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Mary Carlton’s Valley Docs and Paralegal Services, LLC

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published October 15, 2012

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Personal Life

Mary Carlton owns and manages Valley Docs and Paralegal Services
Mary Carlton owns and manages Valley Docs and Paralegal Services in Temple, Arizona. The paralegal has been running her own successful business since 2001. Mary is a nationally certified paralegal and Arizona Certified Legal Document Preparer (CLDP), and has more than 25 years of civil legal experience. She is hoping to expand her business in Arizona by developing a center that has computers, so customers can create their own documents such as dissolutions, child support modification or simple wills. She is currently Chairman for Arizona's Supreme Court Legal Document Preparer Board.

Mary was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She earned her Associates Degree in Legal Sciences. The paralegal has been married for fourteen years and is very close to her daughter and new grandson.

When she is not working, Mary enjoys walking her dogs, reading, working in her garden, bike rides, and hiking. Her favorite places to hike are Superstitions Mountain, South Mountain Park and the Watson Lake area in Prescott, Arizona. Mary loves her three cats and three dogs and admitted they have “unique personalities.” The paralegal's favorite author is Janet Evanovich, an American writer who is well-known for her Stephanie Plum series.

Motivation and Greatest Achievement

Mary's motivation has always been her clients. She explained, “I enjoy the variety of clients. They are somewhat unique and have different personalities.” The paralegal reflected on how “some people contacted her and would say, ‘I hear about you and I would like you to work for me.'” Mary claimed that a comment like that “jump starts her heart.” She acknowledged that whatever she is doing must be right.

What has been Mary's greatest achievement so far? The businesswoman announced she is always striving for excellence. One of Mary's achievements has been raising her daughter, who is her best friend. She also credited her husband for being “intelligent, supportive and an extremely creative man.” The paralegal believes you must have family values in order to be successful in life.

Mary's Successful Business and Tips for Legal Staff Members

Why and when did Mary decide to become a legal staff member? The paralegal replied, “After my first marriage ended it was in the mid-1980's when I decided I needed to update my skill level.” Mary attended school and became a paralegal in 1987. She continued to say “I worked for an attorney who used to be a superior court judge. My first day working for him, he took me to the legal library for four hours, showing me how to do his research.” Mary added, “It was an amazing experience.”

In 1990, the paralegal moved to Prescott, Arizona to work with Robert Burtinel on the first Indian Game contract. Mary was delighted to work on the first gaming compact for the Yavapai County casino in Prescott, Arizona. She noted “it was not too often that I was involved in a first legal situation, and for me it was monumental.”

In 2001, the paralegal started her own business because she wanted to move on with her career.

When Mary was asked if she transitioned into the law, she stated, “No. I decided to become a paralegal because I felt I had the ability to research and write well, and the law seemed to be the right avenue.” The businesswoman used to be a paralegal for Allstate insurance company and various private attorneys.
United States

So what is the best part of Mary's job? The paralegal did not hesitate when she said “independence.” She expressed, “I work in a home office and feel like I have the opportunity to know people from different avenues. I also have the opportunity to prepare business structures, develop and or modify contracts for companies, as well as preparing life planning documents for individuals. It's a great job, I love it.” Mary acknowledged she has a better understanding of people in the field. She emphasized she attends legal seminars and always learns something new.

Although Mary runs her own successful business, I jokingly asked her what top attribute she appreciates about her employer. The paralegal lightheartedly answered, “I truly love the business and appreciate that my employer is not looking over me. I love my boss and the flexibility at the company.” All jokes aside, Mary works seven days a week and reassured her clients that she “understands people have a time crunch.”

The businesswoman recognizes she has a knack for being “efficient, timely and competent.” Mary revealed she has many clients who returned for her service and she also receives referrals from clients. The paralegal discussed how most of her clients can't afford attorney's fees. Instead, Mary's clients rely on her to use software to prepare their own documents. She stated, “It's very beneficial.”

The businesswoman also discussed what she thought about the legal field today. She asserted, “There will always be a need for legal people. The technology we have in Arizona has changed the court filing procedures more effectively. Technology is changing so rapidly, which is good and we need to stay abreast with technology.” The paralegal pointed out that our society needs lawyers, but there aren't enough positions for all the new and upcoming graduates in the next ten years. She said, “How will they support themselves? There is a diminished market for paralegals because of the questionable economy. We are seeping in dept.” Mary did not want to paint a “rosy picture” for people who think everything is going smoothly for individuals in the legal profession.

What would Mary change about the legal profession? She declared, “The legal profession needs to rethink their fees. How much is a retainer for a criminal lawyer or a family law attorney? Attorneys need to have a reality check on the value of their legal service.” The paralegal stressed that the majority of Americans cannot pay for the current excessive attorney fees. She also made it clear that it was difficult to predict what will occur in the legal field.

Mary gave positive advice to new and recent legal staff members. The paralegal proclaimed, “Don't be afraid to take on any job. If you want to be successful in business you need to tackle any job given to you. You need to research and become a valuable commodity in your area. Do your job well and be thorough in your work.”

What advice does Mary have for people who want to eventually become a paralegal? She wants individuals to study the job market. Mary then wants people to be “realistic in the area of law they want to get into (real estate, bankruptcy, family law, etc.)” She made it apparent that people who want to join the legal industry should “keep their eyes open” and ask two pivotal questions: “Will there be a position available?” and “Will the market grow?” The paralegal stated that law students must ask themselves the same questions.

The businesswoman gave her final potent recommendation when she commented for everyone “to continue their education regardless of their age.”

Where does Mary see herself in five years? The paralegal said, “I will expand my business in Prescott. I am just looking forward to continuing to grow. I have no plans to retire.”

If Mary wasn't a legal staff member, she would be a master gardener, because she likes to be able to go through the growth cycle every season, to sow, cultivate, and harvest; the cycle of life.
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