I have been an Estate Administration and Litigation Paralegal with Weber, Kracht & Chellew for three and a half years. When I tell people what I do for a living, many have no idea what a Paralegal does. I explain to them that when it comes to Litigation, I work with attorneys and assist them in preparing cases for trial or settlement.  I compare my role as a Paralegal to a nurse working with a doctor.  We do all the work, and the attorney gets all the credit! Just kidding, but seriously I truly love what I do.

As an Estate Administration Paralegal, I help our clients navigate the process of administering their loved one’s estate when they have passed away. As this can be a very difficult and upsetting time for the executor and family members, my role is to put their mind at ease by handling the probate process and bring the estate to closure with the court.  This involves completing the necessary paperwork to open an estate with the court, contacting the deceased’s creditors and financial institutions to have all debts paid and funds distributed to the estate. I also assist the attorney in completing the Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Return. I find joy in this role as I can see the relief on our clients faces when I tell them, “I will handle that for you.”

My tasks as a Litigation Paralegal involve handling all aspects of personal injury claims from inception to resolution.  This involves determining the issues in each case and establishing possible defenses and documents needed to prove our defense.  These include, but are not limited to, obtaining medical records, expert reports, tax documents and lien information. Each case is different and therefore the documents required to obtain vary. I recently had the opportunity to participate in my first jury trial in Bucks County for a case I had been working on for a few years where we represented the Defendant. I was able to participate in jury selection and many other aspects of the trial. It was an amazing experience and helped me understand how the work we do on a case all comes together in the end. Best of all, we received a defense verdict!

I am also the firm’s Office Manager which offers a change from my daily Paralegal duties. This has been a challenging new role for me but one that I am enjoying. There is always something new to learn in both my Paralegal and Office Manager positions which helps to keep my job interesting. I enjoy working with all of the staff members at Weber, Kracht & Chellew and am fortunate to have such great team members!

 

Diane Yaglinski joined Weber, Kracht & Chellew in 2018. A Paralegal since 2011, her responsibilities here at the firm cover all aspects of insurance defense cases. On her career as a Paralegal, Diane indicates “I enjoy the investigation aspect of my work as a Paralegal, specifically seeking answers and finding solutions to our client’s needs.”