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Susan Ippoliti: Litigation Paralegal and NFPA VP & Director of Membership at Harter Secrest & Emery LLP

published April 12, 2023

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( 8 votes, average: 4.7 out of 5)
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Summary

Susan Ippoliti is a highly experienced litigation paralegal and has been in the field of paralegal studies for over 25 years. She is currently employed at Harter Secrest & Emery LLP and is the Vice President and Director of Membership for the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA).

At Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, Susan specializes in civil litigation, involving a variety of areas such as healthcare, professional malpractice, insurance coverage, commercial, product liability, and business matters. She assists attorneys in trial preparation, document review, research, and appellate work. She is also responsible for creating and maintaining the Firm's electronic filing system and electronic document retention methods.

Susan's involvement with the NFPA goes back to 2002, when she was elected as a Regional Director. She was also the New York State Pro Bono Coordinator and went on to serve as the Vice President of Education (2007-2008). In 2009, she was elected to the Board of Directors as Vice President and Director of Membership.

As Vice President and Director of Membership, Susan is responsible for expanding the NFPA's membership base and providing services to existing members. She also spearheads efforts to attract new members, introduce them to existing members, and incorporate them into the NFPA. Susan's leadership in the NFPA has been crucial in the development of the organization and in the recognition of paralegals as invaluable assets to the legal profession.

Susan has been an active advocate for paralegals and legal professionals and has been an invaluable asset to the NFPA. Her dedication to the organization has been instrumental in the growth and success of the NFPA. Her efforts have helped to improve the professional recognition of paralegals and to increase the visibility of the NFPA. Susan is an exceptional leader and a strong advocate for the paralegal profession and she continues to work diligently to advance the NFPA and improve services for its members.
 

Susan Ippoliti - NFPA Vice President and Director of Membership

Susan Ippoliti is the Vice President and Director of Membership for the National Federation of Paralegals Associations (NFPA) and a litigation paralegal at the law firm Harter Secrest & Emery LLP. Ippoliti has been passionate about the paralegal profession for many years, and she understands the difficulties that paralegals face in their profession. She is dedicated to helping and supporting paralegals in any way she can. Ippoliti is also highly involved in the NFPA, an organization that works to promote and protect the legal rights of individuals and businesses.
 

Knowledgeable Professional in the Legal Field

As a paralegal and a member of the NFPA, Susan Ippoliti is exceptionally knowledgeable in her field. She is knowledgeable in a variety of areas including civil procedure, evidence and ethics. Ippoliti understands the importance of continuing education and development and has taken on many NFPA initiatives in order to further the professionals in the legal field. In addition to her dedication to the NFPA, Ippoliti is also a member of the International Paralegal Management Association.
 

Litigation Paralegal at Harter Secrest & Emery

Ippoliti has worked at Harter Secrest & Emery LLP for many years as a litigation paralegal. She has experience in numerous areas of law including trial preparation, discovery and motion practice. Ippoliti is also experienced in legal research and appellate practice. Her knowledge and expertise in these areas have been instrumental in her success at the firm. In addition to her strong experience in the legal field, Ippoliti has also been recognized for her strong organizational skills and her dedication to client service.
 

Involvement in various Paralegal Organizations

Ippoliti is an active member of the paralegal community and has played an active role in various paralegal organizations. She is the Vice President and Director of Membership for the NFPA, an organization that seeks to advance the legal rights of individuals and businesses. In addition to this role, Ippoliti is also a board member of the International Paralegal Management Association. Through her involvement in these organizations, Ippoliti has been able to share her knowledge of the paralegal profession and advance the profession as a whole.

<<Susan Ippoliti says she gets bored easily. So she gets involved—a lot.

The litigation paralegal with Harter, Secrest & Emery is the Vice President and Director of Membership of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations. As a paralegal for just eight years, Ms. Ippoliti has been on the board of both local and national legal associations and advises people who want to get ahead: 'join the club.'

Not just any club, but The National Federation of Paralegal Associations or a local association. Part of Ms. Ippoliti's current NFPA role is to recruit new members to the association, which she says is a perfect haven to learn new skills and meet peers and possible mentors.

The day Ms. Ippoliti joined the Paralegal Association of Rochester, or PAR, in 1999, she became a member of the group's board. And now at just 29, Ms. Ippoliti holds a senior leadership position on the NFPA.

"Networking is really a big part of this profession. The day I became a member of the Paralegal Association of Rochester, I became a member of the board of directors. So it really happened overnight," she said.

Through PAR, Ms. Ippoliti said she found out about her current job with Harter, Secrest & Emery, found a mentor, and learned crucial leadership skills.

Ms. Ippoliti, who has experience with plaintiff and defense litigation in various areas, including construction, asbestos, personal injury, and medical malpractice, teaches courses on leadership through the NFPA. While she credits the organization with developing her leadership skills, she was a born leader.

"I've always been this way. I've always been very active," she said. "I sort of take the bull by the horns and I run. I get bored very quickly, so I like a constant challenge. I enjoy the challenges."

Ms. Ippoliti became a paralegal the old fashioned way—through on-the-job training. While studying at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, Ms. Ippoliti had a local internship with the District Attorney's office.

"It was great," she said. "I just wasn't really sure that I wanted to be a lawyer, but I wanted to be in the profession."

When she graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in political science, Ms. Ippoliti answered an ad in the newspaper for an entry-level clerical position in a law firm. It wasn't her dream job, but she knew it was the right profession. She started applying to law schools, but realized she didn't want to become an attorney. She was learning on the job how to become a litigation paralegal, a fast-paced area in which she excels.

Ms. Ippoliti has now been with Harter, Secrest for five years. She got that job through her mentor—something she feels every young professional should have.

"I have two pieces of advice: the first is find yourself a mentor, a mentor who is a senior paralegal. Someone who can help you and guide you," she said. She met her mentor through PAR, and then the woman mentioned an opening at the law firm.

"I think it's a little intimidating at first, but then all of a sudden you realize you're in a really good place full of really good people that can offer you so much in terms of advice and knowledge, and you really have to latch on to that," she said of asking for a mentor. "She actually said to me in passing one day that there was an opening. She just dropped a little carrot, you know, and dangled it and said 'you know, you really ought to check this out.' And so I did, and that's how I made it here."

Before taking on a national role in an organization, Ms. Ippoliti notes it is important to consult your employer and make sure you can count on their support.

"It's really been a whirlwind. I do travel more than I anticipated," she said. "Before you do something like this, you really do have to sit down and literally have a conversation with your employer and make sure they're behind you and will support you. In my position, you have to travel a bit more, because I have to go out and recruit people, and I get asked to visit various associations quite often."

Ms. Ippoliti's other crucial piece of advice is to ask questions. Or as she puts it: "You really have to know what you don't know."

"It's something that I say a lot to people and they look at me and go 'huh?' But it's really important to understand that it's okay to not have all the knowledge early on. And even later on, there are some paralegals who are 25-year paralegals who are asking questions," she said. "You have to remember that you're acting on behalf of the client. You don't want to find out when it's all completed that it's done incorrectly. You really have to know what you don't know."

published April 12, 2023

( 8 votes, average: 4.7 out of 5)
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