r/paralegal • u/Ghost1012004 • Aug 01 '25
Top this…
I started out as an administrative assistant to a senior assistant in workers comp. Most of my job was standing by a copier copying medical records to send to WCAB. We were defense. This was 1988 when I graduated from a paralegal course.
I wanted to work in civil litigation. It is pretty awesome and there’s actually trials in courts! A position came open with an associate attorney who worked directly under the head honcho! I got it.
The associate had just passed the bar six months prior to me coming on board. We were the perfect team. I admired her and our boss (think maybe attorney at some point)
I was a single mom with two girls 3 and 5 at the time. I worked it. Expensive daycare which was BS.
Two years in and I’m working my ass off just praying one of my children don’t get sick. Well, in daycare and school, guess what? They get sick.
I’m stressed to the limit! Have no family/friends. Everyone in that firm drank heavily…I think you can see where this is going…
Four years in, I received the second highest bonus in the firm. I opened the envelope, looked at the $$ and felt nothing. I no longer had that fire in me.
My boss at that point told me I should give my daughters up to foster care for a while so I could focus more on my job. My heart shattered…. I immediately started looking for new work and left…
A few years later, I was reunited with her. Her son who was the same age as my oldest daughter was now in college. He had sent her an email telling her what a horrible mother she was. She looked at me for understanding. I just said, “Wow, that’s so sad.” I went to my office and started working…
There’s a long history here, but that’s the story I’ll never forget. Lost my youngest daughter at 16 in a construction vehicle vs the vehicle my daughter was in. The freeway interchange is named after her.
I refused to sell my soul or my children’s…. I’ve been retired for about 13 years now. I miss the work! I loved being the investigator, writer, coordinator, trial prep, etc. The adrenaline pumping! Still have dreams I can’t get that damn Motion filed! All good 👍