Laura A. Dempsey

To obtain a rewarding position within a professional legal environment where my critical thinking, articulate verbal skills, organization, dependability, as well as professional and life experience(s), combined with my constant pursuit of higher formal education, will be challenged and utilized.

Sr. Employment Litigation Paralegal - Messner Reeves - Costa Mesa, CA

(2025-10)

• Conduct legal research and support attorneys in developing case strategy
• Draft pleadings, discovery, subpoenas, motions and mediation materials
• Work directly with clients to gather information and prepare discovery answers
• Manage case files, deadlines, calendars, and all litigation documents in various cloud-based systems
• Review and summarize employment agreements, contracts, and key documents
• Handle filings, e-service, scheduling, subpoenas, and routing correspondence
• Assist with mediation, settlement preparation, and legal billing
• Communicate with clients to keep cases moving efficiently and deliver a five-star experience
• Coordination of Sub Rosa Activity with retained Private Investigators
• Retention of Expert Witnesses
• Trial and Evidence Binders

Sr. Litigation Paralegal - Haight, Brown & Bonesteel - Irvine, CA

(2023-01 - 2025-10)

• Support of multiple attorneys (entire Irvine office as well as attorneys in other HBB offices)
• Summarization of voluminous discovery answers (scheduling of due dates)
• Drafting of Answers and Complaints to State and Federal Complaints, CMC Statements, Demurrers, Motions to Strike; Discovery (with attorney supervision)
• Heavy document research within electronic databases
• Converse daily with clients and opposing counsel regarding pendency of discovery and litigation matters
• Coordination of Sub Rosa Activity with retained Private Investigators
• Retention of Expert Witnesses
• Trial and Evidence Binders
• Attendance at trial
• Utilization of a multitude of document management software skills daily
• Training of partners and staff on AI utilization and Ethics regarding legal writing and document summarization

Sr. Litigation Paralegal - Absolute Practice Group, PC - Tustin, CA

(2022-01 - 2022-12)

• Supports two busy attorneys drafting voluminous discovery answers, schedule due dates for discovery
• Drafts Answers and Complaints to State and Federal Complaints, CMC Statements, Demurrers, Motions to Strike; Discovery
• Converse daily with clients and opposing counsel regarding pendency of discovery and litigation matters
• Residential UD Defense
• Criminal Defense & Forensic Investigation Liaison with DOJ matters
• Voluminous Personal Injury caseload and management
• Retention of Expert Witnesses
• Schedule IME's
• Heavy review of client's medical records, x-rays, HIPPA waiver given by clients to speak with treating physicians
• Client advocacy in Court
• Trial and Evidence Binders
• Attendance at trial
• Utilization of a multitude of document management software skills daily

Sr. Paralegal/Office Administrator - CONFIDENTIAL START-UP TECHNOLOGY COMPANY - Irvine, CA

(2021-01 - 2021-12)

This was a Contract Position for one year only. Served as Sr. Paralegal as well as performed Office Administrator duties.

• Conceptualized, wrote, and implemented use of: "Best In-House Business Practices Employee Guideline Manual" - (Writing and law references overseen and reviewed by Corporate In-House Counsel)
• Consulted with all outside marketing, design, city and public policy representatives
• Reviewed, edited, and managed all Real Estate and Construction contracts, had daily walk throughs with General Contractor
• Acted as a liaison with all international business investor clients and overseas stakeholders
• Coordinated weekly international conference calls
• Handled office marketing, recruiting, and entertainment planning
• Stayed current on changes in California employment law, prepared reports of passed and pending California Employment legislation for supervising attorneys
• Preparation for and attended trial to assist In-House Corporate Business Litigation Matters
• Oversaw intake of resumes for the vetting and hiring of all personnel, and managed all employee employment contracts under the supervision of Corporate Business/Employment attorney
• Assisted outside software training company with implementation and training of personnel on protocol and utilization of in-house computer software programs
• Title, Survey, and Zoning: Review title exception documents, draft title memos, negotiate pro forma title insurance policies, and coordinate zoning reports
• Leasing: Draft leases, amendments, and other leasing documents, ensuring accuracy and attention to detail
• Organizational Documents: Prepare, review, and file organizational documents, obtain EINs, and handle business qualifications in various states
• Loans and Transactions: Prepare closing checklists, draft agreements, review judgment/lien searches, and finalize documents for closings
• Closing & Post-Closing: Oversee signature logistics, coordinate with title companies, file UCC financing statements, and prepare closing binders
• Due Diligence & Logistics: Participate in checklist calls, coordinate closing logistics, and manage communication with clients and title companies

