Cameron Park, CA, resident Kurt McCrum seems to have a daredevil streak in him that drives him both in and out of the office. By profession, McCrum is a personal injury paralegal/computer expert/office administrator at the Law Offices of Edward A. Smith in Sacramento. ''I handle a variety of personal injury matters from intake through trial, under the supervision of Edward Smith. I pride myself on my litigation capabilities and actually get a kick out of working on cases up to and through trial. I enjoy writing law and motion pleadings, mediation briefs, and other legal documents. Our office uses cutting-edge technologies to stay ahead of our competition and add value to our cases,'' said McCrum.
Photo McCrum took at the Davenport 2006 International Slope Racing event.
Job experience, aptitude, and a desire for a means of advancement—according to McCrum, these were the three keys that led him into the paralegal field. "I began my career as a clerk-messenger for a large law firm in 1986, right after graduating from high school. I took a part-time job while attending college, transitioned to full-time, and ultimately started another job where I was trained up from clerk to legal secretary. From there, after two years as a secretary, I began working as a paralegal for a trial attorney. I enjoy helping persons and fighting the good fight," said McCrum.
"My experience in the school of hard knocks (i.e., the legal industry) for over 20 years in addition to my aptitude for technology and strong writing skills are what I draw upon when attempting to help persons injured through no fault of their own," continued McCrum. "I guess I'm a softie when it comes to hearing about tragedies, and this desire to help and the rewards associated with helping someone get past a tragedy and perhaps turn it into a triumph are the factors that drive me to achieve on behalf of our office's clients."
McCrum said he found his current position through an attorney who worked with him at another law office, worked at his current office, and recommended him for the position 11 years ago. And he seems to be a natural-born advocate as he explains that the best part of his job is working with the clients, helping them through tough spots, and seeing the expressions on their faces when he conveys good news and/or notifies them that they have received huge settlements. Said McCrum, "I also enjoy having claims adjusters and attorneys back down based on arguments that I've made."
Some of the most difficult challenges for McCrum include staying on top of the constantly increasing workload, keeping on task by avoiding interruptions, and dealing with outrageous "offers." When asked about some of the emotional highlights of his career to date, McCrum replied, "Let's talk about this by voice. I've affected jury verdicts personally due to legal briefs I've written. I've made clients feel comfortable with their decisions, whatever decision it may be. I've settled lots of large cases and taken away a sense of good will from [the] same."
According to McCrum, one of the most important issues facing the law community today is getting the word out to jurors that the insurance industry—not the trial attorney—is the "big bad wolf." "Lawyers get a bad rap, while insurance carriers line their pockets," said McCrum. "Our system of checks and balances is nearly non-functional due to propaganda paid for by insurance carriers."
McCrum enjoys radio-control modeling
Over the course of his career as a paralegal, McCrum said, he has seen huge changes in the legal industry. "Attorneys used to be compared to doctors. Now they are compared to used-car salesmen. The insurance companies are winning the propaganda games. The net effect is that persons who need a good attorney don't have the same access to good attorneys, playing even more into the hands of the insurance carriers. In addition, technology has radically changed the way a law practice operates," explained McCrum.
McCrum advised students who are preparing to become paralegals to start by finding jobs in the industry in order to get a proverbial foot in the door. From there, he said, work long and hard to demonstrate your aptitudes and abilities. Try to get recognized and promoted.
"I would encourage someone starting out to work on an ROP/internship basis in a law firm and get their feet wet and see if it is something that is right for them," said McCrum. "There are a lot of jobs much easier to perform than being a paralegal, and I think the only way to find out if the person has the dedication and time-management skills necessary would be to actually work in the business for several months. That, and take as many English and legal writing courses/computer science courses as possible."
On a personal note, McCrum is 38 years old, is married, and has a toddler son at home. His interests include computers, the Internet, auto mechanics, boating, fishing, and hiking. His primary hobbies are photography and radio-control modeling with an emphasis on sailplanes and helicopters.
Q.
What do you do for fun?
A.
See above!
Q.
What CD was most recently in your CD player?
A.
What's a CD player? MP3 tracks from David Sanborn was what I listened to on the way in today.
Q.
What's the last magazine you read?
A.
Popular Photography, Model Aviation.
Q.
What is your favorite TV show?
A.
House. (I love a good medical drama.)
Q.
Who is your role model?
A.
Never really had anyone specific in mind.
"I've spent 25 years flying model aircraft of all types. Initially, my interest was piqued as a way of using my hands to create something that then had a function, i.e., building a plane, then flying it," explained McCrum. "The hobby has become my favorite pastime as the result of the challenges involved (keeping a plane in the air or a helicopter from crashing) and the serenity involved; flying slope gliders/sailplanes involves standing on a cliff, which usually affords a nice view, and using the wind as your only source of power. Because there is no motor/noise and because the model, pilot, [and] wind conditions all have to be in synch, it is often a rare and much-looked-forward-to 'treat' to get in a flight of 1.5 hours without stopping."
"Racing sailplanes against two other pilots—on a cliff, in high winds, with heavy planes traveling at 100-plus miles per hour—is one of the purest forms of adrenaline I've ever found. I'll drive all day just to get to L.A. to enter a race. I'll stand on a mountaintop all day in the blaring sun, drinking 10 bottles of water, if it means that I can hone my racing line and best my fastest lap and achieve victory on occasion. I race two to three times per year. The races I enter are two-day races. There is a lot of action—and danger—involved, as the models whiz past the pilots, [who] stand in a neck-and-neck fashion, all fighting for the same 'line.'"
"Mid-air collisions, and/or 'dumb thumbs' mistakes causing the plane to meet terra firma at high speeds are just part of the game. Destroyed planes and sunburns all around are par for the course after racing. It takes a lot of courage, and a bit of a fearless heart, to toss a $2,000 fiberglass aircraft you've spent 20-plus hours fitting out off of a cliff in the first place. It takes even more to enter into a man-on-man competition where the only certain outcome is that many planes will crash."
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