Experience

The Seismic Collaborative – a Spectrum Science Company

• United States
• Public Relations and Communications Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Strategic Consultant

  • Jan 2022 - Present



Stefanie James DBA

• Legal Consultant

  • May 2015 - Jan 2022

  • Analyze, summarize and translate legal contract for sale of public relations firm to facilitate client understanding and ensure fair dealings.• Collaborate with client in preparing for depositions by reviewing deposition process: explain requests from opposing counsel to anticipate cross-examination. • Counsel client on obtaining remuneration for witness testimony reaching a satisfactory agreement from all parties and preventing litigation. • Explain property rights, trespass laws and possible outcomes of litigation to client engaged in property dispute to decide appropriate course of legal or private settlement. • Identify areas of responsibility for client relevant to hired third party negligence determining level of liability; simplify legalize for client understanding of accusations. • Counsel client regarding sexual harassment from employer described process of reporting and typical outcomes relevant to Fortune 500 companies. • Help client clarify pros and cons of reporting sexual harassment versus terminating employment; reviewed mediation and litigation options for case. • Review property rental contracts for tenant clients to further their understanding of landlord/tenant laws and clarified rights under local and state law; help clients identify a-typical clauses that reduced their legal rights.



Employment Law Center - Workers' Rights Clinic

• Law Clerk

  • Jan 2014 - May 2014

  • Provide legal access and technical assistance to low income and non-English speaking clients who would otherwise not have access to the legal systems relevant to labor relations or employment law. • Administer and evaluate, through initial client interviews, possible employment law violations to identify valid claims for Clinic attorneys to pursue. • Research independently and expand knowledge of current California employment law and policy by concisely extrapolating relevant academic work to better advise clients on complaint validity and outcomes of litigation. • Strategize with Director and staff regarding recurring issues facing diverse client population; developed protocols to increase efficiencies and outcomes. • Translate complex legal roadblocks, economized clients’ time and resources. • Distill systems and policies, including the EEC, SSI, SSDI, and state unemployment into layperson terms, enabled client navigation of state and federal programs.• Work quickly and efficiently through interpreters, expounded on clients’ complaints to ensure they received and understood all information regarding their actionability.• Apprise clients and Clinic of filing timelines via clear communication, assured adherence to Clinic’s mission and responsibilities.• Brief the Director on outcomes of client interviews laid foundation for cases impactful on increasing employees’ rights at the individual level, local and state level.• Learn how to speak with clients with limited formal education able to share my knowledge of employment law, administrative agencies and services succinctly and simply.



UC Hastings Civil Justice Mediation Clinic - Small Claims Court Fieldwork

• Mediator

  • Aug 2013 - Dec 2013

  • Administer and supervise mediations between parties in Small Claims Court, reduced judicial caseload and improved mutually satisfactory outcomes.• Discuss and critique mediation strategies and identified areas to increase mediation participation and success. • Support Small Claims Court Judge, economized time through successful mediations.• Create presentations to educate peers and inform supervisors, identified effective and ineffective mediation strategies and pitches.• Critique and analyze both my own and peers’ mediations, participated as mediator and mock litigant to hone skills and streamlined Clinic functions.• Advocate and benefits of mediation to plaintiffs and defendants built cooperative-based alternative within adversarial system.• Clarify for laypeople the mediation process, how process worked within justice system, differed from litigation, and maximized knowledge of available resolutions to conflicts.• Collaborate with a team. Augmented best practices, planned for court, co-administered mediations, and improved teamwork abilities.• Develop communication, listening, and synthesis skills by participating in mock mediations. • Apply learning practically, leading to adept comprehension and identification of litigants’ values and conflicts, raised potential for mutually beneficial outcomes.• Inform supervisors and judge of mediation outcomes, assisted in Clinic’s present and future development.• Interact with diversity of people and issues, broadened proficiency in mediating across any issues and personalities encountered. • Manage multiple assignments and deadlines, accomplished at project completion, time management and professionalism delivering results under pressure.• Act as representative and advocate for Clinic in court by clearly communicating mission and benefits, enabled Clinic and mediation to remain integral part of SCC.



Family Violence Appellate Project

• United States
• Legal Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Law Clerk

  • May 2013 - Aug 2013

  • Effected change in domestic violence policy by appealing relevant cases that set precedent in local and state law. • Conduct initial intake of diverse cultural and socioeconomic clientele determining appropriateness of client for project. • Increase protections for diversity of victims, served clients denied protection by explaining appeals process, • Researched relevant law, assisted potential clients through a legal interpretation of their complaints and advised them on the best course of action Apply case specific facts to project goals and deduced scope of precedent. • Attend Continuing Legal Education seminars on assisting domestic violence victims, improved sensitivity to victims needs, reassured individuals not accepted by Project by sharing laws useful for their protection.• Support client at appellate stage personally bringing client to court, making sure appeal was not dismissed due to failure to appear. (could delete) • Provide live legal expertise; first point of contact for clients and victims in need of immediate assistance allowing project to offer maximum benefits.



Unified Family Court - Judge Linda Colfax

• Judicial Extern

  • Jan 2013 - May 2013

  • Identify pertinent information from extensive case files, clarified issues and history relevant for Judge to review before upcoming motions.• Write concise memos for the Judge on assigned cases, helped prepare for motions hearings and domestic violence court cases. • Attend motions and domestic violence court, converted Judge’s ruling into clear, concise binding orders, provided orders to litigants after motion ruling, established immediate compliance.• Researched relevant family law to identify key legal issues, synthesize information and relay it to Judge prior to hearing. • Maintained neutral review of case history, summarized arguments made by plaintiff and defendant, helped Judge remain unbiased prior to court.• Identify and toss submitted arguments without legal basis, assured Judge’s consideration adhered strictly to California law.