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Well-known Freelance Paralegal Penelope Long Reflects on a Long and Rewarding Career

published February 24, 2014

By Follow Me on
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( 28 votes, average: 4.1 out of 5)
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Professional Overview

Well-known Freelance Paralegal Penelope Long
Penelope Long, ACP, has worked successfully and exclusively as a freelance paralegal in San Diego since 2006. She became an ABA-approved paralegal in 1992. Ms. Long passed a three-day examination to obtain her professional National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) certification (CP). She then obtained her advanced NALA certification (ACP) credential, with an emphasis in discovery. Although Ms. Long's advanced certification is in discovery, her overall specialty is litigation. She is also a certified InData Trial Director 6.3 trainer. Ms. Long plans on earning her Intellectual Property Law Professional Certification from University of California at San Diego in the spring of 2014.

Prior to becoming a freelance paralegal, Ms. Long worked for the Phoenix office of Squire Sanders & Dempsey, where she had the opportunity to travel the world interviewing witnesses, reviewing documents, attending depositions, and working trials. She also worked for Lewis Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith, McKenna Long & Aldrich and Wilson Sonsini.

Ms. Long is a member of the San Diego County Bar Association, the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and the San Diego Humane Society. She also served as a board member of the University of San Diego's Paralegal Program Alumni Association and was a member of the San Diego Paralegal Association. While chairing the mentor committee for the University of San Diego's Paralegal Program Alumni Association, Ms. Long authored a column, "Ask the Mentor," which provided advice and solutions to paralegal alumni members who needed career guidance. She is in the process of publishing her book, "Freelancing to Freedom: a Comprehensive Guide for Paralegals."

Ms. Long was born and raised in Houston, TX. She majored in Political Science at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and received her paralegal certificate from the University of San Diego.

When asked about her hobbies and interests, Ms. Long replied, "I am a gourmet cook. I attended culinary school and I enjoy writing. So far I've written several (unpublished) screenplays and non-fiction, but I plan to write a novel at some point." She also enjoys San Diego's True Food Kitchen and loves eating good Chinese food. Ms. Long is currently reading Stephen King's On Writing. Although she prefers non-fiction (biographies mostly), she is an avid reader and has enjoyed the works of fiction novelists Robert Ludlam, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, John Grisham, and Sidney Sheldon.

Ms. Long's Successful Career

Why did Ms. Long decide to become a paralegal? She noted:
"My interest in the law originally stemmed from my mother's career. Many years ago, my mother was a legal secretary whose job at a large law firm in Arizona eventually evolved into one of the first paralegal positions in the Phoenix area. The term 'paralegal' was not widely known at that time. There were no paralegal programs or certificates in those days. My mother was a pioneer in the days when paralegals were true legal assistants, not glorified secretaries or document clerks (no offense to legal secretaries or document clerks - just entirely different career paths). There were no computers or legal research software back then, so my mom spent her days researching issues in the law library, drafting motions and pleadings, interviewing witnesses and attending depositions and trials. Although I was always intrigued by mom's work as a paralegal and subsequently majored in political science in college, it would be quite a few years before I would actually head down a similar career path.

While my mother was winding down her paralegal career, I was moving up the corporate ladder as a sales and marketing executive - first in the hospitality industry and subsequently in the medical field (how I ended up on that path is a story for another day - or book!) Marketing suited my personality and I loved the challenge of guiding sales teams. However, after ten years of Chamber of Commerce mixers, I burned out. Believe it or not, the endless cocktail parties and out-of-town tradeshows got old and I longed for quiet, intellectual stimulation. The paralegal world, which I had been exposed to through my mom, became an appealing career goal."
Ms. Long's position at the Phoenix office of Squire Sanders & Dempsey changed her career. When asked what she learned from the experience, she reminisced: "It was such an amazing position. In addition to experiencing the different cities and cultures, I learned how to effectively conduct all sorts of witness interviews. I worked on many complex cases involving misappropriation of trade secrets and international arbitration. On those cases, I learned how to analyze documents and look for the proverbial smoking gun. I could go on and on."

While working for the Phoenix office of Squire Sanders & Dempsey, Ms. Long's witness interviews and evidence gathering took her to Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Taipai, Borneo, Singapore, and throughout the United States. What was her favorite place? Ms. Long stated:
"All of those places were interesting experiences and I could tell stories about each. My favorite Southeast Asian city is a tiny resort city called Kota Kinabalu, which is in Borneo. It was beautiful and the ocean water was as warm as a Jacuzzi. In the United States, my favorite experience was probably the document review in the Denver area. We didn't see much snow in Arizona (where I lived at the time), so driving through snow storms in April was pretty exciting."
She worked for Lewis Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith, McKenna Long & Aldrich and Wilson Sonsini. How was this experience? "They were all very different. I made some lasting friendships from each."

