Our paralegal and Office Manager, Susan Tucker, has been with the firm for 28 years. She has completed the American Institute of Paralegal Studies’ paralegal certificate program and took and passed the Certified Legal Assistant Exam, thereby earning the title of “Certified Legal Assistant.” In order to maintain this certification and further cultivate her skills, Susan regularly attends legal education seminars that keep her abreast of recent changes in the law. Susan is also a member of the National Association of Legal Assistants and Paralegal Association of Northwest Ohio (PANO), which provides a network for paralegals to share information concerning areas of practice and to provide necessary continuing legal education for certified paralegals. 

   Susan’s duties include, but are not limited to, legal and internet research, preparation of various trial court and appellate pleadings, discovery requests and response, and management and analysis of medical records. She assists in preparation for trials by preparing trial briefs, trial notebooks, jury instructions and exhibits. She is well versed in document management in multi-district, multi-plaintiff litigation, and is responsible for docketing and monitoring deadlines.

   Susan is also responsible for the management of our computer system, including the monitoring and updating of our ProLaw software system, a top notch legal computer program that manages and organizes client files. She is also knowledgeable in the creation and use of Microsoft FrontPage, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Westlaw, Lexis and other Internet legal research sources. 

   Susan is a driving force behind arranging and scheduling Focus Groups for our larger cases. In a focus group, we gather a small group of people interested in reviewing an existing lawsuit. Then along with the attorneys, we prepare a mock trial and ask the members of the focus group for their opinions about the case, tactical approaches, and facts. 

   Susan’s son, Andrew is attending the University of Toledo and is working towards his degree in art education. Andrew has attained his second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Susan’s daughter, Lindsay, is entering Michigan State University in the pre-med program this fall and is continuing to show her horse in the Appaloosa Circuits in Michigan, Ohio, New York and has attended Youth Worlds in Oklahoma City for the past three years.