with the cable-locating company.

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By Rachel L. Royal

Paralegal Pro Bono Reporting is open in NC! Four years ago, the NC Pro Bono Resource Center began recognizing paralegals for their valuable pro bono contributions through voluntary reporting with the Paralegal Pro Bono Honor Society.

This year, for the first time, NC Certified Paralegals can submit their pro bono hours through the NC State Bar’s paralegal recertification process. Simply log into the portal and complete the application for recertification, entering your pro bono hours for 2024, when prompted.

Paralegals who are not NCCPs but who practice in the state of North Carolina and completed pro bono work in 2024 can use the Individual Paralegal Pro Bono Reporting Form to submit their hours before June 30.

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By Lakisha Chichester

Forging an Unconventional Path

Savannah Croxton-Zweigart didn’t set out to work in the legal field. With a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (“UNCW”), she envisioned a future in music therapy. But life had other plans. A severe case of temporomandibular joint (“TMJ”) disorder forced her to stop playing her instrument, upending her career aspirations. That unexpected shift led her to discover an entirely new passion.

Discovering a New Passion

After graduating from UNCW in 2016, Savannah moved to Raleigh to be with her husband. Like many recent graduates, she set out to find her first “real” job, eventually landing a position as a legal assistant at a workers’ compensation and social security disability firm. While law hadn’t been on her radar, she quickly found herself drawn to the field, appreciating the fast pace, problem-solving, and, most importantly, the opportunity to help people in meaningful ways.

Encouraged by her supervising paralegal, Savannah enrolled in the Meredith College Paralegal Program. She completed the program in 2018, earned her North Carolina Certified Paralegal (“NCCP”) designation, and realized she wanted to go even further. That same year, she took the LSAT and enrolled in North Carolina Central University (“NCCU”) School of Law, all while continuing to work full-time.

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