After a year of working at Coldwell Banker, I had established and documented systems and procedures, had things running smoothly in the office and felt the need for a new challenge.
I had already been working at the Law Offices of Daniel Malis, P.C. part-time; designing Attorney Malis' website, doing some administrative office tasks and helping to manage his move to a new location. When I began looking for a new challenge, the timing was perfect for me to move into a full-time role with his law firm; his paralegal was leaving to go to law school, so I took over.
I began working part-time with Attorney Malis in August 2005, and worked full-time with him from roughly August 2006 through December 2008. I was very much his Girl Friday. Technically, my job description was "legal assistant," but I was also part office manager, part secretary, part clerical assistant, part marketing consultant and part mom.
I handled everything from invoices and cutting checks, to client relations, to drafting legal correspondence and even basic legal motions. I edited documents, provided marketing consulting and served as a general tech agent for practically any system in the office. I developed databases, created forms and implemented procedures. Essentially, he did the lawyering, and I ran the office.
During my time with Attorney Malis, I learned invaluable tips for running and maintaining a small business, as well as developed important business contacts that I maintained when I began my full-time writing career. I worked with local real estate agents and mortgage agents on a regular basis, as a small part of Attorney Malis' practice consisted of real estate. I also became extremely knowledgeable about personal injury law, insurance companies and everything that goes along with personal injury.
Additionally, I had the opportunity to refine my writing and editing skills even further, and had glowing reviews from his clients and other attorneys alike; that I made him "look good" - on paper, and in the office. I continue to work with Attorney Malis in a consulting, writing and Web design capacity, although I left full-time employment in his office in December 2008 to become a full-time freelance writer.