Résumé of Joni M. Mueller, PLS

Education

South San Antonio High School, San Antonio, Texas

High School Diploma, 1975

Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas

Bachelor of Arts, English, 1979

Work Experience

[Current Employer Not Disclosed], Houston, Texas
(Sep. 1991-Present)

Since coming to the firm from San Antonio in 1991, I have worked for several partners in the litigation department, in all facets of the law, including FELA, breast implant/MDL, admiralty, and most recently, appellate. From October 1997 to November 2008, I have worked for a partner in the appellate section. My duties include drafting routine correspondence and pleadings, proofreading appellate briefs, cite-checking record references and case law citations, preparing tables of authority and tables of content, maintaining and distributing section appellate docket, billing, personal correspondence, and other routine secretarial and administrative duties. Authored Appellate Style Manual for use in all Firm’s Texas offices. Since November 2008 I have been working in the Firm’s Night Staff department assisting attorneys in all our local departments. I am called upon to perform not only secretarial tasks, but to proofread briefs and Client Development materials. I am skilled in the use of Westlaw and LEXIS for legal research. Light machine and shorthand dictation.

Foster, Lewis, Langley, Gardner & Banack, San Antonio, Texas
(Jan. 1990-Sep. 1991)

Legal secretary to partner specializing in medical malpractice insurance defense. Duties included drafting routine correspondence and pleadings, maintaining trial docket, assisting attorney in pre-trial and trial preparation, billing, personal correspondence, and other routine secretarial and administrative duties. Light machine and shorthand dictation.

Plunkett, Gibson & Allen, Inc., San Antonio, Texas
(Feb. 1988-Jan. 1990)

Legal secretary to partner specializing in medical malpractice insurance defense. Duties included drafting routine correspondence and pleadings, maintaining trial docket, assisting attorney in pre-trial and trial preparation, billing, personal correspondence, and other routine secretarial and administrative duties. Heavy machine and shorthand dictation.

Cox & Smith Incorporated, San Antonio, Texas
(May 1984-Feb. 1988)

Legal secretary to senior associate specializing in banking and securities law. Duties included drafting routine correspondence and banking and securities forms, proofreading SEC and OCC filings, some legal research, billing, personal correspondence and other routine secretarial and administrative duties. Light machine and shorthand dictation.

Evans & Marshall; C. David Evans (Dec’d), San Antonio, Texas

Sep. 1979-May 1984)

Legal secretary to partner specializing in criminal defense law. Duties included drafting routine correspondence and pleadings, some legal research, client interviews for initial fact-gathering, file maintenance and review, maintaining trial docket, billing, personal correspondence and other routine secretarial duties. Heavy shorthand dictation.

Technological Skills

Typing and Shorthand

Typing speed: 140 WPM; shorthand (Gregg method) speed: 180 WPM.

Word Processing

Corel WordPerfect; Microsoft Word.

Other Software and Operating Systems

Microsoft Excel (spreadsheet), Microsoft Access (database), Adobe Acrobat Professional, RightFax for Windows, DTE (Time Entry); IBM AS400 (Time Entry and Billing); Elite 2.0 (Billing).

Westlaw and LEXIS Research

Proficient in the most cost-efficient use of legal research tools Westcheck, Westlaw Find & Print, and LEXIS Case Pull.

Professional Achievements

Texas Association of Legal Secretaries Fall Meeting
September 1991

Keynote Speaker. Presented four-hour seminar on trial preparation from a legal secretary’s standpoint. Included visual aids and written materials.

Bexar County Pro-Bono Law Project
October 1985

Volunteer. Duties included interviewing prospective candidates for amnesty program sponsored by Immigration & Naturalization Service, completing forms based on information collected from candidates, other miscellaneous clerical duties.

PLS Certification
May 1985

Sat for and successfully completed NALS-sponsored, comprehensive, two-day written examination to obtain PLS (Professional Legal Secretary) certification.

Authored Appellate Style Manual
December 2004

Authored and responsible for updating and maintaining Appellate Style Manual for use in Firm’s Texas offices. Contains up-to-date information about appellate court practices and procedures, procedures for performing a cite-check, preparation of a Table of Authorities, acceptable grammar usage, citation formats according to Uniform Code of Citations (a/k/a Harvard Blue Book) and Texas Rules of Form (a/k/a Texas Green Book).

My Resume

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References

Will be furnished upon request.

Contact

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