THERESE KEYES, Founder | Owner | Litigation Paralegal

My career in the legal industry started some time ago after I obtained an associate's degree as a Legal Administrative Assistant (LA) from Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC).  I knew when I began providing support to two litigation associates that litigation was where I wanted to be.  One of the brand new, first-year associates I was working with took the time to pull a case (paper files then) from the shelves, spread it out on a conference room table, and walked me through commencement of the case through the trial, and into the appeal process.  We both learned as we went through it together.  Not sure there's many attorneys that would take the time to do that these days, but I am forever grateful to him.

After a couple of firm moves, I landed a position as an LA for a Wisconsin based personal injury law firm supporting a very busy trial attorney.  About six years in at this firm, it became apparent to me that my next natural move was to obtain an associate's degree as a Paralegal, and I did just that. I obtained my paralegal associate's degree on-line while working full-time through Thomson Education Direct.  Prior to graduation, I moved into a Litigation Paralegal position assisting on various types of cases including small personal injury auto and motorcycle cases, slip and falls, product defects, wrongful deaths, multi-plaintiff suits against manufacturers, large-scale toxic tort suits, structural collapse cases, building and equipment defects, nursing home cases, and medical malpractice cases.  The depth of litigation I learned while in this position strengthened my understanding, knowledge and excitement for this type of law.

I again returned to school in an on-line bachelor's program through the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Integrated Leadership and Corporate Communications.  I thought it was time to gain some leadership skills in order to potentially move into a paralegal managemet position.  However, after a long period of time working with attorneys on the plaintiff side, I moved over to the defense side and took advantage of my PI experience as well as my professional development to assist attorneys defending skilled nursing facilities, insurance companies and their insureds on auto/motorcycle/pedestrian/bicyclist injury, worker's compensation cases, as well as nursing home neglect, negligence, wounds, falls, and wrongful death cases.  I used my leadership skills to help form teams of bright, rising stars into a department of paralegals ready and skilled to assist a global law firm with overflow and as-needed assignments.  I trained, mentored and supervised these teams so they could produce top-notch paralegal work product.  

About a year into my role as a Lead Paralegal of approximately 10-15 developing paralegals, I began telling myself that I could take this concept and form my own independent consulting business of paralegals.  Two years later, I made a bold move to break away from the traditional role as a Litigation Paralegal within a law firm to begin freelance consulting virtually in order to assist and support solo and small firms that find themselves struggling to meet deadlines, unable to take on new clients due to heavy work loads, and having no time to focus on increasing productivity, revenue, professional development, and case strategy.

I understand first-hand what it means to juggle working full-time, staying in tune with changes in the legal industry, continuing an education while working, raising children, managing a household, and trying to have a social life, because I lived that life.  I've reached a point in my life and career where I feel confident and secure in my skills and abilities to break away from the traditional paralegal role.  I feel that without the paralegal support of someone like me who can roll up her sleeves and dig into the nitty/grittiness of each case, attorneys become overwhelmed and overworked.  They burn out, lose their steam, start to make mistakes, and ultimately may end up not enjoying the career choice they made.  That's no way to live.   Through a lot of research, trial and error, mentoring from others, and devotion to my passion, I developed my virtual freelance paralegal group into a program designed to provide senior level paralegal services on a 100% virtual basis to small and solo lawyers and law firms. I am striving to become the best at what I do so that I can assist and help attorneys do what they do best.   

I will bring a solution to the day-to-day grind of staying on top of deadlines, collecting records, organizing and managing case files, drafting pleadings, preparing demands and document productions, and a whole lot more by providing a professional and high level of expertise, integrity, honesty, and quality work product while working on a one-on-one basis to provide top-notch support to small and solo law firms throughout the State of Wisconsin.  My fees are affordable, and I offer various levels of time packages to meet any firm's needs.  I understand the flow of legal cases waxes and wanes, that is why flexibility is of utmost importance to me.  Let me help you work out a package that fits your budget.  

Keyes Freelance Paralegal Group, LLC stands for:

* Key(e)s to alleviate attorney burn out, stress and pressure

* Forward Thinking and Flexibility

* Progress, Productivity and Profitability

* Growth for all

Keyes Freelance Paralegal Group, LLC offers Key(e)s to alleviate attorney burn out, stress, and pressures through Forward Thinking and Flexibility so they can focus on their firm's Progress in Productivity, Profitability and Growth.   

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You can find me enjoying time with my family and friends when I'm not working.  My son, two daughters, two son-in-laws and three granddaughters fill my heart with joy.  My husband and I love to travel and work on remodeling our home.  I support my husband in his LLC contracting business, and he is now supporting me 100% in my freelance paralegal LLC business.  Some of my other interests include flower gardening, reading books, taking pictures and scrap-booking them, and watching sporting events, i.e., The Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Brewers, and some professional hockey teams are on the list, including The Chicago Black Hawks and Nashville Predators.  

                                                                                 * Therese Keyes, Founder, Owner & Litigation Paralegal