Litigation Paralegal - CADDEN & FULLER, LLP - Irvine, CA

(2017-01 - 2020-12)

• Supported the Founding Partner, Tom Cadden and 9 contract attorneys
• Responsible for entering litigation and discovery documentation into CompuLaw database
• Prepared pleadings, Tables of Contents, Tables of Authorities, as well as propounded and responded to discovery
• Handled state and federal e-filing, maintained office litigation calendar and coordinated weekly litigation meetings
• Drafted voluminous discovery answers, scheduled due dates for discovery
• Drafted Answers to State and Federal Complaints
• Conversed daily with clients, and opposing counsel regarding pendency of discovery and litigation matters
• Residential UD Defense
• Personal Injury caseload and management
• Retention of Expert Witnesses
• Scheduling of Depositions
• Scheduling of IME's
• Heavy review of client's medical records, x-rays, and treatment plans
• Client advocacy in Court
• Preparation of Trial and Evidence Binders
• Utilization of a multitude of document management software skills utilized daily

Legal Assistant - FERRUZZO & FERRUZZO, LLP - Newport Beach, CA

(2015-04 - 2016-12)

• Supported Corporate/Transactional/Real Estate/Labor & Employment/Litigation practice groups
• Formed various types of Business Entities with Multi-State Secretary of State Offices; drafted and set up Corporate By-laws, Shareholder Agreements, and various types of Corporate Entity Documents based on type of Corporation formed; maintained Minute Books and corporate entity databases for U.S. entities, prepared various resolutions, and dissolutions of entities; prepared, edited, and filed corporate transactional documents and closing binders
• Managed all multi-state corporate governance matters
• Executed Secretary of State Entity Searches
• Reviewed pleadings; calendared due dates and served responses
• Drafted and edited commercial real estate leases
• Drafted general correspondence and insurance audit correspondence
• Handled new client file intake, file maintenance and storage
• Assisted corporate in-house employment partner with writing of multiple client employee HR compliance manuals, policies & procedures (I was given much autonomy regarding writing initial versions due to my writing skill set)
• Assisted Employment Partner with on-boarding checklists for various clients
• Prepared responses to employment related 3rd party subpoena requests
• Coordinated and liaised with Private Investigators and Process Servers regarding WCAB Claims
• Checked annual California State Employment Law changes every January and prepared report for Employment Partner
• Also researched CAL OSHA workplace requirements
• Title, Survey, and Zoning: Reviewed title exception documents, draft title memos, negotiate pro forma title insurance policies, and coordinate zoning reports
• Leasing: Draft leases, amendments, and other leasing documents, ensuring accuracy and attention to detail
• Organizational Documents: Prepared, reviewed, and filed organizational documents, obtained EINs, and handled business qualifications in various states
• Loans and Transactions: Prepared closing checklists, drafted agreements, review judgment/lien searches, and finalized documents for closings
• Closing & Post-Closing: Oversaw signature logistics, coordinated with title companies, filed UCC financing statements, and prepared closing binders
• Due Diligence & Logistics: Participated in checklist calls, coordinated closing logistics, and managed communication with clients and title companies

Legal Assistant - STRADLING, YOCCA, CARLSON & RAUTH, LLP - Newport Beach, CA

(2012-09 - 2014-08)

• Supported Founding Partner Craig Carlson, two senior shareholders, one associate, and one paralegal as part of the firm's corporate practice; also floated in litigation and intellectual property departments
• Drafted correspondence; scheduled domestic and international travel
• Prepared, edited and filed corporate transactional documents
• Maintained corporate governance matters
• Kept corporate minute books and maintained compliance of entity databases for US entities, prepared various corporate resolutions as well as created and dissolved corporate entities
• Prepared closing binders
• Executed Secretary of State Entity Searches
• Entered attorneys' time, prepared domestic and international expense reports
• Title, Survey, and Zoning: Reviewed