Carolina Paralegal News Paralegal news for North and South Carolina

By Annette Church, Special to CPN Editor’s Note: This column is part two of a two-part series that began in our September issue. In that column, Church describes returning to work to find a gas leak in the office – ...

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It was a typically muggy August afternoon, indistinguishable from countless other lingering days of summer, trying to hold on before the autumn leaves began to fall. I found myself and Mr. Craig*, the attorney I worked for, walking up the front steps to his office. We had met at the courthouse earlier that morning and this was the first time either of us had made it to the office that day.

I had only been working in the legal profession for a few months when our client Mrs. Jones (her name has been changed to protect her privacy) came into the office with a man, who sat down with her in the chairs next to my desk. I was in a new job and eager to provide quality work. As I greeted Mrs. Jones, I asked if the gentleman with her was her son. She confirmed that he was, although she did not provide his name. I had been expecting Mrs. Jones that morning. I also knew that she did not drive and one of her sons lived next to her. Having read her file, I was aware the son who lived beside Mrs. Jones was to be a witness for her, the defendant in the case.

By ANNETTE CHURCH, Special to CPN My spine suddenly felt as if someone had plugged it into a high-voltage outlet. The sensation was a combination of chills and heightened sensitivity throughout my body. With another stare at my computer monitor, ...

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It was the first time that I needed to go to the office supply closet at my new job. I was startled the moment I opened the door. A handgun lay next to a box of envelopes. There it was, in plain view for anyone to see. Still taken aback, I quickly retrieved the paper clips I needed and returned to my desk. Nearly a year passed before I mentioned the gun in the supply closet to the attorney I worked for.

Enjoying lunch with my co-workers, I have often silently contemplated the diversities we all represent. My lunch time companions are receptionists, paralegals, investigators, attorneys and negotiators. They are individuals born in North Carolina, Georgia, Mexico, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, West Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, New York and Nicaragua.

By Annette Church, Special to CPN The North Carolina Attorney’s/ Paralegal’s/Secretary’s Handbook is an essential resource for each group listed in its title. I know attorneys and paralegals who treasure their copies. Now in its 16th edition, this reference book ...