What advice would Ms. Long give to someone who's brand-new to her position? "Never stop learning. Keep up with technology. Keep taking classes. Obtain as many advanced certifications as you can. This will keep you current and marketable. Your attitude is everything. Stay positive, no matter what, and don't take anything personal."
What information does she wish she had when she were starting out? "I wouldn't change a thing."

What's one of the things that Ms. Long finds most challenging about her job? "Litigation can be very stressful at times, particularly during trial. You have to learn to handle all kinds of personalities and keep calm and cool."

What would she say is the most important thing she learned as a paralegal? "Every case I've worked on has added a new level of knowledge. They all matter. It's the accumulation of all that experience and diverse background (variety of cases) that brought me to where I am now. I love that I have worked in so many practice areas. I have so much more to offer than I would have if I had stuck to one area of law."

What is the difference between Ms. Long and other paralegals doing the same thing that she does? "Mostly my diverse background, and the fact that I am a good writer. Writing and proper grammar is so important. The advanced (NALA) certifications and Trial Director Trainer certification also set me apart."

What is the best part of her job? "As a freelancer, I have a lot of freedom to select the firms I work with, the type of cases and projects I take on, where (home or office) and when (hours) I work."

What's Ms. Long's favorite part of her day as a paralegal? "No day is the same, particularly as a freelancer. My favorite projects are document reviews. Employment cases are the most fun. They are always 'juicy' and interesting."

What is she known for professionally? What does Ms. Long have a knack for? "I'm probably known in the paralegal world for my knowledge of technology (specifically, Trial Director). I have a knack for document analysis (identifying key documents), and writing."

What does she think about the paralegal field in San Diego today? What would Ms. Long change about her field? She asserted:
"I would like to see paralegal utilization changed. Most law firms utilize their paralegals as clerks. In other words, the paralegal comes into the case towards the end to put exhibit binders together or otherwise organize and copy documents. I believe a paralegal should be assigned to a case at its inception. The paralegal should be a key member of the case team, in addition to the partners, associates and secretaries. Paralegals have so much more to offer and clients would appreciate the effort to hold costs down."
If she were not in this profession, what would she most probably be doing? "Writing or cooking."

Where does Ms. Long see herself in five year's time? "Writing and cooking! I would also like to mentor other paralegals."

What motivates her to be a paralegal everyday? "I love my work. I love the variety of projects and cases and different people with whom I get to work as a freelancer. I never get bored."

Volunteer Activities, Mentoring Other Paralegals and People Who Inspire Ms. Long

Is Ms. Long involved in any volunteer activities? "I volunteer a lot of time to mentoring new paralegals. I also volunteer for animal causes."

Is she a mentor? "Yes, I consistently mentor other paralegals, particularly those just starting out in the field. I was the chair of the mentor committee of the USD alumni association for a couple of years."

Who inspires Ms. Long? She acknowledged:
"Mark Nadeau, a partner at DLA Piper , was my mentor and changed my career. He is a brilliant litigator and he knows how to run a case! He knows how to utilize paralegals and allows them to realize their full potential. Cindy Ricketts, a partner with Sacks, Ricketts and Case is also an amazing attorney who pushed me beyond my limits on many occasions. She taught me to have thick skin and learn. Last, but not least, my dad. He was a masterful writer, fantastic father, and just such an interesting character. He passed away in 2005 and I miss him every day."
A Certified InData Trial Director 6.3 Trainer, Publishing Her Book, Being Featured on Vicki Voisin's The Paralegal Mentor Blog and Her Goals

Ms. Long is a certified InData Trial Director 6.3 trainer. Is she currently training individuals in classes? "Not currently. I haven't been actively marketing that service because I've been too busy with paralegal work! I would like to do more training. I enjoy it. I always try to fit it in if I get a request."

When will she publish her book? "I am in the process of publishing the book, 'Freelancing to Freedom: a Comprehensive Guide for Paralegals' now. The process was put on hold for a couple of years because I was too busy to give it the attention it required. The ball is rolling again now, though, and I hope to have the book published very soon."

Ms. Long was featured on Vicki Voisin's The Paralegal Mentor blog. How does it feel to be recognized by her work? "It was very gratifying and flattering. I've worked very hard for a lot of years, so it feels wonderful. Life is good."

Does she have goals? "I hope to do more writing, travel to promote my book when it is published, and continue working hard as a paralegal and mentor. I hope to obtain my Intellectual Property Law Professional certification and break into trademark prosecution."

published February 24, 2014

By Follow Me on
( 28 votes, average: 4.1 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.