By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
The shy daughter of a rural country dairy farmer from Fennville, a small town south of Grand Rapids, never envisioned becoming president of NALS of West Michigan, a role that involves public speaking and social networking.
"Yet, 30 years into my legal career, here I am," says Carolyn Field, who spearheads the state's largest chapter of this organization for legal professionals, with 67 members.
A legal secretary and paralegal at Miller Johnson in Grand Rapids, Field earned her undergrad degree in criminal justice and legal administration from Grand Valley State University, with the intent of attending the police academy
"However, the universe had other plans for me," she says.
In her senior year at GVSU, Field took an internship as a legal secretary at Cholette, Perkins, & Buchanan in Grand Rapids and found her career niche.
"I realized how much I enjoyed working with attorneys, and that litigation was my forte," she says.
Field has worked for litigators at four law firms for over 30 years, including Wheeler Upham; Warner, Norcross, & Judd; and most recently landed at Miller Johnson.
"It truly feels like home," she says. "I'm assigned to three busy attorneys and I'm glad I can put my strong organizational and time management skills to work."
In the early '90s, Field joined NALS.
"I wholeheartedly believe it was one of the best decisions of my life," she says.
Her early years at NALS, as a single mom with two small children, were spent as a "spectator"; but in the last decade she has served on the local board as secretary, director, president-elect, and now as president. She also has chaired the Legal Education Committee, locally and on the state level, tasked with obtaining top-notch speakers.
"We've hosted some amazing speakers on hot topics," she says.
A favorite seminar, "Marijuana It's Not Just for Brownies Anymore," boasted speakers presenting on all things medical marijuana: zoning restrictions for growers, distribution regulations, card registrations, and defending and prosecuting cases. Another successful seminar, "It's All Right Civil Rights, That Is," highlighted civil rights and included presentations on the Right to Marry, Right to Work, Right to Life, Right to Free Speech, and Right to Bear Arms, with the day ending at a local firing range for handgun training and shooting.
NALS also offers hands-on seminars such as e-filing, computer research, and ever-changing court procedures.
The cornerstone of NALS is its certification program, notes Field, who obtained Professional Legal Secretary (PLS) certification in 2005 and Professional Paralegal (PP) certification in 2006.
"I'm extremely proud of these accomplishments and strongly encourage all legal professionals to consider certification," she says. "Having not only taken the exams but also having led study groups to prepare others for the exams, I know the time and effort expended is certainly worth the reward not only to me professionally and personally, but to my employers, who benefit from my increased skills and knowledge."
Community involvement is also important to Field, and through NALS of West Michigan's annual community service projects, she is able to "give back." Recent benefactors have included Kids Food Basket, CASA of Kent County, and the Canine Advocacy Program, which uses dogs to provide comfort to children testify ingin criminal cases. Field has also volunteered as a rape crisis advocate for the YWCA, where she was trained to provide support to victims of sexual assault.
Field tries to spend as much time as possible with her now-adult children Brad, who works in the movie industry and is currently filming in Toronto with her favorite movie star, Joel Kinnaman; and Kelli "recently engaged to the nicest guy a mom could hope for," she says. Field also has a 7-year-old granddaughter, Grace, who lives in Port Huron.
NALS has provided Field with lifelong friends.
"Attending conferences across the country, I've formed bonds that will never be broken," she says. "It was during two consecutive road trips to Tulsa with a gang of friends, where important life decisions were made, that the phrase 'Changing Lives While Changing Lanes' was coined."
According to Field who was honored with the NALS of West Michigan's Award of Excellence earlier this year life has become much richer because of NALS and its members.
"I believe my involvement in NALS and the personal and professional growth that comes with it is apparent to those I work with every day and, most importantly, to my family," she says. "I'm thankful for all that NALS has provided me, and I'm grateful to my employer, Miller Johnson, for its continued support of the organization."
Published: Thu, Aug 27, 2015
