The contrary paralegal manages a two-office law firm in the southwest, as well as her young family, which consists of ‘the man’ and her three ‘dramas’ whose names are 17 (or VT = vile teenager), 11 and 8. For 15 years she has worked in almost every area of the law – seen everything, mentored plenty, done a lot, learned more, and pretty much made herself irreplaceable. She is writing for WWDS when the mood strikes her. She’s irreverent, hilarious even, and very real. She might be EveryWoman, but she goes by UsedToBeMe. She blogs often at whyrustalkingme.

By UsedToBeMe, the contrary paralegal

Being a paralegal? In many law firms, especially the medium to large size, there are departments. They actually pay people to sit at their desk, enter billable time and costs and generate the monthly bills that keep the firm running; there are secretary and word processing pools where people sit at the desk and type their fingers to little nubs; they have file clerks and receptionists. People have specific jobs – jobs that only they perform. But what about the smaller firms, firms that employ less than 10 attorneys? Well, those firms love to slave employ someone like me. I have a Certificate of Paralegalism AND an Associate of Applied Science in Paralegalism – that sounds important doesn’t it? It took me two years and $25,000 to earn those degrees. Do I use them? Not so much. In reality, unless you work at a medium or large size law firm, a paralegal is often times a glorified secretary / billing clerk / accounts payable/receivable / receptionist/ mail clerk… the list is endless and that is just how I like it.

I have worked in large firms of 200 plus employees, I have worked in medium firms and I have been the only employee. I miss a little something from each one. At the larger firm, I could concentrate solely on paralegal functions like drafting legal documents, interviewing clients and witnesses, reviewing and summarizing medical records and employment records and performing legal research. I came and went as I pleased. My hours were mine as long as I didn’t miss any deadlines. However, for me, something was missing. I needed chaos. I needed stress.

I could see the top of my desk and there is something seriously wrong with that.

I missed the hustle and bustle of a small firm where I had to do EVERYthing. Being a control freak, having my hands in everything, was well, it was like that feeling you get when you savor the first sip of rich coffee as the flavor excites your taste buds and warmth spreads through your chest. Delicious and satisfying and leaving you wanting the next drink. That is what a job should feel like.

In sum, being a paralegal can be as fun and exciting or boring and mundane as you want it to be. It is all up to you and what you are looking for. If you’re willing to work for crumbs, put in late hours, deal with people who can be less than pleasant and then go home and take it out on your family the rest of the world, then you can be a Paralegal too.