Q&A with Amy Fleischer, Katie Riddle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Q&A: Katie Riddle

Paralegal pro bono winner Katie Riddle enjoys giving back

Pro bono work is so important to paralegal Katie Riddle, she was inspired to go to law school for opportunities to do more of it. So far in her young career, she has volunteered for the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center through its Expunction Project and driver’s license restoration clinics. She has also volunteered as a Guardian ad Litem for nearly three years. An avid dog lover, with two furry family members of her own, she volunteers with Triangle Beagle Rescue.

Last summer at the N.C. Bar Association’s Annual Conference, Riddle received the NCBA Paralegal Division’s inaugural pro bono award, recognizing her hard work and pro bono contributions.

“My pro-bono work is one of the primary reasons why I pursued my original goal of law school,” she says. “Although there are more pro-bono opportunities for paralegals than ever before, I found that I could do more work, and make more of an impact as an attorney.”

Riddle is a life products paralegal at Lincoln Financial Group and recently enrolled in the North Carolina Central University School of Law.

Growing up and pursuing a career: I was born and raised in Greensboro. In 2011, I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. In 2017, I attended Greensboro College paralegal program, and in April 2018, I passed the North Carolina paralegal certification exam. After graduating from college, my goal was to attend law school, but as I began the law school application process, I decided I needed to be certain that the legal field was where I wanted to be, so I pursued a career as a paralegal. I was hired by a law firm in downtown Greensboro where I was eventually promoted to senior workers’ compensation paralegal. After three years, I transitioned to an in-house role at a corporation where I assisted with matters involving contracts, compliance, and employment litigation. I’m now at Lincoln Financial Group where I work as paralegal, life products, supporting and assisting various departments with all matters related to life insurance. I live in Greensboro with my husband, Garrett, and two rescued dogs, Layla and Nellie.

I am inspired to go to work because: My family and my work team. You can believe in yourself when you have the support and encouragement from your spouse, from your loved ones, and from your team of attorneys. Their encouragement gives me a constant boost and helps eliminate feelings of self-doubt.

Advice to prospective paralegals: I would share the one piece of advice I wish I had heard, myself: “Do not beat yourself up.” It seems to be an inherent quality amongst legal professionals to always strive for perfection. We know that is unattainable but when a mistake is made, it can feel devastating.

Childhood dreams: I have always loved the idea of teaching, especially teaching English to speakers of other languages. I did volunteer work in college where I tutored a woman in English, and it was such an amazing experience. I was able to learn more about her, her culture, and her life. I also gained a life-long friend!

Others may not know: I am an open-book so I doubt there isn’t much that they don’t already know. I think the quality most shocking to people, is that I can be painfully shy.

To destress: I thoroughly enjoy weightlifting. I started lifting in July 2020 and I cannot believe it took me until then to figure out how much I love it. - Teri Saylor

Katie Riddle

Elon Law students graduate every December after they complete a full-time residency-in-practice with an attorney or judge as part of our 2 ½-year program.

LAW.ELON.EDU

Let us help you with: On-Campus Interviews (virtual or in-person) Job Postings Resume Collections Recruiting 1L & 2L Interns