GSJones Law Group prides itself on teamwork and our paralegals and legal assistants are key players on our team. They are the unsung heroes of great law firms. October 23^rd  National Paralegal Day is a great time to sing the praises of our two paralegals.

Meet James Thomas and Jean Kaio

James Thomas, who has a degree in Legal Assisting from San Francisco State University and 17 years with our firm, focuses on Family Law. Jean Kaio, with 20 years of experience at GSJones Law Group and eight years with previous attorneys, focuses on Personal Injury law, Family Law, and Civil Litigation. Their preparation represents the two main tracks to qualify as paralegals. In Washington State, paralegals prepare with formal training or extensive experience or a combination of both.

Paralegals perform a range of legal duties based on the law firm's needs.  They include:

• Legal research
• Drafting legal instruments
• Case organization and scheduling
• Case management
• Litigation discovery management and trial preparation
• Client communication
• Filing documents with the court

Paralegals can make an important difference for clients

“We act as liaisons between clients and the attorney. This is especially vital when the attorney is unavailable,” Jean says.  This flexibility can help reduce legal fees if we can assist the clients in ways that don’t require legal advice. In addition, clients appreciate getting responses in a timelier manner than an attorney’s more rigid schedule allows.” James emphasizes the value of the services paralegals provide “that reduce costs for clients by making the legal process more efficient and cost-effective.”

All our staff who work directly and under the supervision of attorneys, known as legal assistants, are vital to providing client-centered legal services. They are the backbone of legal work, ensuring that attorneys have the support they need to focus on strategic and client-facing aspects of a case. Their meticulous work helps reduce the risk of errors and ensures that cases are well-prepared.

Paralegals provide some of the more specialized services that require a high level of training and skill. For instance, James manages the civil contempt calendar that deals with child support cases where a parent is behind on his or her support payment.

Many of our staff are active in the community. Jean regularly volunteered with the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office Community Resource Department under the supervision of Deputy Montague. She has also served her profession by serving on the board of the Kitsap County chapter of the National Association for Legal Support Professionals.

GSJones Law Group is truly fortunate to have such dedicated, skilled, and knowledgeable paralegal support.  We honor you, especially on this day, Jean Kaio and James Thomas, and appreciate your excellence throughout the year.

If you’d like to get a quick overview of the work of a Family Law paralegal, check out this video from The Paralegal Institute of Washington, D.C.