Author: Melissa Fransen, Marketing
At Rinke Noonan, we are incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by an amazing team of Attorneys, Paralegals, Legal Technicians, Legal Secretaries, and other office staff, all who support our clients day in and day out.
I had the opportunity to sit down with two of our talented Paralegals to learn about them, their roles, and what they enjoy about being a part of our Rinke Noonan team.
Mary Jo Rowan
First, meet Mary Jo Rowan. Mary Jo has worked for Rinke Noonan since 2006, so she will soon be celebrating her 15-year anniversary! After starting her career in the Real Estate field, Mary Jo learned that she had an interest in the legal field and decided to pursue becoming a Paralegal. She started at Rinke Noonan as a Legal Secretary, transitioned to a Legal Technician, and after completing her degree, Mary Jo was promoted to a Paralegal.
When I asked Mary Jo about her typical day, she said that a variety of projects fill up her day. From working hands-on with our Attorneys, to handling schedules and calendars, to drafting correspondence and letters, she loves that each day is different. Mary Jo explained that there are always opportunities to learn something new as a Paralegal and she appreciates the opportunity she has in her role to attend conferences and training courses.
Throughout her years of working at Rinke Noonan, Mary Jo has enjoyed the fact that she has gotten a chance to elaborate her skillset by working on firm-wide projects and initiatives. Mary Jo was instrumental in the deployment of the firm’s software system, as well as training users of the system. Mary Jo is also often involved with training new staff.
Mary Jo shared that she really appreciates the culture at Rinke Noonan. She enjoys the “family-oriented” atmosphere and the fact that the firm believes in promoting within. She also appreciates that Rinke Noonan promotes a good work-life balance.
Darlene Finken
Next, meet Darlene Finken. Darlene has worked at Rinke Noonan since 1989 and has been an instrumental part of the firm for over 33 years. Darlene always knew that she wanted to work in the legal field. In fact, when she was asked what she wanted to do for her career for her high school yearbook, she said that she wanted to work with Attorneys. Fast forward to today, and here she is – working with Attorneys! Darlene started her career at Rinke Noonan as a Word Processor/Legal Technician and worked her way up to a Paralegal position.
When asked about her role, Darlene shared that she enjoys the variety of projects she gets to work on as a Paralegal. From drafting documents to working 1:1 with Attorneys, Darlene appreciates the fact that her days are never the same. Darlene especially likes working directly with clients and helping on all aspects of the litigation process and appeals. With Darlene’s experience, she has seen a lot of change throughout the years. With that in mind, Darlene continually embraces opportunities to enhance her skillset through training and seminars.
I asked Darlene to share something that she was particularly proud of. She shared that she’s had the opportunity to participate in a number of full-court trials for both District and Federal Court. She enjoys being in the courtroom and having the opportunity to run all of the exhibits during a trial.
Darlene shared that she really enjoys being a part of the Rinke Noonan team. She appreciates the fact that Rinke Noonan has so many long-term employees whom she’s had the opportunity to work with for decades. Whether it’s a client request or a fellow employee asking a question, Darlene shared that Rinke Noonan is filled with really great people who want to help each other and this contributes to the family-oriented culture she loves at Rinke Noonan.
If you are interested in learning more about a career at Rinke Noonan or are interested in becoming a client, reach out to us!