Tina M. Johnson, RP®, MnCP RP is a paralegal who specializes in Estate Planning/Probate & Trust Administrations at Gray Plant Mooty Mooty & Bennett, P.A., in Minneapolis, MN.
Tina is a PACE Registered Paralegal (RP®), MN Certified Paralegal (MnCP). Her education credentials include:
- Inver Hills Community College, A.S. with highest honors, Paralegal Program (2002);
- South Central Technical College, A.A.S. with highest honors, Legal Administrative Secretary Program (1999); and
- Minnesota State University, Mankato, Bachelor of Science Degree, Sociology Major (1995).
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1. What prompted you to choose a paralegal career? After my bachelor degree in Sociology and working with developmentally disabled adults in a group home setting for several years, I yearned for more. I thrived on working with people and helping others and loved the show “Ally McBeal.” I was looking to do something to make a difference and for it to be my career/ my passion in life.
I thought about the legal field and knew I wanted to be a paralegal, but started with the program close to home….Legal Administrative Secretary. I am driven, so I went for the Associate of Applied Science degree, which meant more legal research and writing courses. (The certificate program did not have these extended classes). I did very well in my program and was even awarded an Appreciation Certificate by my advisor. To this day, that advisor trained and paved my way to be a successful paralegal in the legal field.
2. What is your favorite part of your job? I love the direct contact and interactions with the clients and working on challenging projects from beginning to end. I found my passion in the estate planning and probate specialty area of law and feel very rewarded knowing I am assisting our clients with the probate administrations duties and responsibilities and providing the empathy they need to properly grieve for the loss of their loved ones. The role as Personal Representative can be very comprehensive and having a legal team to guide a client through the process is appreciated by all the clients we represent…the Personal Representatives or Trustees of the Estate or Trust Administration.
3. What professional associations do you belong to? I am the current Director of Professional Development for the Minnesota Paralegal Association (MPA). This is my fifth year serving on the Board of Directors. I joined the MPA in 2003 after obtaining my paralegal degree and being an MPA member means I am automatically an NFPA member as well.
4. How has your membership benefited you? I always knew that I wanted to be a part of a group supporting my profession, and the main reason I joined the MPA in 2003 was to network and meet other paralegals who did the same thing I did. Being new to the Twin Cities, I hoped to meet new people and build friendships. The one thing I thoroughly love about being a member of MPA, apart from the networking, is the continuing legal education opportunities. I’ve been attending the Probate & Tax Sectional Meetings since joining the MPA and even held the position as Chair/Co-Chair of the sectional for three years. The connections and networks I’ve built, in MN and across the nation, are worth millions to me.
5. What has been the highlight of your career? My highlight of my career is twofold. In 201l, I passed the NFPA PACE Exam to become a Registered Paralegal and I received my official RP® credential after the first scoring run of 2012. Then I was nominated and awarded the Unsung Legal Hero Award for Paralegal through the Minnesota Lawyers Publication from a nomination submitted by my firm, Gray Plant Mooty. In addition, the MPA awarded me with the Outstanding Paralegal of the Year in 2012. My best year ever as a career paralegal.
6. What do you see as hot trends in the paralegal industry? There are so many exciting avenues in the paralegal field, from regulation to certification to e-discovery programs….you name it, there are many hot buttons in the paralegal field. From e-filing in the probate courts to the trend of legal applications to help guide the goal of a paperless office, it can be exciting and somewhat overwhelming. This is why keeping up on CLE’s and the hot trends in the law is so important and why I cherish my Registered Paralegal credential. I set a standard of competency in the paralegal field and work to inspire and lead others to do the same.
7. If someone contemplating a paralegal career asked you for career advice, what would your answer be? If you love the law and helping others, then this is the field for you. I would recommend and motivate others who love the office setting to have strong organizational skills, a strong work ethic, and also excellent communication skills, both oral and written. To be the best paralegal, I would recommend also that they join and become involved with a local paralegal association and subscribe to the various paralegal blogs and paralegal subscriptions to help immense them into their paralegal career. There are so many varying paralegal roles and career opportunities out there for the taking. Lastly, I would tell them to always stay one step ahead, while always viewing the big picture, and consider every available option…such as Certification. Help motivate their interest and inspire them to be a paralegal star.
8. Is there a quote that inspires you? Live fully, seek serenity, laugh often, tread mindfully, savor simplicity, love passionately, think globally, exude creativity, treasure tranquility…by Kimberly Wilson, Hip Tranquil Chick!!!
9. You’ve enjoyed a successful paralegal career. To what single event or person do you attribute that success? I owe all my success to my advisor of my Legal Administrative Secretary degree, Lynda Roberts Ernst. What she taught me surpasses everything! When I obtained my paralegal degree, it was like a review course…easy as pie because of Lynda! She even asked me to contribute to the probate chapter of her book “Legal Editing and Proofreading: Applying Critical Thinking and Language Skills,” which she published in 2012. She fed my enthusiasm and dedication to the legal field and for paralegal excellence.
10. What is the most important step a paralegal can take to keep his or her career interesting? Mentoring other paralegals and keeping abreast of the advances in technology and changes in the law with continuing legal education. Never stop learning and growing as a paralegal. Getting involved in paralegal events, social networking with other paralegals, pro bono or community service work and/or teaching paralegal courses. I love to write so my passion is putting my interests about what I do as a probate paralegal and writing my articles for publication in national paralegal magazines.
11. What’s your favorite food? I have a nacho addiction, plus I love a cold glass of beer with green olives!
12. What sports team are you passionate about? Any sports teams that my 9 year old son is playing are my favorites. I am his biggest cheerleading Mom! I’m the Mommy with the camera and the loud hoots and hollers for all the kiddos on the team, but most importantly cheering for my one and only son, Eli Leighton. His current kid-pitched baseball team is the Angels. Go Halo’s!
13. If you could not be a paralegal, what would be your dream job? I used to dream of being a model but the beauty and height were not in my deck of cards. I also thought teaching aerobics and fitness would be a blast.
14. What is the one thing you wish you were better at? Hands down, public speaking, but having more calm in my life as in not feeling so “stressed” all the time.