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About Me
"And though she be but little, she is fierce."
William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
About Me: Text
About Me
Senior Supervising Paralegal
NALA Certified Paralegal®
AAPI Certified Paralegal
IPA Accredited Paralegal
Notary Public
I work as the Senior Supervising Paralegal at a bankruptcy and tax law firm in Naperville, Illinois. In my role, I have helped the firm achieve a 97% completion rate for Chapter 7s and a 64% completion rate for Chapter 13s—almost double the national average. I prepare and file Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy petitions, prepare and file Chapter 13 Plans, draft bankruptcy motions, prepare and file corporate and personal income tax returns, provide accounting services for business clients, and incorporate businesses. I am responsible for managing the office and work directly with the company owner on marketing strategies and incorporating new software into the firm to increase productivity and efficiency. I train student interns and paralegals in bankruptcy preparation and filing.
Outside of the office, I enjoy learning and always strive to be better today than I was yesterday. I am currently enrolled in office classes to improve my computer skills, and I am currently studying both the Italian and Spanish languages for fun!
I give in-person and virtual presentations to paralegal schools and paralegal organizations across the country on a variety of topics, including: general bankruptcy law, the relationship between bankruptcy law and tax law, paralegal certifications, tips for writing legal memos, and LinkedIn tips for paralegals.
If you would like to book me for a presentation, contact me here.
College Education
For more information about the degree and certificate programs that I have completed and am currently pursuing, please see the Education page.
I am a graduate of the College of DuPage located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. I earned an associate degree in Paralegal Studies and graduated with High Honors in Spring 2017. While in the paralegal program, I was the president of the College of DuPage chapter of the LEX National Paralegal Honor Society, the vice president of the college’s Paralegal Club, the student representative to the paralegal program Advisory Council, and the Clerical Assistant to the Chair of the Paralegal Studies Program.
As a student, I was inducted into the LEX and Phi Theta Kappa national honor societies for my academic achievements. I was awarded the College of DuPage Paralegal Studies Program scholarship and won the program’s “Search for Academic Excellence” writing contest. While a student in the program, I married my husband. We were grateful to have one of the program's faculty, a sitting judge in Illinois, officiate our wedding. My College of DuPage paralegal family attended the ceremony.
After working for several years in a bankruptcy law firm, I enrolled in college once again. As my role as a bankruptcy paralegal evolved, I sought to improve my skills. I recognized the synergy between bankruptcy law and taxes and enrolled in accounting courses to better serve the firm’s clients. I became certified in QuickBooks to assist business clients in managing their accounting. I then earned a Bookkeeping Certificate from the College of DuPage. From the knowledge I gained, I am able to produce accurate Income Statements to submit to bankruptcy trustees, to submit to federal and state revenue officers, and to use when preparing tax returns. I also became certified in Microsoft Excel. To further improve my law office skillset, I earned a Word Specialist Certificate from the College of DuPage and completed the Legal Technology Certificate program from the National Society for Legal Technology. I am currently pursuing an Office Technology Specialist Certificate and a Paraprofessional Accountant Certificate. Additionally, I am involved in a leadership program to further develop my supervisory skills as I continue to mentor and train new interns and legal support staff in the law office. I plan to continue my focus on bankruptcy law by pursuing an Advanced Specialty Certificate in Foreclosure and Creditor/Debtor Law and by completing a Bankruptcy Law Specialist Certificate program. I also plan to earn my bachelor’s degree in legal studies.
As a returning student, I am the Vice President and Alumni Relations Officer of the College of DuPage Paralegal Club. I am also the Vice President and Alumni Relations Officer for the College of DuPage chapter of LEX Honor Society. This past spring, I was recognized as an Outstanding Club Officer for my work in the college’s extracurricular activities.
Paralegal Credentials
and Honors
After earning my degree in paralegal studies, I earned my Illinois Accredited Paralegal (ILAP) designation from the Illinois Paralegal Association.
In October 2020, the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), a prominent national paralegal organization, awarded the PCCE® scholarship to me for my essay submission on paralegal licensures and certifications. The scholarship covers the cost of NFPA’s PCCE® exam for the Registered Paralegal® credential. My essay was featured in the Spring 2021 edition of NFPA’s Paralegal Reporter. I will sit for the PCCE® exam in 2021.
In Fall 2020, I was featured as a graduate success story on the American Bar Association website celebrating the 45th anniversary of ABA’s approval of paralegal programs. NFPA published the article in its Spring 2021 edition of the Paralegal Reporter magazine.
In February 2021, I received the NALA Rising Star Award for “exemplary service to the paralegal profession.” I was featured in the May 2021 edition of NALA’s Facts & Findings magazine. In April 2021, I earned my Certified Paralegal® credential from NALA, a leading national paralegal organization. I plan to pursue the NALA Advanced Certified Paralegal® credential.
In July 2021, I earned my American Alliance Certified Paralegal credential from
the American Alliance of Paralegals, Inc.
View my credential certificates on the Credentials & Certifications page.
View my awards on the Awards & Honors page.
View articles on the Publications & Features page.
Volunteer Work
Though no longer a paralegal student at the College of DuPage, I am still connected to its Paralegal Studies Program and volunteer my time at various events. I sit on the program Advisory Council which aims to provide the best education and resources to future paralegals. After reigniting graduate interest in connecting to the college, I head the college Paralegal Alumni Association which focuses on celebrating alumni milestones and achievements, offering networking opportunities, and providing resources for paralegal certification. Each semester, I assist the paralegal program at the practicum expo, the capstone event for graduating students. I am the Peer Reviewer Coordinator for the expo where I direct and train peer reviewers. I am also an evaluator at the expo where I engage in mock interviews with the graduating students to help them prepare to enter the workforce.
Outside of the college, I am the current Chair of the West Suburban Section of the Illinois Paralegal Association. In my role as Chair, my mission is to provide valuable resources to and networking opportunities for new paralegals that will help them navigate the legal field.
I also volunteer in speaking engagements. I give presentations on a variety of topics including general bankruptcy law, the relationship between bankruptcy law and taxes, navigating paralegal certifications and credentials, advising in legal memo writing for the NALA paralegal certification exam, succeeding as a paralegal and overcoming setbacks, and building a LinkedIn profile for paralegals.
If you would like to book me for a presentation, contact me here.
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