Paralegal, Corporate Secretary, & Board Member - BALDWIN COUNTY LANDS ASSOCIATION - Whiting, IN
(2022-02)
- Prepared resolutions and distributed corporate minutes for annual meetings.
- Researched and negotiated real estate, oil, and gas leases.
- Filed the annual taxes for the shareholders.
- Filed FOIA documents with the TX RRC in an effort to gain accurate ownership information and production records.
- Filed litigation documents to secure TX parcel with active oil/gas wells for the family.
Legal Coordinator for National Geographic - WAVSYS Contracting Co. - Washington, DC
(2019-08 - 2020-09)
Provided litigation, business, and corporate support to senior NGP attorneys in the areas of maps, magazines, international trademark licensing, book deals, business due diligence and technology.
- Reviewed and organized action files providing up to date information to senior staff and Colleagues.
- Managed internal processes for getting legal and business invoices through accounting via Workday that required department approval similar to my budgetary experience with Congress.
- Collaborated in the preparation of first round agreements, responded to comments, input red-lines, and completed contract negotiations until contracts were closed.
- When Disney took over, the system changed to SAP. I learned the process from home using U-Tube videos and managed to extend my contract for a full year during the COVID shut-down.
Paralegal Corporate/Real Estate - RANDSTAD Employment Staffing - Baltimore, MD
(2017-09 - 2018-02)
Supporting the General Counsel for the Housing Opportunities Commission
- Provided full-time admin/transactional support to the new Assistant General Counsel.
- Prepared closing books from past transactions to assist the General Counsel with current distributions.
- Prepared closing certificates and exhibits for filings.
- Managed the preparation and filing of UCC-1s and UCC-3s protecting the loans acquired for real estate parcels.
- Drafted form documents for closings and assisted with the editing and proofing.
- Conducted research on public housing issues that came up via the Public Information Act.
- Redlined contracts and drafted management agreements for Condominium buildings.
Financial Liaison Officer/LAO - US Capitol Police - Office of Employment Counsel - Washington, DC
(2010-05 - 2016-09)
- Provided litigation support to the Employment Counsel.
- Crafted the annual OEC office budget for Congressional review and authorization.
- Managed the preparation and handling of sensitive documentation and related materials between Agencies, Divisions, and Officers.
- Cite checked documents using Westlaw for court filings.
- Interviewed and hired staff in addition to planning, ordering, and procuring staff training.
- Prepared and processed requisitions and purchase orders in Momentum for supplies and equipment.
- Digested depositions.
- Coordinated the preparation of exhibits for pleadings.
- Reviewed and responded to FOIA requests providing up-to-date information in accordance with the rules and regulations. Prepared redactions, scanned and uploaded responsive documents, created holds, drafted and distributed letters requesting relevant subject matter requests to/from Division heads. Reviewed and processed responsive documents.
Paralegal - Business Transactions - Venable LLP - Washington, DC
(2007-11 - 2010-05)
- Served as primary contact to a commercial real estate client.
- Drafted LLC entities in MD to hold all acquired properties, drafted operating agreements and qualified the newly formed entities in their local jurisdictions.
- Maintained local compliance filings for all acquired properties in the fifty states.
- Created an Excel spreadsheet for evidence of all formations and dissolutions for the client.
- Drafted corporate resolutions and shareholder minutes for company clients.
- Conducted UCC searches for partners, cleared issues and presented results.
- Responsible for reviewing monthly due diligence documents for the draft of opinion for group Partner's review and comment.
- Assisted with regulatory and compliance research via the SEC for public company clients based in New York.
- Procured EIN numbers for new companies from the IRS and prepared new stock issuances for newly formed companies post formation.
- Worked with the environmental litigation group in preparation of defense briefs by proofreading documents and helping with discovery requests.
- Responded to FOIA requests in accordance with the rules and regulations.
Team Leader/Senior Corporate Legal Assistant - Sidley LLP - Washington, DC
(1996-02 - 2006-05)
- Coordinated the distribution, management, and ultimate delivery/completion of transactional/regulatory assignments and filings requested within the same day deadlines.
- Team Lead for less experienced legal assistants to act as mentor and ensure timely assignment completion to partners under short and competing deadlines.
- Assisted public companies with required filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including filing forms 10-K, S-8, 8-K, 8-A, proxy statements, and supplementary schedules, filed under Sections 13, & 16.
- Served as liaison for NYC, Chicago, LA, London, and Hong Kong offices with SEC, HSR, and CFTC regulatory/compliance filings.
- Assisted the Banking and Corporate groups with transactions, UCC drafting and filing, data rooms, and all closings.
- Attended Congressional committee hearings and provided legislative research, and summaries to/ for international clients and Counsel on various assigned topics.
- Responded to FOIA requests from clients in relation to the SEC and comment letters received.
- Lead Case Manager for multiple litigation projects.
- Reviewed, organized, and prepared documents for productions; cite checked and blue booked briefs for court submission.
