legal secretary
working for the Bhandari Law Group. Currently, Leanna is serving as the President of theSan Diego Legal Secretaries Association (“SDLSA”)
. In the past, Leanna worked for a number of law firms and legal departments including Ravin Glovinsky, LLP, the Midtown Niki Group, Stokes, Roberts & Wagner, Hughes & Pizzuto, and Hosey & Bahrambeygui, LLP. Leanna received her Bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies from San Diego State University. Leanna is defined by her appreciation for her family and friends, passion for learning, and her dedication to staying current on rules and procedures.
Leanna's Story
Leanna Pierce grew up in Riverside, CA, with her family. Leanna is a people person, who loves to surround herself with honest and kind people. However, she finds value and wisdom from everyone because “everyone has some sort of wisdom they can give you, you just have to find it.”During high school, Leanna faced a major loss. When she was 18 years old, her boyfriend died in a sudden and tragic car accident. Leanna remained focused on school, but she admits the loss was a reality check. She learned to always value the people in her life because you never known when someone you love will die. This loss provided Leanna with an approach to her life that allows her to work hard and be a supportive and loving family member. Leanna could give up a lot, but she could never give up her friends and family. She is a proud aunt of a seven month old niece and a five year old nephew. Leanna spends as much time with her family as possible, and she is grateful for all of their love and support. Leanna appreciates the people in her personal life as well as her professional life.
Leanna loves working in the legal field. Leanna's most memorable moment in the field was when she went to court and got to be her attorney's “right hand man” during trial. Leanna loves working with honest, friendly people in a fast paced field of people constantly learning. However, if Leanna could change one thing, she would make the rules more consistent from county to county and court to court. Professionally, Leanna is known for staying up on the rule changes by attending classes and meetings. Additionally, Leanna is known for having a strong personality and not being afraid to voice her opinion. According to Leanna, the
best attorneys to work for
are attorneys that listen to her ideas and take her ideas into consideration. When an attorney is flexible, and the attorney listens, Leanna knows her insights are valued and contribute to the overall plan.What is the best part of Leanna's job? Leanna admits the best part of her jobs is that she gets to constantly learn new material. Even though the procedures remain the same, the issues are always different. For example, Leanna worked on a case involving dental equipment. After working on that case, Leanna found she learned a lot about dental equipment that she would not have otherwise known. As a legal secretary, Leanna keeps learning. Nonetheless, Leanna did not always want to work in law.
Initially, Leanna wanted to be a teacher. While Leanna was studying for the MSAT, a standardized test on a range of subjects, she worked at a restaurant in Downtown San Diego. One night, Leanna struck up a conversation with a customer. The customer was a paralegal, and she was studying for the bar exam. After talking for a while, the customer urged Leanna to apply to her firm. Leanna prepared a resume, and she got the job as a receptionist and quickly moved into the role of legal secretary. As a legal secretary, Leanna has worked predominately in
civil litigation
and currently is learning white collar criminal defense.Leanna's Advice for Newcomers
Are you just starting out as a legal secretary? Leanna has a few tips. First, legal secretaries just starting out in the field should join a local association and get involved. These professional relationships are incredibly valuable. For instance, you may run into a problem in another jurisdiction, and one of your fellow association members may work in that jurisdiction. A quick phone call to a fellow legal secretary in your professional network could save you and your firm a lot of time, which would also save the client money. Second, you can do anything with enough time and perseverance. Additionally, if you are new to the profession, Leanna suggests coming in early and staying late when needed and permitted, as well as remaining calm during trying times. The law is constantly changing, and there is always new information to learn. Finally, always remember “you get more flies with honey than vinegar.”Despite Leanna's busy work schedule as an aunt and a legal secretary, Leanna makes time to work with non-profit organizations. Through working with SDLSA, Leanna has learned a lot about non-profit organizations. Each year, SDLSA selects a non-profit and raises money for the selected organization. In the past, SDLSA raised money for Voices for Children and the Tarig Khamisa Foundation (“TKF”). SDLSA selected Home Start as the organization for the 2012-2013 fiscal term. Home Start is dedicated to providing services to children living in poverty. For more information about Home Start visit the organization's website at https://www.home-start.org/index.html. Leanna admires any organization that helps underprivileged members of our society and people in need.
When Leanna is not working or spending time with her family, she is out sailing, doing yoga, or traveling. Leanna has traveled to Costa Rica, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, and Prince Edward Island near Nova Scotia. Leanna loves to travel and absorb different cultures because she appreciates seeing how different people live in different cultures. According to Leanna, traveling is an eye opening experience.
