Driving Our Economy Forward: Chambliss Law Paralegal Apprenticeship Program
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Lawyers aren’t the only ones who keep a law office up and running.
Paralegals are the backbone.
Chambliss Law even has a new paralegal apprenticeship program with Chattanooga State Community College to help students become paralegals.
It’s one way Chambliss is driving our economy forward.
“The program is an apprenticeship program that we develop mainly through Penny Murray’s leadership,” said Tony Young, Executive Director of Chambliss, Bahner, and Stophel, P.C. “We are in need of young people in our dynamic legal industry. Finding young people to come in and support attorneys has become a challenge.”
“We are support position, but we are a mighty position,” said Brenda Hodges Binder, Paralegal-Business Section, Chambliss, Bahner, and Stophel, P.C. “Because we can reach out in the community, and we can find out what’s going on. We can approach a transaction with a little more of a big picture point of view at times. Because we do see how things work. We know how things are filed. We know timelines. Often times better than the attorneys do. So as a paralegal, we support the attorneys, but yes, it’s a completely different profession.”
“People we get to work with here are extremely experienced,” said Kelly Howe, Paralegal, Chambliss, Bahner, and Stophel, P.C. “They have so much knowledge, it’s kind of intimidating to think about one day filling those roles, and having that much knowledge. But it’s great that this opportunity and the specific role allows us to learn from those knowledgeable people.”
“Apprenticeships are a great opportunity for any company that is facing any workforce challenges,” said Bo Drake, VP of Economic and Workforce Development, Chattanooga State Community College. “It’s a great opportunity to marry education and employment simultaneously, and it really opens up the pool of people that you may attract into these job opportunities.”
“I was already looking to try and further my education elsewhere, whether it was a masters, or potentially law school,” said Sage Sammeli, Paralegal, Chambliss, Bahner, and Stophel, P.C. “This paralegal program was put in front of me on a golden platter. And this was a way for me to further my education, continue taking courses, learning more while doing it on the job.”
“The program requires that they had an undergraduate degree to start out with,” Young said. “These folks are already educated, but they are wanting to hone their skill into the legal industry. This will allow them to become paralegals and potentially if they want to continue to study further, go on and get a law degree.”
