Paralegal Spotlight: Johana Sanchez
By the Communications Committee
This month’s Paralegal Spotlight is on Johana Sanchez, a Paralegal at Armendariz Law Office, PLLC.
Johana began her legal career in her native country of Venezuela, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the Universidad de Carabobo and a Master’s degree in International Criminal Law from the Universidad Latino Americana y del Caribe. However, due to political and social issues, she made the decision to live abroad in Panama. This move led Johana to personal and professional growth, allowing her the opportunity to work as an assistant in a local family law firm, in addition to coursing (but not completing) an MBA at the Universidad Interamericana de Panama. Yet, she desired to continue her professional growth so she decided to move again, this time to the United States. She attended Campus Education Midtown in New York City and Taylor Business Institute in Chicago, places where she would learn English as a second language.
Johana now has ambitions to get her North Carolina certification, as she loves her current line of work. She has been a paralegal for nine months. Her current role allows her to gather data, prepare and assess legal papers, talk with clients, answer calls, conduct legal research, translate documents, and use data to offer legal strategies to the attorney. When Johana isn’t working, you can find her trying to relax by going for a walk outside; hearing birds and seeing squirrels helps her to find peace in the little things.
We took the time to meet with Johana and ask some questions to better understand who she is and what she enjoys. Below are her responses:
How did you choose the paralegal field?
I genuinely think that the assistance required to solve legal problems on a daily basis is undervalued, so paralegals benefit the entire community, not just lawyers.
What did you never think you would be doing that you are doing now (does not have to be work-related)?
I never imagined myself speaking another language and living abroad; I grew up playing volleyball and aspired to be a professional league player.
Favorite podcast, favorite Netflix (or other streaming service) series?
My favorite podcast is named “The Mindset Mentor” by Rob Dial and my favorite series is Game of Thrones from HBO.
What are you reading right now?
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear.
What do you consider to be your biggest accomplishment?
As much as I value my law degree, I believe my greatest accomplishment is my resilience, which serves as a motivator for me to continue learning. Becoming a paralegal was the best thing that could have happened to me recently.
What do you find most challenging about the paralegal field?
It can seem like a Paralegal has limited career growth in most organizations, but the challenge is to keep motivating yourself to continue adding value to your professional skill set and pushing your own learning curve.
What role model or influencer shaped who you are now and what lessons have you learned from them?
My mother has been my most important role model in my life; even after she died, I continued to do what I felt was the right thing to do because of her example. She was a dentist in a small community, always volunteering to help people just to see their smiles, even if they were missing teeth. I learned so many lessons from her, but sympathy and empathy are the most valuable ones.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
I was part of the Venezuelan Volleyball National Team.
Is there anything else you want PD membership to know about you?
I deeply appreciate this nomination, and I feel all the tools and continued education are great in NCBA PD; but, I firmly believe all the networking events are key to keep growing together as a division. The interaction is ideal to bring magnificent ideas to the table, and I hope everyone else feels comfortable being surrounded with people with the same passions and everyday technical difficulties. I hope we keep working on valuable networking events.
The division appreciates Johana for participating in the Paralegal Spotlight. Thank you for taking the time to read her story!
***
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.
You may also wish to participate in the Division by using our virtual suggestion box to submit suggestions/ideas to the Division Council, nominating a paralegal for Paralegal Spotlight, or completing the Paralegal Spotlight Questionnaire if you are nominating yourself. If you are interested in volunteering with the Communications Committee, please contact the Communications Committee Chair at [email protected]. If you are interested in joining other division committees, you can review a list of committees and sign up here.