Colleen M. Smart

6056 N. Harlem, Chicago, IL 60631 * (630) 229-8906 * Colleensmart27@gmail.com

CERTIFIED PARALEGAL

Experienced Paralegal offering:

• Exceptional litigation support skills; over 20 years of experience

• Significant experience in product liability, insurance defense, and civil litigation.

• Strong technology skills including proficiency in Lexis Nexis, Westlaw, Word, Excel and Summation.

• Extensive knowledge of substantive and procedural aspects of civil litigation.

• Solid discovery skills including e-discovery knowledge.

• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.

RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE

Adler, Murphy and McQuillen, LLP (Chicago, IL)

• Excellent writing skills and experience in drafting a wide range of legal documents including pleadings,

discovery, motions, memoranda of law, briefs and correspondence.

April 2012 – July 2013

Complex Trial Litigation Paralegal (Contract)

• Handle heavy case load and assist with all aspects of the litigation lifecycle from inception through appeal.

• Draft legal documents including pleadings, interrogatories, jury instructions, voir dire, affidavits, subpoenas

and memoranda of law.

• Assist with trial preparation: manage trial exhibits, prepare trial notebooks, maintain expert binders, perform

jury research and communicate with experts and fact witnesses. * Prepare/construct demonstrative exhibits.

*Organized and indexed case files. *Assist at trial; surveyed jury panels to obtain insight into decisions

contributing to verdict.

• Served as liaison between clients, opposing counsel, vendors and witnesses.

• Reviewed, organized and summarize medical records.

McCullough, Campbell & Lane, LLP (Chicago, IL)

Complex Litigation Paralegal

• Evaluate and monitor insurance claims.

• Interpret insurance coverage documents

December 2005 – January 2012

• Responsible for day to day operations for exceedingly high volume Boutique Law Firm specializing in

Insurance Law, Litigation, and Business Counseling.

• Draft and Maintain monthly, quarterly and semi-annual aggregate reports covering loss fees, defense fees

and settlement costs in arising out of litigation of coverage disputes, and the legal defense of professional

liability claims * Draft and maintain multi-billion dollar multi layer Insurance Policy erosion matrix* Verify

monthly submissions of payment documentation made to/from E&O insurers based on claim management

guidelines and prepare support documentation and report letters

• Provide additional legal support in all stages of complex litigation including Correspondence, Subpoenas,

Interrogatories, Discovery and Settlement documentation and the like.

• Coordinate and perform various research projects

• Implement and maintain docket calendar

• Conduct Conflict checks

Lorenzini & Associates/Nationwide Title (Oakbrook/Plainfield, IL)

Real Estate/Closing Escrow Disbursement Agent/Transaction Paralegal

• Manage commercial acquisitions (retail, multifamily, office and industrial)

• Research, comprehend and resolve title and survey issues

• Identify issues in leases and related real estate documents

June 2005 – December 2005

• Review due diligence documents in connection with real estate acquisitions, financings, dispositions and

other operational matters

• Experienced in all functions of the Real Estate contract process, including sales agreements, handling of

earnest money and organizing all functions of the closing process;

o Generatete HUD Settlement Statement and all necessary closing documents. Responsible for pre-balancing

the closing file, comparing the borrower’s bottom line with the HUD to the loan application estimates, and

creating a Conveyance Form * Prepare lender’s package for closing by reviewing and verifying contents *

Finalize the physical closing file. Incorporate the seller documents and borrower documents into the lender’s

package and assemble in proper order * Review the entire completed pre-closing file for accuracy and

thoroughness before distributing to the closing location. Print all checks necessary for the closing transaction

* Prepare documents for Title.

Kalcheim, Schatz and Berger PC (Bannockburn, IL)

September 2004- June 2005

Litigation Paralegal

• Perform and satisfy requests of all stages of Litigation specializing in Family law

• Obtain legal documents including marriage certificates and birth certificates

• Locating absent parties

• Uncovering and indexing individual assets

• Managing service of process

• Drafting interrogatories and production of documents, and responding to requests for the same

• Filing legal documents

• Working with a mediator to assist the two parties in reaching divorce or custody agreement

BRUNSWICK CORPORATION, Brunswick Headquarters

January 2002 – September 2004

Corporate Paralegal/Communication Manager

LIFE FITNESS, Brunswick Division

• Manage legal documents and leases for acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, retail leasing, office

leasing, and financings.

June 1998 – January 2002

Research / IT Paralegal/Contract Manager/Executive Assistant to CIO

• Identify and comprehend problematic issues in environmental reports, property condition reports and zoning

reports

• Prepare organizational and qualification documents for IT vendor contracts

• Maintain complete and accurate contracts including SOW and Requests for proposal files for all contract and

third party vendors in electronic database

• Manage new contract and renewal contract management and administration (preparation, execution and

record retention).

• Management and advance preparation of upcoming renewals ensuring control and compliance with

Brunswick Corporate terms and conditions.

• Assist with maintenance of the forecasted technology and proprietary information

• Serve as coordination hub for all activities of the CIO and Corporate IT staff

• Support with corporate communications, including scheduling, presentation development and

communications with Local and Overseas Offices

• Scheduling and coordination of internal and external meetings, trade shows, and events

• Assist with development of CIO presentations

• Assist with Web site updates

• Office and supply management; interface with IT support staff

Computer Skills

• Advanced PC knowledge and skills; Internet, Westlaw Research, iManage Document Repository;

TimeTracker; Carpe Diem; Omega 5.1; NEXIS-LEXIS, Summation, Microsoft Windows XP/Vista Suite

Applications, Soft Pro/Pro-Trust for Windows, Outlook, and various other litigation management

software applications.

Education

1992 University of Illinois – Chicago, IL

1993 Roosevelt University- Chicago, IL

University of Illinois – Chicago, IL

1995

Attorney National Title Escrow Agent Training

2003 PMI Certification Class –Oakbrook, IL

Franklin Park, IL

Lake Forest, IL

Bachelors in Business Administration

Physical Therapy AD

Paralegal Certificate

2003 PMI Facilitator/Educator Certification Nashville, TN Project Management Training Certification

Conducted over 100 Commercial/Residential

Closing as Escrow Disbursement Agent

Project Management Certification