Why does the word “no,” a two-letter, concise word, carry such a heavy weight when used in a professional setting?
I think of the use of the word “no” in my personal life. My husband may ask if we should have dinner at one restaurant, and I am not anxious or worried when I respond “no, I would prefer eating at this particular restaurant.” Or I think of the times when I have to say no to my sweet dogs that are just begging for their fifth treat for the day. So why is it so hard to use the word “no” professionally?
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Each year, the North Carolina Bar Association’s Paralegal Division seeks nominations for a Paralegal Division regular member who has actively participated in paralegal activities, such as civic/community volunteering, paralegal leadership, paralegal education, and promotion of the paralegal profession during the nomination period. This year, the Awards Committee was proud to present the award to Grace Ward.
Grace is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal who has been working as a paralegal since 1986. She is currently employed by Allman Spry Davis Leggett & Crumpler P.A. in Winston-Salem. Grace had previously been with Davis & Harwell P.A. since January of 1990, but when the firm merged with Allman Spry Leggett & Crumpler P.A in May of 2014, she continued her career alongside them. She has been with firm ever since.
In addition to her work, Grace has also been involved with a number of volunteer organizations throughout her life. She has served as Chair, Vice-Chair, and a Council Member for the (then) Legal Assistants Division of the North Carolina Bar Association; member of the North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification and Grievance Committee; member of the North Carolina Community College Paralegal Advisory Committee; member of the Alliance for Paralegal Professional Standards; member of the Wade Edwards High School Mock Trial Competition; Guest speaker for Wake Forest University School of Law’s Intensive Family Law Class; Guest speaker for the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; and member of the Lexington High School Band Parents Association.
In honor of her award, we asked Grace to share some of her story with us.
Was being a paralegal your first career, or did you transition from another field?
Being a paralegal was a natural profession for me. I love mysteries, puzzles, and helping make a positive difference for others. I was fortunate to work for a lawyer who encouraged me to attend a local community college paralegal program. While working full time as a paralegal, having a family, and an encouraging husband, I earned my associate degree in Paralegal Technology from Davidson County Community College, and my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Salem College. The attorneys I work with help me exercise my skills and strengthen my desire to learn. My thirst for knowledge and understanding continues every day. If I do not understand a concept or am not familiar with a topic, I read and learn until I do.
What did you never think you would be doing that you are doing now (does not have to be work-related)?
Gardening is satisfying for me. I work hard planting and weeding; the result is a beautiful flower or a delicious vegetable. This year, my husband agreed for our home to be part of the Davidson County Master Gardeners Tour. I definitely am out of my comfort zone! Luckily, my neighbor is a master gardener, and has taught me a lot the past two years. I read and watch a lot of gardening shows and enjoy learning various methods of gardening. I never thought I would be involved in a garden tour. Hopefully the attendees will enjoy their visit. As my husband says, “It is what it is.”
What are you reading right now?
“The Magical World of Moss Gardening” by Annie Martin. I became curious about the number one crop in our nation – lawns. The damage lawn mowers and blowers cause to our environment is almost equivalent to the damage of automobiles. Recently, I began studying how to grow moss instead of a lawn. I don’t know that I will give up my lawn, but I have begun to cultivate a moss garden.
What do you do to relax (and why)?
I enjoy laughter with my family, so spending a day with family and friends rejuvenates me. As life progresses, I realize how precious time spent with those who are important in my life is. My daughters provide invigorating conversation and insight to views different than mine, and my granddaughter has brought a special sparkle to my life and definitely helps me relax.
What do you consider to be your biggest accomplishment?
In my professional life, my biggest accomplishment is sharing with another paralegal what little bit of knowledge I have attained. Charles Dickens said, “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” Years ago, I had the opportunity to work with a young paralegal. I shared as much of my experience, tips and techniques that she could absorb during our short time together. She was the perfect student. Not too long ago, I received an email from her telling me just how much that experience made a difference in her life. Helping another to have a successful career is my biggest professional accomplishment. I hope I get the chance to do it again.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
With my southern accent, many people may be surprised to learn I was born in Florida. My maternal grandfather was born and is now buried at Pedro Castle on Grand Cayman. I lived in Grand Cayman in my youth and attended a British school. I learned to sail and eat breadfruit and Jamaican patties. Living with people of different cultures helped me to be sensitive to how others may feel coming to my town.
Thank you, Grace, for sharing your story with the Paralegal Division. We congratulate you again for being the 2022 Distinguished Paralegal Award recipient!
*** The Paralegal Division Blog is managed by the Division’s Communications Committee. Via the blog, the Communications Committee provides information written by attorneys, paralegals, and other experts designed specifically for paralegals in the areas of substantive law, ethics, technology, paralegal practice advice, and more. If you are interested in signing up to submit a blog post on a future date, you can do so here. When you are ready to submit a blog post, you can do so by using this form.
