Paralegal/Communications Manager

• Sep 2022 - Present

Lead Roundup Paralegal (mass tort)

• Aug 2019 - Apr 2022

Fact Witness Contractor

• May 2018 - May 2019

Assistant to shareholder

• Jan 2017 - Nov 2017

Litigation assistant to Jeff Coopersmith, partner

• 2015 - 2016

Paralegal

• Mar 2014 - Sep 2015

Paralegal, law firm administration

• 2011 - 2014

Oversaw and assisted in daily managing operational aspects of Seattle personal injury law firm, working with partners to develop and implement long-term law firm communications strategy. Handled all media relations, coordinated contractors. Directed three-year-long, $80K media campaign for joint venture case that helped bring forth witnesses in a sex-abuse case with nearly 300 clients. Project included co-producing TV and radio commercials, buying 166 tv spots, six weeks of radio air time, writing and co-producing, print ads, brochures, and social media campaigns. Wrote press releases and all material for external audiences on sex-abuse cases. Helped redesign company web site and assisted in expanding the firm's profile. Assisted news crews with CNN, CBS News, Associated Press, the Canadian Broadcasting Company, Scripps and Los Angeles Times Produced press conferences in Seattle and Montana, resulting in nationwide headlines in print and broadcast media. Co-produced 4-minute video featuring client and attorney interviews, distributing the video nationwide as a multi-media news release. As a licensed legal investigator with 7 years experience, I assisted in completing discovery, preparing cases for trial, locating hard-to-find witnesses, interviewing witnesses. Public Relations Marketing Media Relations, press conferences Communications Project Management Content Development for web site Copyediting Show less

Contract licensed legal investigator/paralegal

• 2009 - 2011

Investigated cases, working as the in-house investigator for law partners, associates, and out-of-state co-counsel, locating of 200+ plaintiff witnesses in two class-action cases. Supervised contract investigators on large cases such as Morning Star Boys Ranch, Spokane Diocese future claimants, plus work on $166 million Society Jesus bankruptcy case in Portland, Ore. Provided media relations direction on case settlements, resulting in news coverage of firm cases. Drafted press releases for cases resulting in news coverage in Puget Sound area media and National Public Radio. Investigative witness interviews Public Relations Media Relations Communications, Marketing Show less

Licensed Legal Investigator, paralegal

• 2006 - 2009

Created, maintained and operated a successful legal investigations business, invoicing 220+ investigation assignments annually. Selected achievements: BCTI-Washington assisted as a contract licensed investigator with interviews, locates of 100+ plaintiff witnesses in class-action case, multi-million dollar settlement (breach of contract, fraud case). Mary Draper v. Pierce County Housing Authority, assisted with locates, interviews of 80+ plaintiff witnesses, $800K settlement (case of toxic mold in public housing). Curry v. Fox, assisted with locates of 100+ plaintiff witnesses, many illegal immigrants, undocumented workers, (employment case). Investigated clergy sex-abuse cases throughout Washington State, Illinois, Louisiana, locating hard-to-find witnesses, interviewing victims, pre-deposition interviews, and asset searches. Investigated death-penalty qualifying cases for criminal defense attorneys, wrote mitigations reports for the court to consider in sentencing. Fraud Investigations Trials Personal Injury Show less

Journalism Experience

• 1995 - 2005

News Reporter, The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA, 2000 - 2005 News Reporter, The (Everett) Herald, Everett, WA, 1998 - 2000 Foreign News Writer, The Christian Science Monitor, Stockholm, Sweden, 1997 Copy Editor, The Christian Science Monitor, Boston, MA, Copy Editor, 1996 News Reporter, The Herald Weekly Group, Lynnwood, WA, 1995-1996 Legislative Reporting intern, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Olympia, WA, Winter / Spring 1995 News Reporting News Writing Copyediting Content Development Show less