The Scholarship Committee had an amazing selection of student essays submitted for the Spring 2022 Paralegal Division Student Scholarship. The topic, “What do you envision your day-to-day life of a paralegal to be?” allowed for students to outline their expectations of the paralegal career, and for some, detail what it can offer them for a brighter future. While each essay was fantastic, there was only room for one winner.
We are excited to announce that the winner is Cleo Le Anne Ackerman! Cleo is a student at Johnston Community College’s Paralegal Technology Program. Her essay not only offered her personal insight as to what the paralegal profession would be like day to day, but also showed the challenges she has faced and those she hopes to overcome with a career as a paralegal. We hope you will take the time to read her essay below and congratulate her for her award!
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This month’s Paralegal Spotlight is on Peggy Pardue.
I am a North Carolina Certified Paralegal at Hampson Family Law located in Raleigh.
I attended Elon college for one year before transitioning my studies to a community college. I also became a notary public in the ’80s. While formal education may be the best route for some people, experience was the best way for me to learn the skills I needed to become a successful paralegal.
Initially, I worked full time at the North Carolina Board of CPA Examiners in their disciplinary section. This position gave me a taste of the legal world. After working there for eight years, I transitioned into the role of an Executive Administrative Assistant with a local propane company. After a couple of years as an Executive Administrative Assistant when my son was young, and I had been through a divorce and remarried, I started working in a family law firm. This position gave me and continues to give me the opportunity to do something to help others who are going through similar circumstances. I thought that passion and calling would have led me to Child Support Enforcement, but I found my home with family law. As of May 2022, I have served in the legal field for 19 years.
On May 6, 2022, the Paralegal Division will host its first in-person annual meeting since May 2019. The pandemic stopped the planning of the 2020 annual meeting in its tracks. That year’s Chair, Tina Dadio, hosted the first online annual meeting for the division. We thought that 2021 would bring better tidings, but Stephanie Durham-Rivera also found herself hosting an online annual meeting. Both chairs during the pandemic did an amazing job leading the division in uncharted waters, and their dedication during that time should be applauded.
The Paralegal Division has partnered with the Family Law Section to hold a Pro Se Custody and Family Law Advice Clinic for residents of Wake County. This clinic is a pilot program, and while it is currently limited to the Wake County area, the hope is that it can eventually be expanded to other counties around the state several times per year. In order for an individual to be assisted in the clinic, the individual must be a resident of Wake County or the biological parent of a child/children who live in Wake County.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Paralegalshttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngParalegals2022-03-17 16:44:552022-03-17 16:44:55Volunteer Opportunity: NCBA Pro Se Custody and Family Law Advice Clinic
On April 23, 2022, the Charlotte Expunction Project will hold another clinic at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse. This project is a partnership between the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center (PBRC), the SelfServe Center, the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office, and Public Defender’s Office. During the clinics, volunteer public defenders offer advice to applicants regarding their eligibility for expunction relief under North Carolina law. Due to changes in the law that may be temporary, the upcoming clinic will only offer expungement assistance for dismissed charges, Not Guilty charges, and youthful offender convictions. However, the number of clients the clinic will serve will expand by 33% over the previous event.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Paralegalshttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngParalegals2022-02-23 11:13:582022-02-23 11:13:58Volunteer Remotely for the Charlotte Expunction Clinic
The 15th Annual 4ALL (Virtual) Statewide Service Day will be held on Friday, March 4, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The 4ALL Statewide Service Day is a pro bono program of the North Carolina Bar Foundation and held in conjunction with the North Carolina Bar Association. During 4ALL, North Carolina lawyers provide free legal answers, information, and resources to callers seeking information regarding North Carolina-related legal matters. This year’s event will be virtual, and it will provide an opportunity for paralegals to participate as call screeners.
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This month’s Paralegal Spotlight is on Ileigh Kuga.
Before I started my career as a paralegal, my intentions were to go to law school. I planned my undergraduate career with that intention in mind; however, my undergraduate advisor threw me a curveball. He suggested that I go and work for an attorney before committing to three years of law school, just to see if I would like the field (and to see if I was willing to accumulate all the debt associated with law school). At first, I was pretty taken aback that my advisor was telling me not to pursue my career aspirations, but I gave it a shot. Now that I am a North Carolina Bar Certified Paralegal, I am glad I listened! I love my work, and I feel so accomplished with all I have done thus far.
On March 17, 2022, the Paralegal Division will be hosting the next Driver’s License Restoration Project Virtual Clinic. This clinic will further the efforts of the Driver’s License Restoration Pro Bono Project, which launched in 2017, to address the crisis-level license suspension rate in North Carolina. I volunteered for the virtual clinic hosted by the NCBA Paralegal Division in May of 2021, after reading the May 5, 2021 blog post written by Paralegal Division Pro Bono Committee Co-Chair, Rachel Royal, in which she elaborates on the project and the driving forces behind it:
“As of April 2019, there were over 1,225,000 active license suspensions in the state of North Carolina related to unpaid traffic fines and failure to appear in court.[1] Even more disheartening is that poverty and systemic racism, rather than a willful refusal to appear in court or to pay fines, are the driving factors of a majority of these suspensions.
The statewide suspension rate of Black or African American drivers is four times higher than that of white, non-Hispanic drivers. This racial disparity is higher in some counties, both urban and rural.”
Being no stranger to the snowball effect that can take place when someone becomes involved in the judicial system, I jumped at the opportunity to participate. I wanted to help make tangible, meaningful progress for those impacted by the system driving such high numbers of license suspensions. It would soon become clear to me that this is not just a small effort to help some folks who had some bad luck or made a bad decision; it is a huge effort to effect change where systemic racism is evident. I recommend hopping over to Rachel’s previously mentioned post to learn more about the Driver’s License Restoration Pro Bono Project, and the impact it is making on North Carolinians. But first, here is how it impacted me.
It had been almost a decade since I completed my paralegal certificate program when I volunteered, but as I listened to Pro Bono Resource Center staff attorney, Leigh Wicclair, explain why the Driver’s License Restoration Pro Bono Project was launched, I was reminded of something my instructor told me on the first day of class. To paraphrase, he said to the group of fledgling legal professionals that if we wanted to do something to really help people, we should work for an attorney that handles traffic tickets. He said that would be the way to make the most positive impact on the most people. I also remember thinking, well . . . that’s not very romantic. If you are anything like I was then, you had a vision of rushing into a courtroom with some piece of evidence that would prove your client’s innocence or stop a family farm from being bulldozed. After about 3 months of being a paralegal, I realized that most of the game-changing work does not happen in a courtroom (and that courtrooms almost never have oak woodwork or dramatic lighting).
The reality of our profession, and the legal world in general, is that it is mostly procedural. It is about working within systems, filling out the right forms with the right words, and getting the most done with the resources available. Volunteering our skills and knowledge as paralegals creates a resource for those who need help navigating that world, and each one of us who volunteers increases an attorney’s ability to be a resource exponentially. I did not take my instructor’s advice from the first day of class, so I had no experience with the issue of license suspension, but after an hour of training, I was reviewing client records and drafting advice letters about how they could proceed toward getting their license restored. The supervising attorney was on hand to answer questions, and all of us were able to easily interact throughout the work session. The clinic was extremely well organized, efficient, enjoyable, and it was doing something to help.
I am a volunteer by nature. I believe in karma. I also like to do something different now and then to remind myself that good paralegals are quick learners, easy adapters, and produce results. This clinic checked all those boxes for me. You do not have to take my word for it. Here is what others had to say when asked about what motivated them to participate and what they took away from the experience:
“I formerly worked in the legal department of a large corporation where pro bono work was not only encouraged but where opportunities were offered to partner with local firms and where paralegals could really pitch in and make a difference. I changed jobs a few years ago and really missed the community interaction, and the feeling that I was contributing and doing needed work. When this opportunity came along, it was so great to be able to participate, and the topic was particularly meaningful because I have a family member whose license can be restored through this type of activity. I learned a lot and realized that a lot of people whose licenses are revoked just need someone who can help them with a second chance.
This was a GREAT program. I really felt like I helped people who might otherwise not have an advocate and also loved the fact that I got to meet new paralegals through this process and expand my network, in addition to doing worthwhile service. I would DEFINITELY do this again!” – Paralegal Volunteer
“I love volunteering and thought this would be an excellent opportunity. The clinic met my expectations. The organizers were well organized. The training was thorough and provided the information necessary to complete the assigned tasks. I would love to volunteer for this program in the future.” – Alice L. Johnson, NCCP
So, if you are interested in volunteering, register here for the March 17, 2022, virtual event. I will see you there!
***
The Paralegal Division Blog is managed by the Division’s Communications Committee. Via the blog, the Communications Committee provides information written by attorneys, paralegals, and other experts designed specifically for paralegals in the areas of substantive law, ethics, technology, paralegal practice advice, and more. If you are interested in signing up to submit a blog post on a future date, you can do so here. When you are ready to submit a blog post, you can do so by using this form.
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y Katie Riddle
By the Communications Committee
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